By Jen Chan
After an eventful night at the Veterans game, 7 of the veterans came back for the Home Run Derby. The teams consisted of 1 veteran player and a current player for each team. Each team hit as many balls as they could until 7 outs were made, the 7 outs consisted of balls that did not make it over the fence. The top 4 teams would move onto round 2 and the best 2 teams from there would move onto the final round.

Each team put in their best effort and there were many instances where the players made some comments regarding their hit or how out of shape they were. New Market ended up taking the overall win with 22 total home runs, Montezuma had 15, Broadway and Bridgewater were tied for 3rd with 12 total home runs, Clover Hill had 7, Stuarts Draft had 3, and Grottoes had 1 home run.

The evening took a different turn as there was a severe thunderstorm warning for the county and the All-Star Game was canceled, but the season is not over yet. The Reds and New Market have their final regular season game on Monday at 7:30 in New Market to determine 3rd and 4th seed. The standing as of now have Stuarts Draft in 1st, with Clover Hill in 2nd. The 5th, 6th, and 7th standings are as followed – Grottoes, Montezuma, and Broadway.
The stats for the derby are below.

Round 1:
Team 1 – Stuarts Draft – Ryan Cooper (0) + Terrell Thompson (3) = 3 home runs total
Team 2 – Montezuma – Beau Banglesdorf (2) + Tristan Gordon (6) = 8 home runs total
Team 3 – Bridgewater – Brian Bocock (2) + Noah Cornwell (6) = 8 home runs total
Team 4 – Broadway – Josh Veney (3) + Trent Abernathy (5) = 8 home runs total
Team 5 – Clover Hill – Jason Beale (4) + Cody Swisher (3) = 7 home runs total
Team 6 – New Market – Bill Harlow (0) + Connor Houser (9) = 9 home runs total
Team 7 - Grottoes – Daryl Lambert (1) + Dylan Nicely (0) = 1 home run total
 
Round 2:
Broadway – Josh Veney (1) + Trent Abernathy (3) = 4 home runs total
Bridgewater – Brian Bocock (2) + Noah Cornwell (2) = 4 home runs total
Montezuma – Beau Banglesdorf (2) + Tristan Gordon (3) = 5 home runs total
New Market – Bill Harlow (0) + Connor Houser (6) = 6 home runs total
 
Final Round:
Montezuma – Beau Banglesdorf (1) + Tristan Gordon (1) = 2 home runs total
New Market – Bill Harlow (0) + Connor Houser (7) = 7 home runs total

By Jen Chan
The legends were welcomed by many members of the county for the Veterans game to start off the All Star Weekend. Many of the veterans have been out of the league for over 15 years. The game went by with some enjoyable scenes including getting hit and falling to the ground, a certain coach not liking a call at home plate and a few different tripping errors all around the field.

The East took the lead early on the in the game and scored the first 4 runs of the game in the top of the 1st and scored an additional run in the top of the 2nd. The West would fight back in the bottom of the 2nd by a solo shot to right center from Jason Beale to start off the list of home runs for both teams.

Seymour Solomon Jr. would prove that he deserved to be on the team when he would send one to deep right field to increase the lead to 7-2 in the top of the 5th. Beau Banglesdorf would fight right back when he would give himself and his team an additional 2 runs from his shot to deep right center field to decrease the gap to 7-4.

The West would secure the lead to take home the game in the bottom of the 6th as they would send 8 batters to the plate and 4 would cross the plate in some fashion including having an East coach come out and yell at the home plate umpire about the call and getting “ejected” from the game.

The MVP for the West would be Beau Banglesdorf as he would have one of the 2 multiple run home runs of the game and would reach multiple times throughout the game.

All Star weekend continues today at 4:45 with the Home Run Derby, 7:30 with the Hall of Fame Ceremony and the All Star Game at 8 pm. For more details, please see the 2022 All Star Game feature under News.

Some favorite quotes throughout the game:
“He’s talkin’, he didn’t even see,” *proceeds to scream down the 1st base line.* - home plate umpire
*ball gets pitched outside* “Nope! – home plate umpire
*hits ball poorly and knows it before stepping out of the box* “custom cuss word here” -many of the Veteran players

By Jen Chan
With the final game of the regular season for the Clover Dome hosting the Bridgewater Reds it was a true battle that no one saw coming until the final 2 frames of the game. Both teams did not have many of their key players in the game that would decide who was 2nd for the championship bracket.
 
The Bucks would get the runs across the board first after Reds pitcher Logan Phelps struggled during the first inning to get his bearings. Lucas Clark, longtime friend of Phelps, would get hit, then Kevin Kirk would be walked to put 2 runners on base before there is a ball in-play. Drew Easter would then score both runners on a shot to left center field. Luke Shifflett would do the same the opposite way and score Easter to give the Bucks the 3-0 lead before Cody Swisher would strikeout giving the first out of the inning. Bryce Suters would then be walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd for John Siciliano to ground one over to 2nd base, gaining a fielding error, and loading up the bases with one out. Ross French would be walked and get an RBI to make the score 4-0. Alex Knicely would ground one to 2nd base and fielders choice would get French out at 2nd leaving runners on the corners and scoring Suters. Siciliano and Knicely would be stranded on base as Clark gets the final out of the bottom of the first but not after 5 cross the board for the Bucks and go around the line up once.

After 3 and a half innings including 2 errors, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 hit by pitch we make it to the bottom of the 5th inning. For the second time in the game Suters gets walked but this time from Sam Imeson, who would be the 2nd Buck pitcher this game. Siciliano would hit a standup double to right center field and score Suters for his second run this game. The inning would end with 2 strikeouts, a walk, and a flyout to right field from Knicely.

Another 2 inning span of no runs would be stopped when the Reds were able to make contact with the ball in the top of the 8th. After 2 consecutive 5 pitch walks from L. Shifflett, Liam Simpson was able to battle back in a 9-pitch at bat to hit one towards Koice Quintanilla who would touch 3rd base to get the lead runner out. Chris Huffman would then line one out to left field and would score D. Shifflett easily as Simpson would stay on 2nd. Caleb Swartley would bring in 2 more runs off another hit to right field to cut the Bucks lead in half, but the Reds still had some momentum going for them. Adding an additional walk and putting runners on 1st and 2nd, Jack Carpin would shoot one off the tall wall in left field and score the final run for the Reds in the top of the 8th before Tucker Hrasky would get in a rhythm and shut them out the remainder of the game.

The Bucks would put 6 pitchers on the mound through the entire game to get their pitching staff prepared for the most important week of games. “Today is a staff day. We are just trying to get everyone some game time before the race for the championship,” said starting pitcher Reid Long.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game is John Siciliano. Siciliano went 3 for 3 and reaching base 4 times. He played all around the field and was able to bring in 2 runs off 2 hits with both hits being doubles.

The Reds will be on the road on Monday against New Market to finish out the regular season to determine who is 3rd seed for the bracket, as the Bucks finish out the season in 2nd seed for the bracket play. Don’t forget to catch All Star weekend starting tomorrow night at Ruritan Park at 7:30 for the Veterans Game.

By Jen Chan
When asked how he think his team would do Stuarts Draft manager, Leslie Sandridge, stated “a game is a game. I will put 9 on the field and something will happen. Win or lose it’s a ball game,” yet little did he know how the game would fall out.

The Diamondbacks would strike first getting a huge lead in the bottom of the 3rd as Calen Owens gets walked by Reds starting pitcher Nick Griffin. Owens advances on a fielder’s choice throw from Derek Shifflett at 2nd base. He then steals 3rd as Terrell Thompson is up to bat getting himself 90 feet closer to home with 1 out. As a strikeout is given to Jack Pausic, Chaz Harvey uses the 2 out to his advantage and shoots one deep into center field to get the Diamondbacks their extended lead over the Reds in the bottom of the 3rd.

Noah Cornwell fights back in the top of the 4th as he hits one towards right field as it pops over the fence before anyone can blink. The rest of the inning is uneventful for the Reds as they leave Cayden Clements on 1st base. The bottom of the 4th Cadlee Jarvis was left stranded on 3rd after getting walked as the Reds defense has Nick Griffin’s back.

Jacob Dunford started off the 5th by walking Derek Shifflett, then Liam Simpson would then hit one though the gap on the right side of the infield. Blake Sipe would get the 1st out of the inning off of a flyout to right center field, this would let Shifflett advance to 3rd. Shifflett would then score on a sac fly to left field from Corbin Lucas to close the score 2-3. Simpson would then try to steal 2nd with Noah Cornwell up to bat and would get caught.

A scoreless bottom of the 5th and entire 6th inning would speed up the game from the long first few innings. A great start for Dunford as he strikes out the first batter in the 7th, but loses momentum for Greg Sherfey and Derek Shifflett as they both end up on base. Both runners advance off of a wild pitch with Simpson up to bat. With their excellent base running, both runners are able to score on the Simpson single to right center field. This 2 run inning gives the Reds their first lead of the game 4-3.

After an easy up and down from the bottom of the 7th and top of the 8th the Diamondbacks fight back to regain their lead. A throwing error helps advance 2 runners, Zach Roberts and Thompson after both steal 2nd base in their own time and a grounder that is placed so perfectly gets past the 3rd basemen Corbin Lucas scores 2 as Roberts and Thompson step across home plate. The final run comes from Ryan Farris as he grounds out but scores Pausic.

The top of the 9th starts off slow with a walk to Chris Huffman from pitcher Farris to put the tying run in the box and he delivers. Cayden Swartley gets his 5th hit of the season and his 1st home run to tie the game at 6-6. The Diamondbacks were unable to secure a run in the bottom of the 9th.

Extra innings in RCBL means international rule for both teams as they both place runners on 2nd base. With 1 out, Cornwell is intentionally walked putting 2 runners on base and infielders playing double play distance. Clements scores Sipe from 2nd off a hit to left center field. Both runners advance on wild pitch and walks Huffman to load the bases. Swartley then shoots one to deep left field just shy of the warning track and scores Cornwell. Runners advance again on wild pitches, but will be unable to score anymore runs as the top of the inning ends in a K.

The bottom of the 10th puts Thompson on 2nd base. Pausic smacks one into DEEP center field and scores Roberts with a stand up double. Harvey was intestinally walked to replicate what the Diamondbacks did in the top of the inning. Marshall then grounds out to 1st base, but both runners advance into scoring position. Jarvis hits one into right field and scores the winning run as Simpson fumbles the ball in right field.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game is Cadlee Jarvis.

The Diamondbacks will be on the road for their final game of regular season tonight at Shifflett Field with first pitch at 7:30. The Reds have 3 more games, including one next Monday after the All Star weekend. They will be traveling to New Market tonight to take on the Shockers.

By Jen Chan
The Bridgewater Reds hosted the Montezuma Braves in a game that many did not think would happen. After a severe thunderstorm warning and the other RCBL game being canceled the Reds and Braves waited out the rain and it was game time, only 30 minutes behind schedule. Even with being 30 minutes behind schedule the game ended at the normal 10 pm mark to end the evening.

The game started off slow for the Braves as their first batter of the game, Kyle Armstrong, was walked to first and ended up being stranded on 2nd after a sac bunt from Hunter Clever. Jonathan Sexton would then be walked to put 2 runners on base, but Red’s pitcher Derek Shifflett would stop that to get his first 2 strikeouts of the game to end the top of the first.

The Reds would start off the scoring in the bottom of the first as Liam Simpson would make it to 1st on a bobble over to 2nd base that was placed oddly for Isaiah Blanks to throw over to 1st. Simpson would then make it to 3rd on a hit from Blake Sipe to right field and would make it home on a fielding error from Tyler Smith. On the same fielding error, Smith would make it to 2nd base but would not make it any farther as the next 2 batters would groundout and strike out, respectively.

More action for the Reds in the bottom of the 2nd as Shifflett would reach 1st base on a fielding error on the throw from 3rd to 1st. Nick Griffin would then get ground one in the infield to move Shifflett into scoring position. Greg Sherfey would reach on the 3rd error of the game as Shifflett scores the insurance run in the bottom of the 2nd. The errors that the Braves made were put to great use for the Reds to give them the 2-0 advantage going into the remainder of the game.

With only being down 2 runs, the Braves knew that it was their time to put themselves on the board. Blanks would get things started in a shallow hit to center field but would later be out on a fielder’s choice off a hit from Armstrong. With great base running, Armstrong was able to easily steal 2nd base. Clever walks to 1st to put 2 runners on base. Sexton would then shoot one into right center field to get himself to 1st. A misguided throw from the outfield takes an odd hop on the pitchers mound and gives all of the runners the ability to advance and scores Armstrong. Clever is unable to cross home plate as he is tagged out before the right-hand batter’s box.

The score would remain 2-1 in favor of the Reds for the remainder of the night with Derek Shifflett being selected as the Valley Care Management Player of the Game for his 12 strikeouts over 9 innings of work and his multitude of stops at the mound. He also helped his team score the winning run of the game in the 2nd inning.

“I just keep throwing pitches. The more I throw the less my arm hurts,” said Reds pitcher Derek Shifflett after the 9 innings of work for tonight’s game as he was eating his post-game meal from the concession stand.

The Reds will host their final home game of the season on Thursday July 14 starting at 7:30 pm, while the Braves will host the Bucks at Ruritan Field on Saturday July 16 at 7:30 pm.

By Leyton Pullin
The Grottoes Cardinals defeated the Broadway Bruins 16-4 Friday night behind their explosive offensive attack.​

Spencer Williams got the start for Grottoes and got behind the eight ball early walking the first two hitters he faced. Trevor Thomas, the starter for the Bruins, came to the dish next and connected with an RBI single to knock in the lead-off man, Tyler Stobbs, to put the Bruins out in front. After that, Williams settled in punching out the next two hitters he faced and retiring the side only allowing a single Broadway run.

The bottom of the first was the true difference-maker in the ballgame. The Cardinals pushed across nine runs and sent 13 hitters to the plate. Cam Irvine, Eli Lam, Witt Scafidi and Dalton Nicely all tallied an RBI single in the frame while David Wood and Dylan Nicely picked up two RBIs a piece to account for the nine runs as every Grottoes hitter reached base in one form during the frame. 

Williams began to settle in after gaining massive run support from his offense. He would only allow one run in his next three innings of work and take the win. Williams added six total strikeouts and only two hits in an up and down outing.

Grottoes continued to pad the lead right away in the second frame as Boogie Saunders was hit by a pitch and proceeded to do only as Boogie Saunders does by cleanly stealing second and third base. On his slide into third, the throw from Tillman Butler would hit Saunders in the head and leave the field of play allowing him to walk home on the dead ball to make it 10-1.

The Cardinals would bring all nine hitters to the plate in the third tagging on four more including RBI base knocks from Ty Lam and Saunders to make it a 14-2 game.

In the top of the fifth, the Cardinals would make a move to the bullpen bringing in Andrew Baugher who struck out the first hitter he faced. Second to the dish was Jaden Nixon who battled in a two-strike count before he crushed a ball into the night sky for a solo home run making it 14-3. 

The Bruins tagged on another run in the top of the sixth on a Brody Bower single that would score Noah Hertzler to cut the lead to 10. 

Tucker Garrison would pinch-hit in the bottom half of the frame for Grottoes and would get in on the scoring with a two-run home run to right field to also bring in Saunders and stretch the lead to 16-4.

Baugher would shut down the Bruins in the seventh retiring the side in order to finish the game.

Broadway drops to 6-12 on the season with the loss with six games left on the regular-season schedule. They will be back in action on Sunday as they host the Stuarts Diamondbacks (10-4) who currently sit atop the league standings.

“We swung it really well from the beginning and guys were not trying to do too much,” said Grottoes manager Tim Nicely.

Irvine led the Cardinals offensively with three RBIs in a 2-for-3 night at the plate. Saunders also added a 2-for-2 game with three stolen bases.

Looking ahead for the Cardinals they sit at an even .500 at 7-7 with 10 games left on the schedule. Nicely talked about some of the struggles the team faced during the opening stages of the season including scheduling conflicts with high school players and a tough stretch of four games in seven days and with that says he feels okay to be where they are.