Senior All Stars repeat as District 19 champs

By Mike Zummo
Posted 6/29/22

The Town of Newburgh-New Windsor Little League Senior baseball team is a repeat District 19 champion.

The team finished an undefeated run through the District 19 tournament and defeated Wallkill …

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Senior All Stars repeat as District 19 champs

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The Town of Newburgh-New Windsor Little League Senior baseball team is a repeat District 19 champion.

The team finished an undefeated run through the District 19 tournament and defeated Wallkill Area, 8-2, on Saturday at Watts Memorial Park in Middletown to win their second straight District 19 championship.

“It’s unbelievable,” Newburgh-New Windsor manager Craig Wood said. “A couple of these guys were on the team last year and they were really excited and wanted to make another run this year. They got some of their friends to play Little League for another run, and here we are, we made it. We accomplished one step. We want sections now.”

Newburgh-New Windsor was originally expecting to play Saturday’s game at the Town of Newburgh Little League complex, but it was brought to Middletown, instead. No matter, the team had already all their tournament games at Watts Park.

Obviously, all wins.

“We played three games in Middletown already,” Wood said. “This is our home field.”

Newburgh-New Windsor got off to a strong start on Friday against Wallkill Area, which had to win its game that morning over Middletown to advance. Wallkill Area would have needed to win Saturday to force a decisive championship game on Sunday.

But Newburgh took control early posting five runs in the first two innings. Jadin O’Neill led off the bottom of the first inning with a single. He advanced on a throwing error by Wallkill pitcher Mike Bonagura and then stole third base. That put him in position to score on Mike Paretta’s base hit, who also came round to score.

Newburgh-New Windsor added three more runs in the second inning O’Neill’s RBI double, Paretta’s second RBI single. Nick Shala reached on an error to score Newburgh’s third run of the inning.

“I’m always on edge as a coach,” Wood said. “My ball players know that we’ve got win every inning. It helped to get that early, but we just had to keep chipping away and pounding away because that’s a good ballclub over there, and I knew they would never give up.”

Those five runs were more than enough for O’Neill, who limited Wallkill to two runs in a complete-game effort. He scattered seven hits, allowing two runs. His toughest inning was the third when he gave up a two-run double to C.J. Robell.

“(O’Neill’s) amazing,” Wood said. “Right from high school, JV games, he rushes to Little League games.

He plays his heart out, hits the ball hard and pitches. Whatever we asked him to do, he’s there and will do it.”

Newburgh-New Windsor added two runs in the fifth when Bonagura walked two batters and hit a third to load the bases with one out. He gave way to Tyler Mack, who walked Dan Decker and hit Rob Lennon force in two more runs.

O’Neill got into trouble in the sixth inning as Wallkill loaded the bases with one out, Newburgh-New Windsor turned a 6-4-3 double play on Aaron Baker to put out the fire.

“Those guys have been solid all year,” Wood said. “All the ground balls to them are basically outs.”

Newburgh-New Windsor takes the field again Thursday in Pine Bush, when they face the winner of Wednesday’s game between District 18 champion Nanuet and the District 20 champion, which will be either White Plains or Dobbs Ferry. They were scheduled to face each other on Sunday afternoon. White Plains was one win away from the title.

If Newburgh-New Windsor wins that game, they will play for the Section flag on Saturday for a chance to play in the state tournament.

Last year’s team was eliminated one win shy of playing for the New York State championship.

“I believe there were five of them (returning), and some of the big boys aged out,” Wood said. “It’s good to see that little league is semi-alive and kids still want to play and compete with all the travel.”

Monday June 20
Game 5: Town of Newburgh-New Windsor 8, Minisink Valley-Otisville 7

Tuesday, June 21
Game 9: Town of Newburgh-New Windsor 21, Middletown 0

Saturday, June 25

Game 12 (championship): Town of Newburgh-New Windsor 8, Wallkill Area 2