Webutuck Little League wraps up first season

AMENIA — Six weeks after local baseball fans celebrated a new youth baseball program’s first season, the Webutuck Little League (WLL) closed the inaugural season on Saturday, June 11.

Comprised of ball players from the town of Amenia and the village of Millerton, the league’s Opening Day was on Saturday, April 23. During the course of what Amenia Baseball Treasurer Amiee Duncan called “a wonderful and successful season,” the league celebrated several achievements.

Duncan reported the Majors team, which includes players between the ages of 9 and 12, finished the 2022 season with three wins and eight losses. It was enough to earn them a playoff game against Pawling. They ultimately won the game against Pawling on Monday, June 6, with a final score of 5-3.

The WLL was also included among Dutchess County’s recent round of 2022 Learn, Play, Create grant funding awards announced on Thursday, June 9.

Out of a total $362,250 set aside to fund 21 projects, WLL received $20,000 for uniforms and equipment as well to “offset registration costs, [a] week-long summer camp/clinic to improve skills, refresh playing field and dugouts and to set up a concession stand to generate revenue to promote and grow the program,” according to Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro’s office.

“I was just excited — we got everything we asked for,” said WLL Coach DJ Reilly. “It was unbelievable.”

Reflecting on the success of their first season, Reilly shared how great it’s been to have ballplayers from 7 to 11 travel to other ballfields to play against different teams.

“It used to be just in-house — now we have them going to other towns,” he said. “They learned a lot seeing other kids play… You can only practice so much, but game experience is what they really learned.”

With the WLL’s closing ceremony held at noon at Beekman Park in Amenia Saturday, the Minor 1 and Minor 2 teams played against each other at 10 a.m., followed by the Farm League’s practice at 11 a.m. Along with a pizza party and an ice cream sundae bar, players were then given awards that recognized their hard work this season.

“I have truly enjoyed this season,” Duncan said. “The coaches, players and parents have done a phenomenal job and I am proud beyond words with everything we’ve accomplished.”

Later this summer, Reilly said the league will start its Babe Ruth season for players ages 13 to 16. He said practice players 9 to 12 will also continue and later a fall team for 9 to 12 year olds will form to prepare them for next year.

Additionally, Reilly said the league will have four of its players between the ages of 11 and 12 play with the town of Dover on a tournament team.

Prior to the pizza party and awards ceremony scheduled at noon, the Webutuck Little League’s Minor 1 and Minor 2 teams engaged in a little friendly competition on the ballfields at Amenia’s Beekman Park on Saturday morning, June 11. Photo by Amiee Duncan

Photo by Amiee Duncan

Prior to the pizza party and awards ceremony scheduled at noon, the Webutuck Little League’s Minor 1 and Minor 2 teams engaged in a little friendly competition on the ballfields at Amenia’s Beekman Park on Saturday morning, June 11. Photo by Amiee Duncan