SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - The last time we saw the 11U Lewisboro Lightning team, their coach was assured that his .500 team was built more for the playoffs.
“It just wasn’t our day,” said James Cisco of their quarterfinal loss in the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League. No problem, because the postseason has a postseason.
The boys went 6-0 on the weekend of Aug. 14 and won the Cal Ripken Tournament in Maryland. Hitting, defense and pitching — said Cisco, “the whole team contributed.”
After a two-week respite following the GHVBL season, the boys didn’t use the time to kick back. “We had our regular workouts, so they’d still be in the mix and not lose their momentum,” said the coach.
Off to Aberdeen, the eventual champs drew the big house among the tournament’s seven different fields. “Our first game was Friday night,” said Cisco. “We got to play in the stadium.”
Both teams were initially up to the challenge. “It was a tight game for four innings,” he said.
The Lightning did hold a 4-3 lead, but some lingering bad memories might have been the difference. “This was our second time at Aberdeen, and we didn’t even make the playoffs,” said Cisco. “So we had a bad taste in our mouths.”
An inning later, the Lightning only cared about their full stomachs. “We scored six runs in the fifth,” said Cisco, and a key hit by Emerson Payne helped Gio Santoro get the win over Free-Lake.
Onto the second day, a twin killing was on order. Up first, the Lightning won 8-4 behind the pitching of James Maharaj and John LoPiccolo and a two-run RBI single by Michael Stoddard.
Not done, the Lightning went big in the nightcap. Christian Cisco got the 17-8 win over Warrior Blue Nation, and Matvey Wulfing made the most of the margin by going 4-for-5, while Caiden Jones had a pivotal hit to begin the onslaught.
Three games to go, Sunday was an all-day affair. A three-hour rain delay included, game one did at least provide some mercy. The Lightning won 14-6, with Santoro returning to the mound for three innings and LoPiccolo finishing the fourth for the save.
The reliever also got three hits in the win over the Centennial Panthers, and a bunt single by Christian Cisco set up Stoddard and Henry “Hollywood” Parrish to pile on. And then the rains came. After a three-hour wait, it was Northeast Diamond that was left all wet.
Thanks largely to Parrish, his grand slam gave the Lightning the lead, and LoPiccolo got the 9-6 victory. “He pitched a complete game,” boasted Cisco of the semifinal win.
The victory had Stoddard taking the ball for all six innings, and he had little margin for error in the 2-1 victory over Finest. At bat, the Lightning pushed two runs across on hits by Maharaj, Vincent Secchiano and Christian Cisco, a crucial walk by LoPiccolo and a run-scoring sacrifice fly by Santoro.
In the field, Noah Pearson came up big. “He caught the ball on the run in right field and threw the guy out at first for the double play,” recalled Cisco.
The defensive heroics weren’t isolated, either, and ended the championship in spectacular fashion. “A blooper behind second, Christian Cisco dives and catches the ball,” said Cisco.
Up in arms, the aftermath was still grounded for the winners. “Our boys learned if you really want it and you’re willing to stick together and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, you can beat anybody,” he concluded.
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