The Merrick Patch Orioles Kick-Off Little League Season

(Editor's Note:  We will be following the games of the Merrick Patch Orioles, a Patch-sponsored Merrick Little League team, throughout the season.  Bob Hagerman, who coaches the Orioles, a 9-10 year old minors softball team, supplied the game recaps below.  Little League coaches and parents: Please send your game stories and photos to ryan@patch.com and we will feature them on the site.)

On opening day for the Merrick Little League Girls Minors Softball, the Merrick Patch Orioles and the Marlins hooked up for an exceptionally well played game that unfortunately someone had to lose.  At the end it was the Marlins who were nearly flawless in taking the opener Saturday, 5-3.   

The Orioles got terrific pitching from Tara Hagerman and Isabella Farino, but Marlins pitchers Lindsay Sheridan, Jesse Condello and Nicolette Vanella were equal to the task.  After Hagerman and Sheridan each tossed two scoreless innings, Condello broke the ice in the top of the third by bombing a triple to right field, scoring Vanella.  Condelllo came in to score on a Sheridan's single for a 2-0 Marlins lead.

Lexy Dietrich got the O's started in the bottom of the third with a leadoff single, and following walks to Heather Berberich and Farino, came in to score on a single from Hagerman to cut the lead in half..

In the top of the fourth, the Marlins answered back when Ellie Beichert knocked in what proved to be the difference maker with a two-run single.  The O's countered in the bottom of the fourth with RBIs from Alex Molinari and Dietrich, but that was all the Orioles could muster against the air-tight Marlins defense led by Sheridan.

It was a great way to start the year, and both teams seem poised for terrific seasons.

On Monday, the Orioles, trying to bounce back from their tough opening day defeat, took on the Angels who won their opener over the Yankees.  But once again the O's came up on the short side of a nail-biter, 4-3.  It was a pitcher's duel all afternoon as the Orioles' Gabriella Farino and Leah Kauderer went K-for-K with Angels' fire-ballers Nicole Tzanetos and Jesse Estrin.  But it was a brilliant defensive display in the last inning that made the difference.

The O's got on the board first with a clutch 2-out RBI single from Alex Molinari in the top of the second.  But in the bottom of the second, the Angels roared back. Estrin tripled in two runs, and came in to score on Summer Rebman's infield hit.  The Angels tacked on another run in the third courtesy of a Tzanetos RBI.

The Orioles came back with two runs in the top of the fifth courtesy of RBIs from Molinari and Lexy Dietrich.  And after Kauderer pitched a perfect fifth, the O's were poised for a last inning rally.   But it was not to be as Grace Balan flashed a gold glove at second base.  First Balan snared a pop fly and threw back to first to beat the runner for a double play.  For an encore, Balan stabbed a sharp ground ball and converted the out to end the game.

It was another wonderfully played game, but another tough loss for the Orioles.