BREAKING NEWS
Prospect Sports and Performance Factory Merge: What It Means for Long Island Baseball
Over the past 12 years, Joe Francisco has owned and operated Performance Factory in Farmingdale. He has taught several of the top players in the area and has been successful. Still he felt something was missing in his academy. “For years, I’ve been trying to add a pitching coach,” said Francisco. “I haven’t found anyone that could rival our hitting program, to be honest.” That changed when Jim Clark introduced him to Bobby DeMichael. DeMichael and his father, Artie, purchased Prospect Sports in May and immediately turned it into a high-octane academy for both baseball and softball teams. One of their priorities was to revolutionize pitching lessons by incorporating a year-round classroom atmosphere with the data-driven technology introduced by Drive Line...
Banquet Date Announced
We will be hosting our second annual Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 29 at the Long Island Hilton in Melville. The 2016 All-Long Island team will be announced along with several individual awards such as MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Steven Matz Award and Courage Award. The night will include a cocktail hour, three-course dinner, dessert and soft beverages. A cash bar will be available for those 21 and older. There will be a raffle that will feature several great prizes as well. The athletes/coaches will not be charged, but there will be a $50 fee at the entrance for guests. We look forward to a night of celebrating a terrific year of Long Island baseball! Please RSVP to vinny@baseballontheisland.com by Dec 1st. Seats are limited.
Long Islanders React to Jose Fernandez Tragedy
(Photo Credit: Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) by Vinny Messana, Editor Major League baseball has spent the past day mourning the shocking loss of Miami Marlins ace and two-time All Star Jose Fernandez. Fernandez, 24, was killed in a boating accident in Miami early on Sunday morning. As expected, the baseball world is shaken up over the loss of such an effervescent and talented individual. In Monday’s home game against the New York Mets, the team paid tribute to its late star with an emotional ceremony. Bigger than baseball.#JDF16 pic.twitter.com/VAnZXVBh1j — Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 26, 2016 The Marlins took the field with every player wearing Fernandez’s No. 16. One of his best friends, Dee Gordon, led the game off in the most unbelievable way–his first home...
Brian Morrell Wins the Carl Yastrzemski Award
by Vinny Messana Speaking in front of a crowd of 900 people was an environment that Brian Morrell was not completely comfortable in. Maybe it would’ve helped if the camera man was holding a baseball from 60’6″ away, though, because that is one setting that did not faze the junior from Shoreham-Wading River one bit this season. In fact, he smacked a 420 ft HR in the Class A semifinals against Rocky Point that hasn’t landed yet in front of a crowd much larger than that. The University of Notre Dame-commit was awarded the coveted Carl Yastrzemski Award tonight at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook, NY–becoming the third winner from his high school, behind his mentor Keith Osik in 1987 and 2016 MLB Draft pick Mike O’Reilly in 2012. The junior terrorized pitc...
Complete List of Long Islanders Selected in MLB Draft
There has been no shortage of Long Island talent represented in the MLB Draft over the past few seasons. Ever since the now-famous 2009 draft featuring Steven Matz and Marcus Stroman, the level of top-tier talent has been vindicated by the players selected in the MLB Draft. This year was no different with two Long Islanders selected in the FIRST round and 14 players overall. If anything, I was a bit shocked that players like Straton Podaras, Nick Girardi, Thomas Roulis, Anthony Gatto, etc didn’t get selected. Here’s the complete list: Round 1: Pick 19: Justin Dunn, Boston College (Freeport) Round 1: Pick 31: Anthony Kay, UCONN (Ward Melville HS) Round 4: Pick 123: Thomas Hackimer, St. John’s (Floral Park) Round 8: Pick 245: Stephen Woods, Albany (Half Hollow Hills East HS...
Wantagh Wins the Class A NYS Championship
by Vinny Messana Being the No. 7 seed entering the postseason? No problem. Not having a two-time All-State pitcher available in the postseason? No problem. Facing an undefeated Queensbury team in the NYS title game? Psh. The Wantagh Warriors defeated Williamsville East to capture their first Class A NYS title since 1998. Starting pitcher Bobby Hegarty, who fired a one-hitter against Mount Sinai to capture the Long Island Championship went the distance, although he did struggle in the early going putting the Warriors in a 5-1 hole. They clawed back with a three-spot in the fourth inning and tied the ballgame in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Fontana that scored Jimmy Joyce. The game was tied going to the ninth inning when Joyce smacked the go-ahead home run to left field that put ...
Mets Select Freeport Native Justin Dunn No. 19 Overall
(Photo is courtesy of Boston College Athletics) Freeport native, Justin Dunn, was selected with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. He is in the midst of a tremendous junior season at Boston College, in which they will open up the super regionals against Miami on Friday. Dunn is a 6’2″ 180 lb RHP that is 4-1 with a 1.49 era over 60.1 IP. He has struck out 66 against only 16 walks while allowing 49 hits. His stock shot through the roof after fanning 11 against Tulane in the regionals while allowing two ER. It actually rose his ERA from 1.35 to 1.49. He was named to Baseball America’s All-America third team. Despite growing up in Freeport, N.Y., he attended Gunnery HS in Connecticut. While it may not be the same as Steven Matz being selected ...
West Islip Cruises to Its Second Long Island Class AA Title in Three Years
By Nakeem Grant If there was any doubt that there would be a letdown after their tooth-and-nail series victory over Northport, that was put to rest right away. West Islip dominated in the Class AA Long Island Championship– defeating East Meadow 16-0 at Farmingdale State College. West Islip’s offense and pitching left the game in no doubt as they kept their foot on the pedal throughout the game. Twelve of West Islip’s 16 runs came in the first three innings of the ballgame with most of the damage coming from the core of their lineup. Jake Guercio, James Kory, and Jimmy Mattera each had multi-RBI games and as a team, they racked up 12 hits. According to today’s winning pitcher, Ray Weber, this is another typical game for their offense. “All year we’ve been great on offense putt...
Dowling Shuts Its Doors
In an email sent to its students, Dowling announced that the school would cease all operations as of June 3rd, 2016. The news comes after months of speculation regarding financial troubles. The enrollment had plummeted 50 percent since 2009, according to Newsday. They had been seeking outside investment and appeared to have a suitor in March, but talks did not materialize. The school is more than $54 million in debt and were forced to close after 48 years–nearly cancelling their 2016 graduation. The news comes at an inopportune time to us as Baseball on the Island. Our Battle of the Border was among the several sporting events planned at the campus this summer that needed to be cancelled, in addition to the Long Island Championship for girl’s lacrosse. We will have a new venue ...
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