Falls Athletics 12U

A huge shoutout to all of the grandparents and siblings who made the trip to Cooperstown to cheer on the boys! Your support from the stands meant so much to our team all week long.

Thank you for making the journey, bringing the energy, and creating memories with us. We truly appreciate everything you do for these boys.

Before we wrap up our Cooperstown journey, we’ll be putting together a recap of all eight games we played at Dreams Park.

It’s been incredible hearing from everyone back home who has been following along. The support from our families, friends, and the Fairless Hills baseball community has meant so much to our players and coaches. We’ve also had members of Fairless Hills Steel reach out with kind words about the run these boys have put together.

Over the course of eight games, our team made an offensive splash, creating memories that will last a lifetime. From clutch home runs and big innings to players reaching personal milestones, these boys never stopped competing while having fun every step of the way.

Thank you to everyone who has followed our journey. Stay tuned as we look back at each of our eight games and celebrate an unforgettable week in Cooperstown.

Game 8 Final | Cooperstown Dreams Park

Falls Athletics/ Steel: 6
Opponent: 12

After an unforgettable Game 7 that didn’t start until 11:00 PM, the boys were right back on the field for Game 8 at 2:00 AM Wednesday morning. They had been awake since 7:00 AM the day before, making this their third game of the day under circumstances none of us could have imagined.

By first pitch, the boys were exhausted. Some were literally falling asleep in the dugout between innings. But they kept battling, kept smiling, and kept competing. Even running on almost no sleep, they found a way to score 6 runs and never stopped giving effort.

Offensive Highlights:

* Dominic Palaefico led the offense, going 2-for-2 with a double.
* Brayden Klimowicz, Griffin Phillips, Jimmy Riley, Michael Thomas Jr., and Lucas Esposito each drove in a run.
* Aaron Masterson and Griffin Phillips each added a hit, while the team worked three walks and continued to battle every at-bat.

The score wasn’t what we wanted, and it’s tough to see our Cooperstown run end under those conditions. But these boys handled an impossible situation with toughness, heart, and a great attitude.

We couldn’t be prouder of this group. They made memories that will last a lifetime, supported one another every step of the way, and showed what being part of this team is all about.

An incredible week. An incredible group of boys. Cooperstown 2026 is one we’ll never forget.

Game 7 – Cooperstown Dreams Park: Falls Athletics/ Steel 29, Opponent 24

Falls Athletics/ Steel 12U kept its Cooperstown run alive Tuesday night with a thrilling 29-24 victory, earning a spot in the next round of bracket play. The bats stayed hot as the team collected 21 hits and launched five home runs in another impressive offensive performance.

Falls jumped out to an early lead with seven runs in the first inning. Lucas Esposito delivered the biggest swing of the inning with a grand slam, while Aaron Masterson added an RBI single to help set the tone.

After the opponent answered with a 10-run second inning to take a 12-10 lead, the boys responded immediately. Falls exploded for nine runs in the third inning, highlighted by Brayden Klimowicz’s three-run home run to regain the lead. They added six more runs in the fourth and held on for the high-scoring victory.

Offensive Highlights

* Aaron Masterson: 4-for-4, 2 home runs, 8 RBIs, sacrifice fly
* Brayden Klimowicz: 3-for-4, home run, double, 5 RBIs
* Lucas Esposito: Grand slam, 4 RBIs
* Griffin Phillips: 4-for-5, RBI
* Frank Schiotis: 2-for-2, home run, 3 RBIs, scored five runs
* Jimmy Riley: 2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs
* Justin Yaeger: 2-for-4
* Liam Kabana: Reached base four times with three walks and scored twice.

As a team, Falls Athletics finished with 21 hits, 25 RBIs, eight walks, and five home runs.

On to Game 8! The boys battled through another exciting Cooperstown game and earned the opportunity to keep their tournament run going.

Game 6 Final: Falls Athletics/ Steel 15, Opponent 12

Bracket play began today after the original 9:00 AM start was delayed until 11:00 AM because of rain. Play was suspended in the bottom of the third inning due to another rainstorm, with Falls Athletics trailing 8-5. After the delay, the game resumed and the boys came away with a 15-12 victory.

Falls Athletics/ Steel collected 12 hits and drew 10 walks in the win.

Frank S led the offense with four RBIs, hitting a two-run home run, a sacrifice fly, and drawing a bases-loaded walk.

The home run ball stayed hot as Griffin P, Lucas E, and Jimmy R each went deep. Griffin and Lucas each hit solo home runs, while Jimmy delivered the biggest swing of the game with a go-ahead three-run home run in the fifth inning to give Falls Athletics/ Steel the lead for good.

Brayden K led the team with three hits, and Lucas E added two hits.

At the plate, Aaron M, Dominic P, and Liam K each drew two walks.

Final: Falls Athletics 12U 15, Opponent 12

Offensive Highlights ⚾

* 12 hits
* Frank S: 1-for-2, 4 RBIs, 2-run home run, sacrifice fly, and a bases-loaded walk.
* Jimmy R: Go-ahead 3-run home run in the fifth inning.
* Griffin P: Solo home run.
* Lucas E: 2-for-3 with a solo home run.
* Brayden K: Team-high 3-for-3 at the plate.
* Aaron M, Dominic P, and Liam K: Two walks each.

☔️ Rain delay = board game time! 🎲

Bracket play is officially underway, and our game has been pushed back to 11:00 AM.

Cooperstown Dreams Park – Game 5 Final
Falls Athletics/Steel: 3 | Opponent: 18

Our final pool play game didn’t end the way we wanted, but these boys continue to battle and represent our community the right way.

A huge congratulations to Frank Schiotis, who launched his first home run of the tournament! Even better, Frank and Aaron Masterson went back-to-back in the same inning, giving everyone an unforgettable moment. Aaron stayed hot at the plate by crushing another home run, continuing the great tournament he’s having.

Offensive Highlights:

* Aaron Masterson: 2-for-2, HR, RBI
* Frank Schiotis: 1-for-2, HR, RBI, 2 runs scored
* Michael Thomas, Jacob Howell, Liam Kabana, and Jacob Micklas each added a hit.
* Brayden Klimowicz drove in a run.

With pool play complete, Falls Athletics/Steel finishes 2-3 on the week. The bracket has been released, and we are seeded 69th out of 104 teams heading into single-elimination bracket play.

Tomorrow it’s a new day. We take the field at 9:00 AM, and everyone starts with the same goal… survive and advance.

No matter what the scoreboard says, this week has been about so much more than wins and losses. These boys are making lifelong friendships, creating unforgettable memories, and living out a dream that they’ll remember forever. The smiles, the laughs, the home runs, and the time spent together are what Cooperstown is all about.

Bracket play starts tomorrow. Let’s go Falls/Steel !

Fall vs Everybody !

Cooperstown Dreams Park – Game 4 Final

Falls Athletics/ Steel 9 | 7

What a comeback by our boys!

After falling behind 5-0 early, the Falls/ Steel never panicked. They stayed together, kept battling, and showed exactly what this team is made of. One big swing changed the momentum, and from there the boys never looked back, earning a huge 9-7 victory in Game 4.

The biggest moment of the game came in the third inning when Griffin Phillips stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and crushed a grand slam!!! his first home run of the tournament! That swing erased the deficit and gave our dugout all the energy it needed.

Then it became the Lucas Esposito show. Lucas had an incredible day at the plate, launching two home runs. His first was a 2-run shot, his first home run of the tournament, giving us our first lead of the game. Later, he added a solo blast to provide an important insurance run. Lucas finished the day with 2 home runs, 2 hits, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.

Griffin finished with 4 RBIs, while Justin Yaeger, Frank Schiotis, Michael Thomas, Brayden Klimowicz, and Jimmy Riley all added hits to keep the offense rolling.

On the mound, Liam Kabana was outstanding in relief, giving the team exactly what it needed by throwing 4 strong innings to help close out the win after Aaron Masterson got the start.

The defense was sharp all game, turning a double play and playing error-free baseball, with Frank Schiotis leading the way defensively.

This team continues to show resilience, heart, and the ability to respond when adversity hits. These boys refuse to quit, and they’re making memories that will last a lifetime.

Game 4 is in the books, and the Falls/ steel improve to 2-2 at Cooperstown! Let’s keep it rolling!

Day 4 at Cooperstown! ⚾️

We let the boys sleep in a little longer this morning with our game not until 11:30 AM. They’re rested, ready, and excited to get back on the field!

Let’s keep making memories. Go Falls/Steel !!

Cooperstown Dreams Park – Game 3 Final

Fairless Hills Steel/ Falls Athletics

26-3

The final score doesn’t tell the whole story.

Our boys battled all game long and never quit. We found ourselves down 11-2 heading into the 5th inning and 13-3 going into the 6th. If there’s one thing everyone learns quickly about Cooperstown, it’s this: you’re never truly out of a game. One big inning can completely change the momentum. Unfortunately, today we just couldn’t string together the timely hits we needed to make that comeback happen.

A huge highlight came in the 5th inning when Jimmy Riley gave us another unforgettable moment. On a 3-2 count, Jimmy turned on a curveball and launched it over the fence for his first home run of the tournament! Congratulations, Jimmy! 💣⚾

Another bright spot came on the mound as Frank Schiotis gave us two shutdown innings in the 3rd and 4th, keeping us within striking distance and giving our offense every opportunity to climb back into the game.

Offensively, we collected 9 hits. Jimmy Riley led the way with a home run and an RBI, while Dom Paleafico doubled. Hits also came from Aaron Masterson, Griffin Phillips, Justin Yaeger, Lucas Esposito, Brayden Klimowicz, Frank Schiotis, and Michael Thomas Jr.

After three pool play games, your Falls Athletics / Fairless Hills Steel sit at 1-2.

The tournament is far from over. Out of 104 teams, we’re currently sitting 75th, but with two pool play games remaining today (11:30 AM & 4:30 PM), there’s still plenty of baseball left and a lot can change. These boys have shown resilience all season, and we’re excited for another opportunity to compete.

Keep believing, keep battling, and let’s finish pool play strong!