By BILLY HEYEN EAST IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — With the way Hayden Smith is going, all his teammates could do after Wednesday night’s game was joke. When Rayson Miller head coach Tom Sapienza went to offer Smith an ice cream coupon for another great performance, a couple of his teammates mocked incredulity. “But he gave up two hits,” Rayson Miller reliever Joey Kench … [Read more...] about ‘Locked in’: Hayden Smith remains nearly unhittable in Rayson Miller win
Legion
Owen VanNewkirk’s return to wood bat paying dividends as playoffs approach
By BILLY HEYEN EAST IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — Owen VanNewkirk went 5-for-7 during the first weekend of the American Legion season swinging a wood bat. But this year in District 7, players are allowed to swing metal for the first time. So as he saw his teammates make the switch, VanNewkirk went for it, too. After five games and a 2-for-14 skid, VanNewkirk reverted — back to the … [Read more...] about Owen VanNewkirk’s return to wood bat paying dividends as playoffs approach
Rayson Miller embraces ‘playoff atmosphere’ in win over Irondequoit
By BILLY HEYEN PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Rayson Miller Post had allowed Irondequoit Post to tie it up in the top of the fifth. The energy that Rayson Miller had come out of the gate with was at risk of being for naught. But then Grant Rodriguez sat back on a pitch and pushed it toward the right side. The ball trickled past the second baseman’s glove and into right field. The … [Read more...] about Rayson Miller embraces ‘playoff atmosphere’ in win over Irondequoit
‘Baseball was my language’: Remembering Brenton Jacob
By BILLY HEYEN EAST ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In a way, Brenton Jacob was everywhere on East Rochester High School’s baseball field Saturday. Each and every player from Rayson Miller Post and Brooks Shepard Post wore the No. 5, the same number Brenton wore on that very diamond. The Brooks Shepard uniforms were made to look like those of the Boston Red Sox, Brenton’s favorite … [Read more...] about ‘Baseball was my language’: Remembering Brenton Jacob
Legion baseball Thursday wrap: Greece, Doud pull off upsets
DOUD POST 2 RAYSON MILLER POST 0 Jake Keller, Doud's tall lefty, worked five shutout innings on the mound for a win over a Rayson Miller offense that'd scored 12 runs in two-straight games. Joey Puglia came out of the bullpen for the final two innings to earn the save. Keller and Jake Carroll both notched a hit and scored a run for Doud. Johnny Bagley added his own … [Read more...] about Legion baseball Thursday wrap: Greece, Doud pull off upsets