By BILLY HEYEN A year ago, Rayson Miller head coach Tom Sapienza called Rockland the "evil empire." As far as Rayson Miller is concerned, that may be true. Rockland is the team that's ended RM's season two years in a row. Rayson Miller lost 9-2 to Rockland on Tuesday at Murnane Field in Utica. After a scheduling shift forced RM to face the three-time defending state … [Read more...] about ‘Evil empire’ Rockland ends Rayson Miller’s states run for 2nd-straight year
Legion
Hayden Smith keeps Rayson Miller alive at state tournament
By BILLY HEYEN All season long, Hayden Smith has delivered when called upon for Rayson Miller. With a loss Monday representing the end of RM's season, Smith ensured that wouldn't happen. Rayson Miller stayed alive at the state tournament with a 7-1 win over Maine-Endwell. Smith threw a complete game on the mound, allowing five hits and striking out six. The lefty-hitting … [Read more...] about Hayden Smith keeps Rayson Miller alive at state tournament
Rayson Miller’s pitching plan gets put to final test as RM falls to losers’ bracket
By BILLY HEYEN Rayson Miller's 2018 season ended in the state championship series, two wins shy of a title. The shortcoming was due in part to the pitching demands placed on a team coming out of the losers' bracket. This year, RM head coach Tom Sapienza didn't want to face that issue again, so he loaded up with even more talented arms than a year ago. Of course, Rayson … [Read more...] about Rayson Miller’s pitching plan gets put to final test as RM falls to losers’ bracket
Rayson Miller’s veterans come through for 4-1 win in state tourney opener
By BILLY HEYEN The last time Lukas Haefner and Owen VanNewkirk played at Murnane Field in Utica, the outcome wasn't what they wanted. They posed with a second-place trophy, Haefner's arms crossed and no emotion on his face. VanNewkirk tucked himself into the back row, not making an effort to be prominently pictured. With Rayson Miller back at the state tournament for the … [Read more...] about Rayson Miller’s veterans come through for 4-1 win in state tourney opener
Heyen: 9 lessons I’ve learned from two seasons of covering Rayson Miller
By BILLY HEYEN Rayson Miller Post 899 heads to the American Legion baseball state tournament in Utica this weekend. It’s the second-straight year at states for RM. As the prominence of Legion ball in Rochester has declined, Rayson Miller has remained a beacon of what it’s all about. Last year, I was able to go and cover states, and I followed RM for much of the last two … [Read more...] about Heyen: 9 lessons I’ve learned from two seasons of covering Rayson Miller