FROM PRESS RELEASE
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team, which finished tied for fourth in the Conference USA standings last season, wrapped up its 33-day fall camp this past weekend. The Blazers return 19 letterwinners from last season’s club and have added 14 newcomers. UAB head coach Brian Shoop said overall he was pleased with the camp and progression of the returning veterans.

“They are all better and more comfortable,” Shoop said. “Ryan Keedy is significantly better and has been a model for what we wanted this fall. (Jonathan) Merritt’s much better after playing about 35 games up in the Northwood League this past summer and I think (Brint) Hardy’s a lot better.”

In the team’s seven-game Green vs. Gold series this fall, Keedy, a senior first baseman, hit .429 with an RBI and three walks, while Hardy hit .417 with three runs scored, a double and one triple.

The Green club won the series 4-2-1.

Junior catcher/infielder Allen Aubin shined in the series, batting .500 with two RBI, two doubles and a home run, while fellow Green teammate Austin Taylor, a junior outfielder in his first season with the Blazers, hit .667 with an RBI and three walks.

Another newcomer that had a strong series was freshman infielder Nick Crawford, who hit .333 with a pair of walks and runs scored, in addition to playing superior defense.

“Nick Crawford has such energy and passion and he probably led us in fielding percentage this fall. A lot of schools backed off of recruiting Nick because he’s so small (5-7, 145 lbs), but we’ve been the fortunate beneficiaries of that because those schools missed, he’s a very good player,” Shoop said. “Austin Taylor had a very good offensive fall, but he’s going to need to defend better.”

The Blazers not only showed improvements at the plate this fall, but also on the mound. Shoop said he was pleased with the progress of the staff and believes he has some first-year arms that will be able to contribute in the upcoming 2008 season.

“Kyle Roberson had a very good fall and it’s important that he carries that over to the spring,” Shoop said. “Mitch (Kloskowski) was super in the fall as well. Our veterans were almost a man better than a year ago and that’s the natural progression you hope for.”

Roberson struck out three in three innings and allowed just one run in his fall series start, while his counterpart, Kloskowski, also struck out three and allowed one run in three innings in earning a tie.

Senior right-hander Brandon Flaherty allowed no runs and struck out five batters in his start, while fellow senior Brandon Wallace nearly mirrored that performance, striking out five in allowing just one run in his three innings.

Two new arms Shoop was impressed with during fall camp were those of junior transfers Beau Pender and Johnny Volk. Pender, who is coming back from injury, saw limited action in the Green vs. Gold series, while Volk pitched three innings, struck out two and issued no walks.

“Pender is a legitimate Conference USA weekend guy so we need him to come back healthy for us,” Shoop said. “Volk throws a lot of strikes and has an unorthodox delivery which makes him effective and he is a very competitive kid.”

The Blazers will begin winter training on Feb. 1, 2008.

The UNLV Rebels played Game 3 of their Scarlet-Gray World Series on Tuesday. The Gray team won their first game of the series on Tuesday by a score of 4-1. The Gray team got excellent pitching from a trio of pitchers. Steven Rinaudo started and went 4.1 innings while giving up only two hits. Adam Moser followed him to the mound and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings before Thomas Whittsett closed out the game by allowing one run in the seventh inning. The Gray team was led on offense by Michael Brenly (son of Bob Brenly) who went 2-4 including a triple. Braden Walker went 1-2 for the Scarlet team. Brenly and Walker are battling for the starting position behind the plate in 2008. We have linked below all the recaps and box scores from the Fall World Series below.

Game 1 Recap
Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Recap
Photo Gallery

Game 3 Recap
Game 3 Box Score

The FAU Owls are finishing up the Fall season on Friday November 9th when they host a Scout Day for their final practice. The team played a three game intrasquad scrimmage where the Blue team won three straight games. They were led by assistant coach John McCormack who defeated fellow assistant coach Norberto Lopez. There is a full recap of each game available by clicking here.

The USC Trojans baseball squad has put the finishing touches on Fall Workouts with a three game intrasquad scrimmage. The Gold squad defeated the Cardinal squad two games to one. Game 1 was won by the Cardinal team by a score of 5-2 with the Gold team winning the final two games by scores of 17-6 and 6-2. The star for the Gold team was Nick Buss who went 6-12 with four stolen bases. Buss was named the MVP of the historic Alaska Baseball League this summer. The Cardinal team struggled at the plate with NC State transfer Mike Roskopf leading them by going 3-12. The full recap of the scrimmages is available here.

The Florida State Seminoles have finished up Fall practice this week with a two Garnet vs. Gold games.

The Garnet team won Game 1 with a 9-0 shutout of the Gold Team in five innings. Matt Fairel picked up the victory by going three innings while allowing only three hits and two walks. Buster Posey also pitched a shutout inning while allowing one hit. Jack Posey (Buster’s brother) led the offense with three RBI’s. Jimmy Marshall of the Gold team came in to pitch the third inning but was lit up for six runs (one earned) while walking four batters. The Gold offense was led by Ruairi O’Connor who went 2-2.

Game 1 Recap
Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 was won by the Garnet team with a 7-5 victory to complete the sweep. They were led by Tennessee transfer Tony Delmonico who went 2-3 with two RBI. Mike McGee (Garnet team) chipped in with three hits in the victory. Elih Villanueva pitched three perfect innings with two strikeouts with Mike McGee picking up the victory on the mound by pitching two perfect innings. Trenton Jarvis had the best day on the mound for the Gold team by pitching two scoreless inning while allowing only one hit. Dennis Guinn led the Gold offense with a three run homer in the fourth inning.

Game 2 Recap
Game 2 Box Score

The White squad posted a 7-2 win in the finale of the University of Texas Fall World Series at The Dell Diamond on Friday and won the series 2-0-1.

The Orange struck first when Russell Moldenhauer launched a solo home run over the leftfield wall in the bottom of the first inning.

The White responded with two runs in the top of the third inning when Kyle Russell hit a triple down the first base line bringing in Tant Shepherd and Russell scored on single by Cameron Rupp for the 2-1 lead.

Connor Rowe knotted the bottom of the third with triple to leftfield, plating Brandon Belt who reached on a walk.

Russell hit his second triple of the game in the top of the fourth bringing in Ben Kaplan, Pat McCrory and Jordan Danks to stake the White to a 5-2 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, the White added two insurance runs when McCrory hit a two-out, two-run to inflate the cushion to 7-2.

McCrory lead all hitters going 3-for-5 with two singles, one home run and 2 RBI.

Cole Green earned the win for the White allowing two runs in four innings and Garrett Clyde pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn the save.

The Fall World Series wrapped up UT’s autumn practice session and the Longhorns return to action February 22 with a three-game home series against Virginia Commonwealth University.

For the rest of my pictures from the game CLICK HERE.

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The Orange and White played to a 5-5 tie in game one of the three-game Fall World Series Wednesday afternoon at The Dell Diamond.

The White drew first blood in the top of the first inning as Michael Torres scored on a wild pitch. Torres reached first with a single up the middle, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a groundout by Tant Shepherd.

The Orange bounced back in the bottom of the first inning. Travis Tucker hit a leadoff home run to leftfield to tie the score at 1-1. With one out, Russell Moldenhauer and Kevin Keyes both singled and an error put the runners on second and third. Todd Gilfillan singled to centerfield bringing in Moldenhuaer and Keyes, staking the Orange to a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the second inning, Jeff Boes trimmed the lead to 3-2, hitting a solo home run to leftfield.

The fourth inning saw the White take a 5-3 lead when Cameron Rupp homered to leftfield driving in Shepherd and Kyle Russell, who reached on a walk and single, respectively.

The Orange trimmed the margin to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Walks by David Hernandez and Keyes sandwiched around a single by Moldenhauer loaded the bases. Belt drew a walk to drive in Hernandez.

The Orange tied the game with a sacrifice fly by Hernandez plating Runey Davis. Davis drew a walk and the Orange loaded the bases when Clint Stubbs was hit by a pitch and Tucker was issued a walk.

Boes led the White, going 2-for-3 with one double and one home run. Tucker and Moldenhauer each had two hits for the Orange.

Keith Shinaberry was the pitching standout of the day, weaving three innings of scoreless relief. He yielded two hits and one walk, while striking out four.

The Fall World Series continues with a 4 p.m. contest at The Dell Diamond. Link

The Vanderbilt Commodores finished up the Black and Gold Scrimmage over the weekend with the Gold team winning Game 1 by a score of 7-4. The Gold team was led by All-American Pedro Alvarez who went 2-4 including a homer with 2 RBI. Nick Christiani started the game for the Gold team going five strong innings while only allowing two hits to get the victory. Brett Jacobsen started for the Black squad and lasted five innings while giving up three runs on six hits. The leading hitter for the Black team was Parker Hanks who went 2-4. Game 2 was won by the Black team 7-4. The team was led by a very strong pitching performance from Mike Minor who pitched five no-hit innings while allowing only one walk to dominate the Gold lineup. Parker Hanks led the Black team again with three hits and three RBI in five at-bats. Dominic de la Osa led the Gold team in a losing effort by going 2-3. The final and deciding game on Sunday was won by the Gold team 6-2. The team was led on offense by Gabe Ortiz who went 2-4 with 3 RBI. We have linked to interviews and recaps from each day of the Fall Series below.

Game 1: Recap
Game 1″ Box Score
Game 1: Photo Gallery
Game 1: Interview with Nick Christiani

Game 2: Recap
Game 2: Box Score
Game 2: Interview with Tim Corbin

Game 3: Recap
Game 3: Box Score
Game 3: Interview with Tim Corbin
Game 3: Interview with De la Osa

FROM PRESS RELEASE
The University of Texas baseball squad dropped an exhibition game to Texas State University, 4-3, Friday afternoon at The Dell Diamond in Round Rock.

For the rest of my pictures click HERE.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss baseball coach Corky Palmer has announced that the annual Black and Gold game will be held this Saturday (Oct. 27), at 1:30 p.m., at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.

The game will conclude the Golden Eagles five weeks of fall practice and give fans a sneak preview of the 2008 squad. Nineteen letterwinners return from last year’s squad that finished 39-21 - 14-10 in Conference USA, which was good for 3rd place - and reached the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season.

“This game is for our kids, and gives them a chance to play in front of the community as well as the parents and our fans,” said Southern Miss coach Corky Palmer. “From what I have seen this fall, we have a good pitching staff and some offensive threats. Our seven through nine (spots in the order) could be a problem. At this point, I have no idea who is going to play third (base) or leftfield going into the year as those positions are up for grabs, but the rest of the positions are pretty solid.”

The Golden Eagles also went through the fall without the services of two of its players, including senior Trey Sutton (Hattiesburg, Miss.) and junior James Ewing (Beaumont, Texas). Sutton has not participated in any of the fall drills because of a left knee injury that he sustained in last year’s Conference USA tournament, while Ewing has been limited to defensive duties only due to a back injury.

Palmer, though, has lauded the pitching he has seen this fall including senior Barry Bowden (Vidalia, La.), senior David Clark (Columbia, Miss.) and junior transfer from LSU-Eunice, Josh Billeaud (Scott, La.), while the 10th-year coach has also seen some bright spots in his freshman class.

“Anthony Doss (Brandon, Miss.) and Austin Davis (Meridian, Miss.) have played real well and am real happy with the way they have played as true freshmen.”

Here is the CBB Fall Ball update for October 24th. Click on the links below for the full articles.

Utah: Wrapping up Fall workouts
Wright State: Fall World Series Update
Vanderbilt: Feinberg Interview
UNLV: Beuerlein Right in Line
Washington: Fall World Series Update
Oregon State: Fall World Series Update from Daily Barometer
LSU: Gold takes Game 2 of Intersquad Series from Daily Reveille

After two weekend games, the best-of-five Purple-White World Series is tied at one game all.

Each team had impressive showings in its respective victories, with the Purple-clad Horned Frogs taking game one, 7-2. The White team answered with a 7-0 win Saturday.

Head coach Jim Schlossnagle said he liked the way freshman second baseman Aaron Schultz looked at the plate for the White team through the first two games. Schultz had a hit in each game.

On the pitching side, Saturday’s starters, freshman right-hander Greg Holle and sophomore left-hander Derek VerHagen, stood out for Schlossnagle.

Holle pitched 4 2-3 innings and allowed two hits and two walks in the shutout for the White team during game two. VerHagen received no run support, surrendering two runs on four hits for the Purple team. The lefty also had seven strikeouts.

For the Purple team, sophomore right-hander Tyler Lockwood racked up five innings in relief of junior right-hander Andrew Cashner, a transfer from Angelina College.

Article

Game 1 Recap

Game 2 Recap

The University of Miami Hurricanes played another scrimmage on Saturday evening against Barry University. The Hurricanes picked up a 13-6 victory. The Hurricanes were led by sophomore Ryan Jackson who went 2-3 with three RBI. Eric Erickson pitched three shutout innings in the game to continue to hold his spot as the Canes number 1 starter. The full recap is available here.

The Miami Hurricanes welcomed Indian River Community College to Mark Light Field Friday night. The Hurricanes picked up a 12-5 victory in a ten inning scrimmage. The Hurricanes used Enrique Garcia for three innings where he struck out five batters. Southridge High School graduate Iden Nazario hit a three run homer for Canes to lead the offensive attack with Mark Sobolewski chipping in with three runs. The full recap is available here.

The Notre Dame Baseball program has ended the Blue-Gold series with the Gold team winning two out of the three games. The Notre Dame Media Relations department has recaps of each game which can be read by clicking on the respective games.

Game 1
Game 2
Game 3

The Notre Dame Media Relations department has also released a recap of the summer league action from the ND baseball players. It can be read by clicking here.