Nanuet Cubs Beats Pearl River, Moves on to Championship Game

It was a border battle when the Nanuet Cubs faced off against the Pearl River Giants at the Haverstraw Little League Leo Lader’s Post 130 American Legion Memorial Field. Nanuet’s Andrew Samori blasted a solo home run over the center field wall for the only run of the game and the Cubs won, 1-0.

Both starting pitchers were lights out. Pearl River’s Kevin Scrima pitched an outstanding 85 pitches, the maximum pitch count, but the Giants didn’t offer any run support.

Not only did Samori score the games only run, he also pitched five shutout innings and would have gone more had he not hit the 85-pitch limit.

“My pitches were all on,” said Samori. “I couldn’t miss. I just kept throwing strikes and they couldn’t hit them. [Scrima] just threw me a fastball down the middle and I hit it well.”

When Samori hit his pitch limit there was still work to be done. The Giants called upon Anthony Grycel to close the game out.

“I was really nervous because my step dad was in this and he lost,” said Grycel. “In my head I was thinking about that. I was really worried after I hit the first batter. I thought the next guy could get a hit and get him to third but my team helped me out.”

The Cubs move on to the finals of the 51st Journal News Little League baseball Tournament of Champions Sunday, 10 am in Haverstraw against the Ramampo White Sox.

“We just want to have fun,” said Nanuet manager Tom Di Benedetto. “Winning a couple games over there is nice to. It would be nice to get one more.”

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