Young Athlete Hopes to Bring MLB Contest to Portsmouth Next Year

Eighteen Newport athletes between the ages of 7 and 14 gathered on the foggy Monday night to showcase pitching, hitting and running skills in the Aquafina contest, which was sponsored by Major League Baseball.

Last year, softball was introduced to the event to encourage more girls to compete. Before last year, girls competed against the boys in the baseball divisions and participation was low.  

“I definitely think the introduction of softball will help the event grow," said Will Harrigan of Portsmouth High School, who has participated in the event for as long as he can remember. Harrigan hopes to bring the contest to Portsmouth next year.

Winners for each age group (7-8, 8-9, 9-10, 11-12) were determined in four divisions: pitching, hitting, running and overall, for both baseball and softball.   The contest can send up to thirty-two boys and girls to the state finals competition on May 21 at McCoy stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox .  

“What is nice about the Rhode Island competition is that the PawSox really support the event," said Susan Cooper, Director of the Newport Recreation Department, which has hosted the contest for the past twelve years.  “Each child who participates will receive a free ticket to a Pawsox game on May 28th.  The kids who win at state are recognized at PawSox games.”

Last year, state winner Gavin Crowley of Newport,threw out the first pitch at a PawSox game.

The state winners will then be eligible for the regional competition at Boston’s Fenway Park on June 4. Those winners will continue on to an all-expense paid trip to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game to compete in the National Finals competition.

Catherine Ratcliff, who had a son in the event agreed that softball was a wise addition to the competition. “It only makes sense that girls start out with softball since they won’t play baseball in high school, and there aren’t baseball scholarships for women," she said.

The introduction of softball has allowed communities  to send double the number of boys and girls to the state event.

“The state competition is fun,” Cooper told participants. “ You can play in a ballpark, you can hear your name over a PA."

In the pitching competition, Meghan Mureddu, 7,  picked up a softball that weighted heavy against her small frame.  “She just started softball this year. She’s better at golf,” her father said as she struggled with the ball.  With a loud thud, a pitch hit the target and her father called out congradulations to his daughter.

Logan Ratcliff, 8, who has two years in the Little League minors, does not have a doubt that baseball is in his future.  His mother cheers for the New York Yankees and his father is a Boston Red Sox fan; Logan's only question to his parents is which major league team he should play for. 

Winners will be notified next week. For questions related to the event, contact the Newport Recreation Department at 845-5800. For information on Newport Little League, please visit their Web site: http://newportlittleleague.com/.