Merrick Little League Advances to District Finals With Win Against Seaford

The Merrick Little League 12-year old Williamsport team has moved a step closer to their ultimate dream with a 7-4 win against Seaford on Wednesday night at Burns Park.

Seaford was eliminated with the loss just short of the District 31 championship round, finishing with a 1-2 record.

“We jumped out to an early lead and I thought it was going to be a battle and it eventually turned out that way,” Craig Levine, Merrick head coach, said. “Since our first game, our kids have not quit at all. They’ve been playing great defense and no matter when the adversity comes, they’ve gotten out of innings.”

Merrick collected momentum right at the start with Eric Gossert pitching on the mound. Holding Seaford in their first turn at bat, it gave Merrick the chance to take an early lead. Dylan Hughes knocked in the first run with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning.

Nicky Wisniewski hit a two-run single for Merrick in the next inning to extend the lead to 3-0. After a great line drive snag by pitcher Anthony Pristera, Seaford missed an opportunity to escape the inning after Brendan McGovern couldn’t hold on to a tough, shallow fly ball hit by Robert Backus. The error allowed two more runs to score, giving Merrick a 5-0 lead.

Keith McHugh knocked in the first Seaford run on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 5-1 in the third inning. Andrew Cain hit a bases-clearing double with two outs in the next inning to bring his team to within one run at 5-4.

Jerry Kourkoumelis gave Merrick a cushion with an RBI single in the fourth, followed by an RBI triple by Gossert in the fifth to extend the lead to 7-4. Robert Backus picked up the save with three consecutive outs, including two strikeouts, to end the game and move Merrick onto the finals.

“We showed a lot of character in coming back, but Merrick is a tough team and they will give Coast a good run for it,” said Jimmy Roell, Seaford head coach. “I’m very proud of the kids for their great tournament and we will move on from here.”

Merrick, who now holds a 3-1 record, will play defending District and Long Island champion Massapequa Coast in the finals on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Burns Park.

“Coast is a great team being the defending District and Long Island champions. Everybody knows they’re a great team, but we are a good team also and we will give them a fight,” added Levine.

Since Merrick has lost once, a 6-4 decision to Massapequa International in the opening game, they must win two games in the finals. Massapequa Coast, who is currently 3-0, only needs one win against Merrick to claim the championship.