Kaylee Cimino on Saturday likely became the first softball player in Downtown Little League history to hit an out-of-the park homer.
In an awesome display of grace and power, Cimino, 14, stunned the Battery Park City crowd by driving a pitch over the left field fence in a 6-2 win for the Revolution over a Brooklyn team Saturday. As the fans cheered with wide-eyed disbelief, she calmly rounded the bases. Cimino’s shot was estimated to have sailed over 200 feet, landing up in the wooden scaffolding around the base of one of the towers at the west end of the fields.
Tom Merrill, Downtown Little League president, said it was the first outside-the-park home run of the season by any Downtown Little Leaguer, baseball or softball. Joe Marino, head coach of the Revolution Senior team, said he thought Cimino’s shot was the first over-the-fence home run by any softball player, Junior or Senior, in league history.
Cimino, Emily Baccaglini and Hayley Howard also teamed-up to throw a no-hitter against Brooklyn to take the home opener for the Junior Revolution. In addition to great pitching, the Revolution’s defense made several key plays in the non-league contest on April 17.
In the third inning, with runners on first and third and two outs, a Brooklyn base runner attempted to steal second. Using a set play, catcher Samantha Sewell faked a throw to second base throwing the ball directly to shortstop Harlie Carey. Fooled by the play, Brooklyn’s runner on third broke for home only to be gunned down by the return throw to the plate. In separate displays of defensive prowess, Sewell and the Revolution’s other catcher that day, Veronica Chmiel, threw out Brooklyn runners attempting to steal third base.
On Sunday, April 18th, the Junior girls followed their win against Brooklyn with a [14-7] victory over the Yorkville Gators in league play. In other softball action Sunday, the Revolution Senior team defeated their league opponent from Riverdale 11-1 to remain undefeated this season.
