1
Rain does not dampen little Ijeague start BY KEVIN TUNG It was cold, raining, and muddy, but the lively cheers “Look live!’’ “Heads up!” and “Great play!” were still heard all day at JJ Walker Park for the Greenwich Village Little League’s Opening Day Apr. 15. Parents were rooting for their children, giving them advice, and consoling them when they made a mistake. Coaches and managers were drawing up lineups, getting everyone in the game, and still trying to win while keeping the game fun for the kids. The new season was beginning. On a nicer day, Apr. 17, inithe 11 and 12-year-old Majors division, the Diamondbacks, outlasted the Cubs winning 4-3. In the first inning the D’Backs came out strong scoring two quick runs. First Kate Phillips drew a walk. Then starting pitcher Danny Dinello brought her home with a triple. Two batters later, first baseman Matt Raymoundas drove Dinello home with a double. Dinello then shut down the Cubs, pitching the first two innings and striking out five. There was good fielding for both teams. Nick Johansen showed an especially steady glove anchoring the Cubs infield at shortstop. The second game featured a pitching duel reminiscent of Nolan Ryan versus Tom Seaver. Lucas Mann of the Athletics battled Jonathan Raitkin-Trotman of the Cardinals. But Mann outlasted Rankin- Trotman as the Athletics won 1-0, scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mann was amazing, strikingout 17 batters, while walking only 3. Rankin-Trotman displayed similar prowess striking out 9, but unlike Mann, walked 6, the last of which accounted for the winning run. In the bottom of the fifth Rankin-Trotman walked speedy second baseman Daniel Hunter. Hunter, having stolen 2 bases earlier in the game, stole two more -- 2nd and 3rd base putting him in scoring position. Angel Ramirez then hit one deep over the center fielder’s head bringing Hunter home, but in trying to stretch his hit into a triple, was thrown out at third. Elsewhere in the Majors Division on Apr. 18, Jonathan Rankin-Trotman hit 2 monstrous homeruns over the center field fence and Chris Ricardelli pitched a complete game shutout as the Cards beat the Braves 5-0. No one remembers anyone else ever hitting two homers in one game over the fence at JJ Walker in the Majors division. Behind the plate for the Cards Alex Codero caught a great game. In the opening game on Apr. 15, Peter Marenson pitched 4 innings before the game was called due to rain as the Cubs beat the Braves 8-1. He struck out 9 and walked two while giving up only 1 run. Village hoopsters win 3rd title With Michael Jordan out of the way, the next great basketball dynasty may have been discovered far from Chicago, in the Greenwich Village Basketball League, where Pop’s Kids have won their third straight title in the Junior “A” Division. The Kids tuned up for the championship game by defeating the Quick Cpmets by 24 points before taking on the Friars on Apr. 10. Pop’s Kids defeated the Friars, 42-32, led by Joel Cepeda, who had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Umar Ali scored 13 and had seven assists. The coach of the champions is Umar’s dad, Jude All. He says that although the games are played very cleanly, things can get tough. “Our team is pretty physical,” he says. “And so were the two teams we played.” Pop’s Kids had a record of 10-2 during the regular season. Ali had eight or nine twelve year olds to choose from at any one time and tried to play each team member as much as possible. “The subs would play most of the game against weaker teams,” he says. “It depends on how hard the game is.” The league plays in the Carmine St. Recreation Center. Hot start for Chelsea softball team BYSCOnDIETSCH Proving that girls softball has as much stature as boys baseball, the Chelsea Vocational High School has begun the season playing as well as their cross-gender counterparts. Team coach Jan Scott has seen her team start out 4 -1 (with their season opening winning streak stopped rudely by Stuyvesant on Apr. 16, 22-6). Of the 16 players on her squad, she singles out three seniors as the stars of the team: Amy ^ Sfmtiago,.who plays pitcher, first base and third base; Jessica Ayala, at third base, first base and the outfield; and Lee Viilegas who pitches and plays first base. “The girls have all been working really hard and trying their best,” says Scott, who hopes to guide her team to a better postseason record than last year’s first round loss in the Public School Athletic Help for grieving families Cabrini Hospice, at 227 W. I9th St., is offering a new series of support groups for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The series will run for eight consecutive Mondays, beginning on May 3, 1999. The morning sessions will meet *from 10 a.m.-ll:30 a.m., and the evening session from 6 p.m,-^7:30 p.m, ♦ ? ♦ ( t -••• i**l’V HVi.M• 'f: •*» * ,‘*h y Th is Athletic gets ready for the ball at JJ Walker field. Vlifager photo by Michael Yassukovich Little League seniors shine at Bergtraum League playoffs. “A lot of their success has to do with assistant coach Ray McElroy. He’s been working with the girls. Some are really new [to softball]." Chelsea plays in Manhattan Division 1, in which they finished third last season with their best showing of Scott’s eight seasons coaching the team. They play most of their games (twelve total) during the week at East River and Houston St. near the FDR Drive, usually on Field 3. SOplays in 60 minutes The Neo-Futurists, the troupe known for filling houses at HERE and Nada, will reunite for one night only, on Wed., Apr. 28, to deliver a whirl wind performance of 30 plays in 60 minutes. “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” will run at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, 161 W. 22nd St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves., taking audiences on a post-modern roller coaster ride exploring the simultaneous clash of opposing realities. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and admission is random: $4+ the roll of a single-sided die. 366-9176 The Greenwivh Village Little League Senior Division Braves won their first victory of the season by beating the Athletics by a 7-4 score on Sunday, Apr. 18 at Murry Bergtraum field. Braves pitcher Hunter Johansson struck out ten 10 Athletic batters, walked only one, and scattered three singles for a complete game victory. Trailing 4-1, the Braves rallied for four runs in the fourth, with key hits by leftfielder Chris Ward and catcher James Vidala. Jason Green pitched well for the A’s but still lost. Green struck out six, walked one, allowed two hits, and gave up only one earned run. Another game between the A’s and the Braves was postponed because of time with the score tied at six after six innings. Avi Margolies pitched for the A’s , striking out 12 and walking three. Chris Ward started for the Braves and was relieved by Kevin Cordero. Johansson starred at Baruch basketball All-Stars Baruch senior basketball stars Scott Holloway and Joe Lieberato, who finished first and third in career scoring at the school respectively, were both named ECAC All- Stars for their great play this season. They helped Baruch to a school-best 22-5 record. the plate for the Braves, knocking in two runs with a single and a double. Shortstop Andrew Hammack. and Cordero also had two hits apiece for the Braves. For the A’s, rookie shortstop Austin Henkel scored two runs, and had a double and a single. A’s centerfieider Josh Strausser had two RBI’s with a long single. If field time can be obtained, the teams hope to be finsih the game on the morning of Apr. 24 at DeWitt Clinton. Baruch baseball Though the Baruch College baseball team is languishing with a 9-20 record this season, there have been some highlights. Chief among them is an 11-5 upset victory on the road over College of Staten Island on Apr. 12. The sevens went wild as the Statesmen put together a seven run seventh inning to back George Tamayo who gave up only seven hits and struck out two in a complete game (seven innings). Gerard Liberman knocked home the winning run. Baruch split a doubleheader with Lehman on Apr. 18, losing the first gpi it 13- 4 and winning game two 9-8. Greg Clerkin pitched a complete game in the win and slammed a two-run homer in the sixth fcMhe go-ahead runs. To Subscribe Call 229-1890 PrepaniioumlllQPColiiie. Stort utino noM villh U.S, Sayinos Gonili For ihoSoi^nos Bond Iniwim InbifiKiliQrt poiTf hlol. mtIIo U i, Sovlogi ^ n d s , WoitilnQloiv, DC20226, 9 R YEARS fc U EXPERIENCE AUTO* HIT & RUN HOME*CONSTRUaiON WORK* SLIP & FALL MEDICAL MALPRACnCE liOSCAUO& L0SCAU0,P.C. Attorneys at Law 14 E. 4th St, N.Y(CR.B'WAY) (800)640-2900 Call 24 Hrc.-Frae Consultation WEOOMETOYOU ■ , SEHABLAESPANOL ^ ^ y m o w m MY MMPf Tribeca location. Bus services including Battery Park Qty> Village, Private pool. Great Fields, Wondeiful Staff! CAUNOW! 941-8553 ..
