Staten Island staves off elimination again with shutout win at Little League World Series

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The New York dream of the summer lives.

South Shore Little League from Staten Island has bounced back from an opening-game loss to survive two elimination games at the Little League World Series, beating Hinsdale, Ill., 4-0 on Sunday at Lamade Stadium.

Staten Island broke through in the fourth inning and rode five shutout innings from Vincent Ruggiero to survive in a tournament in which they will next play Tuesday.

“They want to stay here,” South Shore manager Bob Laterza said of his boys, “and we’re not leaving.”

The group assured they would be in good moods later Sunday, when they were set to meet with the Yankees.

Ruggiero, whose floppy head of hair forced his hat to fall off repeatedly following his pitches, held the Great Lakes champs to just two hits before giving way to Dean Scarangello, who recorded the final three outs to keep the pride of New York alive.

Playing a game at 9 a.m. after surviving in an elimination game Saturday, South Shore played crisp defense and needed just one big inning offensively.

In the fourth, South Shore put runners on second and third with one out.

Chase Curro smacked a single through the left side for the go-ahead run, and Staten Island poured it on from there.

Alex Torres’ sacrifice fly scored a second run.

Scarangello lined a single down the right-field line to score two on a day Staten Island out-hit Illinois, 9-3.