East Region Little League Umpires Announced for 2026 Tournaments

Little League International has announced the slate of umpires who will officiate at the 2026 East Region tournaments across all divisions. The appointments, announced this week, cover Little League Baseball, Little League Softball, Little League Intermediate (50/70) Baseball, Junior League Baseball, Junior League Softball, Senior League Baseball, and Senior League Softball.

For Little League Baseball, Darrin Besescheck of Shelton, Connecticut, Alexander Hufford of Richmond, Michigan, David Kudej of Shelton, Connecticut, David Lewis of Irvine, California, Garrett Nelson of Derry, Latest Hampshire, Curtis Parker of Woodland, California, Tyrone Powell of Los Angeles, California, and Gregory Tremblay of Danvers, Massachusetts, will serve as umpires. Kudej and Besescheck are designated as Crew Chiefs.

The Little League Softball umpire roster includes Jim Lotka of Spring City, Pennsylvania, Brian Poe of Lorton, Virginia, Justin Skiba of Strattanville, Pennsylvania, Kevin Southall of South Point, Ohio, Owen Sprague of Limington, Maine, Jon Wagner of Frederick, Maryland, Bradley Wathen of Leonardtown, Maryland, and Ryan Yamagata of Point of Rocks, Maryland. Poe and Southall are designated as Crew Chiefs.

Umpiring assignments for the Little League Intermediate (50/70) Baseball tournament will be handled by Christopher Berry of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Amos Lapp of Lititz, Pennsylvania, Joseph Ouellette of Brewer, Maine, Craig Plaisted of Friendship, New York, Jeremy Polonia of Lynn, Massachusetts, and Darren Zlasney of Flanders, New Jersey.

Junior League Baseball umpires selected are Donald Connors of Niantic, Connecticut, Douglas Fravel of Waldorf, Maryland, Jarodd Goedel of Sherburn, New York, Mark Jakes of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mark Nemeskal of Peabody, Massachusetts, Sean Quinn of Succasunna, New Jersey, and Jeffrey Romano of Spencer, Massachusetts.

The Junior League Softball tournament will feature David Buchinski of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, Matthew Crimi of Dickson City, Pennsylvania, Matthew Dawson of Hagerstown, Maryland, Steven Elliot of Hampden, Massachusetts, Michael Kline of Frederick, Maryland, Matthew Meidling of Rockaway, New Jersey, Gabrielle Potts of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and Jason Rice of Hagerstown, Maryland.

Michael Adamson of Belford, New Jersey, William Cooke of South Burlington, Vermont, Evan Kaliner of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Keith O’Brien of Holbrook, Massachusetts, Kyle Raupers of Ulster, Pennsylvania, and Duane Weisse of Burlington, Massachusetts, will umpire at the Senior League Baseball tournament.

Rounding out the umpire assignments, William Little of Glastonbury, Connecticut, Phil Serraino of Thornwood, New York, Lee Smith of Nobleboro, Maine, Cody Starken of Silver Spring, Maryland, James Sullivan of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Blaine Young of Woodsboro, Maryland, will officiate at the Senior League Softball tournament.

According to Little League International, all umpires at the Region and World Series events will be outfitted in uniforms provided by Gerry Davis Sports, the Official Umpire Uniform Provider of the Little League World Series. The organization also highlighted its ongoing commitment to umpire development through digital training resources, a bi-monthly newsletter, the Little League Umpire Registry, and formal training clinics and schools. A multi-day orientation will again be held for umpires selected for the 2026 Little League Baseball and Softball World Series.

Little League International encourages individuals interested in becoming umpires to visit LittleLeague.org/Umpire for more information and to find a local league. Umpire apparel and accessories are available for purchase at ShopLittleLeague.org.