Next! Hats off to Vin Ruggiero, whose pitching gem vaults Staten Island’s team to Little League World Series win over Illinois (2024)

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Time and again Sunday — heck, in every game he’s pitched all summer — the hard-throwing Vin Ruggiero has lost his hat while unleashing a pitch.

ESPN play-by-play man Karl Ravech figures it came off 42 times Sunday.

Is it distracting? Does he exert more energy by picking it up as often as he does?

No way, says South Shore manager Bob Laterza. And they’re not about to change anything to make sure it stays on his head.

“We don’t care, as long as he strikes out people, we don’t care if it falls off 80 times,’' laughed Laterza. “Look at that head of hair, man. I used to have a head of hair like that, before I started coaching this team.

“It gives him a breather when he’s got to reach down and pick up the hat and listen, it (might) look funny if you’re not throwing strikes, but he’s throwing strikes, so nobody cares.’'

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Ruggiero, who claims the hat ‘just falls off,’ threw plenty of strikes on Sunday — 47 on 70 pitches — and he held Illinois to just two hits in five innings of work before South Shore staged another fourth-inning rally that propelled it to a 4-0 Little League World Series losers’ bracket victory in front of 5,072 fans at Lamade Stadium.

The Tottenville loop sent a team packing for the second time in as many days while staving off elimination itself and now gets a well-deserved off day before squaring off against the Texas-Florida loser on Tuesday at Lamade Stadium (7 p.m.).

“The kids don’t want to go home. They want to stay here and we’re not leaving. They love the place and might even stay after the games (are over)‚’’ insisted the long-time manager, whose team once again exploded for four fourth-inning runs while Dean Scarangello, Dylan DeGaeta and Nick McLean paced the offensive attack with two hits apiece. “Listen, zero-zero again. We hung in there and we (eventually) started to hit the ball again and we live to see another day.’'

This time around, it was Ruggiero who took centerstage one day after getting the final three outs of South Shore’s 6-3 triumph South Dakota on Saturday. The right-hander, who was eligible to pitch Sunday because he threw less than 20 pitches against SD, appeared to have some extra pop and pin-point control against the Great Lakes Region champs.

In addition to allowing just two singles vs. Illinois, Ruggiero surrendered no walks and struck out seven to earn the victory. The righty, who hit one batter, only allowed four total baserunners and retired the last 10 batters he faced, including 1-2-3 innings between the third and fifth frames.

“I think pitching Saturday helped me a little because it got me used to the mound and how the ump’s strike zone is, so I thought it made me more efficient in the strike zone.

“I think, what else helped me, was I just felt really good and my arm was loose.’'

“Vinny was just spectacular today, they couldn’t touch him,’' added Laterza. “(He was so effective) because he wants it. He was throwing gas and threw in a few balls just for fun.

“He doesn’t get nervous. He’s as cool as a cucumber because he doesn’t care if there’s one strike, two strikes — it don’t matter. He’s just concentrating on his at-bat.’'

Even though Illinois starter Alex Vivanco (3 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 Ks) held South Shore off the scoreboard the first three innings, he thought his team was getting quality at-bats.

“I thought the shoe was going to (drop) sooner or later,’' Laterza said.

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And he was right. It was once again the fourth inning, when the Metro Region champs strung together six hits and nearly had a seventh if not for an outstanding defensive play by Illinois second baseman Emiliano Nepomuceno.

Stephen Grippo (walk) opened the frame with a single to right and he moved to second on an error. After McLean’s single and a stolen base put runners on second and third, Nepomuceno temporarily interupted South Shore with a diving stop of a grounder and a throw to first base.

But lefty-swinging Chace Curro then stepped to the plate and finally snapped the scoreless tie by punching a run-scoring single the opposite way to make it 1-0.

“Great hit,’' said Laterza. “He pushed it right through the infield, Curro is a great situational hitter that gives you what you need, he’s not selfish.’'

After Alex Torres’ sac fly to left made it 2-0, Scarangello delivered a back-breaking two-run single to right to double South Shore’s lead.

“Obviously, it’s 2-0, I’m not satisfied, I’m looking to drive in some runs and get on base‚’’ Scarangello said. “I’m looking to do my job so we can be up more.’'

With a comfy 4-0 lead after five frames, Laterza called on Scarangello (1 hit, 1 BB, 1 K) to get the last three outs and the righty locked down South Shore’s second LLWS victory.