Eight-year-old NHP girl places in Top Ten nationwide
Eight-year-old New Hyde Park Little League player Tori Parente has been named Tri State Champion in the 7/8 age group in Major League Baseball’s Annual Pitch, Hit and Run
Competition (PHR). After finishing in first place in the first three levels of competition, she placed eighth overall in the country to wrap up her remarkable run.
PHR is the league’s official skills competition. Youngsters compete in four rounds, with the first taking place locally.
Parente and her family heard about the competition through the New Hyde Park Little League, where she has played for two years. Her quest began at the New Hyde Park competition in for the 7/8 age group, sponsored by the Little League and New Hyde Park/Floral Park Kiwanis Club.
The next level was Sectional, where Parente went up against other local winners from Nassau and Suffolk counties. She placed first among her group and earned a trip to Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, to compete in third level. Around the country, each MLB team hosted its own championships for the local winners. At Citi Field, the top three candidates in each age group from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut vied for glory on Father’s Day. Tori’s win made it a very special day for her parents, Mary and Patrick.
“Watching Tori compete at Citi Field was the best Father’s Day ever,” said Patrick. She finished in first place and advanced to the next round.
As scores were sent in from all over the country, the top three players were selected to compete at the final level, the National Championship at this year’s All Star Game, also to be held at Citi Field. Although Tori didn’t make the final cut, finishing eighth overall, it was an impressive feat and a wonderful opportunity to showcase her skills.
“Being eighth overall is very decent,” her father said. “We’re proud of her accomplishment and happy that she almost went all the way through in the United States.”
Although she is a pitcher in her league, Tori’s favorite part of the competition was the running.
“I feel pretty proud of myself,” said Tori. “It was exciting competing at Citi Field.”
