Two Derby children will spend part of Sunday morning on a major league baseball field testing their mettle against other kids for the title of regional Pitch, Hit and Run champion.
Brother and sister Christopher and Ryleigh Oliwa, 12 and 8, will be competing against 22 other players from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey at Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets.
Confidence levels are “very good,” their mother, Jennifer, said Thursday.
The competition, open to children between 7 and 14, has been going on since 1995, and as the name implies, tests kids’ abilities to hit, throw strikes, and run.
“They’re both just looking forward to meeting other kids,” Jennifer Oliwa said.
Contestants hit a ball off a tee to see who can thump it farthest toward centerfield, throw six pitches to a standard major league baseball strike zone, and participate in a timed sprint from second base to home plate.
Christopher and Ryleigh bested about 60 others to take first place awards at the local competition at Derby Little League Field in May, Jennifer said.
A few weeks later, they did the same at the sectional competition in Naugatuck to punch their tickets to Sunday’s team championship in New York City.
Click here to read more about the competition from Major League Baseball’s website.
Both are nervous for the big event, but have been practicing diligently, continuously hitting off the tee, pitching, and running.
“They’re both pitchers,” Jennifer said, adding that Christopher had the running game down from being a member of the Derby Middle School Runners.
“It’s kind of interesting how they made it that far,” she said. “It’s exciting for us just to see them go on a major league field and do a competition like that.”
“We’re very proud of them,” Jennifer said. “It shows they are good athletes and when they put their mind to something the give 110 percent. I really thought we would only make it to sectionals. This is an honor for us.”
The whole family — herself, her husband Lou, their other two sons, and the Christopher and Ryleigh’s grandparents will be on hand for Sunday’s competition in New York.
She said the children will be able to meet real major leaguers before the competition, and also get free tickets to the game that afternoon between the Mets and the Chicago Cubs.
More than 600,000 kids will participate in the competition nationally this year, according to Abby Lane, a spokeswoman with Major League Baseball.
Participants are divided by gender and into four age groups.
Lane said the top three contestants in each division Sunday will win an all-expenses paid trip to the national championship, which will take place during All-Star Week next month, also at Citi Field.
The finalists will also get to shag balls during the Home Run Derby competition the week of the All-Star Game.
“It’s always been a great baseball grass roots initiative for youth across the country,” Lane said.
