Big Doings Among East Hampton’s Little League Teams

As of earlier this week, all three East Hampton Little League boys teams were contending for District 36 Final Fours. 

The 11-12 Maroon team coached by Chris Anderson finished pool play at 4-1 at the Pantigo fields Saturday by trouncing Southampton 10-0, thanks in great measure to Jack Dickinson’s no-hit pitching. That wasn’t the only no-hitter for the Maroons last week: Hunter Eberhart and and Aryan Chugh combined for one versus Eastport-South Manor on June 27. The young Bonackers won that game 12-0.

The 11-12 Grey team coached by Andrew Daige likewise did very well last week, rebounding from a lopsided playoff-opener loss to East End with three straight wins, over North Fork, Patchogue, and Mattituck, which had previously been undefeated.

That team had two more pool games to play, at home yesterday versus North Shore National, and tomorrow at Riverhead.

Additionally, Henry Meyer and Tim Garneau’s 9-10 boys were 3-0 as of Tuesday, having defeated Sag Harbor 12-0, North Shore 11-0, and Hampton Bays 16-1. That team too was to have played here yesterday, versus Eastport-South Manor, and is to finish up pool play at home tomorrow with Southampton.

The district’s semifinal games are to be played Sunday, and the finals are to be contested Monday and Tuesday at sites yet to be determined.

East Hampton’s 11-12 and 9-10 girls softball teams, which vied in smaller tournaments — there were four teams in the older division and only two in the younger one — did not fare as well, though there were bright spots. The powerful North Shore teams won both tourneys, though Mike Ruddy’s 9-10s gave their counterparts all they could handle here Saturday, bowing in the end 9-8. 

Sandwiched between two lopsided losses to North Shore, the 11-12s flattened Bellport here by a likewise lopsided score as, one after another, East Hampton’s hitters stroked line drives into the outfield.

As aforesaid, Dickinson no-hit Southampton for the Maroon 11-12 boys team Saturday morning, notching 14 strikeouts while walking four. The only runner to reach first base safely other than via a base on balls was the leadoff hitter as the result of an error in the bottom of the fifth inning (East Hampton, while playing at home, was the “visiting” team). 

Eberhart relieved the starter with two outs and runners on first and second base in that inning, and got the third out as the result of a subsequent forceout at second.

Meanwhile, the young Bonackers tattooed the ball at the plate, scoring one run in the first, four in the third, one in the fourth, and four more in the fifth to complete the rout.

Among those with big blows were Dickinson, who broke the ice, doubling in a run in the first; Rich Gosman, with an R.B.I. double, and Nico Puglia, with a run-scoring single, in the third, and Calum Anderson, with an R.B.I. double in the fourth.

Puglia led off East Hampton’s fifth with a line drive opposite-field double to right. The next three batters, Jake Krahe, Alex Lombardo, and Nick Cordone, drew full-count walks, the latter’s resulting in East Hampton’s seventh run. Two more came in as the result of an error by the visitors’ third baseman, who, in going for a forceout there, overthrew the bag. 

An infield single by Trevor Stacheki loaded the bases again. Eberhart fanned for the first out, and a subsequent force at the plate resulted in the second. That brought Dickinson to the plate. He was to be called out on strikes, but not before another run came home on a wild pitch.

When this writer remarked on the team’s uniformly good hitting, David Samot, who has been Anderson’s assistant the past few years, said it had resulted from a group effort, and added that, “It’s really defense that we pride ourselves on first, though, with Jack on the mound, we didn’t have to do much defensively today. Still, you never know.”

The Final Four picture, the coaches agreed, would not be clarified until later in the week. 

As of Tuesday, North Shore, at 5-0, was listed on the eteamz.com website as the 11-12 Pool A leader with East Hampton second. The Pool B leader was Riverhead, at 4-0, with the East Hampton Grey team second, at 3-1. Longwood and East Hampton, each at 3-0, led the 9-10 pools.