Mahopac Rolls over Somers to Win WPBA

MAHOPAC – The Mahopac nine-yearold baseball team put the wraps on a stellar summer season last Saturday, whipping Somers, 11-6, in the WPBA championship game at the Crane Road field in Mahopac.

The Mahopac Indians nine-yearolds celebrate winning a WPBA championship Saturday at Crane Road. Photo by Skip Pearlman. Mahopac, the top seed in the nineyear old division, closes the summer with a record of 21-1. No. 2 Somers finished play at 19-2.

Mahopac opened the playoffs with a 5-4 win over No. 9 Bedford/Pound Ridge last Tuesday, then eliminated the No. 4 seed, Larchmont/Mamaroneck, 2-1, in Thursday’s semifinal round, also at Crane Road.

In Saturday’s championship game, Pierce Steinberg picked up the victory for Mahopac on the mound, in relief of starter Matteo Avallone. Matt Pires took the loss for Somers.

Steinberg and Chris Montuoro each had two RBI, TJ McDonough doubled and had an RBI, Tommy Courtney drove in two runs, and Mike Gorman had an RBI.

Skip Pearlman Mahopac pitcher Pierce Steinberg earned the win over Somers in relief of starter Matteo Avallone. “It was amazing,” Mahopac coach Rob Steinberg said. “To have nineyear olds as disciplined as they were… they’ve been disciplined at the plate all year. They have played together. Pierce came in and pitched well in the fourth, Courtney has been hitting in the playoffs, and Gorman, McDonough, and Pat McGee have all been playing well. Our whole team stepped up and played well. It was the second time we came back from a deficit to beat Somers.”

In Thursday’s semifinal win over Larchmont/Mamaroneck, Courtney earned the win for Mahopac.

Matt Merlini drove in the game-winning run with a bunt for a base hit, and Avallone had Mahopac’s other RBI.

Avallone picked up the win on the mound against Bedford/Pound Ridge in Tuesday’s first round.

And it was Avallone who also got the game-winning hit on a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, scoring Courtney.

Paul Sarcinella, Steinberg, and Gorman each had one RBI in the win.

“Steven Daly, our left fielder, Courtney, and Steinberg (catcher) combined on an outstanding defensive play at the plate that kept the game tied at 4-4,” Steinberg said.