Preview: Tim Crowley Memorial Baseball Tournament

The sixth annual Tim Crowley Memorial Baseball Tournament will be held Saturday at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank. The day of baseball fun brings the programs at Sachem High Schools East and North together as various levels square off in a unique setting.

Crowley scholarships are given out to a deserving senior at both schools and this year's game has significant meaning as both schools are gunning for playoff spots. Even though it's a non-league contest, overall records play an outcome on seeding for the Suffolk County playoffs.

Tournament History: Tim Crowley played with Sachem High School North baseball coach Tom Gambino at Oglethorpe University and played high school ball with Scott June, co-owner of All-Pro Sports Academy in Bellport. June helps with fundraising for the tournament and is very involved with Sachem baseball.

Crowley, who graduated from Sachem in 1993 and was a team captain, passed away in a car accident in the 1990s while in college. He was a strong baseball player, a leader and dedicated athlete.

The tournament originally started in 2006 as a four-team varsity get-together, but three years ago June suggested the format be changed to include all Sachem teams. The junior high teams will play first, followed by the JV and the event will conclude with a night game between the Sachem North and Sachem East varsity clubs.

Each year the Crowley family, his parents – who throw out the first pitch – and sisters Tara and Kristen, both Sachem graduates, come to the tournament and hand out a $1,000 scholarship to a senior at East and North, who are quality baseball players and students.

"Tim was a top notched student athlete as well as being one of the classiest people you can ever meet," June said. "Having every Sachem baseball team play is a fitting way to carry on Tim's memory and the scholarships are awarded based on what mattered to him most Academics."

Team outlooks: Sachem East (5-7 League I), Sachem North (8-3 League II) ... don't let East's record fool you, they are playing some of the hottest baseball in League I right now and are on a warpath to clinch a playoff spot, something the program hasn't done in four years. Senior leadership is kicking in at the right time, the pitching staff is working hard and with five more league wins in sight to clinch, look for them to bring their A games Saturday. North, however, is a top-tier League II program with some of the best seniors on Long Island. It should be a classic event.

: Sachem North beat East, 5-3.

Series: North has won four of the five previous Crowley tournaments

Where: Baseball Heaven ... 350 County Road 101 Yaphank, N.Y.

When: Saturday, May 7 ... games begin at 5 p.m., varsity showdown at 7 p.m. 

Coverage: Check Sachem Patch later on tonight for a story about the game, a sidebar about the scholarship winners, a photo gallery and video highlight. Also, logo onto Sachem Patch's twitter feed @SachemPatch for updates during the game.