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The Long Island Baymen, Cooperstown Baseball World Tournament Champions.
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The Long Island Baymen, one of the top travel teams on Long Island, did something the week of July 15 that no other team from the Northeast has been able to do, they won the Cooperstown Baseball World Tournament in Cooperstown, NY. Cooperstown Baseball World is owned by Eddie Einhorn, owner of Chicago White Sox and draws top 12 and under teams from the USA.
The Baymen defeated teams from Maryland, Ohio, Upstate NY, New Jersey, Long Island and Phoenix, AZ. The Baymen play out of Huntington, NY and play home games at Lake Ronkonkama Park. They are coached by Tully Lovisa Sr. (head coach), Mike Belfiore, Dennis Connors and Ray Martinez.
Lovisa saved his top pitcher and co-captain, Levittown resident, Garrett Douglas, for the championship game against the Phoenix Yankees. The Yankees had already given the Baymen their only loss of the tournament (3-1). Douglas was at his best for this game, beating AZ, 7-0, for the championship, allowing only one hit and striking out 8. Douglas pitched against AZ top pitcher, Trevor Hardin, but he was no match for Douglas this day. Coach Connors remarked, "It was the finest game I have ever seen pitched by a 12-year-old; he was throwing high octane."
Two other local residents had a hand in the championship, Eddie Luft, a Levittown resident, hit a three-run home run to put the game out of reach and Mike Appell, Westbury resident, hit a two-run home run when the game was still early. Other members of the team include: Tully Lovisa Jr., who won the home run hitting contest; Co-Captain Kevin Connors, Chris Clark, Michael Belfiore, Vinny Ragonese, Bradley Panta, Michael Martinez, Tom Isaacs and Brett Damato.