LITTLE LEAGUE
HHH Nationals Rally For Come-From-Behind Win
By Jamie Weissman/ info@longislandernews.com

The future of Major League Baseball may be found right here in Huntington.

Throughout the summer, the Half Hollow Hills Nationals have been giving it their all in the District 34 Tournament. Even with 23 teams as competition, the HHH Nationals took home the Gold Medal Championship, defending their undefeated status.

The U-8 HHH Nationals played their final game July 30 against fellow undefeated team, Commack South Gold. Though the HHH Nationals were down 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning with 2 outs, they made a comeback, scoring 3 runs to bring the final score to 4-3.

“Both teams played fantastic. Even though they were 8-year-olds, it was intense,” Nationals team manager Rick Goldstein said.

Since both teams were undefeated, it could have been anybody’s game, the manager said.
“We had a team meeting and said, ‘Let’s do it.’ The boys came together,” Goldstein said of the team’s rally when the Nationals were behind.

The team’s fate changed when HHH Nationals player Matt Williams was walked, scoring the final runs, the manager said.

The HHH Nationals includes three coaches and eleven players. Goldstein credited every player on the team with helping each other out, bringing them to their final win.

Jordan Goldstein, who pitched four innings of the championship game, had the highest RBI percentage and scored key runs at the bottom of the sixth inning, the manager said. Kyle Cavataio pitched the last two innings, shutting everyone down, he added. Andrew Ferber, another pitcher, had a great season and made great contributions to the team’s victory.