Area Youngsters Advance to Sectionals in Pitch, Hit & Run Contestby Sandi Fahy
Photo by SANDI FAHY LARGO - Over 25 youngsters gathered at the Highland Recreation Complex on April 5 to compete in the local Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition. The event is a national initiative which gives boys and girls ages 7-14 the opportunity to demonstrate their pitching, hitting and running abilities. The first place all-around, pitching, hitting and running champions in each age group go on to compete in the Sectional Competition. Sectional champions advance to the Team Championships, which will take place in June at major league baseball parks around the country. Those with the best showing there will showcase their talents at the National Finals, scheduled in New York at the 2008 MLB All-Star Game. The three divisions of the competition are individually scored and converted to a total point score through the use of conversion tables. Desmond Mack scored the most points at the Highland competition to become the all-around champion for ages 7-8. He took first place in both pitching and hitting. John Dohnal was the fastest runner. In the ages 9-10 division, Matthew Brockus was all-around champ. Zakri Palmieri won the pitching contest. Jordan Mazzucco was hitting champ and Kyle Herremans running champ. Desmond Lindsay was all-around winner in the 11-12 age group. His skills earned him first place in both pitching and hitting, while Christopher Webb outran his challengers in the running contest. Derrek Webb took home the honor of all-around champ in the 13-14 age division. He placed first among the hitters. Steven Petrilyak took first in both pitching and running. All of the above named youngsters qualified to compete at the sectional level. Brian Harter of the Largo Recreation, Parks & Arts Department was coordinator of the local Pitch, Hit & Run competition.
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