MORRISTOWN – Geoffrey Gallotto sat in his wheelchair, aluminum baseball bat cocked across home plate. As his father lofted pitches toward him, Gallotto took swing after swing, shaking the New York Mets baseball cap hanging off the back of the chair.

When bat and ball met, Kyle Gallotto took off toward first base as Geoffrey and the rest of the Mets dugout applauded.

In the Morris County Challenger League, winning baseball is all about ingenuity and collaboration. The Gallotto family have been part of the league for three seasons, commuting from Byram to Little League facilities around Morris County nearly every spring Sunday.

“He has a good time, and I enjoy watching him,” said Kyle Gallotto, 18, a junior at Sussex Tech. “Seeing the teamwork, it tells you you don’t need to be a professional baseball player to work with your team. It’s good for these kids to get out and enjoy it.”

Founded in 1999, the Challenger League provides children with special needs an opportunity to play baseball. Four tee-ball teams — the Mets, Athletics, Pirates and Red Sox — faced off in tee-ball games, assisted by buddies from the Morristown American Majors, 10-, 11-, and 12-year-olds in the host program. Buddies helped some Challenger League players field the ball and guided them around the base paths, even pushing wheelchairs.

Every fourth Challenger League player hit a “grand slam,” clearing the bases to much fanfare from teammates and buddies alike.

“The bottom line is, it’s a league for the kids to do what the typical kids do,” said Susan Reinhardt of Denville, whose 21-year-old son R.J. plays for the Mets and was a manager for the Morris Knolls boys basketball team. “Most of the kids who play on my team don’t think of themselves as challenged. They play the game, and to them it means everything.”

Some of the Morristown American buddies later became opponents for the more experienced Challenger League players, with a few twists made to the usual Little League rules to try to level the playing field. Buddies had to swing with their nondominant hand and hop around the bases, and were required to throw the ball to a teammate before an out could be recorded.

“Everyone deserves a chance to play baseball,” said Aidan Hyer, 11, who helped Peter Bloom of Rockaway in the early game before playing against the Yankees. “I don’t think anything should stop these kids from playing baseball. When I was first playing with (Peter), he has a really good arm, but he’d throw it up over my head. I got him to control how hard he throws, and get it to the destination. He’s a fast learner. A disability can’t stop you from loving the sport of baseball.”

Bloom, who had leaped into his father’s arms as he crossed the plate, gave Hyer a hug as he spoke.

There were about 90 players and 25 adults from Morristown American and 60 players on the six Challenger League teams spread across two fields at Ginty Park on Sunday. All the baseball players received commemorative medals on red, white and blue ribbons.

“Challenger baseball, for me, is way better than being in the major leagues,” said 22-year-old Eric DiFalco of Denville, who has been part of the league since he was 5. “I think it’s fantastic, being on a team with friends by your side, helping each other out. It’s a ball. It’s the greatest thing in my life.”

The Challenger League Mets and Yankees remained undefeated on Sunday, though Morristown American mounted a late challenge to the Mets.

“Most of us have good hand-eye coordination, so when we hit the ball we slam it,” said Parsippany sophomore Edward Cogan, who played for the older Mets team after his younger brother T.J.’s tee-ball Mets game.

“I’m not really good at throwing, but hitting’s my thing. … When I first started, I wasn’t sure I’d like it, but seven years later, I feel a lot more confident. I know I love it.”

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/