Examiner Green Crowned Champions
It was lights-out pitching that secured Examiner green a spot in Saturday’s title game, but it took the team’s best hitting performance of the season to earn championship hardware.
The Examiner-sponsored green team in Mount Kisco Little League Baseball’s eight and nine-year-old AAA division triumphed 9-6 in Saturday’s championship game against the D’Errico Jewelry squad, delivering the franchise its second title.
Examiner green had shutout the Robison team 3-0 last Tuesday night at Leonard Park to advance to the big game.
Team Examiner had entered Tuesday’s post-season with only a pair of wins against a half dozen losses, along with one tie, and was widely predicted to lose their matchup against the mighty Robison crew, which had entered action with an impressive 7-1-1 win/loss/tie record. But The Examiner crew prevailed, and rode the momentum into Saturday’s play.
Coaches had drilled players with extra practices in advance of the playoffs, with Head Coach John Zissu predicting the underdog victory before Tuesday’s first pitch.
“What a thrilling and fitting end to such a fun season,” Zissu said in an email interview on Sunday. “Players on both teams played their hearts out and left it all on the field. Congratulations to Coach Keith Siskind and D’Errico Jewelry on their exceptional play and to our Examiner players, coaches and parents, it was a true honor and pleasure to have shared this epic championship season with you.”
Saturday’s title game wasn’t without its unnerving moments for Examiner fans. D’Errico slugger Jackson Sanjurjo crushed a ball into the outfield for a three-run, inside-the-park home run deep in the contest before team Examiner sealed its 9-6 victory.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.