Little Leaguers battle it out for championship titles

America’s pastime was revitalized in a lacrosse-dominated town on Saturday when the Manhasset Indians beat another Manhasset team in their quest to play in Long Island’s Williamsport Championship game.

“It was a great thing for our town and really was a dream come true for a lot of the kids,” said Greg Torborg, manager of the Manhasset Indians.

As the teams of 10-year-old boys begin the Williamsport Little League 10U Section 6 Championship, their summer will now be filled with pools, movies and of course, baseball. The annual baseball championship pits local Little League teams from six districts against each other for a one-week tournament. The final two teams compete in the championship game which will be 1 p.m. Sunday at Otsego Park in Dix Hills.

“I like Little League because I can play baseball all summer and just play my heart out,” said Robert DeCastro, 10, who plays first base for the Manhasset Indians.

On Monday, the Manhasset Indians' quest for the championship came to an end as they played their second game of the sectionals tournament for their age group. When the boys were down 6-14 going into the third inning, the team’s coaches focused much more on the players’ smiles than the scoreboard.

“I want to see nothing but smiles, just have a good time,” Ken Hyde, assistant coach of the Manhasset Indians, said in a huddle with the players.

During the game, parents stood close to the fence to get a better view of the game. Whether they win or lose, the players, coaches and parents of the Manhasset Indians feel a Little League team has benefits outside of trophies and banners.

“The team brings Manhasset together as a community,” said Gene Petracca of Manhasset, whose son Grant is the team’s catcher.

Baseball has also been “brought back into the eyes of a lot of boys” this summer in another predominately lacrosse town, Huntington, said Mike Donnelly, coach for the Huntington Tri Village A&E Team. Last Wednesday, the team of 11-year-olds won their district championship and will now be advancing to the Long Island Championship during the week of July 24.

“We were a team who nobody thought would win the districts and these 11-year-old kids got to have a moment of a lifetime,” Donnelly said. “The joy in our boys’ faces is the most important thing.”

With so many other sports and technologies vying for kids’ attention these days, baseball sometimes gets brushed under the carpet, Torborg said.

But the recent success of the Little League teams in Manhasset and Huntington brings baseball back in the spotlight.

“These kids are going to be better off for having the Little League experience,” Torborg said.