Massapequa Little League softball returns to Mid-Atlantic Region tournament with eyes on World Series repeat
This is the Massapequa 12U Little League softball team that won a third straight state title on July 12. The team, which won the Little League World Series a year ago, is competing in the Mid-Atlantic Region tournament beginning Sunday, July 21, in Bristol, Conn. Credit: Stephanie Fontana
The Massapequa International 12U softball team has its eyes on a repeat.
Last year’s Little League Softball World Series champion dominated its way to a third straight state title, defeating Staten Island’s South Shore, 4-0, in the state championship game Friday in Smithtown.
Massapequa (9-0) will face Delaware in the opening game of the Mid-Atlantic Region tournament at 10 a.m. July 21 in Bristol, Connecticut.
“Quite frankly, I was a little concerned at the beginning of this season thinking this year’s team would feel like, ‘Wow, look at those shoes we have to fill,’ ” assistant coach Dom Fontana said. “But there really hasn’t been much of that. They’ve all been very relaxed.”
Last year’s team, the first New York squad to win the World Series, will be honored as a part of the region tournament’s opening ceremony. Two players — pitcher Olivia Feldman and infielder Mia Victor — returned from last year to compete on the current team.
“When you have a pitcher like Olivia Feldman and you have Mia Victor — two girls who won the World Series last year — it makes it very easy to bring this new team together because they can explain to the rest of the team exactly what’s needed to repeat what happened last year,” manager Rich Eaton said.
Feldman was used as a relief pitcher last summer but has been an outstanding starting pitcher this year. She struck out eight and allowed three hits in a complete game in the state championship game Friday.
Feldman also hit a leadoff triple in the first inning and scored on a single by Eaton’s daughter, Kailyn. Charlotte Welsh drove in Kailyn and Riley Erbis with a two-run double and scored on a double by Samantha Cowan to cap the four-run frame.
“We like to talk about how we’re not one-dimensional,” Fontana said. “We have a lot of ways that we can win, but starting pitching is always going to be a big part of that. Olivia has been outstanding through all nine games. The defense makes the routine plays and we’ve had some very timely hitting.”
Though this team’s run is just beginning, it’s another exciting summer for Massapequa, which has long been known as a hot spot for baseball and softball. Fontana and Rich Eaton credit the team’s success to the community’s commitment to youth sports.
“Massapequa runs a great intramural program and during that program, after the games, you can’t get these kids to leave,” Rich Eaton said. “They all play against each other all year. We’re a legit all-star team.”
