News and Announcements

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Dix Hills, NY – The NBNM Rebels lost the final game of Section 6 pool play tonight, 4-2, to Commack South LL at Otsego Park. The Rebels offense sputtered managing just 2 hits. By virtue of NBNM and Commack both finishing 4-1, they will match up again tomorrow night for the Long Island championship.

The Rebels just couldn’t get the bats working, going down 1-2-3 in the first two innings. Meanwhile Commack jumped out early converting two singles and two home runs into in a 4-0 lead after their first turn at bat. NBNM caught a break in the bottom of the third when Commack starter Salerno allowed consecutive walks to Kevin McCleneghan and Eric Solomon. After a successful sac bunt by Michael Proios moved McCleneghan and Solomon to second and third, Billy McAdam singled to score McCleneghan. But Salerno, who collected 10 strikeouts in his complete game victory, limited the damage at 4-1. Commack and NBNM traded zeros in the fouth and fifth innings with solid relief coming from the Rebels’ McCleneghan, Alec Acri and Jack Delaney, that continued into the bottom of the sixth. With one out and nobody on, Brian Porricelli looked for a first-pitch fastball and drilled it well over the centerfield wall to cut the lead to 4-2. But that was all the Rebels could muster.

Boxscore and game details

Tonight the Rebels welcomed back Proios who returned from the DL having recovered from a broken leg suffered in May. In a game that didn’t mean much, he threw 46 pitches over three innings including first-pitch strikes to 10 of the 15 batters he faced and walked none.

The final game for the Section 6 title is scheduled for tomorrow July 20 6:00 pm at Lions Field in Port Washington.

NBNM Clinches Return to LI Final

Posted by Mike Conry at Jul 18, 2012 1:49AM PDT ( 0 Comments )
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Seaford, NY – The North Bellmore North Merrick Little League Rebels clinched their second consecutive appearance in the Long Island (Section 6) Williamsport Championship game tonight when they defeated Plainview LL 4-0 at Seamans Neck Park. The victory ensured their place in the top two seeds after the play-off round as they improved their Section record to 4-0.

At the outset of tonight’s game the Rebels defense hinted that Plainview would be hard-pressed to score. A fine play by Matt Conry to rob Plainview’s Franco of a lead-off hit was soon outdone when Brian Porricelli started a play by making a tough catch in center field fighting swirling winds. After getting aboard on a bad-hop infield hit and advancing when the ball reached dead area, the runner on second base attempted to tag up, and Porricelli threw what looked to be a strike to Conry at third. But the ball hit the runner in his shoulder and deflected well into foul ground beyond third base just short of that same dead area. When the runner then attempted to score, pitcher Nick Valeriano alertly chased down the ball and fired to catcher Matt Coster to nail the runner at home and end the inning. That was as close as Plainview would get, as just one other baserunner got as far as first base.

RBI singles by Matt Coster and Jack Delaney put the Rebels ahead 2-0 after two innings.

Meanwhile Valeriano settled into a serious groove and, with the solid Rebels defensive play, did not allow a Plainview batter to reach base the rest of his way. He was lifted to preserve his pitch count at 49 after 5 1/3 innings.

The Rebels added insurance when Billy McAdam led off the fifth inning with a base hit and Brian Porricelli turned on a 1-2 pitch to crush a majestic bomb to an adjacent field far beyond the right field fence.

In the closer role, Jack Delaney got a strike out and a fly to right to end it.

Boxscore and game details

The Rebels next play Thu night 8:00 pm in the last game of pool play against District 34 winner Commack South LL at Otsego Park. The Section final is Friday night 6:00 pm at Lions Field in Port Washington.

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Massapequa, NY – The NBNM Rebels moved a step closer toward a return trip to the Williamsport Section 6 finals last night when they got past Sayville LL at Burns Park, 6-1. Strong pitching, clean defense, and early scores by North Bellmore North Merrick were the difference.

Starting pitcher Brian Porricelli was very effective for the Rebels collecting 7 strikeouts over his 3 2/3 and keeping Sayville batters off-balance. Meanwhile, NBNM delivered 13 hits against Sayville’s 3. NBNM did squander several scoring opportunities in leaving 10 men on base. But, with Rebels relief pitchers Jack Delaney and Alec Acri allowing just 1 hit and no walks while picking up 4 strikeouts in their combined 2 1/3 innings, it was a decisive victory.

Base hits by Billy McAdam and Matt Conry in the first inning led to a run scored by Porricelli, who reached an a fielder’s choice, for an early 1-0 lead.

A hit-by-pitch to Nick Valeriano and a walk to Eric Solomon combined with hits by Matt Coster, Delaney and McAdam led to 3 more Rebels runs in the second.

A lead-off single by Acri, successful sacrafice by Valeriano, and a well-placed single by Kevin McCleneghan put two on with one out in the Rebels’ third inning. That’s when Solomon drove a ball hard and off the wall in left center field for a big 2 RBI double and a 6-0 lead after three.

A walk to Porricelli, a single by Conry, and a successful sac bunt by Acri that was misplayed led to bases loaded, no out for the Rebels in the fourth. But NBNM could not provide even a productive out as Sayville’s pitching worked out of it. The Rebels failure to execute breathed new life into Sayville when, in the bottom of the fourth, a Newell single to lead off and a high fly ball by Sheridan that scraped the wall for a double got them on the board. However the biggest play of the half-inning was on a fastball in the dirt that got past catcher Nick Valeriano. As Sayville’s Sheridan broke for home from third, the ball caromed off the backstop, across the third base line and back into the field of play, where Porricelli alertly pounced on the loose ball and slapped a tag on the baserunner for the second out. Porricelli and Delaney then combined on a strikeout of Shaw and the one and only threat of a big inning from Sayville was ended.

While the Rebels collected 3 more hits the rest of the way, Sayville went quietly, and North Bellmore North Merrick extended its record in the Section 6 play-offs to 3-0.

Boxscore and game details

Newsday story

The Rebels get right back into Williamsport Sectional action at 5:45 tonight, with a chance to clinch a spot in the final, when they host the Plainview LL Hawks at Seamans Neck Park.

P.S. In all likelihood, this was the last game the Rebels will ever play on the 60-foot diamond at Burns Park. It will forever evoke memories both bitter and very, very sweet for these Rebels.

NBNM Socks Southampton 15-0

Posted by Mike Conry at Jul 15, 2012 2:54PM PDT ( 0 Comments )
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Rocky Point, NY – The Rebels of North Bellmore North Merrick Little League extended their record in the Williamsport Section 6 play-offs to 2-0 yesterday when they beat Southampton LL from District 36 15-0 by run-rule in four innings.

The combination of 13 NBNM hits, 7 Southampton errors, and effective pitching by the Rebels’ Nick Valeriano and Jack Delaney ensured the lop-sided conclusion. On a day when every Rebel registered in the hit column, Billy McAdam collected 2 more doubles, Brian Porricelli scored 4 runs, Eric Solomon picked up a double and an RBI, and Valeriano helped himself with 4 RBI.

Boxscore and game details

The tournament continues Monday July 16 8:00 pm when the Rebels host District 35’s Sayville LL at Burns Park in Massapequa.

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Port Washington, NY – The Section 6 play-offs of the 2012 Williamsport Tournament started well for the District 31 champion North Bellmore North Merrick LL Rebels Friday night when they matched up with District 28 winners, the Port Washington LL Legends. The Rebels defeated the Legends in decisive fashion, 10-0, with a walk-off home run to invoke the run-rule in the fourth inning.

While NBNM starting pitcher Kevin McCleneghan kept the Port Washington bats quiet, the Rebels bats made some noise. Back-to-back doubles by Jack Delaney and Billy McAdam in the first inning gave the Rebels an early 1-0 lead. They batted around in the second when a walk to McCleneghan, a single by Matt Coster, a double by Matt Nilsen, another double for Delaney, and singles by McAdam and Brian Porricelli plated five more runs. In an effort to preserve pitch count for McCleneghan, Alec Acri took over the pitching duties in the third inning and did not allow a baserunner throughout his work. Rebels bats stayed hot with four more hits in their half of the third inning but two baserunning mistakes limited the scoring to just one run and a 7-0 lead. After Acri sat the Legends down 1-2-3 in the top of the fouth, McAdam started the Rebels’ frame with his second double of the day. Porricelli then launched a deep drive way over the left center field fence to extend NBNM’s lead to 9-0. In the following at-bat on a 1-2 pitch to Matt Conry, he lofted a high fly ball toward right center that dropped over the wall for back-to-back homers and a Rebels victory.

Boxscore and game details

Newsday coverage

The Rebels journey toward Williamsport continues Saturday July 14 at North Shore LL Complex in Rocky Point, NY when they face District 36 champ Southampton LL.