On Thursday, May 3, Tsontos Furs floored Harry Katz 4 - 3. The Furriers opened the scoring when Michael Vasconcelos singled, moved to third on Peter Clark's double and stole home on the next pitch. The Katz Krew knotted the score on singles by Anthony Morais and Ryan Pratt. The Minkies came right back and went ahead when Michael Brady singled and stole second, third and home. Good pitching by Katz's Pratt and Furs' Brian Greene and Chris Brostek kept the score at 2 - 1 until the Carpetters tacked on a pair of runs on singles and stolen bases by Morais and Pratt and took the lead. The Katz were purring until the last inning when a leadoff single by T. J. Gessner, a perfectly executed drag bunt single by Paul Easton and a double steal got Katz in a jam. Ryan Pratt stuck out the next two batters, but with two out and two strikes on the batter, Gessner stole home to tie the game, and on the next pitch, Easton stole home to put the Furbies ahead for good. Michael Brady pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth to earn the save for Tsontos. Defensively, there were many highlights in the game including Kris Lorusso snaring a line drive in center field, Paul Easton snagging two mile-high popups at second base, catcher Joe Spollen nailing a runner attempting to steal third, and all-around solid fielding by David Easton, E. J. Lopresti, and Robbie Dibella.

In a game filled with many twists and turns, Chamber of Commerce topped Tsonto Furs on Saturday evening by the score of 7 to 6.

For the Chamber of Commerce, the game started just as their last game finished: marred with errors. During the first inning, Chamber's would allow 4 runs to cross the plate as their fielding woes continued. After recording the first out in the top of the first inning, Chamber's right fielder misplayed a fly ball allowing Alex Eisen to reach second base. A double to the gap in right center off the bat of Peter Clark would bring Eisen in to open the scoring. After a walk to Paul Easton, Michael Brady would double scoring both Eisen and Easton making it 3 - 0. Chamber's looked to be settling down and recorded their second out of the inning before T.J. Gessner hit a hard ball off the hand of Chamber's Pitcher ( Matt Faiz) allowing Gessner to reach first and Brady scoring on the play. While Chamber's went down easy in their half of the first, Tsonto's Fur would score a single run in the second. After Michael Vasconcelos reached on a walk, he would steal second and come around and score as the Chambers catcher threw the ball into center field for a two base error. With nothing going for the Chambers in the second, Tsonto's Fur would score again in the third. Peter Clark reached on a fielding error, stole second, moved to third on a fielders choice and score as Chris Brostek ripped a single to left bringing the damage to 6 - 0.

The Chamber of Commerce would come to life in the bottom of the third inning scoring three times to narrow the deficit to three runs. Michael Grieco led off with a walk and moved to third on a Robert Maloney double to left. After the Furs recorded one out, Chambers third basemen, Danny Vojvodic, singled to left sending home Grieco and Maloney. Michael Granath, who played an excellent 1st base for the Chambers, doubled home Vojvodic on the ensuing play. Chambers would bring in Mick Oswald to pitch in the 4th, and he was on cruise control. Oswald would throw just nine pitches striking out the side bringing Chamber back to the plate. David Esselborn, who had his first multi-hit game of the season, led off the inning with a booming double to left field. John Hinchcliffe, a Minor league call-up who did a great job in center field for the Chamber of Commerce, walked putting two runners on for Maloney. On a 2 -1 pitch, Maloney would double to left field and Esselborn and Hinchcliffe would score moving the Chamber of Commerce with in one run of the Furs. Chamber next batter, Mick Oswald, would work the count full before ripping a ball past the out-stretched Furs shortstop bringing in Maloney to tie the game. Danny Vojvodic, who singled home the Chamber first two runs of the game, singled home Oswald with what would eventually be the winning run.

That would be all the support that the Chamber of Commerce would need as Oswald was now on the mound. Oswald would put on a dominating performance striking out the side in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. Throwing hard, the big right-hander needed no help from his fielders as no one was able to turn on his fast ball.

To get the latest up dates, read more about you team or check out game highlights and look up the standing, visit the Mineola baseball web site at: http://www.myteam.com/go/mineolaaa

The MAA Minors season rounded into form during its second week as K's Auto Repair and Mineola Florist met for the second time in this young season. The game's final score did not do justice to a competitively played match won by the Autos 11-4.

Starting pitchers for both teams were solid at the outset. Florist's John Hinchcliff mowed down five K's (coincidentally) while the Mechanical Mike Diglio duplicated the strike out feat. The Repairmen manufactured a run when TJ Winters reached base on an error, stole two bases and scored on Vinny Ruggerio's single. In the bottom of the third, the Hub Caps began spinning Brandon "The Cougar" Hoffman led off with a base on balls then stole second and third. After Nicky Rickey Franzini walked, Ruggerio plated both with a line drive single. Free passes loaded the bases. Catcher Mike Castellana looked like Johnny Bench when he stroked home a pair. The next hitter, Smilin' Tommy Bayne, cleared the bags with a tremendous triple to break it open and gain the game ball.

The bloom literally came off the rose in the next frame. Two hit batsmen and an infield single set the table for the Greasers. Great defense saved a run when the Agronomists nailed the second out on a force play at the plate. Unfortunately, consecutive walks to Diglio, Ed Nienstadt-sheet and Rob Cheese Ravioli Raveli sent runs home. The hardy Buds wouldn't die. In the fifth, RBI singles by Thomas McKeever and Mike Bitner lit up the board before tandem tallies to Andrew Carualho and Brendan Hickey forced home a duo. Nerves kicked in with the sacks saluted until the Mufflers stemmed the rally.

Later in the week, Cinco de Mayo saw the K's and Nassau Chromium together for the first time. The Auto Bodies sparked quickly and were never headed in a 14-4 standoff.

Fastballer Mike Diglio retired the first six hitters on his signature K. The home half of the first was all the Engineers would need on this day. The top five hitters reached base safely and scored primarily due to smart base running and RBIs from Bayne, Diglio and Castellana. The Chrome Domers called on Alexa Vojvodic for relief with none out and destiny in her hands. Alexa got two K's, looking, sandwiched around a line smash snagged by first baseman Andrew Leno.

Loading the bases on freebies in the second wrenched the Tin Men when Bayne and Diglio recorded their second ribbys of the day by putting the ball in play. Chromer Connor McCann got on the board with swift feet built on an infield hit, two stolen bases and a ground out. Teammate Alex Ward used the same small ball strategy to score in the following inning as did Michael Anes in their last at bats of the game.

The Vehicles wrapped their scoring with clutch performances. Anthony Della Ratta Tatta notched his first hit of the year at a critical time to garner two RBIs and the game ball. Captain Vinny Ruggerio had a great all around game with two innings of middle relief, a searing triple to center and a game ending unassisted double play to calm the soaring blood pressure of his manager/father for a 4-1 record for K's Auto Repair.

Have some fun as the season progresses by logging on to the official MAA website at myteam.com/go/mineolAAA for schedules, standings and pictures.