Sports 08-08-2017

Four NEAA Dodges Traveling Team entered in summer baseball leagues

By Phil Orlandella

Four North End Athletic Association (NEAA) Dodges baseball teams are participating in 2017 summer baseball programs.

“All our teams will play competitive baseball and have solid coaches,” NEAA Baseball Commissioner Ralph Martignetti told the Review.

“We enter these leagues each year and play all our home games at Puopolo Park,” he added. “The teams would love to see many fans attend the home games and if possible some of the games on the road.”

The Dodges traveling teams are selected through a four-day tryout.

The Dodges fourteen and under team played in the Lou Tompkins All Star Baseball League.

The sixteen and under team participate in the BASE Hitz League.

The nineteen and under team is entered in the BASE Hitz League.

The older team, twenty-one and under plays in the Lou Tompkins All Star Baseball League.

Teams play all over the City of Boston and surrounding communities.

The 14U team is coached by three Dodges alumni, Michael Martignetti head coach and Vincent Lopriore and Ryan Carvalho. Players are: Sonny Fazio, John Paul Giorgio, Stephen Griffin, Nico LaColla, Ryan Maziarka, Peter Shea, Colm Vraibel, John Paul Anderson, Joseph Bova, Camden Conway, Logan Jalbert, Anthony Lemole, Matthew Mendoza, Liam Riley, Olin Sullivan and Ian Gallagher.

Don DiCenso is a capable coach of the 16U team. Players are: Jack DeSimone, Joseph Flanagan, Richard Pagliuca, Francesco Santaniello, Michael Sullivan, Ethan Weisse, Fortunato D’Ampolo, Saverio Ciruolo III, Dominic DiCenso, Geoffrey Ingrando, Henry Sergenian, Evan Mallard, Ryan Gallagher and Nick Lamberti.

The 19U team coach is Ricky Martignetti assisted by Nick Crivello. Players are: Kyle Bernardini, Vincent Coppola, Michael Galligani, Evan Reynolds, Bryan Bessler, Timothy Martin, Brett McAllister, Lorenzo Pantaleo, Dante Bono, Nico Gennari, Robert Pagliuca, Patrick Murray and Richard Perez.

            The 21U team is coached by Ralph Martignetti assisted by Ed Reynolds and Robert Pantaleo.

NEAA sends fifty members to Sox game

By Phil Orlandella

The North End Athletic Association (NEAA) has once again sent local residents to a Red Sox game (a 15-inning contest) versus the Toronto Blue Jays won by the Sox.

“The NEAA is happy to be able to send players and their families to several sporting events throughout the year and there will be another Red Sox outing in August,” NEAA Baseball Coordinator John Romano said.

            “All of the kids and parents enjoy the game, even though there was a one-hour delay. The rain did not dampen the spirits of the participants,” Romano added.

North Adams takes first two games of Tournament

By Phil Orlandella

Traveling to North Adams, the NEAA Dodges baseball team lost the first two games

(4-1+3-2) of the La Festa Tournament, now in its 27th year of competition.

The annual pilgrimage saw the Dodges greeted with pre-game activities at Windsor Lake with the team enjoying a rope course, zip line, fishing, swimming and a whiffle ball game.

After everyone worked up an appetite, the players and their families enjoyed a complementary BBQ hosted by the Canales family.

Once the team filled their bellies, they checked into the Williams Inn and prepped for their night game in North Adams.

Teto Santaniello hurled the first game for the 15 and under Dodgers, and tossed a gem, throwing hard, pitching a complete game, striking out 10 batters, while allowing only 2 earned runs in a 4-1 loss.

The North End Athletic Association team could only muster one run against North Adams pitcher Dalton Tatro who hurled a spectacular game.

North Adams put on a post-game pizza party before the team returns to the hotel for some rest before the next day’s 10 AM game.

Game two was a carbon copy of game one with solid pitching and a 3-2 Dodges loss.

Michael Sullivan threw 5 innings of 3 hit baseball allowing 3 runs and Joseph Bova pitched an uneventful 6th inning. However, the Dodges offense (8 hits) could not produce more than 2 runs.

“It was a tremendous weekend of baseball and building possible life-long friends,” NEAA Baseball Commissioner Ralph Martignetti said.

North Adams visited the North End last week for game three, but game four was rained out of the tournament. Story will be published in the August 22 addition of the Review.

North End Roster: Joseph Flanagan, Richard Pagliuca, Ethan Weisse, Michael Sullivan, Joseph Bova, Logan Jalbert, Matthew Mendoza, Ian Gallagher, Anthony Lemole, Nico LaColla, Peter Shea and Colon Vraibel.

Coaches were: Mike Martignetti and Ryan Carvalho both former North End Dodges players.

Martignetti acted as General Manager while representing the NEAA and President of Baseball Operations John Romano.

            “Since its inception, over 800 baseball players from both teams have participate in the 27-year-old tournaments for the age group of 13 to 15 years old,” Romano noted. “The Exchange appears to be the longest running baseball tournament on the East Coast, for this age group.”