sports
102 THE QUEENS COURIER • JUNE 21, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
College Point Rebels bring home coveted L.I. Hot Stove title
Th e College Point Rebels, Managed
by Alexander Fried and coached by
Tom Neville, Debra Neville and Keith
O’Connor, brought home the coveted
12u Long Island Hot Stove Travel
Championship to Queens on June 16 aft er
defeating the elite Glen Cove Lightning in
a heart stopping 5-4 victory under the
lights at Alken Field in Seaford.
Aft er going 6-0, the College Point Rebels
had two more regular season games to
win in order to lock in fi rst place. In game
seven, Gavin O’Connor, Shane Sullivan,
Ryan Neville, Gianni Grasotti and Evan
Antzoulis combined to throw the Rebels’
third no-hitter of the season in a 16-0 rout
against the Long Island Crushers.
Matthew Neville and Steve Kubic both
got two huge hits, stole three bases and
scored twice, while Brian Baek, Tanner
Fried and Evan Antzoulis each had multiple
doubles in the game. Gianni Grasotti
contributed with a triple in the fi ft h
inning to secure the victory.
Th e last game of the regular season pitted
the Rebels’ against the only other
undefeated team in the division, the
Valley Stream Jayhawks. Th is game was
important not only for bragging rights,
but also to capture fi rst place and the
all-important top seed in the playoff s.
Shane Sullivan was brilliant on the
mound, throwing a complete game no
hitter in a 21-1 route. Th e only run
allowed against Shane was a walk, followed
by an error, stolen base and fi elder’s
choice. Th e Jayhawks ace pitcher,
who stymied all of the other teams in the
division, was no match for the Rebels
off ense.
Lead-off hitter Brian Baek was 5-5
which included a double and a triple;
he also scored four times. Tanner Fried
also went 5-5, driving in four runs, which
included a perfectly executed drag bung
squeeze and a double. Tanner’s RBI was
the fi rst of the game and set the stage
for the victory. Peter Vanechanos went
3-5, drove in 3 runs and scored 3 times.
Gianni Grasotti continued his hot hitting
with a triple and 2 singles. Gavin
O’Connor, Carmine Savino and Ryan
Neville also went 3-4 in the aft ernoon.
Th e victory resulted in the Rebel’s capturing
fi rst place and fi rst seed in the playoff
s.
Aft er defeating the Jayhawks, the Rebels
faced the Glen Cove Lightning in the
Championship game. Th e Lightning were
favored to win the championship from
the start and are strong in every facet of
the game.
With a packed house watching, the
stage as set for a tight game. And
our fans were not disappointed. Shane
Sullivan pitched great, allowing two runs
in three innings against a juggernaut
off ense.
Down 1-0, Brian Baek led off the fi rst
with a home run over the right center
fi eld fence, tying the game at one. Now
down 2-1, Peter Vanechanos led off with
second with a single and stole second.
Shane Sullivan, helping his own cause,
drove a single to right center, tying the
game 2-2.
With the score tied 2-2 in the fourth
inning, Tanner Fried got on base with a
walk and stole second and third. Aft er
Vanechanos walked, Sullivan again came
through with a single to left , scoring
Fried. Ryan Neville then laid down a
perfect sacrifi ce bunt to move the runners
to second and third. Carmine
Savino then hit a monster double to the
right center fi eld fence scoring 2 runs.
With the score 5-2, Brian Baek came
in to close the game. Aft er walking two
batters, throwing errors resulted in both
runners scoring, which tightened the
score to 5-4.
With the tying run at third base in
the last inning and the championship in
jeopardy, Baek struck out the next 2 batters,
securing the championship trophy
for the Rebels.
While the spring season is over, the
College Point Rebels will look to continue
its winning ways in the summer travel
league in LI Hot Stove.