It’s been a bull year for St. James-Smithtown Little League.
The 12-year-old boys of summer are just a win away from the ultimate tween dream — playing in the Little League World Series.
“When I was younger, I watched a Little League World Series game on TV,” designated hitter Gary Rocco told The Post. “Then, I said to myself, ‘I want to play in it.’ I’ve just kept on thinking about it — and now we’re almost there.”
The Bulls of Long Island’s north shore can become true big shots by winning the Metro regional championship game against Fairfield National at 7 p.m. on Friday in Bristol, Conn.
ESPN will air the highly anticipated rematch — the Bulls beat Fairfield 6-1 Monday in the winner’s bracket semifinal — in what St. James-Smithtown starter Jeremy Katz said will be “the biggest game of my life.”
“You have to be calm and relaxed,” said Katz, who also is New York’s home run derby champion and draws inspiration from fellow Kings Park native and hometown hero Craig Biggio.
“If I could pitch a full game, that would be just surreal. … A shutout, in the championship, that would just be storybook,” he said.
Fever pitch excitement
Katz shared fitting words for what already has been a year worthy of movie magic on LI.
The Bulls, coming off an extremely early exit in last year’s district playoffs, were facing disaster again after losing to rival West Sayville in double elimination this summer — even after dedicated offseason improvements.
After rallying to beat their cross-island rival twice and move on, they found a stampede of belief in July.
“I can say those games were the hardest,” center fielder Chase Saxon said. “But we knew if we could get past that, we knew we’d make it to the state tournament. Once we got that, we were just all confident. Shoulders up.”
Their self-worth showed in an 18-0 Metro region opening romp over Burrillville of Rhode Island — a game before which the team started a tradition of pregame lights-out meditation, which left fielder Kevin Moran inspired.
“We really calm down, it helps us out,” said another DH Hunter Falcone — all 12 teammates bat around in the games instead of just the starting nine.
Now relaxed, eager, and after several days of Wiffle Ball, tubing and practice, “We believe that we could go with it all,” third baseman Lucas Kostas said.
“We have great pitching, great hitting — and we’re just all around very good. Much better than last year.”
The strong performances caught the attention of former Met Frank Catalanotto, who not only lives in Smithtown but played for the Little League as a boy.
“I think they’re going to be fine because they seem to score runs,” said Catalanotto, who now coaches Hofstra baseball. “I’m looking for them to continue to play the same brand of baseball that they’ve been playing.”
The players also sparked their hometowns into a state of belief after being the bad news Bulls in 2024, as parents and residents are flocking to watch parties to see the kids shine on TV.
“Everyone I run into, that’s all they’re talking about,” Catalanotto said. “Smithtown is very excited — and we’re hoping for a big victory tomorrow.”
More than a game
Manager Scott Santelli, father of DH James and an older son, Jack, who helps out with the team and pitched to Katz in the New York home run derby, also feels like he’s managing a bunch of big leaguers nowadays — no bull.
“After all of the interviews and attention we’ve had, I do look at these professional athletes in a different light,” he said of what’s turned into a thrilling yet high-pressure summer.
Santelli himself couldn’t help but scream and shout while jumping up and down with the Bulls after the last out against Fairfield earlier in the week.
“To be able to do this with all my sons, you know, 20, 30, 40 years from now, it’s something we’ll be able to talk about for the rest of our lives,” the skipper said.
“Not many fathers have this opportunity. So I’m just taking it all in and enjoying it, not only with my sons but also with my other family, which is this baseball team.”
The post St. James-Smithtown can punch ticket to Little League World Series Friday night appeared first on New York Post.
