In June, Met’s pitcher Johan Santana made history throwing the Mets’s first no hitter in team history.
On Tuesday, Aug. 14, the Mineola Summer Baseball 9/10 year old team made its own history throwing a combined four-pitcher no hitter when they traveled to Manhasset’s Munsey Park School in Manhasset in an attempt to avenge their only loss earlier in the season to Manhasset. The Mineola team won convincingly 18-0.
The pitching was not the only story in the game. Every Mineola player scored a run and had an RBI. The Mineola offense pounded out 16 hits. The offensive juggernaut was led by Tom Tugander, 1-1, 2 walks and a homerun, 2 RBI’s. Patrick Solosky was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Kenny Solosky went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Kieran O’Gara was 3-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI’s. Zach Buongiovanni, Andrew Geagher, Ryan Loughlin, Jimmy Tighe and Mike Librandi also scored a run and had at least one RBI.
Every time Manhasset hit the ball hard, Mineola made the plays. The “web gem” of the game was made by Patrick Solosky. In the Manhasset second, the hitter drove what appeared to be a clean single up the middle, just out of the reach of a diving Ryan Loughlin playing second base. Solosky, backing up the play from center field, aggressively charged the hot grounder. Realizing the Manhasset player “eased up” and was coasting to first base, Solosky alertly fired a rocket to first baseman Tom Tugander nailing the Manhasset player by three steps.
Other nice defensive plays were made by Kenny Solosky on a hot grounder in the hole at shortstop. Kenny made the backhand grab and threw to Jimmy Tighe at first catching the Manhasset runner by a step. Kieran O’Gara made a nice play on a sinking liner at third.
The Mineola no-hitter used four pitchers reminiscent of the Seattle Mariners six-pitcher no hitter in June of this year.
Starting pitcher Patrick Solosky set the tone in the first, striking out the side. “I really felt I was in the groove,” said Patrick, “and my teammates all pitched awesome.” The other Mineola pitchers, Jimmy Tighe, Ryan Loughlin and Andrew Geagher did not allow a runner and completely shut down the Manhasset offense.
Mineola pitching allowed only one walk the entire game (the only Manhasset base runner) and every pitcher notched at least one strikeout.
Mineola coach Ken Solosky was very proud of the team’s effort. “Historically, Manhasset always fields a strong team. The boys came to play and really wanted to avenge their earlier season loss to Manhasset,” remarked Solosky.
“This win was very important to them and they cheered and supported each other all game. I really feel this team has come together and shown what teamwork and baseball is all about. Our clinics with coach Eddie Proctor from Kellenberg High School have really paid off.”
Winning Streak Snapped
On Thursday, Aug.16, the Mineola 9/10u Summer Baseball Team took their six-game winning streak on the road to New Hyde Park’s Nuzzi field attempting to make it a “lucky seven.” Unfortunately, Mineola lost 10-9 in the final at bat for New Hyde Park.
The Mineola “boys of summer” started out fast and furious plating nine runs in the first two innings and making it look like they would cruise to an easy win. Unfortunately, the pitching, that had previously been lights out, their timely hitting and sure fielding all collapsed in a brutal third inning.
Mineola pitching suddenly “lost the plate” and walked numerous hitters. The sure fielding committed a series of errors and Mineola only had two base runners after the second inning. Mineola could not figure out a hard throwing New Hyde Park lefty reliever and he stopped their bats cold.
New Hyde Park clawed back and plated five runs in the third, three in the fifth and two in the sixth for a dramatic comeback victory. Maybe it was a “letdown” following Mineola’s previous game no-hitter or perhaps as football great Roger Staubach once said, “Sometimes you have to accept not everything goes your way.”
Manager Ken Solosky explains, “We were playing at such an extraordinary level that we were due for a couple of bad breaks. The problem was we let all the bad breaks come together at once.
For Mineola, Andrew Geagher, Patrick Solosky, Kenny Solosky, Ryan Loughlin, Ryan Burke, Tom Tugander, Kieran O’Gara, Vincent Aidalia, Jimmy Tighe all had hits. Zach Buongiovanni and Steven Collica pitched well.
In the post game talk, the Mineola team collectively “flushed the game down the toilet” and were determined to come back strong in their next game.
The Mineola Summer baseball team is a developmental team that stresses fun and learning. Players are assigned to different positions and challenged to try pitching and catching. The team has weekly clinics with guest instructors that develop their pitching, hitting and fielding skills. The clinics have featured a unique, “catcher’s station” at which an older travel team catcher works with the boys on this demanding position.
The Mineola Summer baseball team is a developmental team that stresses fun and learning. Players are assigned to different positions and challenged to try pitching and catching. The team has weekly clinics with guest instructors that develop their pitching, hitting and fielding skills. The clinics have featured a unique, “catcher’s station” at which an older travel team catcher works with the boys on this demanding position.
