SCOTIA — Matt Gallup pulled a hamstring near the end of his varsity baseball season at Christian Brothers Academy this spring, which nearly derailed his dream of securing a Division I college scholarship.

A strong fall season with the South Troy Dodgers, however, put him back on the radar of college coaches and a visit to the Stony Brook University campus clinched his decision.

Gallup, a Scotia native and a senior at CBA, has made a verbal commitment to pitch for Stony Brook beginning in 2012.

A right-handed pitcher who features a curveball and a changeup and whose fastball tops out at 89 miles per hour, Gallup posted a 3-0-1 record and 26 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched this fall for the Dodgers.

Gallup had previously committed to Liberty University prior to his hamstring injury and picked Stony Brook over Monmouth and a number of Northeast Conference schools.

Trevor LaCosse, a left-handed pitcher, who like Gallup is a senior at CBA, recently made a verbal commitment to pitch for Bryant University. 

LaCosse, a Watervliet native, appeared in 10 games for the Dodgers this fall, collecting two wins and posting 30 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. He appeared in the 2010 Don Mattingly 17-and-under American Amateur Baseball Congress World Series with the Dodgers in the summer.

Steve Basile, another member of the class of 2011 at CBA, made his verbal commitment to Iona College two weeks ago.

Gallup, who previously attended Schenectady Christian School, believes Mike Urbanski, the fourth member of the Brothers’ pitching staff, is also close to making his college decision.

CBA, which finished in second place in the Big 10 Conference behind La Salle Institute in 2010, advanced to the Section II Class AA quarterfinals before losing to South Colonie, 5-0.

“This year is going to be a big year, too,” Gallup said. “We only lost two guys from last year.”

Three other South Troy Dodgers players have also recently made verbal commitments. 

Nick Cioffi, a right-handed pitcher and Averill Park native, chose Towson University in Maryland. 

Patrick Zilberman, a left-handed pitcher at Niskayuna High School senior, picked Central Connecticut State.

Branden Cogswell, a senior shortstop at Shenendehowa, will play for the University of Virginia.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
YouTube Channel
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR
High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

The view behind home plate at Albany's fabled Bleecker Stadium during the 2010 old-timer's day celebration this past August. (Photo by John Whipple - for The Record).

ALBANY -- The Albany Twilight League has announced its 2010 Hall of Fame class which will be inducted at the League’s annual Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 13th at 6 pm at the Polish American Citizens Club in Albany.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees are Pitcher/Infielder Brian Brown, infielder Dan Conway, and Pitcher/Outfielder Tim Shepardson. Spearheaded by a nomination from the ATL Veterans Association, the League also voted to induct just its second team ever into the Hall of Fame. This year the Oppenheim Post VFW 1019, a top tier franchise in the League for 34 years from the 1950’s through the 1980’s, will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A committee of league officers and commissioners voted the four inductees from a field of nominations made following the 2010 season. A player, officer or coach is eligible for induction after two full seasons of being retired.

Brown, a current Schenectady resident, played in the league from 1970-1979 and 1982-83 as a pitcher and infielder with Schaffer’s Brewers, Cocca’s Diner and the Sons of Italy. He was a four-time All Star and was the 1977 League MVP hitting .405 and going 5-1 on the mound. Brown was a key player for the 1982 Sons of Italy League Champions and ranks among the career hitting leaders with a .382 batting average, 53 RBI, and 12 homers in just 199 career at-bats.

Conway, a 1972 free agent draft selection by the Kansas City Royals, played shortstop and second base for the Oppenheim Post throughout the 1970’s. He was a perennial All Star and catalyst on five League Champion Oppenheim teams. Conway notched a career high batting average of .394 in the 1979 season, and tallied a .297 career average with 47 RBI, 7 home runs, and 66 runs scored.

Shepardson was a pitcher and outfielder with Finkle’s Jewelers, Burger King, the Sons of Italy and Apex Printing from 1982-85 and 1988-91. He was selected League Rookie of the Year in 1982 for hitting .385 and having a 4-2 pitching record that year. Shepardson was a four-time All Star hitting a career best .352 in 1984 and was a key player on the 1989 Apex Printing team that advanced to the AABC World Series in Battle Creek, MI. Shepardson holds a career batting average of .323 with 92 RBI, 17 home runs, and 73 runs in 349 at bats.

The Oppenheim Post team will be just the second Twilight team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The team achieved excellence from 1955-1988 winning 10 league titles, seeing 12 players sign professionally and 23 of its players later inducted into the Twilight League Hall of Fame.

2010 TEAM AND SEASON AWARD WINNERS HONORED

Also being honored at the banquet are all the 2010 All-Stars and individual award winners, including Albany Athletics’ third baseman Mike Zgorzelski who won the Most Valuable Player award leading the league in batting average (.464), home runs (6) and runs scored (24).

League Pitcher of the Year honors went to the Albany Athletics’ Jim Shook, for a 7-1 record, 7 complete games, a 0.25 ERA, and a new league record 104 strikeouts in 54 innings of work—leading the league in all these categories. This is Shook’s second straight League Pitcher of the Year award.

Rookie of the Year honors went to the Albany Athletics second baseman Al Barbato for hitting .323 with 20 RBI and 6 home runs (tied for the League lead). Barbato will also be presented the Harold Finkle Awards as the League Playoff MVP.

The American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Upper NY Association will also hand out two scholarships to players currently in the league and participating on college teams. This year’s AABC Peter Keyrouze Memorial scholarship winners are Matt Montross from the Albany Athletics and Aaron Tilley from Waterford Nolan Propane.

The Albany Athletics will receive the League Championship trophy at the conclusion of the night, their fourth League championship in the last five years.

The Twilight League will also recognize two AABC achievements by its teams. The Regional Champion, Albany Athletics became the first team since 1989 (and only the 4th in the league’s 80 year history) to reach the AABC National World Series in Houston. Furthermore, All Stars Academy will be recognized as the AABC Upper NY State Champion—their first title and the League’s 11th consecutive crown.

Tickets for the event, which is open to the public, are now on sale for $30. Those interested should contact League President Bill Miles at (518) 459-6534 or mail a check payable to: Albany Twilight League, Bill Miles, 8 Crisswood Drive, Albany, NY 12205. A limited number of tickets will be on sale at the door as well.

2010 Twilight League All-Stars

First Base – Jason Martin, Albany Athletics
Second Base – Al Barbato, Albany Athletics
Third Base – Mike Zgorzelski, Albany Athletics
Shortstop – Leo Corvino, All Stars Academy
Catcher – Bruce Barkevich, Dreyer Boyajan
Outfield – John Marcella, Albany Athletics
Outfield – Justin Meagher, Albany Athletics
Outfield – Greg Sulz, Dreyer Boyajan
Outfield – Paul Izzo, Waterford Nolan Propane
Designated Hitter – Dave Perry, Dreyer Boyajan
Utility – Bill Behrle, Blue Slate Bluehawks
Pitcher – Jim Shook, Albany Athletics Harold Finkle Award
Pitcher – Matt Dahlin, Waterford Nolan Propane Al Barbato, Albany Athletics
Pitcher – Tyler Travis, Waterford Nolan Propane
Relief Pitcher – Chris Shoepe, All Stars Academy

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
YouTube Channel
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR
High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

 Troy native Joe Mahoney, right, accepts the Brooks Robinson award on Fri., Sept. 17 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Mahoney was named the Orioes' top minor league position player in 2010. (Photos provided by Todd Olszewski, Team Photographer, Baltimore Orioles).

TROY -- Joe Mahoney was in the Collar City Wednesday, making a brief pit stop at Geer Field to visit some of his former South Troy Dodgers coaches and teammates. He was on his way back from Baltimore, where he accepted the Brooks Robinson Award as the best position player in the Orioles' minor league system in 2010.

The Record will publish a story on Mahoney's journey through the minor leagues on Sunday, Sept. 26, so keep your eyes open for that.
 

Mahoney, who grew up playing for Catholic Central High School and the Lansingburgh Royals, played dozens of games at beautiful Knickerbacker Park in the 'Burgh. I was curious if Mahoney had used the Major League Baseball monument in the park, located just beyond the right field foul pole, as motivation during his career. It lists all of the Collar City natives who have gone on to play in the Major Leagues.

Mahoney said he never knew it was there.

The Major League Baseball Monument in Lansingburgh's Knickerbacker Park. (Record file photo).

The monument sits on a historic slice of real estate for Troy's baseball history. The city played host to a professional team in the 1860s and '70s known as the Troy Haymakers, who gave way to the Troy Trojans, a National League team that called the Collar City home from 1879 to 1882. The Trojans are widely considered the origin of today's San Francisco Giants. As professional baseball expanded into larger markets, the Trojans were disbanded following the 1882 season. About half of the members of the New York Gothams, later the New York Giants, were former Trojans players.

Anyway...

Mahoney is hoping to catch on either with Baltimore's AAA affiliate in Norfolk or the big club coming out of spring training in 2011. Of course, the Knickerbacker Park monument would have to be updated should Mahoney ever appear in a big league uniform.

Again, for more on that story, be sure to check out Sunday's edition of The Record.

Joe Mahoney’s baseball card

South Troy Dodgers (2003-05)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.411, 113, 380, 87, 156, 43, 4, 17, 138
University of Richmond (2005-07)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.310, 171, 672, 121, 208, 35, 2, 31, 152
Minor leagues
2007 – Aberdeen (short season Class A, New York-Penn League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.269, 65, 242, 31, 65, 10, 2, 9, 44
2008 – Delmarva (long season Class A, South Atlantic League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.222, 95, 352, 37, 78, 22, 1, 7, 61
2009 – Delmarva (108 games) & Frederick (seven games, High Class A, Carolina League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.278, 115, 425, 63, 118, 20, 7, 8, 58
2010 – Frederick (72 games) & Bowie (52 games, Class AA Eastern League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.307, 124, 462, 67, 142, 30, 2, 18, 78

For video clips from the Mahoney interview, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Mahoney, left, poses with Zach Britton, who earned the minor league Pitcher of the Year Award, which is named after Jim Palmer.

Local baseball players in the pros – 2010 report card

Pitchers

Eric Beaulac, SP (Troy High School)
2010 – St. Lucie (21 games, Class A, Florida State League) and Binghamton (two games, Class AA Eastern League)
Games, Starts, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB
23, 21, 5-7, 3.98, 108.2, 79, 62

Greg Holle, RP (Christian Brothers Academy/South Troy Dodgers)
2010 – Arizona Brewers (Rookie Arizona Leauge)
Games, Starts, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB
8, 1, 3-1, 0.79, 22.2, 16, 9

Tommy Kahnle, RP (Shaker High School/South Troy Dodgers)
2010 – Staten Island Yankees (short season Class A, New York-Penn League)
Games, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB
11, 0-0, 0.56, 16.0, 25, 5

John Lannan, SP (Siena College)
2010 – Washington Nationals
Games, Starts, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB
24, 24, 8-7, 4.58, 137.2, 68, 48

Mike Ness, CL (South Troy Dodgers)
2010 – Tri-City ValleyCats (short season Class A, New York-Penn League)
Games, Saves, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB
24, 7, 2-2, 3.23, 30.2, 28, 9

Tim Stauffer, RP/SP (Saratoga Central Catholic High School/South Troy Dodgers)
2010 – San Diego Padres
Games, Starts, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB
30, 5, 5-4, 1.95, 69.1, 52, 20

Position players

Anthony Giansanti, OF (Siena College)
2010 – Arizona Cubs (27 games, rookie Arizona League) & Peoria Cubs (30 games, Class A Midwest League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.317, 57, 199, 26, 63, 12, 3, 2, 32

Brendan Harris, INF (Queensbury High School)
2010 – Minnesota Twins (43 games) & Rochester Red Wings (62 games, Class AAA International League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.209, 105, 340, 42, 71, 17, 1, 5, 33

Casper Wells, OF (Schenectady High School/South Troy Dodgers)
2010 – Detroit Tigers (28 games) & Toledo Mud Hens (103 games, Class AAA, International League)
Avg., G, AB, R, H, 2b, 3b, HR, RBI
.250, 131, 456, 65, 114, 27, 6, 24, 60

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
YouTube Channel
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR
High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

LATHAM — Jeff Hoffman will be changing ships in 2011, as the senior at Shaker High School turned a season of fall baseball with the World Yacht Clippers into a scholarship offer from the Pirates at East Carolina University.

Hoffman, a pitcher, confirmed Monday that he had accepted an offer from ECU after visiting the campus in Greenville, N.C. over the weekend.

“It was a long process and a really stressful time that lasted about two months,” Hoffman said. “I visited the campus and I fell in love with it. The coaches are great and it’s a very successful program.”

East Carolina, a member of Conference USA, finished the 2010 season with a 32-27 record. The Pirates have posted 13 straight 30-plus win seasons, which is the ninth-longest active streak in the country.

Hoffman excelled during his junior season at Shaker High School in 2009. He went 7-0 with a 2.06 ERA, striking out 26 in 34 innings in the Suburban Council.

Early in the summer, he played for the East Greenbush Devilcats’ Connie Mack team. Later on, Steve Frank, the new head baseball coach at Shaker High School, helped Hoffman earn a roster spot with the World Yacht Clippers Connie Mack team based out of Jefferson Valley in Westchester County.

“They definitely played a major role in a competitive summer for me,” Hoffman said of his time with the Devilcats. “But all of the college looks I got were through the World Yacht Clippers. I went to a couple of tournaments on Long Island, threw well and that was that.”

College coaches had his eye on him in recent weeks and his stellar performances put him on East Carolina’s radar.

“Facing the hitters that I did in fall baseball, I mean, all of those hitters are going to play Division I or Division II baseball,” Hoffman said. “The competition doesn’t get any better than that, facing the best from up and down the east coast.”

Hoffman is just the latest hard-throwing pitcher to emerge at Shaker. Tommy Kahnle, another former Blue Bison hurler, was drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the First Year Player Draft in June. Kahnle signed in time to finish the season with the Staten Island Yankees in the short-season Class A New York-Penn League, where he posted a 0.56 ERA over 16 innings during 11 appearances. He struck out 25 and walked five in his first season as a professional.

Hoffman plans to major in physical education in college and plans on being a coach once his player career is over.

He had previously committed to Elon University, but that offer fell through.

Late in October, Hoffman will stop throwing for a few months to let his arm relax and he’ll also lace up his sneakers for Shaker’s basketball team. Once the calendar flips over to January, he can start thinking about one last season on the hill with the Bison and what the future holds in store for him at East Carolina.

“Hopefully I can step in and play a major role as a starter,” he said. “But I’ll definitely have to work at it and earn that role.”

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
YouTube Channel
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR
High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

Former Catholic Central High School, Lansingburgh Royals and South Troy Dodgers player Joe Mahoney has won the Brooks Robinson Award, which goes to the best minor league position player in the Baltimore Orioles’ system. Mahoney, a 23-year-old first baseman, hit a .307 with 18 home runs, 78 RBI in 124 combined games with Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie.

Mahoney played his college ball at the University of Richmond. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the 198th pick in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, making him the highest-drafted player out of Richmond since Tim Stauffer, a Saratoga Springs native and a former South Troy Dodger himself, went fourth overall to the San Diego Padres in 2003.

(Photos courtsey www.minorleaguebaseball.com)

Click here to see a digital version of Mahoney's minor league baseball card. 

Mahoney is getting married this fall before heading off to the Venezuelan league in the winter. Time will tell how he figures into Baltimore's plans for 2011.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
YouTube Channel
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR
High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

WATERFORD -- Twilight League playoff MVP Al Barbato went 3-for-4 with two RBI, including a solo home run in the fifth inning and an RBI single in the sixth, to lead the Albany Athletics to an 8-5 victory in game  No. 4 of the League Championship Series and help the team defend its title at Kelts Field. Albany won its fourth league championship in the last 5 years. 

Barbato finished 9-for-21 with six runs, six RBI, and two homers while hitting safely in five of the team's six league playoff games.

Albany's Sean Donovan started the offense with a three-run homer in the second inning to give the A's an early 3-0 lead. Waterford's Paul Terry blasted a solo home run in the third inning to cut the lead to 3-1.

Barbato hit a solo shot and Justin Meagher drove in a run with an RBI groundout in the fifth to increase the lead to 5-1. However, Terry blasted a two-run homer to cut the Athletics lead to 5-3 and consecutive hits following put runners on base in the inning. But Albany's pitching held serve as A's righthander Jim Shook came on in the fifth to relieve starter Chris Smith with runners on base and fanned the final batter of the inning to stave off a Waterford rally.

In the sixth, Albany responded with an RBI single each by Barbato and John Marcella to make it 7-3, then got a sac fly from Dan Barbero to take an 8-3 lead. Marcella finished with a double and single while Zach Halloran singled twice and scored twice for the Athletics.

The Albany Athletics after winning the AABC North Atlantic Stan Musial regional earlier this summer. (Photo courtesy www.albanyathletics.com).

Terry finished 4-for-4 (two home runs, two singles and three RBI) and Waterford's Anthony Gadani also smacked a solo home run in the sixth inning.

Meanwhile, Smith hurled 4.2 innings for the A's to start the game and only yielded five hits, three earned runs and struck out six batters. Shook went 2.1 innings to earn the win, giving up just three hits, two earned runs and fanning four batters.

NOTES: The Athletics are now tied for first for most league championships (Davies AC, All Stars Academy) won by any one team since 1987 (prior to 1987 Sons of Italy and Oppenheim took turns winning championships from 1973-87) ...After dropping game No. 1 to Waterford in the series, the A's reeled off three straight wins to secure their fourth league title...It was only the second time in the last five years (10 series) that the Athletics have trailed in any Twilight League playoff series...The championship series was a rematch of the 2009 League Final when the A's swept Waterford in three games.... Albany has now defeated Waterford in 19 of its last 20 games since Waterford joined the Twilight League in 2008...With its 20-4 league record this year, the Athletics have gone 96-20 the last 5 Twilight League regular seasons and 22-4 in the league postseason....The Athletics just returned home Sunday from their first trip to the AABC National World Series in Houston, TX where they finished 5th nationally. They were only the 3rd Twilight League team ever to earn a trip to the World Series in the league's 80 year history.

RECORDS: Albany Athletics 39-11-1 / 20-4 league
Waterford 32-16 / 15-9 league

Albany Twilight League Championship Series - Game No. 4 of best of 5

Kelts Field

Albany Athletics 030 023 0 - 8 10 1
Waterford Nolan Propane 001 021 1 - 5 8 0
Smith, Shook (5) and S. Weber; Dahlin and Rader

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Albany Athletics made quite the debut in their first-ever American Amateur Baseball Congress Stan Musial World Series tournament.

The Athletics defeated the Dallas Royals, the South Plains regional champions, 13-5 in an opening around game Wednesday by scoring eight runs in the sixth inning and pounding out 19 hits in the victory.

Albany's Jason Martin sparked the big inning with a three-run home run that turned a one-run lead into a four-run edge. Mike Zgorzelski immediately followed with a solo homer and Joe DeMarco finished the scoring with a three-run double.

Earlier in the game, Martin hit a two-run single in the first inning to erase a two-run deficit. Then, Albany's Justin Meagher erased a second two-run deficit in the second inning with a two-run double to tie the game.

A's righthander Casey Walsh settled in after two earned runs in the fist inning then two unearned runs in the second inning. Walsh retired 22 straight batters starting at the end of the second inning heading into the ninth.

Albany (36-8), the North Atlantic regional champions, faces the Bayamon Vaqueros of Puerto Rico today at the Baseball USA Complex. Puerto Rico is the defending World Series champion and defeated the Lombard Orioles, 6-1, in its first round game.

ALBANY 13, DALLAS 5

Dallas Royals (28-9) 220 000 001 - 5 5 2
Albany Athletics (36-8) 220 018 00x - 13 19 1
Carlson, Flasik (6) and Smith Walsh and Mastroianni, DeMarco (6).

-------
USTA National Tennis Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich.: Albany Academy grad Matt Kandath (pictured below), who now attends Stanford University, has advanced to the semifinals of the 18-and-under tournament along with doubles partner Jack Sock.

Click here to see details from the tournament.

The doubles team champions earn a wild card berth to the US Open tournament. For more details, click this page.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

I was over at the University at Albany today covering New York Giants training camp...and it also turned out to be the first day of practice for the UAlbany football team, so I caught up with a pair of seniors that played their high school football in Rensselaer County.

I also have some local notes below the UAlbany content.

Chris Blais figures to be a major part of the UAlbany defense in 2010 after missing the entire 2009 season with a pair of hand injuries. (Photo provided by UAlbany).

ALBANY – Chris Blais didn't play a single snap for the University at Albany football team in 2009 – he just heard that sound twice in his right hand.

Blais, a senior outside linebacker who played high school football at La Salle Institute, tore a ligament in his right hand during the 2009 preseason. He had that surgically repaired and was working to come back for the Great Danes' game against Monmouth in week eight when he broke two bones in the same hand and had to sit for the remainder of the season.

Not only was it frustrating for him to be off the football field as a player, it made life hard for the natural right-hander off the field as well.

"Everything I did, brush my teeth, make food, it was a little bit difficult to do," Blais said after Monday's practice, the first of the season for UAlbany. "After about two or three weeks, I started to become ambidextrous. I started to use my left hand and I could throw a football with my left hand, but it was still really difficult to do everything."

For video highlights from practice, check out http://www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Blais didn't sit idly by during the 2009 campaign. He served as a sort of assistant coach to Akeem Cedeno, who was in charge of the linebackers and is currently the tight ends coach.

For that dedication to the team, UAlbany head coach Bob Ford mentioned Blais specifically as a leader to look for on this year's squad. The Great Danes are dealing with the absence of 17 seniors, many of whom Ford described as "franchise" players, including running back David McCarty, quarterback Vinny Esposito and wide receiver Tim Bush.

"The coaches say that it's never a rebuilding season, it's a reloading season," Blais said. "We lost our whole linebacker corps, but we have guys that can step in and that are ready to go. We have guys that got some time last year and aren't afraid to get in there and know what they're doing."

On the other side of the ball, Hoosick Falls native Jason Poore enters his senior season as the Danes' top returning wide receiver. He caught 26 passes for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2009.

"It's big. I have a big opportunity to make something happen this year," said Poore. "With Bush leaving, we need someone to fill in all of his catches and all of the plays he made."

Poore is one of UAlbany's few returning skill players, but he said that a solid group of 25 players were together for regular spring and summer workouts that made the first day of practice a little less nerve-wracking. Picked No. 3 in the Northeast Conference preseason coaches' poll, Poore and the Danes are also glad to have the target off their backs for once.

A season ago, the Great Danes went 7-4, finishing second in the NEC standings.

"Every year our goal is to win the conference and hopefully make the playoff game," he said. "This year, if we win our conference, we get an automatic (NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs) bid. Now that we're No. 3, not everyone is gunning for us. Now we can go start hunting people out."

Jason Poore, a Hoosick Falls native, spends part of every summer lifting weights with the Panthers in the high school weight room. (Photo provided by UAlbany).

I will have a video to post here in a few minutes.

---
I had a short story last week on the 11-and-10-year-old New York State Little League tournament that's currently being played at Twin Town Little League's complex on Williams Road in North Greenbush that just didn't make our print edition.

Here is an update:
On Saturday, Geddes beat Orchard Park with a score of 19 - 6 and Pearl River beat Saratoga American 11-1.  Then on Sunday, Pearl River beat Massapequa 8-5 to win Pool A, and Mid Island beat Geddes 13-4.

Pool play continues tomorrow with Orchard Park playing Mid Island at 6:00 PM and Saratoga American playing Massapequa at 8:00 PM.  The winner of the 8PM game tomorrow, plays against Pearl River on Tuesday at 6:00 PM, with the other Semi-Final game at 8:00 pm.

The Championship Game will be played at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, August 11th!

The games played on both Tuesday and Wednesday will be broadcast by Time Warner.

--
In other baseball news this weekend, the Albany Athletics of the Twilight League clinched a trip to the AABC Stan Musial World Series in Houston, Texas.

Here is an update sent to us by the A's:
Tournament co-MVP Jason Martin hit an RBI double in the first inning, a solo homer in the third inning and a two-run single in the 6th inning to lead Albany to an 11-7 victory over the Long Island Storm. Jim Shook, tournament co-MVP, came on in relief in the 5th inning to stave off a Storm rally and threw 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn his second tournament win. Shook went 2-1 in the tournament and threw 16.2 innings over 3 games, fanned 15 batters and yielded 12 hits. Martin went 10-for-16 in the tournament and hit three home runs and drove in 10 RBI. 

Mike Zgorzelski helped stake Albany to a early 5-0 victory after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning. Dan Barbero helped extend the lead with an RBI single and a solo homer, and Martin finished had a big two-run single in the 6th to extend an 8-7 lead to 10-7.

Albany, now 35-8-1 overall, won its first Regional Championship and heads to Houston, Texas for the AABC National World Series to face the Dallas Royals, winner of the South Plains Region, on Wednesday at 4 pm at Baseball USA Complex (www.smws.us). Albany becomes only the 3rd team in the Twilight League's 80 year history to earn a trip the World Series (Apex Printing-1989, Sons of Italy-1973).  The Storm, meanwhile, were the national runner-up last year and had won the World Series in 2006.

--
In 15-and-under baseball news, the Troy Renegades lost to D-Bat Sharp, 6-1, in the Final Four of the AABC Ken Griffey Jr. World Series in Owasso, Okla. last weekend.  

D-Bat Sharp went on to win the tournament championship. 

--
In tennis news, Matthew Kandath (Albany Academy and Stanford) is doing very well at the USTA National Championship in Kalamazoo, MI.

Since Friday: 18-and-under singles play:

In the first round he defeated Christian Heaney-Secord: 6-1, 6-1

In the second round he defeated Austin Akers: 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

Kandath lost in the third round to Dennis Novikov 7-6 (5), 6-3.

His 18u doubles partner is Jack Sock.  If you recall, he and Jack made it to the semifinals of the Junior US Open in 2009.

Doubles Action:

First round was a Bye

Second round they defeated Andrew Pecht and William Spector: 6-2, 6-3

Third round they defeated Dominic Cotrone and Zack McCourt:  6-1, 6-1

Here's the link to follow along at home:   http://ustaboys.com/draws.html




Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

Troy Renegades shortstop Joe Foran swings during the home run derby at the AABC 15-and-under Ken Griffey Jr. World Series in Owasso, Okla. (Photo courtesy http://owassobaseball.com/Owasso_Rams_Baseball/Home.html)

Renegades advance to Griffey Final Four: The Troy Renegades defeated Broken Arrow 6-1 Friday afternoon in the loser’s bracket at the AABC 15-and-under Ken Griffey Jr. World Series in Owasso, Okla.
Greg Hotaling pitched a complete game two-hitter for the Renegades. Troy earned its revenge against Broken Arrow, as the Oklahoma team had defeated the Renegades in pool play, 9-2.
During a stretch in the fifth inning, five of six Renegades batters – Greg Scott, Ian Bennett, Jason Gallacchi, Kris Muller and Joe Foran - doubled off Broken Arrow pitching.
Troy advances to the Final Four and will play the Dallas-based D-Bat Sharp team at 1 p.m. central time. The D-Bat Sharp team mercy-ruled the Renegades, 13-0, in the first game of the tournament’s double elimination portion. Preston Palmeiro, son of former major leaguer Rafael Palmeiro, plays for D-Bat Sharp.

--
10-and-11-year-old New York State Little League tournament coming to Twin Town

I had a nice coversation today with Bill Rooney, tournament coordinator for the 10-and-11-year-old Little League tournament coming to Twin Town's complex on Williams Road in North Greenbush.

Although the immediate Capital Region doesn't have a team in the field (Saraotga Springs is the closest-to-home team), the army of volunteers at Twin Town will be sacrificing their time to put on the best possible event for the top 10-and-11-year-old teams from around the state.

Time Warner Cable Channel 3 hopes to televise the semifinal and championship games.

For more on this tournament, check out Saturday's edition of The Record for all the details.

2010 New York State 10-and-11-year-old Little League Tournament

Pool A
Saratoga Springs – Section III
Pearl River – Section IV
Massapequa – Section VI
Pool B
Orchard Park – Section I
Geddes – Section II
Mid Island (Staten Island) – Section V

Saturday
Orchard Park vs. Geddes, 6 p.m.
Saratoga Springs vs. Pearl River, 8 p.m.
Sunday
Pearl River vs. Massapequa, 2 p.m. (Field W1)
Geddes vs. Mid Island, 2 p.m. (Field W2)
Monday
Orchard Park vs. Mid Island, 6 p.m.
Saratoga Springs vs. Massapequa, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Semifinals
Pool A winner vs. Pool B runner-up, 6 p.m.
Pool B winner vs. Pool A runner-up, 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 6 p.m.

--
Our pal Stan Hudy from The Saratogian is covering the Cal Ripken eight-and-under Mid Atlantic regional tournament this weekend at the Spring Youth Baseball complex in Troy. Look for his stories either in The Saratogian or The Record the next few days. You may also follow Stan on Twitter (@stanhudy).

--
Athletics win two in Musial regional: Jason Martin of the Albany Athletics hit a solo home run and doubled in the A's 7-0 victory over the Buena Vista Tomahawks and he then drove in all three of the A's runs in a second round 2-0 victory over the North Haledon Reds in the first day of play in the AABC Stan Musial North Atlantic regional at Keenholts Park in Guilderland Center.

The A's play the Long Island Storm Saturday at 11 am at Keenholts Park. The Storm beat All Stars Academy 6-1 in a first round game Friday. All Stars faces North Haledon at 2 pm at Keenholts. North Haledon defeated SportsFever 7-4 in a first round game. SportsFever was eliminated by the Storm, 9-0, in the second round. All Stars eliminated Buena Vista 8-3.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

OWASSO, Okla. -- The Troy Renegades won their first game in the American Amateur Baseball Congress’ 15-and-under Ken Griffey Jr. World Series in their fourth try, earning another game and another day in the double-elimination tournament.

Troy defeated Colorado 10-2 Thursday afternoon, as starting pitcher Greg Hotaling needed only to go two innings into the game. The Renegades plan to start him today against Broken Arrow or a team from the Dallas area, depending on the outcome of that game late Thursday night.

Ryan McGrath hit a double and a triple in the 10-2 victory.

The Renegades lost both games in pool play and were seeded sixth out of eight teams in the double elimination portion. They lost to the D-Bat Sharp team 13-0 in the first game in double-elimination play.

The Lansingburgh Royals (2007 and 2009), the South Troy Dodgers (2006 and 2008) and the Renegades have represented New York State in this World Series each of the past five years.

For the most up-to-date brackets and line scores, visit http://owassobaseball.com/Owasso_Rams_Baseball/Home.html

Twilight League Semifinals
Waterford eliminates All-Stars: The Waterford (Nolan Propane) Fordians won two out of three games to eliminate the All Stars Academy team from the Twilight League semifinals Thursday evening.

Waterford scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning in the third and deciding game to post a 10-7 victory. Patrick Reardon singled three times and drove in a run, while Paul Izzo was a single short of the cycle with five RBI in the final game.

All Stars won game one, 8-3. Waterford rallied with a 10-2 victory in game two.

Waterford will face the Albany Athletics in the Twilight League championship series, a best three-of-five affair, beginning August 9.

The Athletics and All Stars Academy will compete in the AABC Stan Musial North Atlantic regionals this weekend at Bleecker Stadium and Keenholts Park in Guilderland Center.

--
This weekend, Spring Youth Baseball is hosting the eight-and-under Mid Atlantic Cal Ripken regional right here in Troy.

A schedule for the event is posted below. Click on the image to see it full-size.

--
The North Colonie Padres 14-and-under team, the eastern New York State champions, is playing in the Babe Ruth mid Atlantic regional tournament this weekend in Charles County, Maryland this weekend. The tournament schedule has been pasted in below. We hope to bring you updates with the team's progress throughout the weekend.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The tournament will consist of a pool play format as mandated by Babe Ruth League, Inc. The blind draw by the Regional Commissioner determined each team’s division in the tournament pool. No team will be permitted to play more than two (2) games in a calendar day. The pool play rules and schedule were derived directly from the Babe Ruth League web site. The scheduled fields and times were made as fair and equally as possible.

2010 Middle Atlantic 14 Year Old Regional Tournament

Pool A (left) Pool B (Right)

Pennsylvania Eastern NY

Northern NJ Western NY

Delaware Southern NJ

MD runner-up Metro NY

Host: Charles County (MD) MD state champs

* denotes home team RFS = Regency Furniture Stadium LS = Laurel Springs Park


Saturday, August 7th

Game 1 8:45 am LS7 Pennsylvania vs. Delaware *

Game 2 8:45 am LS8 Western NY vs. Southern NJ*

Game 3 9:00 am RFS Eastern NY vs. MD state champs*

Game 4 12:00 pm LS7 Northern NJ vs. Host*

Game 5 12:00 pm LS8 Delaware vs. MD runner-up*

Game 6 1:00pm RFS Western NY vs. Metro NY*

Game 7 3:15 pm LS7 MD runner-up vs. Host*

Game 8 3:15 pm LS8 Northern NJ vs. Pennsylvania*

Game 9 4:30 pm RFS Southern NJ vs. MD state champs*

Game 10 6:30 pm LS8 Metro NY vs. Eastern NY*


Sunday, August 8th

Game 11 8:45 am LS7 Southern NJ vs. Eastern NY *

Game 12 8:45 am LS8 Delaware vs. Northern NJ*

Game 13 9:00 am RFS Host vs. Pennsylvania*

Game 14 12:00 pm LS7 MD state champs vs. Western NY *

Game 15 12:00 pm LS8 Metro NY vs. Southern NJ*

Game 16 1:00 pm RFS MD runner-up vs. Northern NJ *

Game 17 3:15 pm LS7 MD state champs vs. Metro NY*

Game 18 3:15 pm LS8 Eastern NY vs. Western NY*

Game 19 4:30 pm RFS Host vs. Delaware*

Game 20 6:30 pm LS8 Pennsylvania vs. MD runner-up*



Monday, August 9th -- Quarter-finals

Game 21 6:30 pm LS7 3rd place Pool B vs. 2nd place Pool A*

Game 22 6:30 pm LS8 3rd place Pool A vs. 2nd place Pool B*


Tuesday, August 10th -- Semi-finals

Game 23 6:30 pm LS7 winner game 21 vs. 1st place Pool A*

Game 24 6:30 pm LS8 winner game 22 vs. 1st

--
The Capital District Football Hall of Fame will induct its first class this Saturday. The Record will publish a special eight-page preview section for the event in Friday's newspaper. We will have capsules on all the players, coaches and officials being inducted, as well as stories on local legends such as Bob Ford, Ernie Stautner, Charlie Leigh, Joe Cocozzo and Rich Romer. So make sure to pick up The Record on Friday and read all about it!

The topic even came up Thursday at New York Giants training camp, when CBS 6's Doug Sherman asked Giants head coach Tom Coughlin about Chuck Dukes and Justice Smith, both of whom Coughlin recruited to Boston College when he was the head man there.

From the Giants' nightly press release:

Chuck Dukes (Colonie Central High) rushed for 1,999 yards and 12 touchdowns at BC from 1991-92 and Justice Smith (Amsterdam High) ran for 1,312 yards and seven scores from 1992-95. Coughlin left Boston College after three years following the 1993 season.

“Chucky was unbelievable,” Coughlin said. “There was an unbelievable recruiting battle to get Justice at BC because everybody wanted Justice. But Chucky came out of junior college. He was a tough, hardnosed, multiple carry game in and game out guy that almost made it at the next level, almost did. Two outstanding athletes and really, really good football players and adjusted and did well at Boston College.”

In the meantime, to read The Record's profile about former La Salle Institute star George 'Butch' Byrd, click here.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

Update (August 4, 5:00 p.m.): The Renegades lost their first game to the host team, Owasso, 8-3. Troy lost to Broken Arrow Wednesday afternoon, 9-2. The Renegades now face the D-Bat Sharp team in Round One of the double elimination portion of the tournament, Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. central time.

Head coach Kevin McGrath just called in with an update and said the heat index in Oklahoma is 115 degrees. The Troy players have not been adjusting well so far, especially compared to the two Oklahoma teams they've played who are used to the heat.

The team is guaranteed to stay alive until at least tomorrow and they plan on pitching Ryan McGrath tonight. Greg Hotaling will pitch tomorrow.

Renegades players went back to the hotel to take showers and chill out in the air conditioning for a few hours before tonight's game. We'll have an update with the results from tonight's game here on the blog sometime later tonight.
Griffey World Series Round One Bracket

--
The Troy Renegades 15-and-under baseball team (seen above celebrating its Upper New York State tournament victory) is currently in Owasso, Oklahoma, (not too far away from Tulsa) competing in the American Amateur Baseball Congress' World Series for that age group, now known as the Ken Griffey Jr. World Series.

For updates from the games, your best bet for immediate information is the Owasso High School baseball page, http://owassobaseball.com/Owasso_Rams_Baseball/Home.html

We also hope to provide specific updates every night when the Renegades coaching staff calls in with details.

For a tournament bracket, click below.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

The Tri-City ValleyCats posted a 5-3 victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters Tuesday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in New York-Penn League action.

Tri-City ValleyCats starting pitcher Alex Sogard throws a pitch during the first inning of Tuesday's game against the Vermont Lake Monsters. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

TROY -- The ValleyCats’ bus was waiting for them outside the locker room following Tuesday’s game – Tri-City begin a six-day road trip tonight in Mahoning Valley – but first, the team had Stedler Division action to take care of at home.

Tri-City batters smacked 11 hits and the bullpen spun five and one third innings of one-run relief as the ValleyCats posted a 5-3 New York-Penn League victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

For video highlights from the game, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Tri-City pulled within five games of Stedler Division leader Vermont and is now three behind the Connecticut Tigers. In other division action, last-place Lowell defeated Connecticut 1-0 Tuesday night.

"I think we’re still just trying to go out and get better every day and play well that night," said leadoff hitter Ben Orloff, who was named Player of the Game for collecting three hits. "If we do that, at the end of the day, hopefully we’ll be where we want to be."

The ValleyCats won the final four games of the season series with Vermont, splitting the season series, 5-5.
Tri-City (20-24) jumped out to an early lead in the first inning after Ben Orloff led off the bot¬tom of the frame with a double to right field. Orloff advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored on Kike Hernandez's single to right.

Vermont (25-19) responded in the second when designated hitter Justin Miller hit a solo home run over the left center field fence to even the score at 1-1.

Hernandez scored for the ValleyCats in the third on Ben Heath's sacrifice fly.

In the fourth inning, Adam Bailey led off with a double down the left field line. Jacke Healey laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt, which Vermont pitcher Chris McKenzie fielded and fired toward third base. On an errant throw, the ball got away, allowing Bailey to score and Healey to take second base.

"We think we’ve been playing well the last couple weeks here," said Orloff. "We’ve been getting good pitching still and we’ve started to come around with the bats. We’ve played a lot of really good games."



Tyler Burnett capped Tri-City's scoring with a booming solo home run over the Vermont bullpen in right field.
Tri-City starting pitcher Alex Sogard pitched into the fourth inning but was lifted after facing three batters.

Vermont's David Freitas – the sec¬ond-leading hitter in the New York-Penn League with a .357 batting average coming into Tuesday's game – led off the fourth with a dou¬ble and Ronnie LeBrie followed with an RBI sin¬gle. Wade Moore laid down a successful sacri¬fice bunt, moving LaBrie to second, and out came Tri-City manager Joel Pankovits to remove Sogard.

The ValleyCats' bullpen came to the rescue.

Murillo Gouyea pitched two and two thirds innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits. Blake Blankenship recorded the first two outs in the seventh inning before turning things over to Brandt Walker, who tossed an inning and a third of scoreless ball.

In the fifth inning, Gouyea went after Freitas with runners on second and third and first base open and one man out. The decision paid off, as Freitas grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice and the ValleyCats escaped further damage.

"(Freitas) hadn’t been swinging the bat as well as the guy behind him (LaBrie) over the last five days," said Tri-City manager Joel Pankovits. "He was only hitting .150 or .160 the last five days and the other guy was over .400.

Tri-City's Daniel Adamson, at right, watches a fly ball during his first inning at-bat against Vermont.

"They’re a tough lineup, especially the middle of the order," Pankovits continued. "You have to pick and choose your guys you have to go after and it worked out tonight."

Jorge De Leon took over in the ninth inning and earned his fourth save of the year. Gouvea earned his first win of the season. His ERA was 8.76 in 24 and two thirds innings pitched prior to Tuesday’s outing.

---
Local roundup:

Athletics advance to Twilight League championship series

ALBANY - The Albany Athletics held the Blue Slate Bluehawks scoreless over two games and 14 innings of baseball Tuesday night, earning a spot in the Albany Twilight League championship series for the fifth consecutive season.

Albany posted 1-0 and 3-0 victories over Blue Slate at Bleecker Stadium in the best two-of-three Twilight League semifinals.

All Stars Academy is ahead one game to none over Waterford in the other semifinal series. The championship series begins after the North Atlantic Regional tournament, which is set to be played this weekend.

In Tuesday’s first game, Jim Shook threw a complete game one-hitter, striking out 14 and winning his ninth straight game. Craig Mastroianni scored the game’s only run on a wild pitch in the fourth inning.

Al Barbato hit a two-run home run for the A’s in the 3-0 victory over Blue Slate.

Albany (31-7-1) has not lost a game in the Twilight League semifinals since the 2005 season and is 19-3 in all postseason games sine 2006.

Game One
Albany 1, Blue Slate 0
Blue Slate 000 000 0 - 0 2 0
Albany 000 100 x - 1 7 0
Kline and Pollard; Shook and S.Weber

Game Two
Albany 3, Blue Slate 0
Albany 003 000 0 - 3 4 1
Blue Slate 000 000 0 - 0 4 1
Montross, Smith (3), Lawton (5), Walsh (6) and Mastroianni; DeMidio and Pollard.



Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published
Send an email to OTR

The Warning Track Heat, a 14-and-under softball team based out of Stillwater, posted a 9-0 victory over the Northern Nightmare (N.Y.) to win the American Softball Association Eastern National Championship title recently in York, Pa. It was a 60-team field as players from all over the east coast converged for the tournament. Warning Track Heat went 7-0 in the tournament.

 Kayla Doty throws a pitch during the ASA 14-and-under Eastern National Championships last week in York, Pa. (Photos provided by Lisa O'Brien).

Warning Track Heat roster:
Michaela Smith
Rachel Baker
Jordan Podkladek
Heather Dugan
Danielle Mcomber
Hannah Sears
Morgan Rumpf
Jackie OBrien
Jackie Rossi
Kayla Doty
Alyssa Carter

Head Coach - Wayne Carter
Coach - Gary Sears
Coach - Mike O'Brien
Coach - Mike Podkladek

Last week, The Record covered the Lansingburgh Lady Royals as they prepared for the same tournament.

Thank you goes to Lorrie Pizzola, a mother of a player on the East Greenbush Express, who gave us the heads-up on this, as well as to Lisa O'Brien, who sent us a roster and pictures.

We love to pass this news along, but we can't do it without your help, so if you have any tournament results, please send it to us at sports@troyrecord.com

--
The Albany Twilight League playoffs begin tonight. Here is a press release sent to us by Albany Athletics head coach Joe Altieri.


ALBANY, N.Y. -- The Albany Twilight League will open its 2010 postseason at Bleecker Stadium on Monday, August 2 with the top seed and defending League champion Albany Athletics taking on No. 4 Blue Slate Blue Hawks, and No. 2 All Stars Academy hosting No. 3 Waterford Nolan Propane.

The Athletics, who won the Twilight League regular season with a 20-4 mark for the third time in the last four years, started the season 3-2 and then went on to win 16 straight league games. All Stars Academy (18-6) meanwhile started the season hot with an 8-0 start and returns to the playoffs after failing to qualify in 2009. Waterford Nolan Propane, the 2009 Twilight League and State Tournament Runner Up, bounced back from a 4-6 start to go 11-3 and end the season 15-9. First-year franchise Blue Slate Blue Hawks (13-11) qualified as the No. 4 seed by winning their last four games of the season.

Winners of each series will advance to the Twilight League Championship Series following the North Atlantic Regional tournament this weekend. (more info to come later in the week on the Regionals).

All Stars, who just captured their first state title Sunday, and the Athletics, who have nine state championships including four straight (2006-09), have both earned berths in the North Atlantic Regional Tournament August 6-8.


Monday, August 2nd:
6:30 pm - #2 All Stars vs #3 Waterford Nolan Propane
8:30 pm - #1 Albany Athletics vs #4 Blue Slate

Tuesday, August 3rd:
6:30 pm - #4 Blue Slate Blue Hawks vs #1 Albany Athletics
8:30 pm - #3 Waterford Nolan Propane vs #2 All Stars Academy

Wednesday, August 4th, if necessary:
6:30 pm - #2 All Stars vs #3 Waterford Nolan Propane
8:30 pm - #1 Albany Athletics vs #4 Blue Slate

Note: home teams listed first

--
One more note of interest to local baseball fans...the East Greenbush-Castleton Little League team was ousted from the New York State Tournament Sunday night, losing to South Shore 8-3.
South Shore plays Stony Point in the championship game tonight at 7:30 p.m. in West Nyack.

In other Little League news, World Series coaches will now be able to challenge calls thanks to a video replay system in Williamsport.

Will the Major Leagues follow suit?

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published

If you're hoping to keep track of the East Greenbush-Castleton Little League team in the New York State tournament, the West Nyack Little League homepage is a site to bookmark.

The champions of District 14 and Section 3 lost their first game in the New York State Little League tournament Thursday night, dropping a 6-0 decision to Stony Point at the West Nyack Little League complex.

East Greenbush-Castleton plays again Friday night against Sunrise.

Pool play continues through Saturday, with the semifinal scheduled for Sunday. The championship game will be played at 7:30 p.m. Monday night.

You can view a photo gallery of some of the East Greenbush-Castleton players at a pre-tournament barbecue by clicking to this website.

--
If you're looking to keep track of the Spring Renegades 10-and-under team in the Willie Mays North Atlantic Regionals in Hackensack, N.J., well, you're in luck. Click here to see a tournament bracket.

The bad news for the Renegades? They've already been eliminated from the tournament and will not repeat as AABC World Champions.

--
Next week, the Troy Renegades 15-and-under team begins play in the AABC's Ken Griffey Jr. World Series in Owasso, Okla. Owasso High School, the tournament host, has done a great job in years past of providing updates on its web site. Here is a tournament information sheet.

--
The South Troy Dodgers 17-and-under Connie Mack team lost on its third day in the American Amateur Baseball Congress Don Mattingly World Series this past week in Albuquerque, N.M. For a tournament bracket, click to this page and scroll down.

--
If I receive a UNYS Stan Musial update tonight, I will post that news here.

--
Is there anything we're missing? Please let us know.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published

Last summer, the Spring Renegades nine-and-under baseball team won the AABC Jackie Robinson World Series.

This weekend, the team, now playing at the 10-and-under level, is competing in the Willie Mays North Atlantic regionals in Hackensack, N.J.

To read a story on the 10u Renegades written by Ryan Kircher that appeared in Friday's edition of The Reecord, click here.

--
We also received the following note from Vince Cortese, manager of the 16-and-under Nightmare Fastpitch softball team.

The Nightmare team is heading to Dayton, Ohio to compete in the ASA Nationals August 4-8.

The Nightmare Fastpitch team played in eight tournaments this season. The team went 39-7, consisting of three first place finishes, which included ASA Invitationals in Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park and Amsterdam. The team also earned three second place finishes in South Glens Falls, Latham (Eastern National qualifier) and Albany.

Back Row (L-R): Justine Makinson, Laurel Abowd, Zoe Dubois, Danielle Groat, Shannon Morrill, and Ally Gehrer

Front Row (L-R): Jenna Cortese, Sam Lane, Becky Dickman, Jess Cohen, Angie Acierno.

This is Nightmare Fastpitch's first year together. The team features local high school stars such as Shannon Morrill (Hudson Falls), Jenna Cortese (South Glens Falls), Jess Cohen and Sammi Lane (Saratoga Springs), Danielle Groat and Becky Dickman (Ballston Spa), Ally Gehrer and Laurel Abowd (Bethlehem), Angie Acierno (Troy), Justine Makinson (Loudonville Christian) and Zoe DuBois (Burnt Hills).

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published

ALBANY – For the seventh time since 2000, the Albany Twilight League will host the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Upper New York State Stan Musial Tournament from Friday through Sunday at Bleecker Stadium in Albany and Keenholts Park in Guilderland.

The tournament is a five- team field with the following teams having qualified:

All Stars Academy: 18-6 (2nd place Twilight)
Blue Slate Blue Hawks: 13-11 (4th place Twilight)
CNY Yankees: 14-6 (1st place Central NY League)
Tri-County Bees: 21-10 (1st place Eastern NY League)
Waterford Nolan Propane: 15-9 (3rd place Twilight)

The defending Twilight League and Upper NY State champion Albany Athletics (29-7-1 overall / 20-4 league) earned a BYE by capturing the best regular season record in the Twilight League, thus getting an automatic bid to the North Atlantic Regional tournament next weekend.

This weekend the State tournament opens Friday at Bleecker Stadium with Waterford facing the CNY Yankees at 1 pm, and at Keenholts Park All Stars takes on Tri-County Bees at 1 pm. Blue Slate drew a first round bye and will face the winner of the All Stars/Tri-County game Friday at 5 pm at Keenholts Park. The winner of the Waterford/CNY Yankees game will earn a bye to the third round.

The Twilight League has a streak of nine straight years where one of its teams have captured the State championship every year dating back to 2000. The Athletics have won eight of those championships (along with one more in 1998), Davies AC captured the title in 2003 and the Albany Senators in 2005. Apex Printing was the last Twilight League team to advance to the AABC National World Series back in 1989.

The winner of the State tournament will advance to the North Atlantic Regional Tournament at Bleecker and Keenholts from August 6-8, with the Regional winner moving on to the National World Series in Houston, Texas.

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010

ROUND #1 
GAME #1 1 PM Waterford Nolan Propane vs CNY Yankees Bleecker Stadium
GAME #2 1 PM All Stars Academy vs Tri-County Bees Keenholts Park
BYE: Blue Slate Blue Hawks

ROUND #2 
GAME #3 5 PM Loser GM #1 vs Loser GM #2 Bleecker Stadium
GAME #4 5 PM Blue Slate Blue Hawks vs Winner GM #2 Keenholts Park
BYE: Winner of Game #1

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2010

ROUND #3 
GAME #5 * 11 AM Loser GM #4 vs Winner GM #3 Keenholts Park
GAME #6 * 2 PM Winner GM #1 vs Winner GM #4 Keenholts Park
* Pairings determined based on previous matchups, immediately following Round #2 if needed

ROUND #4 
GAME #7 ** 5 PM Teams TBD Keenholts Park
** Pairings AND bye determined (based on previous matchups AND previous bye) immediately following Round #3

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2010

ROUND #5 
GAME #8 11 AM CHAMPIONSHIP Bleecker Stadium

ROUND #6 
GAME #9 2 PM CHAMPIONSHIP #2 (if necessary) Bleecker Stadium

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published

The South Troy Dodgers used a three-run home run from Matt Zanotta and a complete game performance on the mound from Josh Ingham Sunday evening to defeat the Richmond County Baseball Club, 5-1. South Troy plays host to the Ontario Blue Jays in Monday's championship showdown in the North Atlantic Connie Mack regionals. Ontario needs one win to move on to the World Series. South Troy would have to win at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. to punch a second straight ticket to Farmington, N.M.

Matt Zanotta hit a big three-run home run for the South Troy Dodgers in Sunday evening's victory over the Richmond County Baseball Club.

TROY — The year of the home run continued for Matt Zanotta Sunday night and it couldn’t have happened at a better time for the South Troy Dodgers’ Connie Mack team.

After Will Remillard gave the Dodgers a one-run lead on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning of an elimination game against the Richmond County Baseball Club, Zanotta poked a three-run home run over the fence in dead center field. Behind Josh Ingham, who pitched a complete game, the Dodgers posted a 5-1 victory at Geer Field and lived to play another day in the 18-and-under Connie Mack North Atlantic Regional.

Monday, South Troy hosts the Ontario Blue Jays at 10 a.m. at Geer Field. Ontario, undefeated in the tournament, can clinch a title and a trip to the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, N.M. with one victory over the Dodgers. South Troy needs to win two straight games against the Blue Jays to make a return trip to the World Series.

Should the Dodgers win the 10 a.m. game, a second game would be played at 1 p.m.

“Matt’s been slumping for us, but I’ll tell you what, he stepped up today,” said South Troy head coach Kevin Rogers. “He is one of the ones that keeps us in the game. Whether he’s playing bad or good, he’s always in the game, always rooting other guys on. He’s a motivator, that kid, and we love to have him.”

Zanotta, who hit a Section II record 18 home runs for Guilderland High School this spring, admitted that making adjustments to a wood bat and the talent-level of the pitching he sees with the Dodgers was tough, but hard work has helped him get back his swing.

“You always have to be prepared,” said Zanotta. “I knew if I didn’t do it, the kid after me was going to do it. We pass the torch pretty well. When someone ignites the spark, we’re ready to go.”

For video from this game, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Ontario handed the Dodgers a 6-0 defeat Sunday afternoon, South Troy’s only loss in the tournament. Dave Roseboom, the University of South Carolina-Upstate bound lefthander, will take the mound for the Dodgers at 10 a.m.

"I had a great year for high school and when I came to the wood and all the better pitching and stuff like that, I struggled a little bit," Zanotta said. "But I’ve worked with all the coaches and got my swing back to where it was during the high school season."

Josh Ingham pitched a complete game, holding the Richmond County Baseball Club without an earned run in a 5-1 victory for the South Troy Dodgers Sunday evening at Geer Field.

South Troy starter Josh Ingham was great on the mound, only let down a bit by his defense in the fifth inning. Ingham threw a five-hitter, striking out two and walking just one in the 89-pitch complete game victory.

Unlike in the Connie Mack qualifier a few weeks ago where he was pressed into duty when the Dodgers' starter coughed up some early runs, Ingham was confident on the mound Sunday because he had a feeling he would be pitching in this elimination situation.

"I had a pretty good idea that it was going to be me or Wendell (Wright) today," Ingham said. "I was pretty focused. I sat up in the air conditioning before the game, kind of realized what I was doing a little bit and mellowed out. I knew it was going to be a big game. We knew we could beat these guys. We’ve beat them before. The last time was kind of a fluke. We were all really spent."

The Dodgers lost to Ontario 6-0 Sunday afternoon, but the Dodgers are confident to get right back at their neighbors to the north.

“They’re definitely beatable,” said Ingham. “We just left a lot of guys on base and didn’t capitalize in certain areas. We have the Boom (Dave Roseboom) going tomorrow, so we’re definitely getting a win out of him. We can piece something together. We have Wendell, too.

"We’re ready to go. We have pitching left and we don’t know what they have," Ingham continued. "It’s going ot be a good game."

Sunday's game against Richmond County certainly was a thrilling game, but it may never go down among the Dodgers' greats. It featured eight errors, an unusual 2-1-5-6 double play, and three Richmond County runners thrown out on the basepaths. The Richmond County coaches weren't too thrilled with some of the calls (the Dodgers also had their complaints) but everyone walked away from the game without incident.

Notes: John Franco, the former All-Star closer for the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Mets, was in attendance at Sunday's game. His son, J.J., plays shortstop for the Richmond County team.

The South Troy Dodgers' 16-and-under Mickey Mantle team is also running into the Ontario Blue Jays in the North Atlantic Regionals in Waterbury, Conn. The Blue Jays defeated the 16u Dodgers Sunday, but South Troy can earn a championship game rematch with a victory over the New Jersey Sharks Monday morning at 10 a.m.

The 17-and-under Dodgers are headed to the AABC World Series in Albuquerque, N.M. The 15-and-under Dodgers and the 14-and-under Dodgers played in their respective regional championship games, but lost. All in all, it's been a very successful summer for the South Troy program.

--
Aaaaand the rest of Sunday's local roundup:
North Atlantic 16-and-under Mickey Mantle regionals
South Troy splits: The South Troy Dodgers 16-and-under Mickey Mantle team defeated the Diamondbuddies (Pelham, N.Y.), 21-3, Sunday in the North Atlantic regional in Waterbury, Conn.
Colin Grande went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, Nolan Driscoll went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored and Matt Sand hit a home run and a double.
Later, the Dodgers dropped an 8-2 decision to the Ontario Blue Jays, their first loss in the tournament.
South Troy plays the New Jersey Sharks today at 10 a.m. The winner of that game plays the Blue Jays in the regional championship at 1 p.m.
New York State Section 3 11-12-year-old All-Stars
East Greenbush-Castleton 7, Rotterdam 1: Jarrett Fortin was 4-for-4 with two doubles and a home run in the victory for East Greenbush.
Brendan Gurain pitched five innings of one-hit ball in relief to earn the victory.
Cody Seeberger and Tucker McKeown each had two hits and Seeberger had a home run for East Greenbush.
East Greenbush plays Saugerties tonight in the Section 3 semifinals at 6 p.m.
The winner will play on Tuesday night in the championship game in Chatham.
District 14 9-and-10-year-old ‘A’ Round Robin
Twin Town 18, Cohoes 0: Zach Price went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and Ryan Gutheil also went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored in a victory for Twin Town.
Issiah Piazza and Jakobi Cutler reached base two times apiece for Cohoes.
New York State 8-and-under Cal Ripken tournament
Spring Renegades win three games: The host Spring Renegades won three games in the Cal Ripken Tournament.
Avery Pascucci and Eli Gregware collected two singles apiece to lead the Renegades in an 8-5 victory over Beekmantown.
In a 7-6 victory over the North Colonie Padres, Mike Ragone tripled and drove in four runs and Cody Gunthner and Nick Yash combined on a nifty fielding play to end the game.
In a 6-4 upset victory over the previously unbeaten Clifton Park Mustangs, Gunthner, Marquese Holmes and Jonah Lozada teamed together on the pitching duties and Ronnie Devernoe added a tough catch.

Follow OTR: Twitter
Facebook
iTunes video podcast
RSS feed for links to blog posts as soon as they are published