Southern Collegiate Baseball League

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Statesville Owls win season opener

The Statesville Owls win their season opener 7-6 against the always tough Chaos.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/baseball/index.php?liveid=carolinachaos&recordid=28138

 

The home opener for the Lake Norman Copperheads vs. Carolina Chaos tonight at 7:00 has been cancelled due to rain. The two teams will make up the game as part of a DH next Wednesday when the Copperheads travel to Clemson.

 

Statesville Owls Game 1

Heads up defensive play punctuates Owls' opening win







Read Brown



By: Brian Meadows | Statesville Record & Landmark
Published: June 05, 2012 Updated: June 05, 2012 - 6:51 PM
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Statesville catcher Read Brown made a great read and it helped the Owls preserve a 7-6 season-opening win Monday night in Clemson, S.C., over the Carolina Chaos.
The Chaos had the game-tying run at second base in the bottom of the ninth inning. Zach Kurzejeski tried to steal third unsuccessfully. Brown threw him out to end the game.
“Not sure why he was stealing, but Read Brown made a great play behind the plate,” Owls coach Aaron Bray said. “(Third baseman) Jace Whitley did a great job getting to the bag. That’s not the way I would want it to end if I’m the other coach, but it worked out to our advantage.”
Brown is a first-time Owls member. The Indian Trail native, who played high school ball at Providence Day, red-shirted at Palm Beach Atlantic University this season and said he will transfer, although he’s not yet sure where.
He was 0 for 3 batting Monday, but that didn’t keep him from having an impact on the game’s outcome.
“Read Brown did really well behind the plate,” Bray said. “He called a good game. He hasn’t caught in a year. He’s transferring out, so he didn’t play at all this year. I think (the Chaos) advanced on two balls the whole game, and they weren’t even passed balls. He blocked them up. They just got a little too far away to make a play.”
Right fielder Daniel Massey (Brown), center fielder Connor Shomig (Northern Illinois) and Whitley (Winthrop) carried the offense Monday with two hits apiece. Schomig drove in a pair of runs, too. Whitley and second baseman Derek Gallello (Charlotte) each recorded one RBI.
Stephen Gilmore pitched 2 1/3 relief innings for the win. The right-hander from Gardner-Webb struck out two and didn’t allow a hit after replacing starter Hunter May (Pitt Community College) with two outs in the fifth inning.
Statesville scored once in the sixth and seventh innings and added three runs in the top of the eighth to pull ahead 7-2 before staving off the Chaos’ comeback bid.
“It was good to see what the guys did kind of under pressure there at the end,” Bray said. “Nobody really tightened up and went and hid in a cubbyhole. They battled through, and they played well.”
The Owls haven’t lost a Southern Collegiate Baseball League opener since joining the league in 2010. They look for another 2-0 start Wednesday night, when they travel to Morganton for a 7 p.m. game against the Aggies (1-0). Despite only five hits, Morganton downed SCBL newcomer Ballantyne 3-0 in its opener Monday night.
Statesville hopes to use Monday’s performance as a springboard. The Owls outhit the Chaos 10-6, committed fewer errors and stole seven bases.
“We’re going to give some other guys some looks (today) with it being early to see who can do what, but we were aggressive on the bases (Monday), and that’s the way we’re going to play,” Bray said. “Guys got good leads and great jumps, and it opened some holes.
“The kids aren’t used to playing with each other, and two weeks off (since their college seasons ended) is like a year not playing, so seeing a live arm again may have had them a little off balance. But we couldn’t ask for anything better as a first game.”

 

Ballentyne Smokies vs. Morganton Aggies

The Ballentyne Smokies (formerly the Carolina Stingers) opened up the 2012 SCBL season against the defending western division champions, the Morganton Aggies. At the end of the night, the Aggies came out the 3-0 victor. The stands at Ardrey Kell were packed with fans hungry to watch some good baseball and that's exactly what they got. The only runs of the game came courtesy of a pair of Aggie homeruns in the 4th inning. Both starters, Olen Little for the Smokies and Justin Johnson for the Aggies, pitched great in their 2012 season debut. Johnson went 4 strong innings with only one walk and two strikeouts while Little (East Meck/Wingate U) went 5 innings only giving up 3 earned runs off 3 hits, 2 walks, and a game high 3 strikeouts. Weston Lawing and Brandon Harris were the only two Smokies to record hits on the night. Parker Lang, Ben Keane, and Grant Fisher all looked great out of the pen allowing 0 runs while striking out 3 Aggie hitters. The Smokies hope to wake up the bats in their next game at Pineville.

 

Great report guys....let's keep the information going all summer long!!!!

 

Ouch!!

Statesville Owls took one on the chin last night from a very tough Aggies team, too many errors and pitching from behind in the count lead to a lopsided game. But there was a silver lining, the Owls coaching staff got to see a lot of players giving them the opportunity to evaluate what they need to work on and how they would react.
The Owls remain on the road and will play a double header Friday against the Copperheads before finally getting home for their first home game, a double header Saturday against the Asheville Redbirds. First game starts at 5:00. Hope to see you there!!! And remember, return a foul ball to the concession stand and enjoy a FREE ICY!!!!

 

Smokies Take Down the Pioneers

Smokings Beat Defending Champions

The Ballantyne Smokies made history last night by earning their first ever win against the defending 2011 SCBL Champion Pineville Pioneers from Jack Hughes Park in downtown Pineville.

The Smokies were able to get the bats going after only having two hits in their team debut Monday night, and got four hits to cruise to a 4-1 victory over the Pioneers.

The Pioneers pitching struggled last night after it propelled them to win the SCBL World Series last year. The Smokies were able to draw seven walks off of five Pioneer pitchers last night. Tyler Minnich, the southpaw from Lagrange, Ohio who led the Carolina Stingers last year in wins with three, got the nod against the pioneers and only allowed two hits, one unearned run, one walk and three strikeouts in four strong innings of work. The Pioneers drew first blood in the bottom of the 1st inning after Ryan Allen drew a leadoff walk, stole second base, and eventually scored off the error from the Smokies’ second baseman Brantley Rumford that took a tricky hop off the bat of Tony Brander. However, that would be the Pioneers’ lone run of the game.

The offense for the Smokies scored their team's first ever run in the top of the third inning off of reliever Kevin Joo as the Smokies sent seven men up to the plate in the third. The run was scored by a bases loaded walk to the Smokies’ shortstop Shane Basen. The Smokies would then add on two more runs in the fourth off of a two run home run from right fielder Brandon Harris. Harris blasted his first home run of the year on a 2-0 pitch hitting the ball well over the right center field fence. The Smokies scored the final run of the game in the 6th inning as they brought five batters to the plate and squaring up two singles. Dan Johnson then delivered a two out rbi single scoring Brandon Harris from second base. Harris was the hero offensively for Ballantyne going 1-4 at the plate, scoring two runs, picked up his second stolen base of the year and his first home run of the 2012 SCBL season.

To go along with the great offensive numbers, it was the bullpen for the Smokies that did great work as well. The Smokies’ pen consisting of Wade Marcy, Ben Keane, and Grant Fisher combined for two hits, no runs, one walk, and ten strikeouts. The win went to Wade Marcy, the freshman out of Acworth, GA who came in for Tyler Minnich and worked the 5th and 6th innings picking up a game high five strikeouts. Marcy struck out the side in the bottom of the 6th inning. Keane went two innings, allowing one hit and two strikeouts, while Grant Fisher picked up his first save of the season, striking out the side in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Smokies’ their first win.

With the win, the Smokies improve to 1-1 on the season, and Pineville falls to 0-1 on the year. The Smokies will make the final stop of the three game road trip with a long road trip to Asheville this Friday. They will take on the Asheville Redbirds for a double header on Friday night. The Smokies then return home to take on the Lake Norman Copperheads at Ardrey Kell High school on Saturday for a doubleheader at 5:00 and 7:30 p.m. The first game with the Redbirds starts at 5:00, followed by the second game at 7:30.

Listen Live to all Smokies’ games at www.ballantynesmokies.com.

 

Smokies vs. Pioneers

The Ballantyne Smokies earned their first ever win against the defending 2011 SCBL Champion Pineville Pioneers Tuesday night. The Smokies were able to get the bats going after having only two hits in their team debut Monday night. At Pineville, they got four hits in their 4-1 victory over the Pioneers. Tyler Minnich, the southpaw from Lagrange, only allowed two hits, one unearned run, one walk and three strikeouts in four strong innings of work. The Smokies scored their first run on a bases loaded walk to shortstop Shane Basen. The Smokies would then add on two more runs in the fourth off of a two run home run from right fielder Brandon Harris. Dan Johnson would add an RBI single later in the game. The bullpen for the Smokies did great work as well. The Smokies’ pen, consisting of Wade Marcy, Ben Keane, and Grant Fisher, combined for two hits, no runs, one walk, and ten strikeouts. The win went to Wade Marcy, the freshman out of Acworth, GA who had a game high five strikeouts. Grant Fisher picked up his first save of the season, striking out the side in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Smokies’ their first win. With the win, the Smokies improve to 1-1 on the season, and Pineville falls to 0-1. The Smokies will travel to Asheville this Friday to take on the Asheville Redbirds for a double header. The Smokies then return home to take on the Lake Norman Copperheads at Ardrey Kell High school on Saturday for a doubleheader at 5:00 and 7:30 p.m.

 

Owls display comeback ability, earn split with Redbirds

The Statesville Owls nearly pulled off a doubleheader sweep Saturday but settled for a split in their Southern Collegiate Baseball League home opener against the Asheville Redbirds when its second of two seventh-inning rallies fell short.
The Owls scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game, 4-3. They scored four two-out runs in their last at-bat in the second game and brought the tying run to the plate before losing 7-5.
“If you keep it below a five-run deficit it seems you’re always within reach,” said Owls first baseman Chris DiVarco, who belted the game-tying home run in the seventh of the opener. “We showed in the second game we could get back in it, too. If it’s one of our nine-inning games, maybe we win.”
Perhaps. On the strength of six runs scored with two outs, Asheville nursed a 7-1 lead in the seventh. The Redbirds removed starter Ryan Woodring in favor of Joey Duncan. Woodring departed after holding Statesville to one run on five hits, and he had six strikeouts.
Duncan got the first two outs before an error triggered a comeback. Owls catcher Patric King (Charlotte) followed with a single, and then Duncan hit two batters to load the bases and score a run. Statesville second baseman Derek Gallello (Charlotte) emptied the bags with his three-run double to the gap in right-center field.
Daniel Massey (Brown) came to the plate representing the tying run, but Duncan coaxed him into a groundout to end the game.
The Owls (2-4) committed two errors in the Redbirds’ three-run fifth that allowed them to surge to a 6-1 advantage. Andrew Kirkland (UNC Asheville) provided the offense in that frame with his two-out, three-run homer.
“We’ve just got to clean up a few things,” Owls coach Matt Payne said.
Asheville starter Chip Helton (UNC Greensboro) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning of the first game before the momentum temporarily shifted. Owls third baseman Jace Whitley (Winthrop) broke up the no-hitter with his double down the right-field line after Massey’s fielder choice scored a run. A wild pitch plated Massey from third to tie the game at 2-all.
Owls starting pitcher Brennan Daniels (Brevard) was equally impressive in the first game, but the Statesville native gave up a go-ahead solo home run to Redbirds’ catcher Nicolas Collazo (Miami-Dade College) in the top of the seventh. Daniels threw 6 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and one walk. He struck out seven.
Collazo’s bomb took the wind out of the Owls’ sails but not permanently.
DiVarco (Northern Illinois) gave them new life in their last at-bat with a leadoff home run on a 2-2 pitch from Asheville reliever Dustin Haithcox.
“I’ve been struggling,” DiVarco said. “I stuck with it, compacted my swing and tried to see a little more pitches. I was able to take advantage of one he left up in the zone.”
The Owls weren’t done. Shortstop Henry Rundio (Gardner-Webb) drew a walk and then catcher Nathan Mann (Brown) and center fielder Connor Schomig (Northern Illinois) laid down bunts Asheville (2-4) had trouble with to load the bases.
“It was good to see us execute in those situations,” Payne said.
Doug Pruette (Belmont Abbey) delivered a one-out sacrifice fly to score the winning run from third.
The Owls are back home Monday against the Carolina Chaos of Clemson, S.C. The nine-inning game at Statesville High begins at 7 p.m. The Owls defeated the Chaos 7-6 in their season opener.