Bayport Hands West Islip Little Leaguers Their First Loss

The Bayport-Blue Point Little League 11-year-olds hammered West Islip Thursday night Bayport 8-1 in the Williamsport Little League tournament.

The tone for the evening was set in the first inning when a member of the Bayport team hit a three-run home run, accidentally clobbering a passerby on the head with the ball in the process. Luckily, the man beyond the fence wasn't injured.

Bayport-Blue Point's team was led offensively by Dylan Rooney, said coach Liberatore. "He set the tone, like he always does. He hit three home runs in the first inning, it was a bomb."

Liberatore, who coaches the team along with Jim Dvorak and Ron Destefano, said the team "took the life out of the other team, you could sense it right away."

In the second inning, Bayport scored another run by stealing home, but West Islip managed to finally net a run for themselves, closing out the inning 4-1. 

In the third inning Bayport's opposition saw a spark of hope ignite as a West Islip line drive up the foul line put two men on base.  But their efforts were denied after Bayport outfielders caught  two consecutive fly balls, ending Islip's turn at bat. Bayport then upped their lead to 5-1 after a missed throw to second base enabled another runner to cross home.

"They're on fire," said a West Islip parent of Bayport's performance.