12 Photos
Colin Grisch struck out 12 in a complete game shut out of North Shore on Thursday night. RON ESPOSITO
East Hampton first baseman Declan Balnis receives a throw for a put out. RON ESPOSITO
East Hampton starting pitcher Colin Grisch. RON ESPOSITO
Cayden Sokol slides in safely ahead of the throw at second base. RON ESPOSITO
Cayden Sokol slides in safely ahead of the throw at second base. RON ESPOSITO
Elias Wojtusiak lines a double down the third base line scoring a pair of runs in the game's decisive fourth inning. RON ESPOSITO
Colin Grisch struck out 12 in a complete game shut out of North Shore on Thursday night. RON ESPOSITO
Colin Grisch RON ESPOSITO
Colin Grisch is pumped up after striking out the game's final batter RON ESPOSITO
Colin Grisch is pumped up after striking out the game's final batter RON ESPOSITO
East Hampton's 12U All-Stars are pumped up following their 4-0 victory over North Shore on Thursday night that advanced them to the District 36 Championship. RON ESPOSITO
East Hampton Little League 12U All-Stars shortstop Alex Bobek. RON ESPOSITO
Colin Grisch wanted everyone to celebrate his birthday with him on Thursday, July 6, so he went ahead and led his East Hampton Little League 12-and-under baseball All-Stars to a 4-0 victory over North Shore Little League, advancing him and his teammates to the District 36 Championship.
East Hampton took on Riverhead for the district title on Saturday, July 8, at Stotzky Memorial Park in Riverhead, and wound up taking a tough loss, 11-10 (see separate story). Riverhead defeated Sag Harbor, 5-4, in the other semifinal that preceded the under-the-lights game between East Hampton and North Shore’s National All-Stars, which was played at the North Shore Little League Complex in Rocky Point. Saturday’s championship is essentially a rematch of the 10-and-under district championship from two years ago, which Riverhead won.
Grisch, on his 12th birthday, was superb from start to finish on Thursday evening, striking out 12 in the complete game shut out. He only allowed three hits and two walks through the game’s six innings.
North Shore really only put together one inning in the top of the second, where it threatened to score. It had runners on second and third base with two outs, but second baseman Finn Alversa knocked down a sharply hit ball that he was able to pick back up and throw out the runner at first, with a nice stretch from first baseman Declan Balnis.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when East Hampton scored all four of its runs. Scotty Abran led off the inning with a walk, followed up with a base hit to left field by Declan Balnis. Rohan Keogh then sent a double to right center field that brought home Abran for the first run of the game, and Elias Wojtusiak lined a double down the third base line that scored both Declan Balnis and Keogh. Wojtusiak made a heads-up play, taking third base on an overthrow, setting up a sacrifice fly to right field from Ryan Balnis that brought in the game’s fourth and final run.
The District 36 Tournament is the start of a long road that ultimately leads to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Teams advance through their local districts to sectional and regional play before actually reaching the games that are televised worldwide on ESPN.
