Martha’s Vineyard little leaguers host Vermont team

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Players from the Vineyard 12-year-old team and Williston, Vermont gathered at home plate. Back row (coaches) L to R: Vineyard Andrew Alibert, Ernie Chaves. Williston: Greg Bolger, Tom Parent, Kevin McDermott Middle row (players) L to R: Vineyard: Dillon McAndrews, Aidan Aliberti, Jack Sayre, Mercer Kelly, Mitchell Chave, Curtis Fournier, Williston: Jacob Murphy, Griffen McDermott, Tyler Skaflesteadt, Jack Fitzgerald, Greg Bolger Front row: Vineyard; Nick Fiore, Graham Lewis, Jacob Gunderson, Sam Bresnick, Williston: Storm Rushford, Owen McDermott, Ian Parent, Ryan Eaton — Photo courtesy of Adam Bresnick

This past weekend, a group of Williston, Vermont, Little League All Stars visited Martha’s Vineyard for a weekend of baseball at Veira Park in Oak Bluffs.

In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, after Umpire in Chief Larry Johnson yelled “Play Ball,” the Pirates squared off against Williston and earned a hard-fought 5-3 win. The Bucs quickly fell behind, 3-0, in the first inning, but then their bats came alive and the excellent pitching of Chris Voight, Jack Sierputoski, Curtis Fournier, and Sam Bresnick shut out the visitors the rest of the way.

The Pirates’ offense was led by Sam Bresnick (a double, a triple and 2 runs scored), Curtis Fournier (a single, a double, 1 run scored), Chris Voight (a triple, 1 run scored) and Walter Greene ( a walk, and double). After pizzas and a quick break, a group of Vineyard 12-year-olds took to the diamond for the second half of the double header.

The Vineyarders scored twice in the second inning on a deep sacrifice fly by Sam Bresnick. Nick Fiore doubled in two more in the fourth. Williston scored single runs in the fifth and sixth, but their rally ended with the tying runs on base, preserving a close 4-2 victory for M.V.

On Sunday morning under ominous skies the Tigers faced off against Green Mountain boys. With the game tied 5-5 after four innings, Williston scored two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to secure a 10-5 win.

Mitchell Chaves, Mercer Kelly, and Augie Pizzano each doubled and scored for the Tigers.

The second game, pitting the Vermonters against the Red Sox, began under a light rain. Before long, however, the clouds opened up and the game was suspended.

Throughout the weekend, the teams exhibited tremendous sportsmanship and good cheer. The boys from the Catamount State checked out the flying horses, ate fudge and ice cream, got some late night doughnuts, and even braved the Atlantic Ocean for a quick dip. Before heading back North, the guests invited the Vineyarders to Williston for a weekend of baseball.

Opening Day

The Little League season got under way for real on Tuesday.

In major league play, the Pirates romped over the Tigers, 7-1. Each team had four hits. Curtis Fourier doubled for the Bucs. Sam Bresnick, Theo Gallagher, and Cody Caseau singled. Ricardo Andrade, Michael Habekost, Hollis Kelly, and Mitchell Chaves singled for the Tigers.

Jack Sierputoski pitched four scoreless innings and Grant Pertile added another for the Pirates.

The minor league opener was a slugfest. The Reds rallied with six runs in the bottom of the sixth to beat the Rays, 14-13, at Manter’s Field.

Morgan Estrella and Aiden Smith pitched well for the Reds who also benefited from a triple play and two double plays. Keaton Aliberti pitched shutout ball for three innings, striking out eight for the Rays. Leo Neville was solid behind the plate and Andrew Marchand had two hits and two RBI. The teams play again on Saturday.

Little League parade Saturday

The annual Little League parade begins Saturday at 10 am in Oak Bluffs. Some 325 players from 26 teams will march from the Steamship Authority terminal up Circuit Avenue to Veira Park, where all will congregate for a ceremony. Three games will follow. In all, 13 games will be played at five ballparks across the Island.