Announcement
By Marc Raimondi
Chris Piteo wasn’t taking anything for granted.
Sure, his Ridgewood-Glendale-Middle Village-Maspeth 11- and 12-year-old Little League team has a ton of talent – this is the same group that won Section 3 two years ago and the state last year. And yeah, WORKS Little League, from nearby Woodhaven, isn’t one of Queens’ traditional powerhouses.
But Piteo said he and his teammates weren’t looking past their opponent at all.
“We want to play it like it’s any other game,” the star shortstop said. “Like I always say, ‘Play every game like it’s a championship game.’”
Sure, his Ridgewood-Glendale-Middle Village-Maspeth 11- and 12-year-old Little League team has a ton of talent – this is the same group that won Section 3 two years ago and the state last year. And yeah, WORKS Little League, from nearby Woodhaven, isn’t one of Queens’ traditional powerhouses.
But Piteo said he and his teammates weren’t looking past their opponent at all.
“We want to play it like it’s any other game,” the star shortstop said. “Like I always say, ‘Play every game like it’s a championship game.’”
It was clear RGMVM was near that championship form already, despite it being only the opening game of the District 27 tournament. Coach Steve Adams’ team beat WORKS, 12-1 via run rule in the fourth inning, on a soggy Saturday morning at RGMVM’s Seiter Stadium home in Glendale.
Piteo, the team’s mound ace, didn’t start and that was fine. Gerry Fraracci excelled with his right arm and his bat. He gave up only one run on two hits in four innings, while striking out six WORKS batters. At the plate, he was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a two-run home run in a third inning in which RGMVM scored three runs.
“He does a good job,” Adams said of Fraracci. “On any given day, one of the three (starters) could give us a lights-out performance.”
That’s the trademark of a good, deep team. So was the scoring output. RGMVM hung six, first-inning runs on WORKS starter John Carlos Guzman and added three more in the second. The onslaught didn’t stop.
Eric Tully, the team’s No. 2 starter, and T.J. Ritter both had two RBIs and Brandon Acosta, Anthony Nieves and Anthony LoCascio scored twice.
RGMVM will host Ozone Howard, which had a bye, Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. Rockaway, which advanced when Rosedale dropped out, and Broad Channel, coming off a bye, are on the other side of the bracket. They will also play Tuesday night at 5:30 at Rockaway.
Either Ozone Howard or RGMVM has won the last 10 District 27 titles. Ozone Howard was won six of the last nine championships.
This year, RGMVM has high hopes for the district and beyond.
Last week, the team won a Triple Crown tournament in Newburgh, N.Y., smashing 30 home runs. The last two seasons, this group has been champions, winning city two years ago and the city and state last year.
“I gotta instill in their heads every day,” Adams said, “that they haven’t done anything yet this year.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Marc Raimondi by e-mail at mraimondi@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
Piteo, the team’s mound ace, didn’t start and that was fine. Gerry Fraracci excelled with his right arm and his bat. He gave up only one run on two hits in four innings, while striking out six WORKS batters. At the plate, he was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a two-run home run in a third inning in which RGMVM scored three runs.
“He does a good job,” Adams said of Fraracci. “On any given day, one of the three (starters) could give us a lights-out performance.”
That’s the trademark of a good, deep team. So was the scoring output. RGMVM hung six, first-inning runs on WORKS starter John Carlos Guzman and added three more in the second. The onslaught didn’t stop.
Eric Tully, the team’s No. 2 starter, and T.J. Ritter both had two RBIs and Brandon Acosta, Anthony Nieves and Anthony LoCascio scored twice.
RGMVM will host Ozone Howard, which had a bye, Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. Rockaway, which advanced when Rosedale dropped out, and Broad Channel, coming off a bye, are on the other side of the bracket. They will also play Tuesday night at 5:30 at Rockaway.
Either Ozone Howard or RGMVM has won the last 10 District 27 titles. Ozone Howard was won six of the last nine championships.
This year, RGMVM has high hopes for the district and beyond.
Last week, the team won a Triple Crown tournament in Newburgh, N.Y., smashing 30 home runs. The last two seasons, this group has been champions, winning city two years ago and the city and state last year.
“I gotta instill in their heads every day,” Adams said, “that they haven’t done anything yet this year.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Marc Raimondi by e-mail at mraimondi@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
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