Mineola 11U Hurricanes Win 2012 NJBL Championship

The Mineola Hurricanes 11U team completed their 2012 summer season by winning the NJBL 2012 Championship series. 

The 2012 season started off with a Memorial Day tournament in Mineola against teams from Long Island and NYC, with the Hurricanes coming up short in the championship game, finishing the tournament in second place.  

During the NJBL summer season, the boys finished with a 14-2 record in second place heading into the playoffs. The team won the first round of the playoffs by defeating the Nassau Titans behind a stellar pitching performance from Anthony Tramonte going 5.2 innings and a 1 pitch final out by Issaih Alonzo St-Turin.

The Hurricanes gave up a run in the top of the first but came back by scoring 3 runs in the bottom half sparked by back-to-back doubles by Jason Eccher and Jake Fraher a walk by Anthony Tramonte and a single by Joey Lubrano. In the bottom of the fifth, the Hurricanes would score 6 more runs on singles by Eddie Pardo, Ryan Duffy, Jordan Sandler, key walks by Nicholas Librandi, Mark Gordano and another double by Jason Eccher and a single by Jake Fraher. 

Mineola would then face the Long Island Royals in the best of 3 games championship series.

In Game 1 of the series the Hurricanes received a good start from Alonzo St-Turin and Chris Wiercinski in relief to secure a 5-1 win. The Hurricanes spotted the Royals a run in the top of the first but responded with 3 of their own in the bottom of the inning, beginning with a walk to Mark Giordano followed by a single to left by Eccher, an RBI double by Jake Fraher, followed by clutch single driving in 2 RBI’s by Ryan Duffy.

The Hurricanes would add 2 more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kevin Roach started the frame with a bunt single, followed by a single to center for Kevin Perlow, as Sandler advanced the runners on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt.  Roach would then steal home with Perlow advancing to third where he would steal home 3 pitches later to complete the scoring.  With the Royals struggling to get hits against the Hurricane pitching they tried to bunt their way on but to no avail as defense by the Hurricane infield of Gordano, Wiercinski, Perlow, Isaiah, Fraher, Sandler, Duffy and Jason would keep them scoreless after the first.

The Royals in the second game defeating the Hurricanes to force a clinching game Sunday at the in Mineola.

On the mound, Eccher went 5.1 innings while Jordan Sandler coming in and recording the final 2 outs stranding the tying run on first.

The Royals tried to jump out in front in the top of the first as with a runner on second with 1 out the batter got a base hit to left field where Nick quickly picked up the ball hit the cutoff man Fraher who relayed to catcher Ryan who had blocked the plate and applied the tag for the second out of the inning. Eccher then struck out the next batter ending the threat. The Hurricanes then scored 3 runs to take the lead, not looking back with singles by Eddie and Giordano and a booming double by Wiercinski to drive in 2 and Jake would then single in the runner. In the third inning the Royals again would threaten with 2 outs and the bases loaded. With 1 run already in, Pardo would make a sliding catch in center field on a sinking liner to end the inning and preserve the lead. The Hurricanes would score 2 more runs in the bottom of the third on a singles by Gordano, Jason and Jake to load the bases. Gordano then stole home while Jason took third where he scored on a hard ground ball by Ryan to complete the scoring and securing the championship game with a 5-4 victory. 

This would be the last home game at Willis Avenue Fields for the 11U Hurricanes, as they will be moving to the 75-ft. field at the this fall. 

Mineola and village trustee Paul Cusato came on the field to congratulate the boys, helping to make the day even more special for the players. 

At the end of July the Hurricanes traveled to Rehoboth, Delaware to participate in the Seahorse Showdown Classic at Sports on the Beach. The Hurricanes got to match up against 16 other teams from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey and Long Island.  The team would lose the first game of the tournament to the Central Perkiomen and suffer another loss to the Virginia Beach Hurricanes later that day. On Day 2 the Hurricanes finally got their bats into shape by defeating the then-No. 1 seed Stonersville Flames by a score of 13-2. 

The Hurricanes scored 9 runs in the first inning to pull ahead of the Flames beginning with singles by Pardo, Wiercinski and a walk to Fraher followed by a two-run double by Eccher, a 2-run double by Tramonte, an RBI single by Duffy, a single by Joseph Lubrano, an RBI double by Marc Giordano, a 2-run single by Kevin Roach and an RBI single by Perlow. In all the Hurricanes would send 13 men to the plate in the first inning to build a 9-0 lead.  They would score 2 more in the fourth inning on a walk to Sandler and singles from Giordano, Roach and Perlow, as well as an additional two in the fifth on a walk by Eddie and an RBI double by Wiercinski, followed by a single by Jake and a ground out by Jason plating Wiercinski to complete the scoring. 

Eccher again earned the win, allowing 2 runs over 3 innings while striking out five and giving up 3 walks and one hit.

In the first round of the tournament playoffs the Hurricanes faced off against the Palmer Pythons with Wiercinski on the mound for the Hurricanes. The Pythons managed just 2 hits off Wiercinski (6 IP, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K), managing to score 2 unearned runs in the first inning before the Hurricanes would tie with a runs in the second and third.  The game would remain deadlocked until the top of the sixth where the Hurricanes would score 2 runs beginning with a 2-out walk to Nick Librandi, who would steal second and score on a RBI single by Giordano, who himself then took second and easily scored on an RBI double from Kevin Roach to give the Hurricanes an insurance run. 

The Hurricanes would win their first playoff game and advance to the semifinal playoff game against the Smithtown Bulls, but the rest of competition was canceled due to rains before the Hurricanes could advance any further. 

Mineola Hurricanes celebrate playoff victory in Rehoboth Delaware Sports at the beach Seahorse showdown tournament. 

The Hurricanes would finish the tournament with a team batting average of .387 lead by Giordano, Perlow and Wiercinski who all hit over .600 for the weekend tournament. 

The Hurricanes had a 20-9 record to date in 2012 and are looking forward to starting the fall NJBL season.

Coaches for the 11U Hurricane team are Jon Perlow, Kenny Eccher, Billy Duffy, Tom Fraher, Frank Giordano and Anthony Tramonte.

The Mineola Hurricane 11U family would like to thank their supporters and sponsors including , , JLJ Enterprises, Anthony’s Coal Fried Pizza and .