BEND, OR -- The Elks' Tommy Richards was named to the All-West Coast League 1st team Monday. Richards, a junior to be at Washington State University, was voted the top 2nd baseman by the WCL coaches.
Read the rest of this article here.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Richards Top 2nd baseman In WCL
Posted by Andrew on 2:34 PM
BEND, OR -- The Elks' Tommy Richards was named to the All-West Coast League 1st team Monday. Richards, a junior to be at Washington State University, was voted the top 2nd baseman by the WCL coaches.
Read the rest of this article here.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Lippow enjoys summer of baseball and beaches
Posted by Andrew on 3:36 PM
Hawaii is a vacation destination for many American’s, yet most return after a week of relaxation and head back to work. Not so for Evan Lippow. Lippow, a 2008 graduate of Alhambra High School got to enjoy his summer by playing baseball in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League on the island of Oahu.
The HCBL selects elite college baseball players with Hawaii ties and other Division I participants from colleges and universities across the United States. Lippow, who plays baseball at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, a NAIA school, and his teammate Kevin Newburg were selected to participate and spent the summer playing 50 games against some of the top amateur baseball talent in the country.
Read the rest of this article here.
Southern Collegiate Baseball League Names Postseason Honorees
Posted by Andrew on 3:24 PM
Huntersville, NC (August 30, 2010) – After winning the Southern Collegiate Baseball League championship this summer, the Lake Norman Copperheads garnered more postseason honors this week as the league announced its most valuable player and pitcher.
In a statement from SCBL Commissioner Bill Capps, the has league selected Copperheads outfielder Tyler Horan (Middleboro, MA) as its MVP and Copperheads left-handed pitcher Will Helms (Charlotte, NC) as the summer’s most valuable pitcher. Lake Norman finished 25-16 (14-6 in divisional play), defeating the Asheville Redbirds in the league’s first championship series under the new divisional playoff format.
Horan, a rising sophomore at Virginia Tech, led the team with a .360 batting average while driving in 27 runs and slugging .436 with eight doubles, a triple and two home runs. He also finished a perfect 16-16 in stolen base attempts. He drove in two runs in Game 1 of the championship series and went 2-4 at the plate in Game 3.
Helms starts his junior campaign at Appalachian State after a 5-0 summer record, sporting a 2.44 ERA in 11 appearances. He held opposing hitters to .236 at the plate while striking out 38 and allowing just eight walks in 51 2-3 innings. He worked 5 2-3 innings at Asheville in Game 2 of the league championship, allowing just four hits and no earned runs.
In addition to Statesville Owls utility man Andrew Rash (Anderson, SC), both Horan and Helms earned spots on the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball (NACSB) All-Star Team. Officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball, the NACSB comprises eight summer collegiate leagues in the eastern U.S., including the nationally reputed Cape Cod League.
Rash, who will play alongside Horan as a redshirt-sophomore at Virginia Tech next spring, finished at .387 with a team-best 27 RBI’s. He crushed eight doubles and three homers on his way to slugging .570, and he won the SCBL Home Run Derby July 14 in Spartanburg, SC.
Established in 1999, SCBL adopted two divisions of four teams and the new divisional playoff format this season after adding its eighth team, the Statesville Owls.
In a late-season turnaround, the Spartanburg Blue Eagles claimed the top seed in the West Division playoff but were upset by the No. 4 Carolina Chaos in Round 1. Meanwhile, the No. 3 Asheville Redbirds took out a struggling Tennessee Tornado team unable to defend its back-to-back league titles, and then followed with a win over Carolina to claim the West Division title.
Lake Norman, on the other hand, ran away with the top seed, and eventually the title, in the East Division as they defeated the No. 4 Carolina Stingers in Round 1. The No. 3 Morganton Aggies bested the No. 2 Statesville Owls, only to fall to Lake Norman in the division championship. Ultimately, the Copperheads kept running through a back-and-forth championship series with Asheville to claim the Jeffers Cup – the league trophy named for two of the league’s founders, Marilyn and the late Lynn Jeffers – at their home field July 24.
About Southern Collegiate Baseball League:
Southern Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat summer baseball league consisting of eight collegiate level teams. The league schedule is designed to accommodate college players who have already completed the spring baseball season with their college teams. The league maintains an 85-pitch count for pitchers, plays doubleheaders on weekends and two games during the week, which makes for a 42-game regular season schedule that includes an All-Star Game break. Top players are eligible for the league’s All-Star Game and the teams compete in a tournament at the end of the regular season to determine the League Champion. A member of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (NACSB), Southern Collegiate Baseball League and its members are officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball.
For more information about Southern Collegiate Baseball League, please visit: www.scbl.org.
Contact:
Brad MacKeith, Marketing Director
Southern Collegiate Baseball League
Telephone: 704.799.2200
E-mail: Brad@scblbaseball.org
NWL Attendance Tops Nation Again
Posted by Andrew on 2:29 PM
A successful 2010 Northwoods Collegiate Baseball season wrapped up this past Sunday at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The hometown Express beat the Rochester Honkers in a three-game series to take the 2010 Northwoods title. Although the season is over, the NWL is still benefiting from a successful 2010 campaign. The nation’s premier summer baseball league placed 11 teams in the top-50 in per game attendance and broke the league’s all-time attendance record.
Ballparkbiz.com, an online news and information resource for the baseball industry, has ranked the top-50 summer collegiate baseball teams the past three years and once again the NWL leads the list. The Madison Mallards come in 1st with a staggering 5,884 fans per game while fellow NWL team, La Crosse, comes in 2nd. The Mallards and Loggers both finished 1st and 2nd in 2009 and are joined in the top-10 by the Eau Claire Express who increased both their overall attendance and per game attendance from 2009.
The Wisconsin Woodchucks and St. Cloud River Bats just missed the top-10 as they came in at 11th and 12th respectively. The Woodchucks improved their overall attendance and per game attendance in 2010 while the River Bats jumped from 13th in 2009 to 12th in 2010.
The Waterloo Bucks packed Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo, IA to a tune of 1,660 fans per game. The Bucks increased their overall and per game attendance numbers from 2009 and finished in the top-20 for the 2nd consecutive year. Wisconsin Rapids jumped into the top-50 in their inaugural season as they drew 1,368 fans per game at Witter Field.
Mankato (33rd), Duluth (34th), Green Bay (40th) and Rochester (41st) were the final four NWL teams cracking the top-50. Mankato, Green Bay and Rochester all improved their overall attendance from 2009.
Overall, 11 of the 16 NWL teams made the top-50 while Willmar finished two spots out of the top-50 at 52nd. Be sure to follow the NWL this off-season at www.northwoodsleague.com and follow the 40 former NWL players who have played in Major League Baseball in 2010. The Northwoods League has more teams, plays more games, and draws more fans than any Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America.
2010 Florida League Award Winners
Posted by Andrew on 1:14 PM
The nominations have been given and the votes have now been tallied for the 2010 Florida League Award Winners. These players represent the best of the Florida League this season and each player had to consistently perform at a high level in order to qualify for each award. Congratulations to the winners! Here are the 2010 Award Winners:
Read the rest here.
Fire Damages Third Base Dugout at Loggers' Field
Posted by Andrew on 7:59 AM
Copperheads Season in Review for 2010
Posted by Andrew on 7:50 AM
Although injuries left the team a bit shorthanded down the stretch, the 2010 edition of the Asheboro Copperheads achieved their biggest preseason goal by earning a berth in the Coastal Plain League playoffs.
The Copperheads earned the No. 8 seed in the CPL playoffs by winning their final four regular season game to finish 27-28. Then, they had an agonizing wait over the next two days to find out their playoff fate. A suspended-game victory by Outer Banks over Wilmington two days after the Copperheads finished with a 4-1 win over Fayetteville put first-year head coach Donnie Wilson’s team into the post-season. Unfortunately, the playoff season lasted only two games as the Copperheads were swept by eventual league champ Forest City in a best-of-three first-round series.
Despite the early playoff exit, there were a lot of bright spots for Copperheads and plenty to build on as they begin to make plans for 2011.
“First off, I want to thank the organization and the community of Asheboro for all the support they gave the players and coaches this year. It did not go unnoticed,” said Wilson, an assistant at College of the Sequoias in California. “I was happy to see the development and growth of the players throughout the summer. Not finishing the year with five of the six starting pitchers we originally had set us back, but I was happy with the push we had at the end of the year to get into the playoffs.”
Although injuries and player departures are typical during the summer collegiate season, the Copperheads had more than their fair share in the second half. As Wilson pointed out, the starting pitching corps took the biggest hit. When the season ended, only one of the original members of the starting rotation was still in uniform. UNC Greensboro’s Warren Slack and Catawba’s Nathan Furr, to returnees from 2009 who were expected to be the mainstays of the staff, were the first to leave the team in mid June after experiencing arm fatigue coming off a college season that saw both shoulder a heavy workload. Heith Hatfield of Memphis became the ace of the staff with some great outings in June, but elbow soreness in mid July forced him to leave early, about a week after another starter, Ryan Pfaeffle of George Mason, also had to call it quits due to a tired arm. All total, the Copperheads got 22 starts from pitchers who weren’t available for the final two weeks of the season.
A few other injuries also forced Wilson to juggle the starting lineup in the second half. Outfielder Kenny Held of New Mexico injured an ankle the first week he was with the team and never got healthy, finally leaving after playing in just 12 games. Infielder-outfielder Cam Cockman of UNC Wilmington played a key role in a 7-3 start to the second half, but then a nagging hand injury forced him to hang it up for the summer. Catcher Milan Adams of Rhode Island gave the team solid play behind the dish and some offensive punch, but he injured a shoulder in early July and also headed home. There were also a couple of other early departures that depleted the roster in the final weeks.
As always, there were some memorable moments over the course of the season. One of the early-season highlights was a 13-inning 12-10 victory at Wilson in which the Copperheads banged out an amazing 22 hits, the highest single-game total of the season for any CPL team. Two nights later, the offense struck for 13 runs in a blowout win at home against Martinsville. The team enjoyed some early-season success at Forest City, beating the Owls twice in four nights at McNair Field behind strong pitching from Hatfield and East Carolina’s Joseph Hughes. The Owls had won their first eight home games of the season before the two losses to the Copperheads.
The first half ended with the Copperheads a couple of game under .500 at 13-15, but the high-water mark came in early July when they ran off seven wins in their first 10 games of the second half to get atop the West Division standings. A memorable win in that stretch came at home on Fireworks Night, July 3, when the Copperheads used a three-run homer off the bat of West Alabama’s Kevin Deese to edge the Wilson Tobs 4-3 in front of the biggest crowd of the season - 2,647.. The Tobs had come into the game sporting the league’s best record.
Unfortunately, the injuries began to pile up about a week later and the team lost six of seven and 10 of 13 before righting the ship and winning four straight to end the season and make the playoffs. The late-season winning streak included a 14-4 win at Martinsville that represented the team’s highest single-game run production of the season, coming on the heels of back-to-back wins against Gastonia, which was fighting for a No. 1 playoff seed before the Copperheads sent them into a tailspin. The final regular season game was a must-win for the Copperheads and they responded with a dramatic 4-1 win over Fayetteville that included a monster two-run homer by Deese, his eighth of the season. Only one other player in the CPL (Chas Crane of Peninsula with 9) hit more round-trippers than Deese on the season.
First baseman Hunter Ridge of UNC Wilmington and second baseman Marquis Riley of North Carolina A&T both finished with batting averages over the .300 mark. Ridge led the team at .315 and Riley wound up at .301, with a team high 58 hits. Ridge also led the team in runs scored with 34. Riley was one of four Copperheads to earn CPL All-Star honors. He was joined by outfielder/first baseman Deese, third baseman/shortstop Jacob Wilson of Memphis, and pitcher Corey Deighan of Charleston Southern. Deighan led the CPL in saves with 17. Wilson was probably the team’s most consistent player from start to finish both offensively and defensively. He hit .284, but led the team in extra base hits with 18 – 10 doubles, a triple and seven home runs. His total bases (81) were just two less than Deese and he led the team with a .479 slugging percentage.
Hughes led the pitching staff with five wins and earned CPL Pitcher of the Week honors for a complete-game shutout win over eventual league champion Forest City on July 1. Hatfield’s 1.05 ERA over seven starts and 42 2/3 innings of work was impressive, as were Deighan’s 17 saves and fellow reliever Adam Izokovic’s numbers across the board. Izokovic posted a 2.11 ERA with a 2-1 record. Opponents batted only .163 in 38 1/3 innings against the Gardner-Webb righthander. Of Deighan’s 17 saves, a dozen came before July 1 when he closed 12 of the team’s 14 wins through the month of June. He had only one blown save chance the entire season.
Off the field, the season was also a great success, attendance was up at McCrary Park by an average of about 250 fans per game to 1,193, with a dozen dates topping that average figure. The team’s improved performance was certainly a contributing factor, along with the improvements made to the park prior to the start of the season, not the least of which was in the installation of the synthetic infield turf, the only one of its kind in the CPL. Also a factor in the increase was additional promotions and activities aimed at bringing more youngsters into the park. Four times the Copperheads’ drew more than 2,000 fans with a high of 2,647 for the July 3 “Fireworks Night” against Wilson. Chamber of Commerce Night on June 3 vs. Florence attracted 2,467, over 2,200 showed up for the big t-shirt giveaway and Boy Scout Night vs. Gastonia on July 15, and more than 2,000 turned out for Fan Appreciation Night at the final regular season game on Sunday night, Aug. 1, against Fayetteville.
“It was a successful season from practically every standpoint,” said Copperheads General Manager David Camp. “Sure, we would have liked to have won a few more games and gone deeper into the playoffs, but all things considered I’m very happy with our season as a whole. I think we were able to raise the excitement and energy levels at the ballpark and we definitely saw an increase in the number of young people at the park. The addition of our new mascot (Fang) was a success and we plan to do even more things involving him next season. Our Snake Pit open seating area continued to grow in popularity and overall we saw a lot of new faces at the park. I think we began some things this summer that we can build for next season and beyond.”
The Copperheads are a member of the Coastal Plain League, the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 14th season, the Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 800 alumni drafted and 38 alums make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league Web site at http://www.coastalplain.com.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Baseball Summer League Recap: Holm Named Prospect League Player of the Year
Posted by Andrew on 11:11 AM
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball program was well represented in collegiate leagues across the country over the summer months.
In the Prospect League, first baseman Jeff Holm nearly won the Triple Crown after leading the league in home runs (11) and RBIs (60) and finishing second in batting (.359). For his outstanding season, Holm was named the Prospect League Player of the Year.
Holm, Torsten Boss and Tony Wieber teamed up to help the Chillicothe Paints win the Prospect League Championship. Boss, also a first-team all-league selection, hit .306 for the Paints with two homers, 12 doubles and 31 RBIs.
Read the rest of this article here.
Baseball players use summer as time to improve
Posted by Andrew on 10:00 AM
While the typical college student is relaxing by the pool during summer or taking vacations to the beach, many of N.C. State’s baseball players are hard at work, using that time to fine-tune their skills. Several players joined summer leagues after two disappointing losses in the Coastal Carolina Regional put an end to the Pack’s season in June. Summer leagues offer top college players the opportunity to play against other top players day in and day out to improve their technique and gain valuable experience.
Read the rest of this article here.
Dawgs support reaches new heights
Posted by Andrew on 9:06 AM
The Okotoks Dawgs continue to receive incredible support from the community, and 2010 was the best year yet.
BallparkBiz.com recently released the 2010 Collegiate Summer League Attendance Rankings, and once again the Dawgs are in with the elite. The past two seasons, the Dawgs were ranked 10th in North America for per-game attendance, which is a great achievement, but this year the Dawgs climbed even higher.
With a mark of 2223 fans per game, the Okotoks Dawgs were ranked the 5th best attendance draw in North America for collegiate summer league. The 2223 average represents an increase of 404 over last year’s average of 1819. The Dawgs are extremely appreciative for the loyal support the team receives year after year from Okotoks and the surrounding communities, and Dawgs fans should be very proud.
Every summer at Seaman Stadium is memorable, but the summer of 2010 reached another level. The first season at Seaman Stadium, in 2007, saw the Dawgs average over 1600 fans per game, followed by two straight seasons averaging just over 1800 per game, which was 10th best in North America.
However, it was clear early on this year that 2010 was going to be much bigger. Opening Night saw 2600 fans, and the first six games in Okotoks this year recorded crowds in excess of 2000. For the month of June, nine games exceeded the 2000 mark.
And then the calendar flipped to July 1. Canada Day 2010 at Seaman Stadium is a night that nobody will soon forget. There was a buzz in the air early, and the ballpark was filling up over an hour before game time. By the time it finally filled up, a Dawgs record 4012 fans were in attendance to help the Dawgs to an 11-4 victory.
Dawgs Managing Director John Ircandia comments on the past season, "We cannot express how appreciative we are of this support by Dawgs fans not only in Okotoks and the communities of the Foothills but this past season saw more fans than ever from Calgary who have discovered what an incredible all round, family experience it is at Seaman Stadium. So this recognition is truly "one for Dawgs fans everywhere."
The excitement never let up in July as the season came down the stretch into playoffs, seeing several more crowds close to, or over 3000. Even though the team fell short on the field this year, you never gave up on them, as the second round playoff series against Swift Current saw over 5400 fans come out for the two home games in Okotoks.
There is nothing more enjoyable than spending a summer evening in the atmosphere of Seaman Stadium. The crowds at the games every night help the Dawgs on the field, says infielder Drew Pettit, “Playing in front of great fans makes coming out to the park even more enjoyable. If you ever needed an extra lift, seeing the town come out and support like they did was all anyone would ever need.”
The Dawgs truly are thankful for the support you give the team; without you, the fans, Dawgs Baseball at Seaman Stadium would not be what it is today. You have helped turn the Dawgs into a desired summer destination for college baseball players across Canada, and the USA.
Outfielder Justin Ritchhart sums it up perfectly,
“Gotta love being a Dawg! Greatest fans in baseball!”
Thursday, August 26, 2010
State of the Blog
Posted by Andrew on 3:53 PM
Another summer season has come and gone. Congratulations to the Eau Claire Express for being ranked as the best summer ball team in the country.
Thanks for being a loyal reader to the blog. Since 2007, this blog has grown tremendously. For this, I thank you.
If you haven't already noticed, I'm kind of taking a break from posting right now. I won't go away totally, I just need some time to recharge my batteries a bit.
Sometime in September, I will start my annual list of the best players and most outstanding performances from this past summer. As of right now, I plan to divide this list into the top 100 offensive players and top 100 pitchers.
Finally, I'm always taking suggestions as how to improve the blog. Please feel free to email me at 316sports@gmail.com.
Thanks
Andrew
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Navs' Banos, Waldron earn NECBL honors
Posted by Andrew on 1:36 PM
A Lynn native and former Lynn Classical superstar who captained the 1999 Boston College baseball team, Waldron was the steady hand needed to guide the Navigators to their best season since moving to the North Shore. The NECBL's champions were ranked No. 16 nationally among summer college teams at the end of the year.
Lynnfield's Jason Banos was the only other Navigator to be recognized in the postseason awards, as the outfielder from Columbia University was named to the All-NECBL first team. The MVP of the league's all-star game, Banos hit .348 during the regular season and finished third in the chase for the NECBL batting title.
Read the rest of this entry here.
2nd Annual Summer Ball Conference
Posted by Andrew on 8:58 AM
The Summer Ball Conference (SBC 10) will be held in the Mecca of Summer Collegiate baseball – Madison, WI November 6-8 home of the Madison Mallards. The concept of the conference is a version of the Winter Baseball Meetings. The conference will take place at the Sheraton Madison Hotel and will include speaking by Vern Stenman President of the Mallards as well as breakout sessions, the Big Panel, SBC Awards Gala and the trade show.
Breakout Sessions will include Ticket Sales, Sponsorship, Media Relations, Promotions and Marketing, Non-Traditional Revenues, Gameday Experience, Community Relations, Web Site and Social Networking, Ballpark Usage and Improvements, NCAA Compliance, How to Sell a Summer Collegiate Team, Concessions, and Mascots.
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Register before September 1st and Receive 20% OFF 1st Attendee!
Attendance will cost $189 for a representative of the organization and just $149 for any additional attendees of the same organization. In addition to that each day we will provide meals to all attendees in the Trade Show area, this includes breakfast – lunch – dinner. There is also a special room block with rates starting at only $94 per night available for conference attendees.
As with any conference the Trade Show is an integral part of this year’s event. On opening night there will be a Trade Show dinner and party, which will feature an open bar.
Important Links
Agenda
Registration Information
For more information, please visit http://www.summerballconference.com/ or call directly at 979.985.5162.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
2010 Marlins Season in Review
Posted by Andrew on 4:14 PM
The following is a compilation of facts, figures and notable moments from the Morehead City Marlins’ inaugural 2010 season, in which they finished 34-20, earning the No. 3 seed in the Petitt Cup. The team put together a league-best 19-7 mark during the second half, the best winning percentage for any team in the league in either half.
Read the rest of this entry here.
Editorial: Rochester shares Honkers' pain after tragic accident
Posted by Andrew on 3:57 PM
On Sunday afternoon, the Rochester Honkers saw their season end one win short of another Northwoods League championship.
A few hours later, the organization's disappointment turned to sorrow as word spread that Mitchell Caster, a 21-year-old pitcher from Wichita State, had died in a car crash in Des Moines while trying to get back home.
Read the rest of this article here.
Utica’s Simone earns first-team NYCBL honors
Posted by Andrew on 10:43 AM
Utica’s Jason Simone, an outfielder for the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs of the New York Collegiate Baseball League, was named to the league’s first team Monday.
Simone was the DiamondDawgs’ only first-team selection. Teammate Kyle Richardson, of Rome, was a second-team pick in the outfield.
“It tells me I can compete with other kids from around the country,” Simone said. “The league is one of the best in the country. It tells me I can hang with the other kids from around the country.”
Read the rest of this article here.
Eau Claire Seals Deal, Clinches No. 1 Ranking
Posted by Andrew on 7:41 AM
Former home-run king Henry Aaron began his professional baseball career in Eau Claire,Wis., in 1952, so the Northwoods League championship won Sunday by the Eau Claire Express hardly ranks as the most memorable event in the city’s long and often rich baseball history.
But the conquest was significant nonetheless as it propelled the Express to its first Northwoods League title and a No. 1 ranking in PG CrossChecker’s final 2010 ranking of the nation’s top summer-league clubs.
Eau Claire finished with a 52-24 record overall this summer, winning both the Northwoods League’s first- and second-half titles, and sealing the deal by capturing both rounds of the league’s best-of-3 playoffs. The Express clinched the title and top ranking by beating the Rochester Honkers 9-1 Sunday in Eau Claire. The team’s 52 wins were the most by any summer team.
Outfielder Steve McGuiggan (Illinois-Chicago) powered Eau Claire to the title by drilling a pair of two-run homers and throwing out a runner at the plate from center field. In all, he went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Lefthander Felix Cardenas (Texas-Permian Basin) stymied a predominantly lefthanded-hitting Rochester lineup through seven innings, allowing just five hits.
Read the rest of this entry here.
2010 Prospect League Season-End All-Star Team Announced
Posted by Andrew on 7:38 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (August 13, 2010, Bartlett, Tennessee) – The Prospect League, a college summer wood bat league with 15 teams from western Pennsylvania to Hannibal, Missouri and from Lorain, Ohio to Nashville, Tennessee, has announced its year-end 1st and 2nd All-Star Teams plus its annual list of Award Winners. The results are from a poll of league managers.
2010 First Team All-Stars
First Base – Kevin Smith, Nashville Outlaws (LSU-Shreveport)
Second Base – Torsten Boss, Chillicothe Paints (Michigan State University)
Third Base – Alex Guthrie, Terre Haute Rex (Loyola Marymount, California)
Shortstop – Greg Van Horne, Chillicothe Paints (College of Wooster)
Outfield – Vince Fayard, Quincy Gems (University of Biola)
Outfield – Jeff Holm, Chillicothe Paints (Michigan State University)
Outfield – Gardner Richey, Hannibal Cavemen (Samford University)
Catcher – Zach Komentani, Quincy Gems (University of San Diego)
Designated Hitter – Kevan Smith, Butler BlueSox (University of Pittsburgh)
RHP – Dean Wolosianski, West Virginia Miners (Ohio State University)
LHP - Ryan Wynveen, DuPage Dragons (San Diego State)
RH Relief – Wil Browning, Danville Dans (LSU-Monroe)
LH Relief – Tom Zelasko, DeKalb County Liners (Northern Illinois University)
2010 Second Team All-Stars
First Base – Ryan Porter, Hannibal Cavemen (Rockhurst University)
Second Base – Nick Judkins, Springfield Sliders (Iowa Central University)
Third Base – Greg Bachman, Nashville Outlaws (Austin Peay University)
Shortstop – Sam Dove, Nashville Outlaws (Georgia Tech)
Outfield – Cody Elliott, Chillicothe Paints (Ball State University)
Outfield – Andrew Host, Quincy Gems (University Iowa)
Outfield – Joe Koch, West Virginia Miners (Kent State)
Catcher – Jesse Tierney, Danville Dans (Southeast Missouri)
Designated Hitter – Kevin Plawecki, Richmond RiverRats (Purdue University)
RHP – Casey Henn, Quincy Gems (Wright State University)
LHP – Nathan Dorris, Richmond RiverRats (Rend Lake College)
RH Relief – Phil Brua, Lorain County Ironmen (Oberlin College)
LH Relief – (Tie) – Matt Fitton, Nashville Outlaws (Sacred Heart)
Pat Gannon, Springfield Sliders (Purdue University)
2010 Prospect League Award Winners
Mike Schmidt Award (Player of the Year) – Jeff Holm, Chillicothe Paints (Michigan State)
Pitcher of the Year – Dean Wolosianski, West Virginia Miners (Ohio State University)
Galen Woods Award (Fireman of the Year) – Wil Browning (LSU-Monroe)
Pro Prospect of the Year – Jeff Holm, Chillicothe Paints (Michigan State)
Manager of the Year – Brian Mannino, Chillicothe Paints
Monday, August 23, 2010
Eau Claire Express - 2010 NWL Champions!
Posted by Andrew on 7:36 AM
McGuiggan and Cardenas Carry Express
Eau Claire 9, Rochester 1
The Eau Claire Express are the 2010 Northwoods League Champions! The Express used a clutch performance from hot-hitting Steve McGuiggan (Illinois-Chicago) and left handed pitcher Felix Cardenas (Texas Permian Basin). McGuiggan, a speedy center fielder, was 3-for-4 on the afternoon with four RBI. Cardenas earned the win thanks to a five-hitter thru 7.0 scoreless innings.
McGuiggan got the scoring started as he hit a line-drive home run to left field off Honker starting pitcher Josh McKeon (Upper Iowa) to take a 2-0 lead. The 5’11’’ righty from Apple Valley, MN again blasted a two-run homer scoring Drew Heithoff (Augustana) to take a 4-0 advantage. McGuiggan not only had a great afternoon at the plate, but showed off his arm as well. He threw out Andrew Mendenhall (Oregon) at home in the top of the 5th as the Honkers were about to score their 1st run of the game.
As good as McGuiggan was for the Express, starting pitcher Felix Cardenas was just as impressive. The lefty only allowed five hits thru 7.0 scoreless innings to a Honker offense who exploded for 11 runs on Saturday night. Cardenas earns his 6th win of the season and 1st of the 2010 NWL Playoffs.
Every Express batter registered a hit on the night with leadoff hitter and Eau Claire native Nolan Fadness (Wisconsin Oshkosh) going 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. The NWL best hitter, Drew Heithoff, was 3-for-4 on the afternoon with two runs scored and a RBI.
Richie Jimenez (UNLV) was 2-for-3 in the loss for the Honkers who completed a very impressive season. The Honkers finished the season with a 39-31 record and reached the NWL Championship for the 2nd consecutive year.
Thanks to all the great NWL fans that came out to one of the 16 parks in the NWL. It was a great 2010 season filled with many great baseball games and memories. Follow www.northwoodsleague.com for NWL information throughout the off-season.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Stingers enticed baseball fans back
Posted by Andrew on 11:24 AM
Two guys with a dream hit a grand-slam homer and proved many skeptics wrong this summer.
When word first spread that the Northwoods League would be expanding to Willmar, eyes rolled and heads were scratched by pessimists wondering why someone would want to take a chance with a community that showed minimal support for baseball in recent springs and summers.
Read the rest of this entry here.
Honkers to play Eau Claire Express tonight in championship series opener
Posted by Andrew on 11:22 AM
The Rochester Honkers will take on the Eau Claire Express in Wisconsin tonight in the first game of the Northwoods League Championship series.
Game two will be in Rochester on Saturday at 7 p.m., before returning to Eau Claire for a third game, if necessary, on Sunday.
Read the rest of this entry here.
Healy, Gallic earn NECBL honors
Posted by Andrew on 10:46 AM
BRISTOL — The New England Collegiate Baseball League’s return to Bristol, on the field, went better than most expected.
Heading into the league with seemingly a roster that, on paper, was overmatched by most teams league-wide, the general consensus at the beginning of the summer was that wins were going to be hard to come by for the Mum City newcomers.
As it turned out, that wasn’t the case.
“The season for me was a great success. To finish with a regular season record of 23-19, which was just four games off the top record in the league, was extremely exciting for us, especially being a first-year team in a league that is ranked as one of the top collegiate summer leagues in the country,” Bristol Collegiate Baseball Club General Manager Dan Kennedy said.
Read the rest of this article here.
Danbury grad Michael Hamann works hard in summer league
Posted by Andrew on 10:00 AM
If Danbury graduate and current University of Toledo pitcher Michael Hamann could pattern himself after any pitcher, he'd make it future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux.
Hamann thought about Maddux's approach while playing summer baseball for the Thomasville HiToms in the Coastal Plains League and tried to out-think opposing batters, enticing balls put in play early in at-bats, hit his spots all around the plate and use his velocity to occasionally overpower and movement to miss bats. Hamann would like to demonstrate the type of savvy that allowed Maddux to sequence pitches and force batters to get themselves out, avoid walks and pitch deep into games while mixing in strikeouts.
Read the rest of this article here.
Fadness Leads Express
Posted by Andrew on 7:37 AM
Nolan Fadness (Wisconsin Oshkosh) scored three runs from his leadoff position Thursday night. Fadness was 2-for-5 on the night with three runs scored. The speedy left fielder is hitting .300 in the playoffs and hopes to continue his hot hitting into the Summer Collegiate World Series.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Edenton’s Saranthus Honored as the 2010 Rawlings CPL Defensive Player of the Year
Posted by Andrew on 7:54 AM
The Coastal Plain League announced today that Edenton’s Coty Saranthus was named the 2010 Rawlings CPL Defensive Player of the Year as voted upon by the CPL head coaches.
Saranthus, a junior at Delta State and Terry, Miss., was unstoppable on the mound for the Steamers as he rolled to a league-best 7-0 record with a save and a 0.68 ERA. The 6-0, 170-pound right-hander pitched 53 innings in 30 appearances; surrendering just five runs – four earned – on 18 hits, while walking nine and striking out 59.
Like Chas Crane, the 2010 CPL Offensive Player of the Year, Saranthus too found his name in the league history books. He held opposing batters to a measly .107 against him, which was the lowest in league history for any pitcher throwing 40 innings or more. Perhaps even more impressive, however, was that his 18 hits given up were the fewest in league history, while he also sported the lowest WHIP by a pitcher in CPL history at 0.51. Furthermore, Saranthus’ ERA of 0.68 was the third lowest in league history (minimum of 40 innings pitched) behind Scott Diamond (Martinsville, 2006/0.50) and Nick Schumacher (Asheboro, 2005/0.56).
Interestingly enough, Saranthus made 14 straight appearances without allowing a run, and did not allow a run in 23 1/3 consecutive innings at one point this season. Furthermore, he did not allow a run in 26 of his 30 appearances, and didn’t allow a hit in 18 of his 30 appearances; and Edenton was 18-12 when Saranthus stepped onto the mound.
Saranthus was also named as a pitcher for the National CPL All-Star team. He pitched one inning, retiring the side in the top of the sixth. In the Petitt Cup Playoffs, he made six appearances – being tagged with the loss in one, while earning the save in two others. In nine innings of work, he scattered seven hits, and gave up five runs – four earned. He walked walked five and struck out seven.
Earlier in the season, Saranthus was named the Rawlings Co-Pitcher of the Week after week three of action. That week, he made four appearances in relief for the Steamers, pitching 7 2/3 innings. He surrendered just one hit, while striking out 13, and earned a 2-0 record and 0.00 ERA on the week. Furthermore, opposing batters hit just .043 against him.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 14th season, the Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 800 alumni drafted and 38 alums make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league Web site at http://www.coastalplain.com.
Campbell Calms 'Chucks
Posted by Andrew on 7:49 AM
Ian Campbell (Corpus Christi) calmed the Woodchucks bats Wednesday night in a game the Express needed to win to stay alive. Campbell only allowed four hits in 8.0 innings of work while striking out three ‘Chucks. The NWL Postseason All-Star now has eight wins on the season and gives the Express a chance to make it to the NWL Championship series with a win Thursday night at Carson Park.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Pair of former local standouts help teams to summer league titles
Posted by Andrew on 3:04 PM
GASTONIA – A pair of former local standouts helped their college summer league teams win championships this year.
Dusty Quattlebaum, a 2007 Crest High graduate who plays at Gardner-Webb University, helped the Forest City Owls win the Coastal Plain League championship.
Quattlebaum hit .227 with two homers and five RBI as the Owls went 6-2 in the playoffs after he hit .229 with six homers and 29 RBI in the regular-season.
Read the rest of this entry here.
NWL Playoffs Begin
Posted by Andrew on 2:54 PM
Honkers and Woodchucks Up 1-0
Wisconsin 3, Eau Claire 2
The Wisconsin Woodchucks took game one of the South Division playoff series by a score of 3-2 thanks to timely hitting and some clutch relief pitching. The Woodchucks Kevin Pillar (Cal State Dominguez Hills) walked and advanced to third on a Travis Whitmore (Pittsburgh) single in the 1st. Pillar would eventually score on a Pat Terry (Santa Clara) sacrifice fly. The Express would answer back in the 2nd with an Andrew Leonard (Illinois-Chicago) RBI that scored Steve McGuiggan (Illinois-Chicago) to tie the game at 1-1.
Kevin Pillar would score again in the 3rd when Travis Whitmore sacrifice squeezed him home. With the score 2-1 in favor of the Woodchucks, Lucas Herbst (Santa Clara) scored Drew Heithoff (Augustana) on a clutch two out hit to tie the game at two. Rob Lind (Georgia State) scored the game winning run for the ‘Chucks in the 8th as Brian Sharp (Cal Baptist) drove him in.
The Woodchucks relief pitching was clutch as Jerad Eickhoff (Olney Central) earned the win as he threw 2.0 scoreless innings. Jason Marytn (Rio Hondo) earned his 1st save of the year as he threw a scoreless 9th inning. Eau Claire starting pitcher Felix Cardenas (Texas Permian Basin) threw well thru 7.0 innings, but Dietrich Enns (Central Michigan) allowed three hits and one run in 0.2 innings of work.
The Express will face the Woodchucks Wednesday night at Athletic Park in Wausau. Ian Campbell (Corpus Christi) who is 7-1 will start for the Express and will face Jason Marytn (Rio Hondo) 1-0.
Rochester 8, St. Cloud 2
Rochester registered ten hits and scored seven runs off NWL Pitcher of the Year Jason Wheeler (Loyola Marymount). Wheeler only lasted 5.0 innings and took his 2nd loss of the season. Leadoff hitter Chris Elder (Oral Roberts) drove in four runs on the night, but his three-run homer in the 6th broke the game open.
The Honkers Mike Strong (Oklahoma State) earned the win after shutting down a potent St. Cloud offense. Strong threw 6.0 innings of four-hit baseball while striking out nine. The lefty from Stillwater, MN allowed one run off of a double from league MVP Steve Nyisztor (Rutgers) in the 4th. Nyisztor had two doubles on the night and drove in two runs to complete the River Bats scoring.
The Honkers eight and nine hitters, Anthony Hutting (Cal State Fullerton) and Andrew Mendenhall (Oregon), combined to go 5-for-6 with four runs scored. Hutting was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Mendenhall was a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
Rochester travels to St. Cloud Wednesday night to play St. Cloud at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud. The Honkers David Hurlbut (Cal State Fullerton) takes on the River Bats Jason Van Skike (Indiana State).
The Wenatchee AppleSox Are The West Coast League Champions AGAIN!
Posted by Andrew on 7:35 AM
The Wenatchee AppleSox overcame an early 5-2 deficit to go on to a 6-5 win over the Bend Elks in the deciding game of the best-of-three West Coast League Championship Series Tuesday night in Wenatchee. It's the fourth title for Ed Knagg's AppleSox in the six-year history of the WCL, and the second in a row. Down 5-2 in the 4th inning, the AppleSox Kalei Hanawahine (Soph-to-be, San Diego) belted a three-run home run to tie the game. It was Hanawahine's first home run of the season. The AppleSox picked up the decisive run in the 5th inning on a single by Eric Lane (Lower Columbia College). Right-hander Zach Gallagher (Sr.-to-be, Hawaii) worked seven innings for the win. Jeff Ames (Soph-to-be, Lower Columbia College) got the save, allowing one hit and fanning four over the final two innings. James Nygren (Sr.-to-be, Oregon State) suffered the loss. The Elks who bounced back from a 4-2 loss at home in game #1 to take a 5-2 decision Monday night in Wenatchee, were playing in their first Championship Series. It was the first time the WCL Championship Series went to a decisive third game.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Peninsula’s Crane Named 2010 Rawlings CPL Offensive Player of the Year
Posted by Andrew on 2:26 PM
From the Coastal Plain League
The Coastal Plain League announced today that Chas Crane of the Peninsula Pilots has been named the 2010 Rawlings CPL Offensive Player of the Year as voted upon by the CPL head coaches.
A sophomore from Winthrop and Bridgewater, N.J., Crane was a steady offensive threat for the Pilots throughout the 2010 season. He started 51-of-52 games and finished with a .344 average, the second-best in the league. Crane led the league in RBIs (48), home runs (9), total bases (108), walks (41), slugging percentage (.600), and on-base percentage (.462). Furthermore, Crane also racked up 62 hits, including 15 doubles and a pair of triples, while he also scored 37 runs and stole 11 bases.
Several of Crane’s numbers were among the single season leaders in league history. His 48 RBIs was the third-most behind Jason Dubois (Rocky Mount, 1998 / 51) and Rich Poythress (Thomasville, 2007 / 49). He tied both Tim Alberts (Spartanburg, 2007) and C.J. Ziegler (Asheboro, 2006) for the eighth-most total bases; while also finishing tied with Brett Nommensen (Edenton, 2008) for the ninth highest on-base percentage. Crane’s walk total tied Justin Mills (Martinsville, 2006) and Josh Smith (Peninsula, 2006) for seventh all-time, and his slugging percentage was good for seventh best by itself.
Crane helped the Pilots to a 32-24 regular season record and a 3-2 postseason mark. In the postseason, he batted .263 with a pair of doubles and a homer. He scored five runs and recorded four RBIs. Crane was also named the starting third baseman for the National CPL All-Star team, and was walked three times and scored a run.
Earlier in the season, Crane was named the Rawlings Hitter of the Week after week four of action. That week, he started all six games for the Pilots. In those games, he batted .500 with 10 hits, including four doubles and two home runs. He tallied a league-high 12 RBIs with four runs scored and 20 total bases. Furthermore, Crane had a league-best 1.000 slugging percentage to go with a .577 on-base percentage with five walks and three stolen bases.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 14th season, the Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 800 alumni drafted and 38 alums make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league Web site at http://www.coastalplain.com.
North Division Playoff Preview
Posted by Andrew on 9:38 AM
The Rochester Honkers, 1st Half North Champions, will take on the St. Cloud River Bats in the North Division Playoffs. The Honkers had their Playoff ticket punched after a 19-13 record in the 1st Half while the River Bats clinched their Playoff spot Sunday night with their win against the Honkers. St. Cloud and Willmar were battling for the final North Division spot, but Willmar lost their last two games in Thunder Bay while St. Cloud has won their last two games.
The Honkers and River Bats have combined to win three of the last four NWL titles and combined to win eight of the sixteen titles in league history. The Honkers have five NWL Championships and the River Bats have three in their franchise history. Each team has made the playoffs 10 times which leads the NWL. St. Cloud leads the head-to-head matchup 3-2 in the Playoffs over the Honkers. St. Cloud won the 1998 Championship by sweeping the Honkers 2-0, but lost in 1999 to Rochester in three games.
The Honkers, the 2009 Northwoods Champions, are led by energetic field manager Ryan Ruiz (Central Arizona). Ruiz managed the team to a 19-13 1st Half record and are currently 16-16 with their final home game tonight at Mayo Field. The Honker offense is led by home run hitters Jimmy Waters (Kansas) and Chris Elder (Oral Roberts) who both have nine home runs on the season. Ryan Hambright (Oregon) and Matt Dittman (Illinois) are both sport batting averages above .325. Rochester’s pitching staff consists of five-game winners Josh McKeon (Upper Iowa) and Mike Strong (Oklahoma State) who both have logged 55.0+ innings on the season.
The St. Cloud River Bats earn their 1st Playoff appearance since 2007 and are coached by field manager Gabe Boruff (Washington State). Boruff leads a River Bats team that is 4th in the league in ERA at 3.67 and has a .260 batting average. The St. Cloud pitching staff is anchored by hard-throwing lefty Jason Wheeler (Loyola Marymount) who leads the league in wins at eight. Wheeler is joined by starting pitchers Austen Wisroth (Wayne State) and Jason Van Skike (Indiana State) who have four and six wins respectively and logged 58.0+ innings each. St. Cloud’s offense has All-Star shortstop Steve Nyisztor (Rutgers) who is hitting .301 with 28 extra base hits and leads the team in steals with 18. Second basemen Tommy Coyle (North Carolina) is hitting .318 for the River Bats.
Follow the North Division Playoffs as the Honkers take on the River Bats Tuesday night at Mayo Field in Rochester at 7:05. Game two will be played in St. Cloud on Wednesday at 7:05 while game three will also be played in St. Cloud at 7:05 if necessary.
Winner Takes All As Championship Series Goes To Deciding Game
Posted by Andrew on 9:34 AM
The Bend Elks bounced back from a 4-2 loss at home in game #1 of the 2010 West Coast League Championship series, taking a 5-2 decision Monday night in Wenatchee. The Elks' win sets up a deciding game #3 tonight at Paul Thomas Stadium. Bend exploded for five runs in the 6th inning to knock AppleSox starter Marco Gonzales (Gonzaga) from the game, and make a winner of lefty Ben Guidos (Washington), who worked eight strong innings. Gonzales and four Wenatchee relievers tied a franchise record with 17 strikeouts in the losing effort. It's the first time in West Coast League history the Championship Series has gone to a decivsive third game. The Elks, in their first WCL Championship Series, will send right-hander James Nygren (Oregon State) to the mound tonight, while right-hander Zach Gallagher (Hawaii) will work for the AppleSox. Wenatchee has appeared in five of the first six WCL Championship Series. The defending champion AppleSox are looking for their fourth West Coast League title.
GLSCL All-Team Awards
Posted by Andrew on 9:32 AM
The end of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League season is one that’s met with reflection and celebration. With over 40 games packed into a two-month long season, there’s much to be said about the players who endured the long hour bus rides, hot weather and dedication it took to be part of a competitive summer league. In celebration of those who persevered throughout the season, giving their all day in and day out, the GLSCL would like to recognize them with an All-Team Player award.
The GLSCL recognized its players with titles of First and Second Team, as well five other individual awards. The non-team awards include the Lou Laslo Pitcher of the Year award, which went to Hamilton Joes’ Brent Suter. Suter also received the Tony Lucadella Top Pitching Prospect award and was named GLSCL First Team for pitching.
Licking County Settlers’ Johnn McCambridge accompanies Suter’s success. McCambridge won the Gary Henschen Player of the Year award, while fellow teammate Adam Walker received the Ron Miller Top Position Prospects award. Licking County Settlers’ coach Brian Meyer was recognized with the Joe Carbone Manager of the Year award.
For the All-GLSCL First and Second Team awards, 31 players were recognized for their outstanding talents exhibited throughout the season.
For the All-GLSCL First Team, first base went to Tyler Wynn (Licking County), second base went to Ryan Jones (Southern Ohio), third base to Bryan Barnes (Southern Ohio), catcher to Jason Bagoly (Stark County), Travis Redmon (Lexington) received All-GLSCL First Team as a designated hitter, Justin Riddell (Lexington), John McCambridge (Licking County), and Adam Walker (Licking County) received First Team awards as outfielders. First Team pitchers are David Hayes (Delaware), Brent Suter (Hamilton), and Ryan Mace (Licking County). J.T. Odom (Lima) and Justin Ziegler (Licking County) were picked for First Team as relief pitchers, and Ryan Rua (Hamilton) received recognition for his position at shortstop, and Matt Streng (Delaware) received First Team as a utility player.
For the 2010 All-GLSCL Second Team, first base went to Ben Thomas (Cincinnati), second base to Andrew Douglas (Xenia), and the Second Team award for third base went to Kevin Park (Hamilton). Wes Wilson (Hamilton) received Second Team as catcher, and the Second Team Award for designated hitter went to Dan Gulbransen (Licking County). Evan Shaw (Delaware), Jensen Paitner (Grand Lake), and Wally Gerbus (Hamilton) were recognized on Second Team for their success in the outfield, and Second Team pitchers went to Andrew Wazsak (Southern Ohio), Eric Vaughan (Lake Erie) and Mike Hoekstra (Lima), and relief pitchers are Sam Dawes (Cincinnati), Zach Sterling (Southern Ohio) and Dylan Vogt (Lake Erie). Shortstop went to Justin Kopale (Lima), and Seth Streich (Southern Ohio) received Second Team as a utility player.
The GLSCL would like to congratulate those recognized for First and Second Team awards, as well as thank all the players, coaches, general managers, parents and supporters of the league for their dedication this 2010 season.
For more information on this topic please contact Megan R. Moseley at mm321606@ohio.edu
Northwoods League Names Postseason All-Star Team
Posted by Andrew on 9:21 AM
(ROCHESTER, MN) The Northwoods League announced its 2010 Postseason All-Star Team on Monday night. In addition to the 31 players that were selected to the honorary team, St. Cloud shortstop Steve Nyisztor was named as the Most Valuable Player while fellow River Bat left-handed pitcher Jason Wheeler was named Pitcher of the Year as voted by the League’s coaches and members of the media. Duluth led all teams with five players selected while Eau Claire swept the two coaching awards.
Read the rest of this entry here.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Cape League announced 2010 All-League team
Posted by Andrew on 8:34 AM
Regular-season MVP Kolten Wong (Hawaii) and home run champion Jordan Ribera (Fresno State) lead the list of stars who were named to the 2010 Cape Cod Baseball League’s All-League team that was announced by commissioner Paul Galop this weekend.
A total of 24 players were selected to the elite team, with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and the Orleans Firebirds each placing four on the squad. The lone representative from the Cape League champion Cotuit Kettleers is starting pitcher Austin Wood (St. Petersburg), who went 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA this season.
Wong hit .341 with a .458 slugging average, three home runs and 22 stolen bases, earning the spot at second base. Ribera, a first baseman, tied for the league lead with seven homers and 26 RBI, and added three home runs and 13 RBI in the playoffs.
Batting champion and outfielder Johnny Ruettiger (Arizona State) was named from Hyannis after hitting .369, while Brewster’s Drew Martinez (Memphis) was also selected as an outfielder following a season in which he hit .359 with one home run, 28 RBI and 22 stolen bases.
Rounding out the infield is the Y-D combo of Joe Panik (St. John’s) at shortstop and Tyler Hanover (LSU) at third base. The utility infielder is Falmouth’s Kevin Medrano (Missouri State), with Falmouth’s Andrew Susac (Oregon State) and Harwich’s Pratt Maynard (N.C. State) named as catchers.
Joining Ruettiger and Martinez in the outfield are Y-D’s Caleb Ramsey (Houston), Wareham’s Zach Wilson (Arizona State) and Bourne’s Scott Woodward (Coastal Carolina).
The designated hitters are Orleans’ Steve Selsky (Arizona) and Chatham’s Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt).
The utility players are Brewster’s Danny Oh (Cal-Berkeley) and the Manny Robello 10th Player Award winner, Harwich’s Clint Moore (West Point).
The pitching staff is led by Bourne closer Tony Zych (Louisville), who won both the Russ Ford Award as the league’s top relief pitcher and the Robert A. McNeece Award as the top pro prospect. Zych collected 12 saves, striking out 29 in 20.1 innings, with a 0.89 ERA.
In addition to Wood, the starters are Bourne’s Grayson Garvin (Vanderbilt), who was named the league’s outstanding pitcher, Brewster’s Andrew Gagnon (Long Beach State), Chatham’s Logan Verrett (Baylor), Wareham’s Max Perlman (Harvard) and Orleans’ Kyle Simon (Arizona).
Marcus Stroman (Duke) of Orleans is the second closer named to the team.
Indians Win WMBL Championship
Posted by Andrew on 8:01 AM
The Swift Current Indians are the 2010 Western Major Baseball League Champions.
Powered by two-RBI nights from Kyle Albright, Aaron Dunsmore and Ryan Dunn, the Indians swept away the Regina Red Sox with a 7-2 win at Currie Field on Saturday night.
For the Indians, it's their first championship since 2006.
"We grade ourselves on championships," said longtime member of the Indians Shawn Lee. "It's nice to win division championships like we have, but it all comes down to winning the championship."
Jason Oatman picked up the win, completing an undefeated (7-0) season. Joey Evans worked 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
For Regina, the most successful season in franchise history comes to an end. Making their first trip to the WMBL Final, the Red Sox also set a team record in regular season wins (29), and set the single game attendance record with 1,204 fans packed into Currie Field for Game Five of the East Final against Moose Jaw.
"I might be the only person to say this, but we weren't focused totally on winning this year," said Red Sox head coach Rob Cherepuschak. "We wanted to build quality people, and hoped the wins would follow. This season has been great."
The Western Major Baseball League season awards will be announced in the upcoming days, including the Old Dutch Most Valuable Player award.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Defending Champion Wenatchee AppleSox Take Opening Game Of WCL Championship Series
Posted by Andrew on 4:07 PM
Coach Ed Knaggs' Wenatchee AppleSox scored two runs in the first inning Saturday night at Vince Genna Stadium in Bend, and were never headed as they beat the Elks 4-2 in the opening game of the 2010 West Coast League Championship Series. AppleSox southpaw starter Michael McIver (St. Martins WA) kept the Elks off balance until the 6th inning as he gained the victory. A crowd of 3,158 was on hand as the Elks made their first WCL Championship Series appearance. The Elks now face the diffcult task of winning two games in Wenatchee. The AppleSox, strong on the road all season, are now 3-0 in the post-season, with two of the wins coming away from home. Game #2 of the best-of-three series is Monday night at Paul Thomas Field in Wenatchee. Left-hander Ben Guidos (Washington) will start for Bend, while right-hander Marco Gonzales (Gonzaga), who led the league in strikeouts, takes the ball for the AppleSox. Should game #3 be necessary, it'll be played Tuesday night in Wenatchee, with right-hander James Nygren (Oregon State) working for the Elks, and right-hander Zach Gallagher (Hawaii) going for the AppleSox. The AppleSox are a victory away from taking the West Coast League Championship for the second consecutive season. Wenatchee has appeared in five of the first six WCL Championship Series, winning three.
5-0 Victory Gives Forest City Second Straight Petitt Cup Title
Posted by Andrew on 4:04 PM
The top-seeded Forest City Owls (photo courtesy of Pat Grecinger) won their second Coastal Plain League Petitt Cup title in as many years after defeating the fifth-seeded Edenton Steamers 5-0 Saturday night at McNair Field.
A pair of two run homers and an added insurance run in the eighth propelled the Owls to another title to finish the season with an overall record of 43-21.
Jeremy Fant (Rice) fired the first six innings and surrendered four hits and two walks and Andrew Brown (Akron) did the rest allowing one hit over the final three innings. Brown was on the bottom of the pile near the pitcher’s mound after center fielder Mark Dvoroznak (West Virginia) caught Justin Roland’s fly ball to give the Owls the title.
Offensively Forest City were led by two run blasts off the bats of Brian Burton (Canisius) in the second and Will Skinner (Middle Tennessee State) in the subsequent inning to put the Owls ahead 4-0. A fifth Forest City run came home in the eighth when a wild pitch from Coty Saranthus (Delta State) while trying to intentionally walk Owls catcher Danny Canela (North Carolina State) allowed pinch runner Colin Durborow (West Virginia) to score.
Edenton starter Trey Mitchell (North Alabama) went only the first two plus innings due to an apparent injury but allowed four of the five Forest City runs to cross. Four Steamers relief pitchers allowed two hits for the remainder of the contest and gave up a run.
Edenton had forced the series to a decisive third game the night before with a 6-3 win over the Owls after Forest City won the opener at Edenton, but the Owls proved too much for the Steamers.
The Owls also become the second CPL team to win the Coastal Plain League title after hosting the league’s All-Star Game in the same season. McNair Field hosted the CPL All-Star Fan Fest and CPL All-Star Game in late July. The Wilmington Sharks did it in 1999.
Four other league teams - Wilmington (1998-99), Outer Banks (2002-03), Edenton (2004-05), and Thomasville - have repeated as champions, with the most recent club being the Thomasville Hi Toms, who won three consecutive titles from 2006 to 2008.
Friday, August 13, 2010
’Dogs bark the loudest in win over Huskies
Posted by Andrew on 10:51 AM
MANKATO — Mankato MoonDogs baseball manager Mike Orchard talked about his team’s struggle to show patience at the plate after a loss to St. Cloud Tuesday night in which the MoonDogs lacked offensive punch.
Two nights later, Orchard talked about a Mankato lineup that put together good at-bats, got hits and ran the bases well in a 6-1 win against Northwoods League opponent Duluth Thursday at Franklin Rogers Park.
Read the rest of this article here.
NWL Playoff Tie Breaker Information
Posted by Andrew on 7:45 AM
The NWL 2010 season is winding down and the playoff scenarios are abundant. There are eight teams within the North and South Division that have an opportunity to make the playoffs. The North Division has four teams atop the standings and are only separated by 2.0 games. The South Division also has four teams who are trailing the 1st Half Champion Eau Claire Express. The Express are one of the South Division playoff representatives while the other four teams are separated by 1.5 games.
The North Division has Willmar and St. Cloud tied in 1st place with Duluth and Brainerd just 2.0 games back. The Rochester Honkers are currently in 3rd place, but have one of two North playoff bids due to winning the 1st Half.
The South Division is a tighter race than North with the Eau Claire Express leading the Division. Wisconsin is currently 2nd in the Division with La Crosse (0.5), Madison (1.0) and Green Bay (1.5) just 0.5 to 1.5 games back, but would advance to the playoffs as Eau Claire’s 2nd Half standing is not used because they are the South representative for their 1st Half title.
With this many teams in playoff contention, the possibility of a tie breaker is evident. The NWL tie break scenario goes as follows:
‘A tie breaker will be used when teams have an identical winning percentage for a half season or a full season in determining home field advantage or divisional Champion for that respective half season. The tie breaker is as follows for determining a divisional half season Champion or divisional home field advantage’:
Head to Head winning percentage
Winning percentage vs. the next highest placed team in Division and so on throughout Division
Coin flip
If more than two teams have an identical winning percentage these steps will be used to eliminate teams and then revert to the beginning for the remaining two teams.
Currently, the Willmar Stingers and St. Cloud River Bats are tied atop the North Division at 18-12. According to the tie breaker, they would follow Head to Head winning percentage where the two teams are 5-5 against each other. Therefore, it would go to step two of the tie breaker, ‘winning percentage vs. the next highest placed team in Division’. The next highest placed team is the Rochester Honkers. St. Cloud’s record against Rochester is 3-4 with three games yet to play while Willmar’s record is 7-3. If the season ended with identical records for Willmar and St. Cloud, Willmar would be the playoff representative due to their Head to Head record against the next best opponent, Rochester.
Lomascolo, Homers Place Owls One Win Away From Repeating Title
Posted by Andrew on 7:41 AM
Nick Lomascolo had his best start as an Owl this summer and got plenty of run support behind him to put the Owls in good position to win their Petitt Cup Championship thanks to an 8-0 win over the Edenton Steamers at Hicks Field on Thursday night. The series shifts to Forest City, where the Owls need to win only one more game, either on Friday or Saturday night at McNair Field to repeat as Coastal Plain League champions.
Lomascolo saved his best for last for Forest City, tossing a complete game four-hitter and fanning nine in his final performance on the mound for the Owls. The lefty from Catawba College got off to a hot start, retiring 19 of the first 20 batters he would face, with the lone imperfection a single in the third. The furthest Lomascolo had gone in a game prior to game one of the championship series was a June 9 agaisnt Martinsville, in which the southpaw fired seven and 1/3 innings and struck out nine.
Forest City drew first blood when Will Skinner (Middle Tennessee State) in the third inning followed a two out four pitch walk by right fielder Tarran Senay (North Carolina State) with a two run home run to right center to give Forest City a 2-0 advantage. The Owls doubled their lead to 4-0 thanks to another two run blast, this off the bat of Senay to deep center field in the fifth. The third two run round tripper of the contest came in the next frame when Dusty Quattlebaum knocked a 1-0 offering into the right field scoreboard to push the cushion to six. Senay would add another long ball to center field, once again scoring two runs, to move the Owls ahead by eight.
The only trouble Lomascolo faced from the Steamers offense came in the eighth, when Edenton got a pair of singles to put runners on second and third, put the Owls pitcher got a strikeout and a pop out to end the peril. The final frame for Lomascolo went quickly, with the lefty’s only flaw a hit batsman.
Both teams now head to Forest City for the final two games of the series, with Forest City needing to win one in order to win the Coastal Plain League’s Petitt Cup for the second time in as many years. Last year the Owls defeated the Peninsula Pilots in two games to be crowned league champions for the first time in the franchise’s history. First pitch for both games are at 7:05 pm and tickets can be purchased by contacting the Forest City Owls at (828) 245-0000.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Fielding makes Ospreys' first league title doubly sweet
Posted by Andrew on 4:04 PM
The Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League championship trophy is topped by a gold-plated baseball player holding a bat. It might have been more fitting if the trophy featured a player wearing a glove, fielding a ground ball or turning a double play.
The North Fork Ospreys turned four double plays Sunday night to help themselves to the first league title in the club's two-year history. Back-to-back home runs by Rocco Gondek and David Jacob didn't hurt, either, accounting for four runs in the Ospreys' 5-4 victory over the Quakertown Blazers at Jean W. Cochran Park in Peconic.
Read the rest of this article here.
Bourne's repeat bid falls short in first round
Posted by Andrew on 3:18 PM
The Bourne Braves finished the 2009 season on top of the Cape Cod Baseball League and were trying to become the third team this decade to repeat as champions. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be as Wareham swept the Braves out of the playoffs in the first round with a 9-5 win on Friday, and a 3-2 extra inning win Saturday.
The Braves were down 2-0 going into the ninth inning Saturday when Zach MacPhee (Arizona State) and Mike Nemeth (UConn) each had RBI singles to send the game into extra innings. After a scoreless 10th, LJ Mazzilli (UConn) won the game for the Gatemen in the bottom of the 11th.
Read the rest of this entry here.
BlueSox Will Remain In Butler For 2011
Posted by Andrew on 3:04 PM
Leo Trich Jr., majority owner of the Butler BlueSox collegiate summer program, recently announced his intentions to sale his majority holding in the local team. The BlueSox are one of 15 teams competing in the Prospect League – an organization that stretches from Missouri to western PA.
“I have greatly enjoyed my involvement in the day-to-day operation of the BlueSox project but feel it is now time that a more ‘local face’ be associated with the team,” said Trich. “We have put together two very successful seasons, but I feel much more can be accomplished – especially with the foundation we have laid for the future. The folks in Butler have been great to me but I believe having true local ownership can only increase the chances for greater success”, he said.
Trich went on to site the travel distance he has – a 135 mile round-trip commute- from his home and family in Washington PA. “Having a person on location here in Butler just makes too much sense to ignore”, he said. “In the off season much more can be done to promote the team and the project and that is something that is pretty tough for me to do when I live out of the area”, Trich said.
“I have greatly enjoyed my experience here in Butler. The people I have met and worked with these past two years have become good friends and are individuals whom I have a great deal of respect for,” Trich said. “From the elected officials, to the business community, to the all important BlueSox fans who have supported us from day one – I owe a debt of gratitude”, he said.
Trich also pointed out it his sincere goal to sell to local investors, those who would be committed to keep the BlueSox in Butler. He has also offered to stay with the BlueSox as a minority owner and would be available to help the franchise in the up-coming season to make sure thetransition is smooth and productive. Trich met with his current partners, the stadium Authority, on August 11 and plans are underway to consider options that will keep the BlueSox here long-term. The Authority has the "first right of refusal" to purchase the team and keep it in Butler.
“I am convinced this only the beginning or a new long-term era for baseball at Pullman Park – BlueSox baseball. And it will be my goal to help establish the right ownership mix to make sure fans have something to cheer about and look forward to for many summers to come,” Trich concluded.
The Butler Recreation and Stadium Authority, currently holds a 40% “minority” interest in the BlueSox franchise. As such they have an option to purchase the team and will be given first right of refusal – prior to the team being sold out-right.
The BlueSox will be entering the 3rd year of a three year agreement which runs through the 2011 season.
Trich indicated that he hopes to have the new ownership group in place within the next 60 days, to try and make certain there is little or no disruption in planning activities for next summer.
Tribe Takes Game One of Finals
Posted by Andrew on 8:00 AM
Brady Hohl and Taylor Hunter made sure the Swift Current Indians got started quickly in their Western Major Baseball League championship series.
Hohl and Hunter, 1 and 2 in the Indians batting order, combined for six hits and four runs in a 7-1 Game One win over the Regina Red Sox on Wednesday night.
With the game tied 1-1 in the third inning, the Indians scored two runs on a two out single by Aaron Dunsmore. Dunsmore, making his first playoff start, finished with three RBI's.
The Tribe also put up two run innings in the sixth and eighth to cement the Game One win.
John Snyder went 6.2 innings allowing just one run on five hits to pick up the win. Jake Mitcheltree took the loss for Regina, hurling 5.2 innings allowing four runs on three days rest.
Game Two of the best-of-five championship series goes Thursday night in Swift Current. First pitch flies at 7:05.
ACBL Announces 2010 Awards
Posted by Andrew on 7:31 AM
Individual Awards
*Santy Gallone Most Valuable Player, Ken Gregory, Jersey Pilots
*Darrin Winston Most Valuable Pitcher Award, Mike Mandarino, Southampton Breakers
*Outstanding Relief Pitcher Award, co-winners, Cory Kent, Quakertown Blazers and D. J. Voisine, Westhampton Aviators
*Hitting Award, Ken Gregory, Jersey Pilots
*Slugging Award, Ken Gregory, Jersey Pilots
Bend And Wenatchee Will Meet In The 2010 West Coast League Championship Series
Posted by Andrew on 7:28 AM
The Bend Elks and the Wenatchee AppleSox both swept their Division Series opponents, and now prepare to meet in the WCL Championship Series. The Elks scored early and often Wednesday night in Corvallis, then held on for a 10-7 victory, sweeping the Knights, 2-0 in their West Division Series. In Wenatchee, the AppleSox rolled past the Kelowna Falcons 14-1 to sweep their East Division Series 2-0. Game #1 of the Championship Series is Saturday in Bend, with game #2 and game #3 if necessary to played in Wenatchee next Monday and Tuesday.
Chillicothe Paints walk off with title
Posted by Andrew on 7:25 AM
CHILLICOTHE -- It took 11 innings and two do-or-die comebacks to make it happen.
For that matter, it took 18 years and seven times of watching another team celebrate after beating the Paints in the championship game to make it happen.
Wednesday, with the Paints on the doorstep of another letdown with a title one game away, the heartache of a long-suffering franchise evaporated with one swing of Ian Nielsen's bat.
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