Road to Little League World Series: Plainview defeats Port Washington

Six of Long Island's district champions duked it out in three games Monday in Westbury, Dix Hills and Massapequa, bringing one team one step closer to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Plainview continued their winning streak since their Friday 13-3 loss to Commack South, as they defeated Port Washington 11-1 in four innings at Central Nassau Field, Westbury. Plainview has put up 23 runs while only allowing three runs against in their last two games, Saturday and Monday.

Port Washington's record drops to 0-3 while Plainview moves to 2-1.

North Bellmore-North Merrick continued their hot play as well on Monday with a 6-1 win over Sayville at Burns Park, Massapequa.

Pitcher Brian Porcelli racked up seven strikeouts in only 3.2 innings on the mound for North Bellmore-North Merrick. Two RBI’s each off the bats of Billy McAdam and Eric Solomon were more than the team needed to establish and hold the lead.

North Bellmore-North Merrick's record holds strong at 3-0 while Sayville falls to 1-2.

Still, Sayville proved to be tough competition, putting up the first run of the sectionals on North Bellmore-North Merrick's pitching staff. This was also the first full six-inning game of the tournament.

As per tournament rules, any team leading by 10 runs after four innings wins by default. Little League has created thorough guidelines to ensure that pitchers don’t overwork their arms without enough rest. Innings limits are strictly enforced so that one dominant pitcher can’t be glued to the mound every inning of every game.

Commack South and Southampton battled it out in the late game, playing under the lights at Otsego Park, Dix Hills. Continuing their hot play, Commack South defeated Southampton 12-2 in five innings of play.

Commack South’s record remains perfect at 3-0 while Southampton falls to 0-3.

Two teams dominated play over the weekend, as both North-Bellmore-North Merrick and Commack South went undefeated, each putting up 25 runs in their first two games. Commack South and North Bellmore-North Merrick will face off against each other on Thursday night in what could be a deciding game, or just a preview of the finals on Friday.

Six of LI’s district championship teams compete in Section 6 where all six teams will play two more games this week, ensuring that every team is given a chance to play each other once before the finals matchup is decided. The best two teams in the sectional division meet in the finals 6 p.m. Friday at Lions Field in Port Washington.

Tuesday will feature three more games between teams in Section 6, and one game in Section 5.

Port Washington will take on Southampton 5:45 p.m. at North Shore Complex in Rocky Point.
North Bellmore-North Merrick plays Plainview 5:45 p.m. at Seamen's Neck Park in Seaford.
Commack South will battle Sayville 8 p.m. at Otsego Park in Dix Hills.

Long Island’s two other district champs, Lynbrook and New Hyde Park, compete in Section 5 with teams from New York City. Section 5 competes in a bracket style tournament with one loss eliminating a team. While this adds pressure to every game, it also can provide teams with some unexpected surprises.

Lynbrook has automatically advanced to the next round, as their first opponent, the team from District 25 in Brooklyn, has forfeited their spot in the tournament.

New Hyde Park Little League is set to play their first sectional game 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Rath Park in Franklin Square where they will take on Kingsbridge Little League of Brooklyn's District 23.