By Frank Keating
The village's 11-year-old team played a terrific season. The following is a synopsis of the last three games.
The qualifier
Rockville Centre's 11-year-old team qualified for the District 30 championship game with a 4-1 defeat of a tough Oceanside American team on Monday, July 18, at Greis Park in Lynbrook. Louie Laupheimer pitched his second consecutive complete game victory - striking out six, walking four and scattering five hits. Laupheimer gathered seven ground ball outs, and only one fly ball was lifted, the final out of the game.
In the top of the first, Laupheimer (2 for 4) placed another leadoff infield single, stole second, advanced to third on Bobby Keating's warning track fly out to centerfield and scored RVC's first run on Andrew Talbot's (3 for 3, 3 RBIs) single to center.
In the third, Laupheimer's speed got him another leadoff infield hit, but Sami Bolnick forced him at second. Keating hit a one-hop, laser-like single to center, advancing Bolnick to scoring position for Talbot's second RBI single. In their half of the inning, Oceanside loaded the bases. A pinch-hitter grounded to first baseman Keating, who threw to catcher Mike Palladino for the second out. The next batter grounded back to Laupheimer. Oceanside also threatened in the fourth. With one out and runners on first and second, a sharp opposite way liner found Keating at first. He caught the shot and stepped on first to complete the inning-ending double play.
RVC scored two in the fifth. Kevin Coyle stroked a one out single and stole second. Keating drove the right fielder to the 205-foot sign for the second out. Coyle scored as Talbot and Joe Geraci both clubbed doubles, Geraci's scoring Talbot before Joe was thrown out at third on a bang-bang play that could have been called either way.
Oceanside responded with their only run in the bottom of the fifth on a leadoff single, a stolen base and two groundouts that RVC made the plays to first, allowing the runner to advance and score.
In the sixth, Ryan Spadaford drilled a one-out triple off the fence in right center and was followed by walks to Christian Colletti and John Palladino, loading the bases. However, RVC did not score.
Capturing the championships
Monday, July 25, RVC captured the District 30 Championships at Greis Park in Lynbrook with a 5-3 victory over Oceanside American. This title is not only a repeat for the team, but they also defeated the same opponent by the same score in 2004 to win the 10-year-olds title.
Rockville Centre jumped to an early first inning lead as Kevin Coyle walked and Andrew Talbot (2 for 4) singled. Coyle scored as the relay throw got past the third baseman. RVC scored again in the second as Mike Palladino walked and scored on Ryan Spadaford's ground out to short, the first baseman's throw getting past the third baseman again.
In the top of the third, pinch-hitter Sami Bolnick led off with a single and was followed by another single by Coyle (3 for 3). A sacrifice fly to center by Bobby Keating scored Bolnick and then Talbot's second hit knocked in Coyle. RVC was ahead 4-0.
Andrew Talbot pitched his second complete game victory, striking out 11, allowing five hits and three walks. Oceanside scored single runs in the third (walk, RBI single), fourth (walk, RBI double) and sixth (single, error, RBI single).
Pinch-hitter Christian Colletti singled to start the fourth and pinch-runner Ben Hawriluk scored RVC's final run on a RBI single to center by Coyle.
RVC threatened in the top of the sixth as Chris Harkins hit a one-out single and advanced on Coyle's third single. Keating drew an intentional walk to load the bases and Talbot just missed a bases clearing extra base hit as his drive was one foot foul at the base of the left field fence. He then grounded out to the pitcher on the next throw.
Ending a successful season
Andrew Talbot threw another complete game gem, allowing only three runs (two in the fourth, one in the fifth), striking out 11, walking only two and surrendering five hits. RVC had runners on base in each inning, except for the first, with leadoff hits in each of those innings. Whenever RVC placed a runner, the Patchogue defense quickly countered with a forced out on the advancing runner.
Talbot (2 for 3) singled in the second and pinch-runner John Palladino was forced at second base by Joe Geraci. Geraci advanced on an error caused by Ryan Spadaford's grounder, but both were stranded on Ben Hawriluk's grounder to short.
Chris Harkins opened the third with a single, was forced at second by Sami Bolnick, who was forced at second by Kevin Coyle. Bobby Keating drilled a single to right, but was forced at second by Talbot.
Geraci led off the fourth with a single, followed by Mike Klaum's hit. They were erased by a 6-4-3 double play on Paul Pruyn and Christian Colletti's ground out.
Louie Laupheimer legged out an infield single to start the fifth and was forced on Keating's grounder to second. Talbot opened the sixth with a double to right center and moved to third on Mike Palladino's single. RVC still did not score. They lost the game 3-0.
The team thanks its many families, classmates, neighbors and league officials who supported them and shared their experiences this season.
