FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Grant Green Courtesy of Cape Cod Baseball League

DURHAM, N.C.-Louisiana State and Texas lead all schools by placing five players apiece on Baseball America’s top prospects lists for 19 different summer college leagues and Team USA. It’s the second straight year Texas has placed five players on BA’s summer lists. Read the rest of this entry »

Photograph courtesy Haymarket Joe Photography.

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Luray, the #2 seed, completed a three games to none sweep of #6 Covington with a 4-0 victory on Tuesday night at Bulldog Field in Luray, Va. to capture the 2008 Valley Baseball League Jim Lineweaver Cup as league champions.

Luray (37-15) dropped its first game in the playoffs against Harrisonburg before reeling off seven consecutive victories to capture its second championship. The Wranglers, who joined the league in 2001 along with Covington, were also crowned champs in 2006 and were making their third consecutive appearance in the championship series.

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#21 Josh Mcquade Staunton Braves

Thursday’s Games

Staunton 6, Winchester 1, Staunton wins series 2-1

Blake McDade’s three-run homer in the first inning staked Staunton to the early lead, and the Braves’ pitching did the rest Thursday, as Staunton rolled past the Winchester Royals 6-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Valley Baseball League playoffs. FULL STORY

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Tyler Townsend Courtesy: Alex J. Hernandez

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

While the regular season ended in May, several Golden Panthers are still taking swings and toeing the rubber as they take part in summer ball.

Tyler Townsend has led the way this summer, putting up terrific numbers for the Winchester Royals of the Valley Baseball League. FIU’s leading home run hitter in 2008 has posted a .405 average while slugging 11 homers, hitting 12 doubles, driving in 34 and getting on base at a .512 clip. Townsend’s outstanding numbers earned him an All-Star nod.

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VBL Week Eight Players of the Week

Tyler Townsend - FIU

Tyler Townsend, Winchester, 1B, So., Lewes, Del. (Florida International)

Townsend had an impressive last week with a batting average of .565, 10 runs scored, 13 hits, six doubles, one triple, one home run, nine RBIs and 24 total bases in 23 at bats. His slugging percentage was 1.043 with a .643 on-base percentage. The Golden Panther also used his speed to successfully steal five bases. Among the league last week, Townsend ranked second in batting average, first in slugging percentage, first in on-base percentage, first in runs scored, tied for first for hits, tied for second in RBIs, first in doubles, first in total bases and tied for second in stolen bases. For the season, Townsend is leading his team in the following; batting average with .405, runs scored with 36, hits with 53, doubles with 12, home runs with 11, total bases with 100, slugging percentage with .763, on-base percentage with .512 and tied for RBIs with 34. He leads the league in batting, slugging and on-base percentage.
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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
Waynesboro defeated Luray to wrap up the top overall seed and the unsettled #7 spot went to Harrisonburg with a home victory over Covington as the regular season wrapped up in the Valley Baseball League Monday night, setting the stage for the playoffs to begin on Tuesday. Read the rest of this entry »

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Max Most, Staunton, OF, Jr., Port Washington, N.Y. (Old Dominion)
Most was an on-base machine for the Braves, reaching safely in 20 of 29 plate appearances for a .690 on-base percentage. The ODU Monarch led the league with a .571 batting average, going 12-for-21 with two doubles. He scored seven runs, drove in four, and led the league with eight walks. Adding to his arsenal, Most also shared the league lead with six steals. For the season, he is batting .364 with 25 runs, 10 doubles, 15 RBIs, 21 walks, 19 steals, and a .447 on-base percentage. Read the rest of this entry »

VBL Week Six Pitchers of the Week

Josh Squatrito

Josh Squatrito, Staunton, RHP, Jr., Willow Street, Pa. (Towson)

Squatrito, from Towson, pitched three scoreless innings last week, holding opponents to one hit while striking out seven of 10 batters faced. The Tiger recorded three saves to share the league lead for the week and had an opponent batting average of .100.  For the season, Squatrito is 1-2 with a 0.92 ERA, seven saves, 17 hits allowed,  and an opponent batting average of .235 in 19 2/3 innings pitched.  Of his 59 outs recorded, 49 have been by strikeout.
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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
Beginning with the 2009 season, the Valley Baseball League will field 12 teams with the addition of the Rockbridge Rapids. The announcement was made in a special ceremony on Friday, July 11, 2008 in Lexington, Va.

The Rockbridge Rapids will be based in Lexington and will play home games under the newly installed lights at Cap’n Dick Smith Field on the historic campus of Washington and Lee University. The name Rockbridge comes from Rockbridge County in Virginia, which includes the neighboring cities of Lexington and Buena Vista. Read the rest of this entry »

VBL Week Five Pitchers of the Week

Chris Greiner, Haymarket Senators, RHP, So., West Hartford, Conn. (Hartford)

The sophomore from Hartford pitched a complete game in a 5-1 win over Harrisonburg last week. He had an ERA of 1.00 while allowing six hits with 11 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .182. He ranked first in the league this week for strikeouts. Greiner now has an ERA of 2.45 and is 2-1 for the season. In 36 2/3 innings pitched he has 41 strikeouts and 29 hits against him and one save.

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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
COVINGTON, Va., July 6, 2008 – Harrisonburg first baseman Michael Precise (Troy) hit a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to clinch a 5-5 tie in the 2008 Valley Baseball League All-Star Game at Covington’s Casey Field.

VBL rules do not allow extra innings in all-star games. The tie is the second in the last three years as the 2006 contest was also a tie. The exhibition affair featured 30 total position players and 21 pitchers. Read the rest of this entry »

Manager: Lawrence Nesselrodt (Waynesboro)

Assistant Coaches: Andy Chalot (Covington), Bob Wease (Harrisonburg), Nolan Neiman (New Market), Lance Mauck (Staunton)

Manager: Mike Bocock (Luray)

Assistant Coaches: Paul Koch (Fauquier), Bob Brotherton (Front Royal), Bill Shields (Haymarket), John Lowery (Winchester), Donn Foltz (Woodstock)

Drew Rucinski, Luray Wranglers, RHP, Fr. Broken Arrow, Okla. (Ohio State)

Rucinski, a right-handed freshman from Ohio State, had a notable week with eight strikeouts and three hits, all singles, against him while pitching seven innings with a .136 opponent batting average. Rucinski did not allow a run to share the league lead with a 0.00 ERA for the week. For the season, Rucinski has an era of 1.77 and 21 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings pitched. Read the rest of this entry »

VBL Week Three Pitchers of the Week

Adam Liberatore, Waynesboro Generals, LHP, Jr., Monaca, Pa. (Tennessee Tech)

Liberatore, a left-handed junior from Tennessee Tech, ended his week with an impressive 18 strikeouts and only six hits against him while pitching 13 1/3 innings. He was credited with two victories, both combined shutouts, in the two games that he started. He was the only VBL pitcher to earn two wins last week. The Golden Eagle soared high this week while his opponents had a combined batting average of .125 in 48 at bats. Liberatore is now 3-0 with a 0.62 era and 32 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched. Read the rest of this entry »