From a July 28, 2024 dailyfreeman.com article.
From left, Kane Pogeweit, Matthew Seplavy, Jacob Simmons, Lucas Tiano, Bradley Longo, Walter Mayone, Cameron Pugliese, Michael Betterton, Michael Tiano, Levi Van Vlierdan, Grayson Pavloudakis, Landon Mayr. (Photo provided)
By Rick Remsnyder | rremsnyder@freemanonline.com
UPDATED: July 28, 2024 at 3:04 p.m.
ENDICOTT, N.Y. — The Saugerties 10U Little League All-Stars capped a banner season by finishing fourth in the New York State Little League Baseball Championships that concluded this week.
The local team of all-stars ages eight to 10 bounced back from a 6-3 loss to Port Washington on Monday to win twice in the loser’s bracket over North Shore 2-1 on Tuesday and Baldwinsville 10-8 on Wednesday.
The season ended for Saugerties with a 12-5 defeat at the hands of New City on Thursday.
Manager Mike Pugliese said it was the best finish in the state tournament for the 10U squad, which competed in states two years ago. He said it was the first time Saugerties won a game in the tournament in that age group.
Pugliese said his team played very well during the tournament and posted two exciting wins.
Following the loss to Port Washington in the opener, Saugerties broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 2-0 lead and hung on for a 2-1 victory over North Shore in its first loser’s bracket game.
Levi Van Vlierdan drove in both runs and Saugerties ace Bradley Longo gave up only one hit in 6 2/3 innings. Longo struck out nine and walked two. Van Vlierdan got the save by recording the final out.
“It was a really big deal to get one game there,” Pugliese said.
In the next game of the double-elimination tournament, Saugerties rallied from an 8-4 deficit against Baldwinsville to pull out a 10-8 win with three runs in the top of the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Longo hit a homer with the bases loaded in the fifth for an apparent grand slam, but it went down as a three-run homer when the umpires ruled that one of the Saugerties players didn’t touch home plate.
Still trailing 8-7 after five innings, Saugerties scored three more runs in the top of the sixth to complete the comeback. Longo finished with four RBIs and Kane Pogeweit had two.
Van Vlierdan pitched 3 1/3 innings of no-hit relief to pick up the win.
New City eliminated Saugerties by scoring seven runs in the top of the fourth inning to take an 8-2 lead. Saugerties rallied to close to within 9-5 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but New City scored three more in the top of the sixth to put the game away.
Longo and Walter Mayone each had two hits for Saugerties in its season finale.
“It was a great season for the boys and I can’t thank everyone for all the support we got,” Pugliese said. He said the game was streamed live on Gamechanger and at one point nearly 145 people were tuned in.
“People were having parties at their houses to watch the games,” he said. “People I know that don’t even like baseball were texting me after the games and offering their congratulations. It was awesome.”
The Saugerties Little League All-Stars advanced to the New York State Little League Championships by winning Section 2. Saugerties won District 15 to start the postseason. The squad finished with a 10-3 postseason record.