Bayport-Blue Point
Bayport-Blue Point: How Do They Do It?
(Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted in January 2025. It was the third of a 5-part in which we dove into the top baseball towns on Long Island.) by Patrick Duryea You may be familiar with the proverb “it takes a village”. Nowhere is that more evident than in the tight-knit baseball community of Bayport-Blue Point. Coach Victor Manzella’s program is all about coming together and working towards a common goal. The ties run from current players and coaches through alumni who it is never a surprise to see still hanging around during the season. The success of Bayport-Blue Point starts at the bottom with the little leagues and works all the way up to Athletic Director Tim Mullins who Manzella praised for his consistent support. At their little league parade the JV and Varsity team...
GAME RECAP: Sayville Captures Suffolk Class A Championship Over Bayport-Blue Point
For the first time since 2019 Sayville has captured the Suffolk Class A Championship! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9Mgw8Fwy8u — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 31, 2025 On paper, you had one team with a 21-1 record and another with a 15-7 record. In reality, these teams were much closer than you would realize – and not just because they are neighboring towns on the south shore of Suffolk County. Sayville and Bayport-Blue Point, two blue bloods of baseball on Long Island, squared off for the second time in a team. Earlier in the week, Sayville handed Bayport their first loss of the season after 21 wins. On Saturday, Sayville defeated them, 8-1, to capture their first Class A Championship since 2019. The Golden Flashes competed in the ultra-competitive League 6, in which all 7 teams were...
GAME RECAP: Mike Messina’s Arm, Guytano Kiesel’s Bat Lead Bayport-Blue Point to 20-0 Record
Final: Bayport-Blue Point 6, Southampton 1 WP: Mike Messina (CG, 5 H, 1 R, 10 Ks) Guytano Kiesel: 2-3, 2B, 3 RBIs Bayport-Blue Point improves to 20-0 on the season pic.twitter.com/E0nO4uxrQV — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 10, 2025 It doesn’t matter what level of baseball you are playing, it’s not supposed to be easy. To this point, Bayport-Blue Point has made it look relatively easy as they have rolled through League VII to the tune of a 20-0 record. The Phantoms completed a sweep of Southampton with a 6-1 victory on Senior Day, behind a complete game gem by Mike Messina, who yielded five hits and struck out 10 batters. The game was close through four innings of play. Southampton’s junior RHP Thomas Crawford held the potent Phantom’s lineup at bay early ...
Sunday Spotlight: Cooper Fuller
Really solid bullpen from uncommitted RHP Cooper Fuller (Bayport-Blue Point 2025) Commanded 3 pitches well. Slider dotted on the outside corner to righties consistently. Tough 3/4 arm slot Had a great summer, compiling a 2.73 ERA over 41 innings with 50 Ks for LI Strong pic.twitter.com/GsxA6ks7MO — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 18, 2024 It’s been another typically dominating season for the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms. They have a record of 17-0 and have clinched another postseason berth – as they’ve done every year since the turn of the century. While two of their players (Tyler McKillop and Guytano Kiesel) were named to Axcess Baseball’s Preseason All-Long Island team, it’s been another senior that has made a name for himself with his dominant...
GAME RECAP: Gelling’s Gem Lifts Bayport-Blue Point to Season Opening win
by George Caratzas Our first @GetGameChanger Player of the Game is Brady Gelling of Bayport-Blue Point who struck out 10 over 5 shutout innings in an 11-0 victory pic.twitter.com/poJn4Cs5Zh — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 31, 2025 On the back of a great start from their ace and 11 total hits, the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms claimed a win on opening day. Welcoming the John Glenn Knights for the season-opener, Bayport-Blue Point head coach Victor Manzella sent Brady Gelling to the mound to start the year. Gelling set the momentum quickly, striking out a pair in a scoreless first inning. In the bottom of the first, the Phantoms broke out, scoring a pair. After a hit batsman and a walk opened the inning, second baseman Cooper Fuller lined a single up the middle to bring home the g...
‘Unfinished Business’ for the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms
Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s series by Max Edelman Top 4: Bayport-Blue Point has broken through with 5 runs via 2-R single by Tyler McKillop and a 3-R shot by Nick Karafantis pic.twitter.com/Msbcv8WFFm — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 29, 2024 When you bring a new head coach to your program, it’s hard to expect an immediate impact. Few could have expected the new head coach of the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms, Victor Manzella, to have the remarkable success he had in his first season in charge, leading his team to a 15-3 record. “Last season went great.” Manzella said. “We were League VII Champs and Suffolk County runner-ups. When I was in West Babylon, I beat Blue Point in the Suffolk County Championship. But coming her...
Bayport-Blue Point: How Do They Do It?
(Editor’s Note: This is the third of a 5-part in which we dive into the top baseball towns on Long Island. Previously, we featured Massapequa and Shoreham-Wading River.) by Patrick Duryea You may be familiar with the proverb “it takes a village”. Nowhere is that more evident than in the tight-knit baseball community of Bayport-Blue Point. Coach Victor Manzella’s program is all about coming together and working towards a common goal. The ties run from current players and coaches through alumni who it is bever a surprise to see still hanging around during the season. The success of Bayport-Blue Point starts at the bottom with the little leagues and works all the way up to Athletic Director Tim Mullins who Manzella praised for his consistent support. At their little league parade the JV...
Bayport-Blue Point Ready to Begin New Era Under Victor Manzella
by Aaron Diaz Special thanks to Metamorphosis Landscape Design for sponsoring this year’s season preview series. For the past quarter century, Long Island baseball fans could count on Bayport-Blue Point making the postseason. Under longtime coach Jim Moccio, they did so in 25 straight years and won the Class A New York State Championship in 2013 and 2014. He decided to step down following the season, and he is replaced by Victor Manzella, who just led West Babylon to the Class A Long Island Championship, beating Bayport in the County Finals. “Coach Moccio, who had won 383 games and 2 state titles, decided to retire,” Manzella said. “ I happen to live in Bayport Blue-Point, so when the opportunity came up to interview for that position, I took the opportunity and was blessed to get t...
Where Are They Now Powered by BK7 Brand: Jack Piekos
In 2013-’14, there was no team more dominant than Bayport-Blue Point and on that team, there was no more dominant player than Jack Piekos. The Phantoms became the first Suffolk County program to capture back-to-back State Championships (that has since been duplicated by Center Moriches). They went a perfect 27-0 in 2013 and followed that up by defending their crown and winning it again in 2014. Piekos was the biggest reason for that success. The menacing left-handed pitcher won every award you can – League VII MVP, All-County, All-Long Island, All-State, Class A Player of the Year, Fred Biangardi Playoff MVP, MSG Varsity Pitcher of the Year, All-Northeast Honor from Perfect Game and 2x Paul Gibson Award winner. With a fastball touching 90 MPH and an unflappable demeanor, he committed to t...
Ken Kortright State Farm Agency Game of the Week: Bayport-Blue Point RHP Liam Stemmler Fires 4-Hit CG
Final: Bayport-Blue Point 3, Miller Place 1 WP: Liam Stemmler (CG, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 Ks) BBP improves to 8-0 on the season, they’ll face Sayville next week pic.twitter.com/1tjYP9nxkE — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 14, 2023 One of the key tenets of Bayport-Blue Point’s 25 consecutive postseason appearances is their ability to grind out at bats, beat high-end pitchers with timely hits and, of course, outstanding pitching. Their starting pitching has been lights-out this year and they are now 8-0 on the season and on the verge of another postseason berth after their 3-1 victory over Miller Place. Today’s starting pitcher, FDU-Florham commit Liam Stemmler was efficient and effective. He out dueled sophomore LHP Nick Frusco, who was overpowering at times but made just ...
Bayport-Blue Point Looks Towards 2023 With Hopes of a Deep Playoff Run
by Nick Cipolla Final: Bayport-Blue Point 9, Center Moriches 1 WP: Ryan Costa pic.twitter.com/PPIIEIDcnV — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 19, 2022 2022 was just another normal year of Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms baseball. A second place finish in their league with a 14-6 overall record while making it to the playoffs is per the status quo for the Phantoms as they have made it to the Suffolk County playoffs for 24 consecutive seasons. The one blemish on this season was that they would see their season end against the team from the next town over, Sayville. The Phantoms are led by head coach Jim Moccio. The Phantoms will have some big shoes to fill in 2023 as they unfortunately lost a trio of studs to graduation following the 2022 season. All-County infielder Trey McGowan (‘22) w...
Where Are They Now Powered by BK7 Brand: Jack Piekos
In 2013-’14, there was no team more dominant than Bayport-Blue Point and on that team, there was no more dominant player than Jack Piekos. The Phantoms became the first Suffolk County program to capture back-to-back State Championships (that has since been duplicated by Center Moriches). They went a perfect 27-0 in 2013 and followed that up by defending their crown and winning it again in 2014. Piekos was the biggest reason for that success. The menacing left-handed pitcher won every award you can – League VII MVP, All-County, All-Long Island, All-State, Class A Player of the Year, Fred Biangardi Playoff MVP, MSG Varsity Pitcher of the Year, All-Northeast Honor from Perfect Game and 2x Paul Gibson Award winner. With a fastball touching 90 MPH and an unflappable demeanor, he co...
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