EAST PROVIDENCE — The city-based Riverside Post 10 Junior Division club enjoyed a superb summer run through the Rhode Island American Legion Baseball League, winning the state championship before coming up a game short of capturing the Northeast Regional title.
Post 10, sponsored by Piezoni’s Pizza and Bristol Auto Body Works, claimed the Northern Division during the regular season with a 15-4 record. That mark was good enough to make the locals the overall No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
In the postseason, Post 10 was just as good if not a little better than it was prior. The locals swept three best-of-three series en route to winning the state crown, including a 2-0 whitewash of Cranston-Auburn Post 20 in the final. Riverside defeated Post 20, 9-4, in the opener. Kam Gianlorenzo was the winning pitcher. Kyle Marquis then tossed a 3-0 shutout in Game 2 to complete the sweep and help secure the title.
At the single-elimination regional event, which took place in South Windsor, Conn., Post 10 opened up with a 9-4 victory over Massachusetts champion Methuen. The locals followed up with a 12-2 win over the New Jersey state champ from Cherry Hills. Gianlorenzo and Marquis, respectively, were the winning pitchers.
In the championship round, Riverside next ran up against the hometown South Windsor squad, which actually placed third in the Connecticut state playoffs and only gained a spot in the regional tournament as the host. South Windsor took full advantage of its opportunity, winning the Northeast title with an 8-1 victory.
“The team really stepped up all summer. When they faced adversity, they stepped up except unfortunately in that last game,” said Post 10 manager Keith Marquis Sr., who was assisted this season by his son, Keith Jr., Mike Gianlorenzo and Chris Lacata.
“I definitely thought we were the best team there, but you’ve got to give South Windsor credit. They won the game,” Marquis Sr. continued.
Besides the two pitchers, the rest of the 2013 Post 10 roster included Marc LaValley, Tyler Lockard, Mike Allienello, Derek Silva, Colin Costa, Josiah Hatch, Alex Medeiros, Zach Pipa, Robert Pereira, Logan McConaghy and Nick Mendez.
Hatch was the team’s offensive catalyst from the leadoff spot in the batting order. Costa, Allienello, Marquis, LaValley and Gianlorenzo were some of the top run producers in the lineup.
“We had a fairly young team. We only lose four guys. Most of them can come back and play next year,” Marquis Sr. said of the Post 10 roster, which is made up predominantly of East Providence High School players. The RIALBL Junior Division is for players 17-years-old and under.
“We had a very successful year. I knew we would be competitive, but the guys just came together as a team and gelled,” Marquis Sr. added. “They like to play baseball and they like to play together as a group. Most of them played on the high school team, so they knew each other and got along well. It was a really good year.”