The Downtown Little League team placed second in the Mayor’s Borough Cup Memorial Tournament this past weekend, the farthest they’ve ever gotten in the tournament.
The Lower Manhattan team, composed of some of the league’s best 11- and 12-year-olds, competed against five other New York City teams over two days. The team won three of its four games in the double elimination tournament and then was eliminated 7-5 by the Elm-Jack Little League team, last year’s runner up, in the championship game on Memorial Day.
The Downtowners beat teams from the Boys Club, West Side and Greenwich Village Little League, which hosted the tournament. They lost to Peter Stuyvesant before reaching the championship.
Downtown tournament highlights included Michael Porter’s five strong innings pitching in game four against the West Side Little League, which ultimately helped Downtown get into the championship game. In addition, Gabe Kleiman hit a home run in the championship game against Elm-Jack that sparked a Downtown rally.
Downtown’s team was managed by Steven Curasco and Scott Diehl, former college baseball players, who currently coach the Junior Division Angels and Joe Marino, coach of the Major Division first place Blue Jays. The players were Josh Colon, Lucas Ortega, Gabe Kleiman, Harris Uslander, Michael Porter, Nicky and Jake Bader, Andrew Puopolo, Michael Klusendorf, Jack Hatton, Weston Loving, Isaac Simmons and Peter Manny.
— Jennifer Milne
