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Massapaqua Coast takes the global stage tonight in its first-ever Little League World Series game.
The Long Island boys defeated perennial powerhouse Tom River, New Jersey, twice in the Metro Region tournament to earn a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Their reward is a first-round matchup with heavily favored Honolulu, the champions of the West Region, at 7 p.m. tonight on ESPN.
Honolulu won the Little League World Series in 2018 and this year returns several players from its 2021 tournament team. But Massapequa hopes to continue to ride the David vs. Goliath mentality that has gotten them this far.
And it won’t hurt to have pitcher Joey Leonetti — who no-hit Toms River in the Metro Region championship game last week — on the mound.
The double-elimination tournament features 20 teams, including 10 from the United States and 10 international squads.
Watch parties for tonight’s game popped up across Nassau and Suffolk counties this week, as Long Island has rallied around the boys from Massapequa. But the biggest of them all will likely be the one held at Burns Park, located 4900 Merrick Road in Massapequa.
Top photo: Metro Region Champion Little League team from Massapequa, N.Y. participates in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Little League World Series baseball tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Wednesday, Aug 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
