Coached by John Perrone, Bill Melillo, and Ed Jalbert, a team of 12-year-old boys from Glen Head, Glen Cove, Locust Valley, and Oyster Bay entered the nationally recognized tournament in Cooperstown, home of the Hall of Fame, the week of July 15-July 21. The team had a very successful trip winning six games, losing four and finishing 18th out of the 48 teams from around the country. This is one of the premier tournaments played each year in the 12 and under age group. The schedule is made up by computer and the Renegades drew the Dimare Canes (FL) as their first opponent. The Canes, who finished sixth in the entire tournament were held at bay by pitcher Billy Melillo who allowed four hits and struck out 14 batters in a complete game effort. Anthony Carrotta led the team with three hits and Tommy O'Rourke had two with a long home run over the fence. The second game that day saw the Renegades play a tough Houston Cobra (TX) team with JP Perrone on the mound. The Renegades prevailed 3-2 as J.P. held them to six hits along with 11 strike outs. On the following day, the Renegades played the Annapolis Hurricanes (MD) and won by the score of 10-8. Ron Ruggiero was the pitcher of record with Billy Melillo picking up the save with 1 1/3 relief innings.

Mike Luciano, P.J. Como, Anthony Carrotta, and Matt Jalbert all had two hits. Eleven-year-old third baseman Alfie Bruennig was the defensive star as he was pretty much most of the entire tournament. That late afternoon, now Monday, put the Renegades against the Glen Burnie Patriots 1 (MD) who were also undefeated at 3-0 (they also finished the tournament in 7th place. Steve Heimer took the mound and was in total command for the first three innings. A couple of hits, walks, and errors sent the Renegades to their first defeat of the tournament. JP Perrone homered and again Matty Jalbert had another two hits although they fell 11-7. On Tuesday morning, a tough Sylvania Mavericks (OH) team upset the Renegades 10-9. The Renegades fell behind 9-1 after two innings and then staged one of their soon-to-be-famous comebacks falling just short with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the last inning. Billy Melillo went 3-4, Ron Ruggiero 2-2, Nick Chikirian 2-3 and outstanding defensive play by Billy Bowe and Alfie Bruennig again. One of the pivotal games was scheduled for that night as their next opponent was the Virginia Stars (VA). JP Perrone took the mound on a short rest and Renegades fell behind quickly 4-0. J.P. found his pace and began striking out Stars players by the handful. The Gold Coast Renegades took a 6-4 lead going into the 5th inning but a couple of errors hurt as they fell 10-6 to fall to 3-3 in the tournament. This game saw the Renegades really break out as JP Perrone, P.J. Como, Mike Luciano, and Billy Melillo homered over the wall.

Wednesday saw the Renegades wake up early to play the Newton Falls Tigers who did not do well in the tournament as this led to the Gold Coast team getting their 4th win. Six teams only had six games due to scheduling while everyone else had seven games to the Renegades were asked to play an additional game. They drew the Brighton Bombers and won handily as they once again hit an additional six home runs led by JP Perrone (2), Steven Heimer (2), Matty Jalbert (1), and Ron Ruggiero (1). Tommy O'Rourke picked up his second win of the tournament.

This took the Renegades into the playoffs, a single elimination round of all 48 teams, in which the Renegades were seeded 24th. Their opponent was the 23rd seeded team Wilmette (IL). Gold Coast went down 1-2-3 in the first. In the bottom of the first, Wilmette struck for eight quick runs. Coach Perrone made a pitching change with two outs and brought in Billy Melillo. The Renegades got out of the inning but were down 9-0 going into their second at bat. Again they went down 1-2-3 and going on in the playoffs didn't look good. Melillo held them in check and up came GCR. They proceeded to get their first run stringing together a couple of hits and walks. Billy Melillo came up and hit a three-run homer over the wall to make it 9-4. Two walks later and P.J. Como made it 9-7 with a three-run shot and GCR tied it up 9-9. All wheels were turning and the Renegades went on to win 22-12. Melillo finished the game for his second win as he gave up five hits and struck out 10. Mike Luciano hit a three-run blast, Como was 3-3, Melillo 3-4, Tommy O'Rourke 3-3 (2 doubles), Anthony Carrotta 2-4, as well as JP Perrone 2-4. This got GCR to the evening game against the 13th seeded Perry Hall Gators (MD). Johnny Perrone was on the mound and was pitching beautifully. Unfortunately the Renegades got down 4-0 on some very timely hitting. With outstanding defensive plays by Billy Bowe, Tommy O'Rourke, and Alfie Bruennig, and some clutch hitting on their own, GCR took a 5-4 lead into the 4th inning. Perry Hall came right back to tie it 5-5 on a steal to home. In the top of 5th inning again GCR went up 6-5 on a single by JP Perrone and a double by PJ Como. Perry Hall came up and got their lead off hitter on who promptly stole second base. Perrone got the next two batters out as the coaches were possibly making a pitching change. Perrone got the next two batters out as the coaches were possibly making a pitching change. Perrone got the count to 3-2 as the cleanup batter fouled off five pitches. On the 13th pitch, a real good low fastball, the batter got a good piece of it and it cleared the fence for a 7-6 lead. That was the final in what was described by the owner of the complex as probably the most exciting game played in the last two years.

The team batting average was a blistering .432 led by Billy Melillo (.567), Ron Ruggiero (.529), Mike Luciano (.520), Matty Jalbert and Tommy O'Rourke (.500), Anthony Carrotta (.480), PJ Como (.455), and JP Perrone at (.448). JP Perrone lead the team in homers with four, followed by Luciano, Melillo, Como all with three, and Steve Heimer with two as the Renegades totaled 18 dingers. Steve Heimer was Mr. Versatility as he played outfield, pitched, caught, and played third. The team on base percent was .531. Billy Melillo went 2-0 pitching with 23 strikeouts in 12.3 innings. Tommy O'Rourke had a 2-0 record and JP Perrone and Ron Ruggiero had the other two wins. There were many outstanding performances and the Renegades truly played as a team.

The coaches would like to thank all the parents for allowing their boys to come away with us. We would especially like to take this time to thank the parents who made the trip and stayed to watch the boys play 10 tough games. A special thanks to those who donated funds to the trip to help with the fees. I can honestly speak for the three coaches that this was a tremendous experience for these young men and that the coaches had just as good a time as the players.