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
Rayson Miller
‘Locked in’: Hayden Smith remains nearly unhittable in Rayson Miller win
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
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
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