‘Pac Nines Wallop Two More To Win WBA

MAHOPAC – The Mahopac nineyear old baseball team overwhelmed Hillcrest, 7-1, in last Monday’s semifinals, then rolled past Pleasantville, 10-5, in Friday’s championship game to win a Westchester Baseball Association championship.

Right: The Mahopac nine-year-old baseball team celebrates winning WBA title last week. Photo by Skip Pearlman. Friday at the Crane Road field in Mahopac, top-seeded Mahopac nailed down the title, and closed out a stellar summer season at 15-1. Pleasantville, the No. 2 seed, closed the summer at 13-4.

Tom Krasniqi picked up the victory on the mound for Mahopac, in relief of starter Josh Aprea. Jackson Schaier also pitched in relief, and Christian Zefi closed the game.

Mahopac got contributions from up and down the lineup, with 10 different players driving in runs.

Anthony Cafaro, Connor Stepkaski, Aidan Madden, Nick Guistino, Ryan Bloomer, Ryan Moloney, Schaier, Dylan Brehm, Krasniqi and Zackary Puckhaber each had one RBI in the victory.

Mahopac scored eight run on walks.

“The kids were patient at the plate,” Mahopac coach Lorenzo Zefi said. “And our defense was unbelievable. We kept our first and third in, so they couldn’t bunt. It was great to win the title… a lot of people came out to support the team. The kids played great… they came to play. Our pitchers were all excellent, and our catcher – Ryan Bloomer – was on his game. He threw a kid out at second, and played well. We got a lot of contributions… it was everybody coming through.”

Mahopac – comprised mostly of eight-year-olds - advanced to the championship game thanks to a lopsided victory over Hillcrest – the No. 3 seed – the prior Monday at Lakeview Elementary School in Mahopac.

Krasniqi picked up the win on the hill for the ‘Pac. Schaier pitched in relief and Zefi closed.

Puckhaber, Zefi, Krasniqi, Bloomer and Schaier each went 2-for-3 with one RBI, and Brehm and Cafaro each drove in a run in the win.

“It was a 0-0 game into the fourth,” Zefi said. “And our defense played a great game… they made all the plays. Krasniqi, Schaier and Zefi have been solid all season for us on the mound, and Aprea has also been solid all season. And again, we got a lot of contributions from our entire lineup.”

Zefi also expressed his appreciation to all the people who came out to support the team, as well as coaches Mark Krasniqi, Lance Bloomer and Frances Moloney.