Merrick Bellmore Little League team has amazing run at states

We’re just incredibly proud of the performance of the boys.”

Chuck Amato, Coach

The 10U team

C.J. Amato, Jack Berman, Shane Carr, James Cockren, Nate Comunale, Lucas DiDomenico, Spencer Ednick, Jax Goldstein, Brody Greene, Sam McManus, Ethan Raymar, Hunter Rogoff, Angel Thompkins

A 10-and-under baseball team in the Merrick Bellmore Little League had a remarkable run in both local and statewide competition this summer. The squad made its way through Long Island competition before taking a crack at the New York State Little League Championship, played this year in upstate Endicott, near Binghamton.

The Merrick Bellmore Little League comprises around 1,100 kids, Jay Rogoff, a player agent on its board of directors, said. There are roughly 85 players in the 10U division, and 30 were invited to try out for a special team in early May.

Twelve boys were then selected to represent the league on a journey to the state tournament — and then possibly, the Little League World Series, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The 10U age group is the youngest eligible to compete for a chance to play in Williamsport, and they play six-inning games.

The team was coached by Chuck Amato, who is also a player agent for the league, Rogoff and Brandon Raymar, one of the league’s vice presidents. Their sons C.J. Amato, Hunter Rogoff and Ethan Raymar played on the team.

The boys’ first battle took place at a district competition on Long Island, in which they went up against teams from North Bellmore, North Merrick, Wantagh, Seaford and Massapequa. This phase of the competition ended in early June.

“We had our first game, really not knowing what to expect kind of going into it,” Amato said. “We were practicing three, four times a week prior to our first game to really get the boys acclimated into the style of play that we were looking to play. We were down 3-0 after the first inning. The boys really showed resiliency and fought back, and that was kind of the M.O. for the entire tournament.”

After winning the district competition, the team advanced to the sectionals, and played against Port Washington, Rockville Centre and Garden City. In the finals against Port Washington, the boys were behind in the early innings, the coaches said, but again pulled through to win.

The sectionals concluded on July 21, and the win secured the Merrick Bellmore youngsters a spot in the state championship upstate, which took place the following week.

“The message throughout the whole tournament was we just didn’t know what to expect,” Amato said. “We knew the boys were talented, but we set our expectations appropriately, because it was their first time going through this tournament.

“We tried to keep the expectations on the lower ended of things, but they just continued to impress us,” he added. “The talent just really showed when they were on the field. And it was always a team effort, from top to bottom. If our pitching was off, our hitting was there. The boys really learned how to pick each other up and show resiliency throughout the entire tournament.”

“The thing that really impressed us all was how every kid played such a pivotal role for this team,” Rogoff said. “There wasn’t one kid that was the reason why we got to where we were. Every one of them played a different role at a different time. And that’s what really impressed us.”

At the state tournament, the boys were up against teams from White Plains, Smithtown, Staten Island and Glenmont. They battled some tough competition successfully — some of the squads hadn’t allowed more than a single run the entire tournament.

Ultimately, in the finals against the Staten Island team, the South Shore Little League, Merrick Bellmore lost 5-2, finishing second in the state.

“We’re just incredibly proud of the performance of the boys,” Amato said. “It wasn’t a sad trip home. It was really like a ‘wow’ at how incredibly they played, and what’s to come in the future with how special this group is.”

Amato and Rogoff both said they were thankful for the players’ families, who took on such a big commitment: The tournament in Endicott was nearly a week long.

In between games, the coaches said, the boys made memories to last a lifetime, hanging out in their hotel. They also took a special trip to Cooperstown, home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

A commemorative sign will be on display at Town Park in Merrick, recognizing the team’s accomplishment. The boys will also be honored at the Little League’s Opening Day parade next spring, Rogoff said.

“Being there, and watching these boys grow as a team and as teammates was awesome,” he said. “I don’t have any other way to describe it.”