Welcome To The Home of The Long Island Astros 11U Orland
This is a slide show created from some of the photos Alan has taken over the past few games plus the Memorial Day Tournament. I will have a write-up on the Memorial Day Tournament itself in the next couple days. Until then...
Astros Split With LI Sharks
The Astros played a day/night doubleheader against the LI Sharks at Cantiague Park, losing the opener before coming back to win a tough second game and run their league record to 4-3-1.
In the opener, the visiting Astros jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first behind 4 hits in the inning, but it was all downhill from there as the Sharks scored 7 in the first and another 2 in the second to build a lead they would not relinquish. The Astros fought gamely, scoring a run in each of the next three innings, but just couldn't get the big gamebreaking hit to jump start a big enough rally, and eventually lost by a score of 11-5.
In the second game, the Sharks went up 1-0 in the top of the first, but we got it back and knotted the game in the bottom half of the frame. Two runs in the third gave us a 3-1 lead, and after the Sharks got one back to make it 3-2, the Astros scored two more in the fifth and then held on for a 5-3 win.
The Astros managed fifteen hits in the doubleheader, led by Teddy, who had 3 doubles in the opener, and Frankie, who was 4-for-6 on the day with 3 doubles and could easily have been 6-for-6 as both of his outs were hit right on the nose. Zach, Greg and Chris all had multiple hit days, with two apiece. Pitching wise, the star was clearly Steven, who pitched a complete game gem to help us get the second game, a game we really had to have. He allowed only 6 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) against a very good hitting team.
Astros Tie Braves, Then Win Nightcap
The NJBL games this year have been very tight and very exciting, every one of them, and this past weekend's Mothers Day doubleheader against the Braves was certainly no exception, as the Astros improved their league record to 3-2-1 by tying and then beating a tough Braves squad that was previously undefeated.
In the opener, the Astros took a 2-0 lead in the first on four consecutive singles, some wind-aided, and rode a strong pitching performance from Teddy from there. The Braves managed a run in the fourth to cut the lead in half, but the 'Stros matched it with one of their own in the fifth and took a 3-1 lead into the last inning. That's when the Braves' bats suddenly woke up as they strung together a couple solid hits to tie it up in the top of the sixth. We loaded the bases with nobody out in our half, but were unable to push a run across, and after an uneventful extra inning, it went down as a 7-inning, 3-3 tie.
In the second game, the Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first, and as the innings wore on, that lone run started to loom larger and larger. Steven pitched a gem to keep them within sight, and then we came up in the top of the sixth, still down 1-0. Greg led off with a single, stole second, and moved to third on Chris' groundout. Frankie then came up with a clutch single to tie the game and, after stealing second, came home on another clutch single, this time by Ricky, and now we led 2-1. But the Braves weren't done. They got the leadoff man on and advanced him to third base - when the next man's infield pop up dropped in, it looked like they had tied it up, but the baserunner was out at home - the pop up glanced off the pitcher's glove, was retrieved by the catcher, who then threw to the first baseman covering home plate for the put out (photo above). Just your routine 1-2-3 in the scorebook. After that play, Steven had reached his pitch count max, so he was removed and got a Mothers Day hug from Mom on the field of play (photo below), and Frankie came in to get the last batter and seal the victory.
Great performances by all involved and very exciting to watch. Next up are the Long Island Sharks (not the Baymen Sharks, who we already played) this weekend at Cantiague Park (cue the Jaws music here).
Ripken Slide Show
Astros Go 1-2 in Ripken Tournament
The Astros headed down to Maryland for the Turn Two Tournament at the Ripken Academy. The Astros won their opener over the New Jersey Mariners Saturday morning, then came up empty against the Olney Pirates Saturday afternoon, before returning Sunday morning and showing alot of fight, coming up just short in the last inning against the South Jersey Bulldogs while attempting to overcome a 5-run deficit.
In the opener, we took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Frankie's RBI single, but gave it back with some sloppy fielding and trailed 2-1 after one inning. The Astros strung together eight hits and five runs in the third through fifth and looked to be comfortably on our way, but the Mariners scored three of their own in the bottom of the fifth before Jared came in to put out the fire. So we went to the bottom half of the sixth up by a run and started to breathe easy when Jared got the first two batters, but soon afterwards Coach David started to lose what little hair he has left as we walked the next two batters. Finally, Jared struck out the last batter looking on a 3-2 pitch, and the Astros had one in the books.
In the Saturday afternoon game, the boys proved beyond a doubt that we should not have fed them fried food for lunch. We were going to have to be at our best to compete with a very tough Olney Pirates squad, but unfortunately we were anything but. The team came out a little flat, although we were still in it through four innings, closing to 4-1 in our half of the fourth when Frankie walked and then stiole his way around the bases, including home on a wild pitch. But that was all the offense the Astros could muster on the afternoon, and when the Pirates put up six more in the fifth, this one was over.
The following morning, fueled by some of the best food that Aberdeen's Cracker Barrel has to offer, the boys got up bright and early for an 8:30 game against a hard-hitting Bulldogs squad.The Bulldogs scored in every inning, while we did not, and consequently we came up for our last licks in the short end of a 9-4 score. But with one man out and a man on first, the boys began a comeback rally that was reminiscent of last year's comeback rally on the same Fenway field. We loaded the bases, scored two on an infield error and then another two on a bloop double to make it 9-8 with a man on second and two out. Frankie, who was smoking the ball all weekend, smacked a screamer to rightfield that would have plated the tying run, but he hit it too hard as the rightfielder came up with it and threw in time to first base...or at least that's how the ump saw it. :) All in all, though, a stirring comeback and the boys showed alot of fight as they could easily have mailed it in at that point.
Over the weekend, the hitting was led by Frankie, Teddy and Ryan, who had three hits apiece (and Frankie was robbed a couple other times). Teddy, Jared and Vito pitched well against some very good-hitting teams. Disappointing to come up short, and even more disappointing to know we have to wait another year for the next Ripken tournament - always a good time, and even more so this year staying on campus.
Astros Split With Sharks in Pair of Nailbiters
In two very exciting games, the Astros split a doubleheader against the LI Baymen Sharks, running their season record to 2-2.
The opener pitted two flamethrowers as teddy was throwing darts for the Astros while the Sharks sent out a kid who was bigger than most of the fathers in attendance. Steven set the tone early for the 'Stros with a 10-pitch at bat that led to a walk to start the game - we failed to score in that frame but began the process of getting up the opposing pitcher's pitch count. The Sharks broke through with one in the top of the thrid, which looked huge given the way these pitchers were throwing, but the Astros bounced back with two in the bottom of the inning when Ricky jumped on a fastball and parked it over the centerfielder's head a for a 2 RBI double. The Sharks retook the lead at 4-2 when they put up three in the top of the fifth, but again the Astros bounced back as five of the first six batters in the bottom of the fifth singled. By the time it was over, we had scored four to take a 6-4 lead into the last inning, where Ryan took the mound and finished it off. Great game, very tense throughout, and the team showed alot of resiliency by bouncing back from behind twice before finally securing the victory.
In the second game, we took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, then gave up two in the bottom of the inning. Four runs in the top of the second gave us a 5-2 lead, which they whittled down to 5-4 with two more of their own in the bottom of the second. Things settled down from there as the only scoring for the next three frames was a Sharks run in the fourth, so we went into the last inning tied at five, thanks in large part to a you-had-to-see-it-to-believ-it catch by Vito to end the fourth (photo above). In the top of the sixth, Frankie scored on a clutch two-out single by jared to give us the lead, but then the Sharks scored tow of their own in the bottom half, the last one on a close play at the plate that coulda' gone either way, to give them a 7-6 victory and a split in what were two very exciting games.
Alot of contributions from alot of players in this one - Teddy in game 1 and Zach in game 2 both pitched very well, and the team managed 13 hits on the day, including three for Chris and two apiece for Greg and Jared. Great games and a good warmup for the Ripken tournament, which is up next.
Astros Split Season Opening Doubleheader
The Astros played two tight, well played games against a tough Franklin Square Colts team to open their 2009 NJBL Spring season, winning the opener 3-1 before falling in the nightcap 4-1.
In the first game, the Astros fell behind 1-0 after the top of the first, tied it up in the bottom half, and then put up two more in the second to account for all of the scoring. It was enough, as Teddy and Zach put up three solid innings apiece to lead the way to victory. It was a tight game throughout with some solid defensive play by the 'Stros which reflected their off-season work, highlighted by two relay plays from Chris in leftfield to Austin at short to Jared/Johnny at second base, ending both the 1st and 4th innings by gunning down opposing runners trying to stretch singles into doubles. The bats were a little quiet, with only three hits, but the big one was a 2-out, 2 RBI single by Johny to put the home team ahead for good.
In the second game, The Colts jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first and the Astros struggled all game to catch up, managing one run in the 4th before the Colts plated an insurance run in the fifth to close out the scoring. The Astros had baserunners in almost every inning and managed six hits to go with a couple bases on balls and a hit batsmen, but the only run we could manage was when Jared knocked an RBI single to rightfield to score teddy, who had doubled a couple batters earlier. frankie and Steven provided strong pitching but the squad came up just short.
Our next scheduled doubleheader was rained out and is to be rescheduled. Up next is a home doubleheader this Sunday against the Long Island Baymen Sharks, followed by (insert Coach Mike T's voice here)...CAAAAAAAAAL RIPKEN!!!
Baseball Heaven Tournament Postponed
The Pre Season Bash originally scheduled for this weekend (March 27-29) at Baseball Heaven has been postponed due to expected bad weather on Sunday, tentatively to be rescheduled for next weekend (April 3-5). Please see and respond to the e-mail from Coach David if you have not already done so.
2009 Season Right Around The Corner! March 20, 2009
Hello Astros players, families and fans. The boys and coaches have been working hard all winter and the time is here to reap the rewards. Season starts next weekend, March 28-29-30, with a tournament out in Baseball Heaven, followed by the Ripken Tournament in April and the Spring season soon thereafter.
This web site can be used as a resource to check up on all things Astros-related. There will be a listing of upcoming events (games and practices) at the bottom of the home page, as well as on the moving ticker along the top. There are links to player and coach profiles along the right hand side, and if you click on Bulletin Board in the left margin, this contains an archive of anything posted in the past (you have to scroll down past the Profiles on the Bulletin Board to see any articles or photos from the 2008 season). As we get into the actual season, I will try as often as possible to post articles to this welcome page for each game or tournament. The site will also contain brief game summaries once we start playing - to access these, click on Schedules in the left margin. This will bring you to the Schedule page, where there are two drop down menus up top - obviously, set Team to Astros, and then set Division to whatever it is you're interested in looking at. The way the web site is set up, the NJBL Spring season will be one division, each tournament we enter will be set up as a separate division, and subsequent seasons (Summer and Fall) will also be set up as separate divisions. I have also set up a separate division called General, which will be used for all scheduled practices or scrimmages. Finally, there are also a couple of useful links in the left hand margin (to the NJBL site, the Ripken site, the Baseball heaven site, and the LI Astros site).
As a final order of business for now, we all want to extend a warm welcome to Frankie and Coach Frank, the newest members of the Astros family, both of whom are being counted on to lend a big hand in helping us have a great 2009 season!
Thanks, and please feel free to head on over to the guestbook and/or the forum and say hello. The Guestbook is available for anyone to jump onto and post a quick message. The forum is designed to operate more like other forums that you're probably accustomed to, with specific threads addressing individual topics. In order to use the forum, you'll need to register yourself with LeagueLineup.com, which is free.
