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Yankees Capture Middlesex Big Diamond League Title

Posted by John Veneziano at Jun 19, 2018 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )
The North Reading Yankees captured the 2018 Middlesex Big Diamond League Senior Division championship, defeating the Stoneham Braves, 4-0, on Sunday in a winner-take-all battle at Stoneham High School.
 
In the final, pitcher Nick Shea scattered seven singles on his way to a complete-game shutout of a strong Braves squad that was averaging better than 10 runs per game. In fact, the Braves finished the season with a 14-4 record (including playoffs), with all four of their losses coming at the hands of the Yankees.
 
The second-seeded Yankees finished the spring 13-3 and won four of five games in the double-elimination tournament, including a 1-0 decision over the Braves last Wednesday. In that game, Jimmy Currier hurled a two-hit shutout, dropping Stoneham to the loser's bracket. Chris Gwozdz hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly for the only run Currier would need in the Yankees' victory. Stoneham went on to defeat the Wakefield Mets in the consolation bracket to set up the showdown in the final, with the Braves needing to beat the Yankees twice to win the championship.
 
They did it once, in an exciting Saturday evening game at North Reading High School. The Yankees' Demitri Boulas pitched a gem, allowing one hit through 6.2 innings while striking out 11 and issuing just one free pass. He left the mound with the game scoreless, giving way to Michael Vittozzi. Vittozzi closed out the seventh, but the Braves pushed across a run in the bottom of the eighth for the walk-off victory to set up Sunday's decisive game.

In the final, the Yankees started off strong with Alex Vercolen doubling in Currier in the first with the only run Shea would need. This set the stage for the back end of the Yankees' batting order. Jonathan Patch led off the second with a walk and Connor MacIntyre then singled sharply to left. Ryan Caviasca moved both runners over with a ground out, before twin brother Joey Caviasca drove in Patch with a single to right. Ryan Good followed with another RBI single to right, and Derek Danis capped off the three-run rally by drilling a single that brough home the team's fourth run.  

The Yankees' defense squashed the biggest Braves threat of the day in the fourth. With runners on first and second and no outs, the next Braves better slammed a single to right field. But Ryan Caviasca threw to Vittozzi, who fired home to Vercolen to cut down the runner trying to score. The ball then went back to Vittozzi to double off the trailing runner.
 
Shea kept throwing strikes, walking only one batter while using all of his pitches to keep Stoneham off balance. Currier was all over the field in center, catching six fly balls, and in the sixth inning, Brady Cunningham cut off a ball in the gap and hit the relay to keep the shutout intact. With two outs in the seventh, the batter hit a foul pop to the backstop, where catcher Vercolen made the game-ending grab to set off the celebration.  

The Yankees' pitching and defense were the keys to victory. They held the Braves' explosive offense to one run in the final three meetings between the teams. The leadership of the team's four sophomores – Currier, Gwozdz, Vercolen and Boulas – made them exceptionally tough to beat. It was like having four assistant coaches on the field at all times. It was a true team effort, taking all 14 players contributing when called upon.
 
2018 North Reading Yankees – MBDL Senior Division Champions
Front row: Ryan Caviasca, Nick Shea, Michael Vittozzi, Joey Caviasca, Blake Miller, Jimmy Currier, Derek Danis, Alex Vercolen. Back row: Coach Bob Caviasca, Coach Dave Gwozdz, Chris Gwozdz, Demtiri Boulas, Brady Cunningham, Coach Kevin MacIntyre, Connor MacIntyre, Jonathan Patch, Ryan Good, Coach Aldo Vittozzi
 
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North Reading Selected to Host 2017 State Championship

Posted by John Veneziano at Mar 28, 2016 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

North Reading Little League has long been recognized as having one of the best youth baseball programs in the state. Now the state’s best will be coming to North Reading.

Last week, the Massachusetts Little League District Administrators announced that North Reading has been selected to host the 2017 State Championships. The week-long tournament will bring together the state’s four best 12-year-old all-star teams, with the victor going on to represent the Commonwealth in the New England Championships in Bristol, Ct. That winner then advances to Williamsport, Pa., to compete in the popular Little League World Series.

“This is a testament to the strength of our program and the dedication of our Board of Directors,” said NRLL president Eddie Madden. “This was a competitive selection process – multiple Little League programs across the state were vying to win the right to host this prestigious event. It’s the first time in almost four decades that a league from District 13 has been selected to host the state championship.

“There will be numerous corporate sponsors represented during the tournament,” Madden added. “And it will be an excellent opportunity for the area business community.”

The championships will take place at Benevento Memorial Fields in mid-to-late July of next year, with the actual dates dependent on the Williamsport schedule. Beverly and Lynn Wyoma have hosted the last two state tournaments, and Westwood will be the site for the 2016 championships.

Prior to making their decision, state administrators toured Benevento and were impressed by the quality of its fields and its amenities, as well as other planned facility improvements.

“We are very excited to have the 2017 Little League State Championship hosted in District 13,” said District Administrator and Massachusetts Little League Board member John Berardi. “North Reading is only the third league in our District to be selected as the Tournament host, joining Wakefield (1978) and Woburn (1952-57).

“Along with their facilities, one of the main elements supporting their bid are their League volunteers. North Reading Little League continues to have a very strong core group who have shown their ability to host by taking on our Sectional and Jimmy Fund tournaments for several years,” Berardi added. “The State Finals are a challenge for any host, but I am fully confident that North Reading will make the 2017 event a success.”

Madden is eager for that challenge.

“We are looking forward to working with our partners in the Parks and Recreation Department to make sure that Benevento continues to be the premier Little League complex in the area,” he said. “And we’ll also be working with a wide variety of the town’s departments to ensure that all of our fans and players are safe and able to enjoy the festivities for the entire week. We’ve already begun planning for the tournament and are working on a number of improvements and initiatives.”

Massachusetts Little League is divided into 16 districts, which each crowning a champion that then plays in one of the four sectional tournaments. Sectional champions then compete for the state title. North Reading has hosted numerous District and Sectional tournaments in recent years, including last year’s 12-year-old Sectional Championships.

“We have a rich baseball tradition here in North Reading and being awarded this tournament means that this tradition is being recognized across the entire state,” said Madden.

More immediately, North Reading Little League is preparing for the 2016 season. More than 400 boys and girls, ages 4-16, have already signed up to play this spring, with registration ongoing. Opening Day is set for Saturday, April 9, at Benevento Fields.

For more information on North Reading Little League, the state championships, and to sign up to play this spring, visit www.nrll.org.

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Send Us Your Questions!

Posted by Mike Correale at Apr 1, 2014 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )
Send an e-mail to president@nrll.org or nrll1952@hotmail.com. Our mailing address: is P.O. Box 619, North Reading, MA 01864. Please don't send registrations to the P.O. Box. All registrations are done online.
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NRLL Now on Instagram and Twitter

Posted by John Veneziano at Apr 1, 2014 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )
North Reading Little League continues to add to its social media offerings and now has an Instagram account as well as being part of Twitter. Our Instagram user name is  northreadingll. You can follow us on Twitter @nrllinfo. Please pass the word to everyone you think would be interested in staying connected with all that’s happening in NRLL.
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