Team runs table in Windsor Baseball League to finish at 17-0
At any level, unbeaten seasons are among the rarest of all occurrences in organized sports, and the players that make up those special teams carry the memory for the rest of their lives.
That was the story this year for the AAA Pirates of the Windsor Baseball League, which navigated the spring season with a perfect 17-0 record, including a dramatic come from behind victory in the tournament championship game.
“The biggest thing about this year was that everybody — players, coaches and parents — bought into what we were doing and came together perfectly,” Pirates manager Mark Adriano said. “It was just a great group of kids.”
Led by Adriano and assistant coaches Jemal Ayag, Steve Navarez and Silvio Potosme Sr., the Pirates’ roster of 9-10 year-olds included Jase Ayag, Lukas Adriano, MJ Adriano, Chase Bayly, Kai Clifton, Mason DeMelo, Mateo Elliott, Jayden Hirayama, Nathan Henry, Keyen Nevarez and Silvio Potosme Jr.
Dramatic finish
The league championship and unbeaten season were very much in doubt in the tournament title game last month, when the Pirates spotted the Red Sox a 5-0 lead in the first inning. There was no panic in the dugout, as the Pirates clawed back to tie the game in the fifth inning before pulling it out in dramatic fashion.
The Pirates mounted a winning rally when Potosme got aboard with a walk, followed by hits from Lukas Adriano and Keyen Nevarez. MJ Adriano then delivered a clutch RBI single to lift the Pirates to a wild, 10-9 victory.
“Along with our pitching and hitting, the strength of this team was its ability to stay focused,” Coach Adriano reflected. “We never talked about winning all season, we just focused on the next game.”
