12U LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: HORSEHEADS STRONG IN ALL PHASES OF GAME AS THEY WIN DISTRICT TITLE (24 PHOTOS) (July 10, 2026)

BY BRIAN FEES
Southern Tier Sports Report
HORSEHEADS — A two-out rally by Horseheads in the top of the first inning, and a big strikeout by Max Marsh in the bottom half of the inning set the tone as Horseheads’ Majors beat Corning 8-0 on Friday night to claim the District 6 title.

Horseheads avenged their only loss of all-star play, a 2-1 setback against Corning. Horseheads had two in the first, and broke the game open with three in the fourth and three more in the fifth. 

“It’s great for the community,” Horseheads coach Kevin Kline said. “I think it’s been three years since we’ve one won and the boys put in so much hard work all season. I am so proud of them.”

Marsh threw a four-hit shutout, striking out eight for Horseheads. 

“He’s our iron horse,” Kline said. “He’s lively, we all know it. The community knows it. He stayed within himself for six innings and he did great, so proud of him.

“He’s been efficient all season, regular season into all-stars. His efficiency is outstanding. He stays within himself and throws a ton of strikes. He’s done it all season.”

Marsh was fired up pitching in a big atmosphere, in front of a big crowd.

“It was a lot of fun,” Marsh said. “The crowd was really energetic. When I was throwing strikes the crowd was pumped. I knew if I threw strikes and they hit the ball my defense was there to back me up.”

That defense has been a big key all season for Horseheads.

“It goes back to when I played years ago, pitching and defense,” Kline said. “Coach (Jeff) Limoncelli taught me pitching and defense wins games and we’ve done that all season. Our bats came alive the past three games and that’s the reason right there, those boys.”

The two runs early were big for Marsh.

“I was like, I can’t let these two runs get to my head, but this is great,” Marsh said. 

Kaidan Rijo and Eli Pirozzolo had two hits each. Rijo had a double, two RBI and two runs scored and Pirozzolo had an RBI and a run scored.

Five of the Horseheads runs came with two outs.

“We practice that in practice all the time and the boys are used to those high pressure situations and adversity,” Kline said. 

Being the away team in the game gave Horseheads the chance to score first.

“That was huge, all season we have kind of been away,” Kline said. “I couldn’t ask for anything else.”


For Pirozzolo the win on Friday was special.

“It was amazing, it was probably one of the best experience of my life.”

Eli Hillard had a hit, an RBI and two runs scored and Brendon Drew had a hit and an RBI, while Jesse Schuyler had a hit, an RBI and a run scored. 

JJ Reed had two RBI and Brantley White scored a run. 

Marsh was impressed by the way everyone hit the ball, since Corning held them to one run the last time.

“Or offense, the last time we played them we only scored one run, this time we scored eight,” Marsh said. “We knew what to expect and we were ready. They are a great team too. There last pitcher threw absolute gas.”

Jordan Todd went 3 1/3 innings for Corning, striking out four. Connor Cuda had three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings and Hayden Hatch struck out two in an inning. 

Lincoln West had a double for Corning-Painted Post and Tommy Guyette, Hatch and Todd had hits in the game. 

Now its onto sectionals next week at Painted Post.

“It’s nice, it’s a perk to have it so close to home,” Kline said. “We aren’t traveling, the boys aren’t tired. It’s really exciting.”

The players are ready for sectionals and believe in their ability to compete at that level.

“I am psyched, and I think we are going to go as far as possible,” Marsh said. “I think we are going to go the whole way.”

“I am psyched, we have got this,” Pirozzolo said. 
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