All games will be played at Lake Ronkonkoma Park on both Saturday, Sunday & hopefully Monday

LIE TO EXIT 58N (OLD NICHOLS RD.). GO NORTH ABOUT 2 MILES TO SMITHTOWN BLVD AND MAKE A RIGHT TURN. GO EXACTLY 7/10 OF A MILE TO A SMALL FORK IN THE ROAD (PAST VINCENTS PIZZA). TAKE THE RIGHT FORK. THE FIELD WILL BE ON YOUR RIGHT. MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE PARK AND PARK ON THE GRASS IN THE REAR OF THE FIELDS

Game 1 Saturday 10:45 vs. Baymen
Game 2 Saturday 3:15 vs. Hauppauge
Game 3 Sunday 10:45 vs. Breakers
Game 4 Sunday 3:15 vs. Elwood
Game 5 Monday TBD

North Bellmore, NY – It was a tale of two Rebels Sunday when they split a double-header with the Nassau County Tar Heels winning game one 12-2, and losing the second 4-3.

In game one, the Rebels featured solid pitching, good defense, balls hit to all fields and making the most of breaks they were offered. Included in the offense was a third-inning home run over the the right-centerfield fence by Brian Porricelli. The game was never close as the Rebels kept the pressure on and kept the Tar Heels on their, well, heels.

With an opportunity in game two to slam the door against a reeling opponent, the Rebels did not rise to the occasion. On a day when NBNM knew they were hampered by thin pitching resources, the goal in game two, against mediocre-at-best pitching from the Tar Heels, was to come out with a barrage of offense, sweep the day, and lock up an NJBL Spring League finish that could be no worse than a tie for first place. Instead, the Rebels found themselves scratching out runs in a pitcher’s dual. NBNM managed to take a 3-1 lead into the sixth but their own lack of executing pitches and poor defense allowed the Tar Heels a three-run bottom-of-the-inning.

At 9-4-1, the Rebels’ only shot to win the league now is with help from these same Tar Heels to knock off Elwood.

The Rebels will continue the search for their killer instincts in next weekend’s NJBL Memorial Day Tournament in Lake Ronkonkoma.

2011 NJBL Memorial Day Tournament
May 28, 2011 – May 30, 2011

2 games Saturday, 2 games Sunday, playoffs Monday (if qualify)

All games will be played at Baymen Field in Lake Ronkonkoma (LIE exit 59)

(Directions & Times will be available Monday Night).

Teams Entered:

• NBNM Rebels (Island Cup Ranking #6)
• Elwood Storm (Island Cup Ranking #7)
• LI Baymen Sea Dogs
• Hauppauge Eagles
• LI Breakers (Island Cup Ranking #8)

See attached for 2011 Williamsport District 31 11U brackets.

North Bellmore, NY – The NBNM Rebels swept a double-header from the Massapequa Coast Cyclones at Gunther Field today, 6-1 and 12-0. The wins move the Rebels Spring NJBL record to 8-3-1 and keep them in the hunt for the 11-75 American Division title. Perhaps more importantly, today’s results send a message to the Rebels’ cross-town and Little League District 31 rivals as they look forward to their much-anticipated, first-round match-up in the Williamsport Tournament.

Both games featured excellent execution by the Rebels in all aspects; they dominated play by employing superior pitching, defense, hitting and baserunning and they took full advantage of mistakes and misplays by Coast.

Starting pitchers Brian Porricelli and Kevin McCleneghan were asked to provide four economical innings in each game and that’s exactly what they delivered. Relievers Nick Valeriano and Mike Proios were likewise dominant and economical. Offensively, Eric Solomon and McCleneghan delivered extra-base hits, Matt Conry had a four-hit day, and most everyone in the line-up had base-knocks. Sacrafices were executed perfectly and baserunning was aggressive. Defense was very solid and featured a stellar and unusual 5-6-3 double-play (with second-baseman McCleneghan playing in a shift) that was capped with a sparkling pick at full stretch by first-baseman Valeriano.

But the most impressive display of all was when, in the fourth inning of game two with the Rebels leading 6-0, Coach Bob challenged his Rebels to show a killer instinct and go after the run-rule. The Rebels offense responded with a six-run fifth inning to put the game away and send a dejected Cyclones squad home early. If the Rebels can continue to cultivate this all-important ‘inner arrogance’ as a team, they will soon become ‘the team that no one wants to play’ as per Coach Sam’s direction back in the 2009 season.

Today’s victories were truly the result of a complete team effort. During Coach Sam’s visit to Penn State to attend his son Michael’s college graduation this weekend, he saw some famous quotations from all-time great football coach Joe Paterno. The one that he loved the best is: “The name on the front of the jersey is what really matters, not the name on the back.” It is Coach Sam’s expectation that the Rebels continue to embody this quote and enjoy the success and fulfillment that great team effort surely brings.

The Rebels wrap up the 2011 NJBL Spring season against the Nassau County Tarheels next Sunday 2:00pm at Gunther Field.