Softball Saturdays A Homerun in West Islip

Its become a post-high school ritual for some West Islip residents to keep in touch and hang out during summers when they're home from college.  But recent graduates from St. John the Baptist and West Islip High School decided to take it one step further and organize what they call, "Softball Saturdays."

High school graduates from 2006 to the recent class of 2010 created a Facebook group and invited friends from the community to come down and play softball at the little league field on Beach Street behind Good Samaritan Hospital.

"Everybody knows on Saturdays we are playing softball," said Richard Dionisio, 19, who is a pitcher for the College of Mount St. Vincent's baseball team in the Bronx.  "We usually talk about weekend plans during games." 

At 1 p.m. every Saturday during the summer, the West Islip residents meet at the baseball diamond for nine innings of softball. All over the field, guys are cracking jokes and goofing off, picking up where they left off before they departed for school. Although the games may seem relaxing,  everyone out there is still trying to win.

"I look forward to Softball Saturday like its Monday Night Football on ESPN," Said Ray Archer, 22. "We may be competitive during the game, but we are all there to hangout and share stories."

Even with student-athletes like Dionisio and Casey McKay, who plays baseball for C.W. Post, the games offer an opportunity to catch up with one another.  It also gives them something to do while they patiently wait for school to start up again.

"If it wasn't for softball Saturdays, I probably wouldn't leave my house all day," said Eric Linneman, 19. "When I log into my Facebook on Saturday morning I always have a reminder message that we are playing."