On Saturday, August 9, the Long Island Marlins, a 13U baseball team consisting of 9 of the 12 players from last year's Massapequa Coast Little League's District Champions, captured the 13U FABL/Boys of Summer Title at Citibank Park, home of the Long Island Ducks.

For a team that is comprised of primarily Massapequa players, the FABL Championship culminated in a winning streak of 11 games to end a season that started in the Disney Sun & Surf Classic on Memorial Day weekend. The Marlins made the semifinals of that tournament, and played in the playoffs in the Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves on the Disney Complex against a team from Georgia, consisting of exclusively 14 yr olds.

The Long Island Marlins also won the NY State Championship at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank on July 28. The tournament featured 15 teams from all around the East Coast. In that tournament, the Marlins went 6-0, defeating a team from Massachusetts known as the Dugout Dawgs in the finals.

The Marlins went 4-0 in the pool play portion of the tournament, defeating the Tri State Cyclones from New Windsor, NY 8-1 behind the pitching of Robbie Hopes, who threw 5 innings of 3 hit ball. James Nakashian was in the middle of 2 rallies and worked out a 10 pitch bases loaded walk in the 3 run 7th inning. They then defeated the Suffolk County Cobras 4-3. Jonathon Mulford got the win and Billy Schlich the save. Clutch hitting by Kevin Podell and Kevin Wasson led the attack. In the 3rd game, James Nakashian and Matt O'Connor combined to beat the SSBA All American, from Freeport 8-3. The hitting stars of that game were leadoff hitter, Kevin Wasson, who was 2-2 with a walk and scored 3 runs and John Bianco who had a 2 run double to break the game open. In the 4th game, the LI Marlins came from behind against the Dugout Dawgs, who they would eventually face in the finals. Down 7-3 when the rains came, the Marlins rallied to win 8-7 in the completion of the game. Matt O'Connor got the win with 4 shutout innings and Robbie Hopes was the hitting star with 2 triples. Nick D'Elia also was on base 3 times and was the catalyst of the 3 run 7th inning that capped the win.

In the playoffs, Robbie Hopes and Jonathon Mulford combined to beat the New Jersey XTreme 7-3. Billy Schlich (3-3) led the hitting attack and had 8 assists at shortstop. The Marlins scored 5 times in the 4th to take the lead in a balanced attack led by Nick D'Elia and Chris D'Ambrosio.

In the finals, Billy Schlich threw 5 innings and got the win and Robert Wallace, in a spot reminiscent of the Championship Game in District 31 against rival Merrick, got the save to lead the LI Marlins to a 3-2 victory. Chris D'Ambrosio got the game winning hit in the 4th inning, a 2 run single that put the Marlins ahead for good. Nick D'Elia was on base both times he went to the plate and played a flawless second base handling 4 chances perfectly.

The Marlins entered the FABL/Boys of Summer playoffs on a 7 game win streak, having won their final regular season game, on a strong pitching performance by John Bianco, after winning the title at Baseball Heaven. The league consisted of 15 teams from throughout Long Island and is widely considered the strongest league on the Island in this age group. Behind 5 strong innings by Jonathon Mulford and a save by Billy Schlich, the Marlins defeated the Brentwood Amazins 4-3 at Burns Park. The key hit was provided by Kevin Podell in the first inning, a 2 run single. In the quarterfinals, Robbie Hopes threw a complete game, striking out 8, and the LI Marlins again came from behind with 2 runs in the 6th inning to beat the Connetquot Chiefs, who were the 2nd seed in the tournament. The big hit was delivered by Chris D'Ambrosio. John Bianco had the other RBI on a successful suicide squeeze, his 4th successful suicide squeeze of the year. The semifinal game was a 2 day affair, having been suspended by darkness on Wednesday and completed before the finals on Saturday. Jonathon Mulford came back on 2 days rest and pitched 4 innings on Wednesday and was leading 5-4 when the game was suspended. Two spectacular plays by Robert Wallace at 3rd and solid hitting led by Kevin Wasson and Kevin Podell insured the Marlins had the lead. When the game was continued, Robbie Hopes pitched the last 3 innings and held the LI Titans scoreless to save a 6-4 win and secure the Marlins a spot in the finals.

The final game was a flawless game for the LI Marlins who defeated the Paveco Storm, who were 16-4 in the regular season, 10-0. Robbie Hopes stayed on the mound and pitched another 4 scoreless innings before he turned the ball over to Jonathon Mulford who closed it out. The dynamic duo of Robert Wallace and Billy Schlich made great play after great play in the field. Wallace started a double play in the first and made a trademark heads up play in the 4th covering third to provide Schlich a play on a runner attempting to cross over to 3rd with 2 outs. Hopes ended the game on a walk-off bases loaded double that one hopped the fence at Citibank Park, which was 325 ft. away. John Bianco was on base all 3 times he went to the plate and Matt O'Connor slapped a 2 run single in the 4th inning to open the game up.

The Long Island Marlins' players are John Bianco, Chris D'Ambrosio, Nick D'Elia, Nick Gunder, Robbie Hopes, Jonathon Mulford, James Nakashian, Matt O'Connor, Kevin Podell, Billy Schlich, Robert Wallace and Kevin Wasson. In all probability the 2009 MCLL Juniors team, who will hope to make a serious run in the Williamsport Tournament, will be comprised of many of these players. The players are excited about the prospect of competing for a National Title in the Juniors Division of Little League next summer.