The Syosset Baseball Babe Ruth 16-to-18-year-old team won the 1998 Nassau All-County Championship recently. Syosset was 19-9-1 for the season and had to beat Massapequa, Farmingdale and East Meadow in the playoffs to win the championship.

Manager Paul Schiebelhuth and Coach Mike Gross won their third title in as many years with Syosset. Their pitching staff of Steven Schiebelhuth (6-2, 1.82 ERA, 53 K), Brian Poulter (5-2, 1 S, 2.10 ERA, 66 K), Joey Vozila (3-0, 2.00 ERA), Brett Taranda, Mike Maiale, Dave Francis and Ryan Sciacca did an outstanding job this year, along with their catchers Evan Lupion, Maiale and Bobby Ziolkowski who handled them.

The hitting stars were Poulter (.520, 20 RBI, 26 hits, 1 HR), Bobby Ziolkowski (.440, 23 RBI, 5 3B, 2 HR, .860 SLG%), Maiale (.431, 29 RBI, 28 hits, 1 HR), Taranda (.375, 21 RBI, 2 HR), Keith Gross (27 R, 15 SB) and Evan Lupion (15 RBI).

Infielders Paul Vitale (2B) and Adam Goldschmidt (3B) did a great job handling ground balls and Dave Francis (1B), Pat Barilla (OF) and Matt Bocksel (OF) made the plays when it counted. Other players that helped Syosset win the title were Lee Lipschutz (.600, 3 HR) and Jonathan Schubach (.300). Also contributing were players brought up from the 16/17-year-old team, Ryan Murphy (6 RBI) and Rob Saltiel, and Matt DiPrimo (.333) from the 14/15-year-old team.

This year saw a team that was plagued with injuries to Bocksel Francis, Sciacca, Poulter and Barilla. In the final game against East Meadow, Schiebelhuth and Poulter overcame an injured arm and leg, respectively, to give Syosset the 4-3 victory.

With Syosset trailing 3 -1 in the bottom of the sixth, Poulter and Vitale singled to set up the inning, and were followed by a fielder's choice from Gross, which forced out Vitale at second. Ziolkowski doubled to knock in Poulter to bring Syosset within a run. Lipschutz grounded out to second base for the second out of the inning. This brought up Maiale with two out and men on second and third. Maiale doubled to right to knock in the winning runs for the championship.

All of the Syosset teams did well in the Dist. 1 Babe Ruth League this year. The Syosset 13-year-old team, managed by Steve Saltiel, came in fourth this year and lost to Levittown in the playoffs. The 14/15 year-old team was managed by Ray Commisso. Tom Razukas managed the 16/17-year-old team and won the second place trophy in its playoff game, which Syosset lost in a close one to East Meadow, 9-7.