By Matthew Atkins

Bridgewater jumped out to an early lead, but the Reds had to keep fighting throughout the night on their way to an 11-9 victory over Broadway. The win puts Bridgewater up 1-0 in the best-of-five series.

Derek Shifflett led off the game with a single in the top of the first and the Reds scored six runs in the frame to take an early lead. Broadway answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first as Matt Meiser and Bryce Strawderman each came around to score.

The Reds had another big inning in the third, bringing three men across the plate to stretch their lead to 9-2.

With a comfortable advantage, the Reds let Shifflett go to work on the mound. He pitched all nine innings, striking out 15 batters in the game. The Bruins battled back late in the game, and threatened with a four-run ninth inning, but the Reds defense came through and Bridgewater escaped with a win on the road.

While Shifflett was his usual dominant self on the mound, he also helped his own cause at the plate. The veteran leader of this year’s Bridgewater squad, Shifflett went 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored in the game.

Tucker Garrison had a good night at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Eight of the Reds’ starting nine scored in the game, and seven of them registered a hit as Bridgewater took the first game of the series.

The series goes to Bridgewater tonight, when the Reds host the Bruins for a 7:30 matchup at Ray Heatwole Field.

Clover Hill 16, Elkton 3

The Bucks got revenge for Monday night’s loss against Elkton by storming back with a 16-3 victory at Stonewall Memorial Park last night. Tyler Bocock went 3-for-6 at the plate with four runs and an RBI, helping the Bucks to tie up the series.

Six other Bucks had multi-hit performances, including Kevin Kirk, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The game was tied 1-1 at the end of the first inning, but Clover Hill scored multiple runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth, and capped off the game with a five-run seventh inning to secure the slaughter-rule victory.

Eric Yankey got the start for Clover Hill, pitching six innings and allowing just three runs on two hits. Yankey struck out 13 batters in his outing.

Jordan Showalter came on the mound to pitch the seventh inning, retiring the Blue Sox in order and striking out two to close out the game.
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The win for the Bucks ties up the series and sends it back to Clover Hill on Thursday night for game three. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

By Matthew Atkins

The Elkton Blue Sox barely had enough players to field a team in game one against Clover Hill, but they came firing on all cylinders as they won 10-3 to take a 1-0 series lead. Lee Carneal continued his hot streak with a three-run home run in the top of the first to put the Blue Sox out front. 

Clover Hill came back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, but Elkton wasn't done yet. The Blue Sox sent two more runners across the plate in the top of the second to increase their lead to 5-2. 

After that, they sat back and let starting pitcher Jacob Rich go to work .Rich. fanned 10 batters over seven innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits in the game. He left in the eighth inning and handed the game over to Seth Berry, who closed things out for Elkton. 

Elkton continued to score throughout the night, adding two more runs in the sixth inning. They really stretched their lead in the top of the eighth when Canon Davies hit a monster home run over the left field fence to plate three more runs and make it 10-2. 

The Bucks fought in the bottom of the eighth inning as Alex Knicely scored on an RBI single from Grant Painter, but a groundout in the next at bat would end the inning. 

The win gives the Blue Sox a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series and keeps their momentum going after sweeping New Market in the first round of the playoffs. 

Up Next:

Elkton and Clover Hill are back in action tonight when they play game two at Stonewall Memorial Park in Elkton. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m.

Also in action tonight is game one of the other semifinal series between Bridgewater and Broadway. The Bruins host as the Reds continue their bid for a third-consecutive title. First pitch at Broadway High School is set for 7:30 p.m.

By Matthew Atkins

Members of the media voted last week on the 2019 All-RCBL team, which is made up of 15 of the best players from around the league. Voters chose one player at each infield position, four outfielders, four pitchers, a utility player and a designated hitter to make up the team.

Each RCBL team ended up with at least one representative on the All-RCBL squad. Clover Hill leads the way with four honorees; Ross French, Drew Easter, Nick Corbin and Eric Yankey all earned spots on this year’s team. Easter and Yankey were members of the 2018 All-RCBL team as well. Easter is the only player in the league to earn All-RCBL honors in each of the past three seasons.

Three of the RCBL’s end-of-season award winners made the team: MVP Corbin Lucas, Pitcher of the Year John Judy and Rookie of the Year Luke Paczewski.

A number of statistical leaders are represented on the team as well. Keegan Woolford (.484), Lucas (.425) and David Wood (.422) have the three highest batting averages in the league and each received All-RCBL honors. PJ Hanisak led the league with seven home runs and earned an All-RCBL spot at catcher.

Nick Corbin led the league with a 1.47 ERA while strikeout leader Derek Shifflett earned a spot as a pitcher after fanning 82 batters this season.

Three rookies – Hanisak, Paczewski and Pearce Bucher – earned All-RCBL honors while second-year players Will Hass and John Judy made the team for the first time in their careers.

Joining Judy from the Bruins is outfielder Matt Meiser, who led the league with 21 stolen bases while batting .327 this season.
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Elkton veteran Christian Rodriguez capped off a fantastic season by earning a spot on this year’s team after batting .341 with four home runs and 26 RBIs this year.

Below is a full list of players named to the 2019 All-RCBL team: 

Catcher: PJ Hanisak, Montezuma
First Baseman: David Wood, Grottoes
Second Baseman: Will Hass, Stuarts Draft
Third Baseman: Luke Paczewski, Montezuma
Shortstop: Ross French, Clover Hill
Outfielder: Drew Easter, Clover Hill
Outfielder: Matt Meiser, Broadway
Outfielder: Keegan Woolford, Grottoes
Outfielder: Corbin Lucas, Bridgewater
Utility: Pearce Bucher, New Market
Designated Hitter: Christian Rodriguez, Elkton
Pitcher: John Judy, Broadway
Pitcher: Derek Shifflett, Bridgewater
Pitcher: Nick Corbin, Clover Hill
Pitcher: Eric Yankey, Clover Hill

The RCBL end-of-season awards have been finalized for the 2019 season. Coaches around the league voted for the MVP, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year based on performance during the summer.

Stepping up as a veteran leader on a Bridgewater team that lost most of its core over the offseason, Corbin Lucas earned MVP honors for the 2019 season. Lucas batted .425 with five home runs this summer. His 30 RBIs led the league, while his other offensive marks were near the top.

The Reds’ right fielder posted an on-base-percentage of .475 while slugging .782 over the course of 23 games, leading the Reds to a 12-16 season. Lucas’ five home runs are the most he has ever hit as a member of the Reds.

Just up Route 42 in Broadway, Bruins starter John Judy put together a phenomenal season on his way to becoming Pitcher of the Year. Judy finished the regular season with a record of 4-1, posting a 2.31 ERA and striking out 65 batters.

Judy’s season was highlighted by a rain-shortened no-hitter, in which he struck out nine batters in six innings. He had a season-high 14 strikeouts in a complete game victory against Montezuma on July 20. Judy’s season helped lead the Bruins to a 14-14 season and the fourth seed in the 2019 postseason.

Making a breakthrough in his first year in the RCBL, Montezuma’s Luke Paczewski earned Rookie of the Year honors. Paczewski hit .400 on the season, while driving in 16 runs for the Braves. He added six walks and seven doubles to cap off his standout rookie season.

In his first year at the helm of the New Market Shockers, Nolan Potts led the team to a 15-13 record to earn Coach of the Year honors. Potts served as an assistant in New Market for multiple seasons before being promoted to head coach for the 2019 season.

Potts led the Shockers to their first season above .500 in the Pointstreak Era, which dates back to the 2013 season. He was able to recruit a plethora of new talent while retaining many of the players that have seen success in New Market in previous seasons.

Potts occasionally had to put himself into the lineup as well, hitting .231 on the season in seven games played for the Shockers. 

By Matthew Atkins

BROADWAY - A rainy day led to a quiet night throughout the Valley, but not in Broadway. While every other RCBL postseason game was postponed on Wednesday evening, the Bruins hosted Montezuma in game one of their quarterfinal series.

Broadway right-hander John Judy was as dominant as every as he pitched a complete game, striking out 13 batters on the way to a 5-1 victory. Judy allowed just one run on nine hits and one walk.

The game started as a pitchers’ duel on both sides as Montezuma started John Dudley only allowed one hit through the first three innings. The tide started to turn in the bottom of the fourth, though.

Boo Dean led off the inning with a double and was later drive home on a triple that Matt Meiser rocketed to left field. The throw to third was off target and rolled into the Broadway dugout, allowing Meiser to come home and score as well.

The Bruins would put up two more runs in the bottom of the fifth after Danny Grogg led the inning off with a double and he and Tanner Skidmore each crossed the plate in the frame.

Meanwhile, Judy continued to be dominant on the mound as the game went on. Six of his 13 strikeouts came in the last four innings of the game, including three in the seventh inning.

To cap things off in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Bruins, Meiser walked, stole second, reached third on a wild pitch, and stole home to give the Bruins their fifth run of the game.

Montezuma came close to scoring in the top of the fifth, but Josh Tayman was thrown out trying to cross the plate on a ground ball from Owen Stewart. The Braves eventually put a run on the board in the top of the ninth when Stewart reached after getting hit by a pitch and scored in the inning.

For the Bruins, Meiser finished the night 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Grogg went 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored.

The win puts the Bruins up 1-0 in the series, needing just one win to advance to the semifinals. The next game is scheduled for tonight at Ruritan Park in Montezuma.

The Braves will look to keep their season alive by securing a win as they return home tonight for a 7:30 p.m. first pitch.

Other Series

Clover Hill is currently up 1-0 over Grottoes after an 18-5 win on Tuesday night, while Elkton is up 1-0 against New Market after a 10-8 win on Tuesday.

All four series will be back in action tonight, with every game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. All scheduling information can be found here. 

By Adam Harnish

​All eyes were on Ruritan Field Monday night, as the Bridgewater Reds and the Montezuma Braves played the final game of the regular season. This game would determine the final order of the standings, and therefore lock in the playoff matchups for the 2019 season. After the dust settled, the Braves emerged victorious over the Reds, 13-8.
 
Now, the playoff picture is clear. The matchups are as follows:
 
#1 Clover Hill Bucks vs #8 Grottoes Cardinals
 
Game 1: Tuesday night, at Clover Hill, 7:30 PM
Game 2: Wednesday night, at Grottoes, 7:30 PM
Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday night, at Clover Hill, 7:30 PM
 
This matchup was the only one that had been decided before Monday night’s contest. The Clover Hill Bucks completely ran away with the regular season pennant, securing an impressive 24-4 record and beating out the next best team by nine games. The Bucks have made it to the championship series the last two years, but lost both times, so these playoffs certainly have a bit more intensity for the Clover Hill squad. They are ridiculously deep in all facets of their roster, but are headlined by the bat of Josh Eberely (.344 AVG, 22 RBI) and the arm of Nick Corbin (5-0, 1.47 ERA, 35 K).
 
As for the Cardinals, their solid season has unraveled, resulting in a seven game losing streak to finish the regular season. Now, they will have to try to figure it out against the juggernaut of the Bucks in a three game series. They will look to replicate the success they had in the middle stretch of the season, where they won 7 of 9 games, including a 6-1 win over the Bucks on June 8. No doubt, they will need production from their two MVP-candidate sluggers, Keegan Woolford (.484 AVG, 26 RBI) and David Wood (.422 AVG, 19 RBI).
 
#2 New Market Shockers vs #7 Elkton Blue Sox
 
Game 1: Tuesday night, at New Market, 7:30 PM
Game 2: Wednesday night, at Elkton, 7:30 PM
Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday night, at New Market, 7:30 PM
 
The Shockers finished the season by winning seven of their last ten games, fueled by a dynamic offense and a reliable stable of starting pitchers. Frankie Ritter (.366 AVG), Peter Mullholland (.415 AVG) and Pearce Bucher (.352 AVG, 27 RBI) form one of the best top-of-the-lineup combinations in the league, as they have a tendency to force the opponent to their bullpen earlier than they anticipated.
 
New Market will now turn their attention to the intriguing Elkton Blue Sox, who have climbed out of the 8-seed and started to assert themselves as a dark horse candidate for this year’s playoffs. The Blue Sox are headlined by a pair of bombers in JJ Loker (.302 AVG, 3 HR, 24 RBI) and MVP candidate Christian Rodriguez (.341 AVG, 4 HR, 26 RBI). The key for Elkton will be getting solid innings from their starting pitching. This could prove to be one of the more fun series of the first round.
 
#3 Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks vs #6 Bridgewater Reds
 
Game 1: Wednesday night, at Stuarts Draft, 7:30 PM
Game 2: Thursday night, at Bridgewater, 7:30 PM
Game 3 (if necessary): Friday night, at Stuarts Draft, 7:30 PM
 
The Diamondbacks have put together a very solid season, staying around .500 all summer, but winning key matchups along the way. They are a team with a deep lineup and a reliable bullpen, making them a formidable playoff opponent. Jack Pausic (.326 AVG, 22 RBI), Tanner Levine (.313 AVG) and Tyler Wilcher (.308 AVG) will all be dangerous weapons for Stuarts Draft to deploy.
 
They will go head to head against the defending champion Bridgewater Reds, who, despite losing a handful of key players from previous seasons, are still very much in the mix.
 
The Reds’ full capabilities were on display in the middle of the season, where they won 8 of 9 games in commanding fashion. Now, Bridgewater will look to recapture that success behind their star-studded pitching staff, led by the dynamic duo of Derek Shifflett (4 CG, 3.80 ERA, 82 K) and Tucker Garrison (4-2, 4.32 ERA, 55 K). Of course, the other problem for the Dbacks is MVP candidate Corbin Lucas (.425 AVG, 30 RBI) lurking in the middle of the Reds’ lineup.
 
#4 Broadway Bruins vs #5 Montezuma Braves
 
Game 1: Wednesday night, at Broadway, 7:30 PM
Game 2: Thursday night, at Montezuma, 7:30 PM
Game 3 (if necessary): Friday night, at Broadway, 7:30 PM
 
The Bruins finish the regular season winning 6 of their last 8 games. The Bruins are arguably the most evenly talented team in the league, having solid assets in all aspects of the game. They will now turn to a few key players to take them over the hump, namely John Judy (4-1, 2.31 ERA) on the mound and Matt Meiser (.327 AVG, 25 RBI) at the dish.
 
As for the Braves, they take a three game win streak into the playoffs, backed by a fearsome offense, anchored by PJ Hanisak (.350 AVG, 28 RBI) and MVP candidate Luke Paczewski (.400 AVG, 16 RBI). The key for Montezuma will be finding reliable innings from their bullpen, which could prove to be a difference maker in this evenly matched series.
 
After the conclusion of the first round, only four teams will remain, setting up an exciting semi-finals series. Be sure to get out and catch the first round action this week, and stay tuned to the RCBL website for more playoff coverage.

By Adam Harnish

MONTEZUMA - Heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Montezuma Braves were staring at a 6-0 deficit, facing off against a pitcher who they had only gotten one hit off of in six innings. A few fans were starting to trickle towards their vehicles.
 
And then, with one swing, the Braves were back in the game. Kyle Armstrong ripped a line drive three-run home run just inside the left field foul pole, cutting the lead in half. The floodgates opened then for the Braves, and the massive inning had a second major swing by Tavien Hall, who crushed a three-run double to right-center field to give the Braves a 7-6 lead.
 
Now, with a one run lead heading to the ninth, the Braves suddenly needed a closer to finish the game off. Coach Rush turned to Jacob King, who had to face the top of the Broadway lineup. After a leadoff single by Bryce Strawderman, King was able to settle in and retire three of the next four batters to shut the door and secure the victory for Montezuma.
 
“It’s huge,” Armstrong said of the come-from-behind victory. “It’s a big momentum swing for the team. Once you get those runs on the board you start to believe.”
 
The Braves have had several injuries that have dried up their roster over the past couple of weeks. Armstrong himself just returned from his honeymoon, just in time to play a couple key roles for his team: in the ninth, Armstrong was the catcher for King.
 
“He’s a guy I’ve actually coached at Riverheads,” Armstrong said of King. “So I know how he likes to pitch, that made it easy for me.”
 
For the Broadway Bruins, it was a devastating loss. Pitcher Bryce Turner was forced into the game in the second inning due to an injury, but he made the most of his appearance, having six shutout innings before the wheels came off in the eighth. Tanner Skidmore had a two run home run of his own in the top of the eighth, and Kevin Rush had an impressive string of at bats in the middle of the game.
 
All that, however, went out the window as the Braves roared back and took the game for themselves. The win moves the Braves up to 10-16, still just one game out of the dreaded 8th place in the RCBL standings. The Bruins, meanwhile, fall to 13-14, still good for 4th place.
 
The Bruins final regular season game is on Saturday, where they host the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks (13-12). The Braves have a couple games left, the first of which is on Friday, when they are back home against the Bridgewater Reds (11-14). 

By Matthew Atkins

The RCBL end-of-season awards have been finalized for the 2018 season. Coaches around the league voted for the MVP, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year based on performance during the summer.
 
Putting together a phenomenal two-way season, Bridgewater shortstop/pitcher Tyler Bocock has been named the 2018 MVP. Bocock led or was near the top in almost every offensive category this season, batting .423 with six home runs. His 36 RBIs were the most in the league.

In addition, he earned four wins on the mound while finishing the season with a 2.00 ERA, fourth in the league. Bocock’s performance helped lead the Reds to a 21-7 regular season and a second-place finish in the West Division.
 
In his first year in the league, Elkton’s Kris Lalk has been named Pitcher of the Year. The Colorado native led the RCBL in strikeouts with 87, tying the Pointstreak-Era record set by Nolan Shaffer in 2013.
 
Lalk’s highlight of the season came when he struck out 16 New Market batters on the way to earning a 6-1 victory on July 8. He pitched six games this season in which he struck out 10 or more batters. Lalk finished the season with an ERA of 2.39, good for seventh in the league.
 
Lalk wasn’t the only first-year player to have a good season. Dan Fry of the Broadway Bruins has been named Rookie of the Year for 2018. Fry batted .316 for Broadway this year while hitting four home runs and driving in 26 runs.
 
A product of Allegany College of Maryland, Fry stole eight bases this season, third in the league. One of Fry’s many highlights was a 3-for-5 performance in Broadway’s 15-13 comeback win over Bridgewater on July 2. Fry hit the game-winning double for the Bruins before making a spectacular catch in centerfield to end the game.  
 
Earning his second-straight honor, Clover Hill’s Chris Cofer has been named Coach of the Year. Cofer guided the Bucks back to the pennant and a 23-5 overall record. Over the past two years, Cofer has helped the Bucks improve from their 2016 season.
 
This year, the Bucks had one of the deepest pitching staffs in the RCBL. Clover Hill led the league with a 3.46 ERA and was second behind Broadway with 250 strikeouts on the season. Nick Corbin, Corey Armentrout and Eric Yankey all finished the season with four wins for the Bucks. 

By Matthew Atkins

The RCBL has announced nominees for its four annual awards. Over the next week, coaches will vote for the MVP, Pitcher of the Year, Coach of the year and Rookie of the Year for the 2018 season.
 
Clover Hill leads the way with five overall nominations, including three for Pitcher of the Year. Bridgewater and Broadway each have two nominees, while Stuarts Draft, New Market and Elkton have one nominee each.
 
Brian Bocock and Tyler Bocock of Bridgewater are both nominated for MVP. Brian finished the season batting .407 with five home runs and 29 RBIs. Tyler hit .423 on the year with six home runs and led the league with 36 RBIs. The cousins were the Players of the Week for the final two weeks of the regular season.
 
New Market’s Nick Goode is the third nominee for MVP. Goode led the league in batting average this season, hitting .465 in 21 games. Goode also led the league in on base percentage (.543) and slugging percentage (.767). The Shockers’ outfielder had 10 doubles and two triples on the season along with four home runs.
 
Corey Armentrout, Kevin Chandler and Eric Yankey of Clover Hill are all nominated for Pitcher of the Year. Chandler led the league with a 1.63 ERA over 38.2 innings while Armentrout was tied for the lead in wins with a record of 4-0.
 
Yankey was one of the most dominant relief pitchers this season, picking up two saves for the Bucks while also earning four wins. Yankey’s 0.42 ERA and 29 strikeouts over 21.1 innings earned him a nomination for Pitcher of the Year.
 
Joining the Bucks’ trio is Elkton newcomer Kris Lalk. Lalk finished the season with a record of 1-4 and one save, but was one of the most unhittable pitchers in the league. His 87 strikeouts tied the Pointstreak-era record set by Nolan Shaffer in 2013. Lalk’s ERA of 2.39 was in the top 10 in the league.
 
Chris Cofer of Clover Hill and Justin Getz of Broadway are the nominees for Coach of the Year. Cofer guided the Bucks to their second-straight pennant and improved over last season by finishing the year with a record of 23-5.
 
Getz put together a team of young talent in Broadway that finished the season 18-10. The Bruins vastly improved from last season and nearly matched their total of 21 wins from 2014-2017, as pointed out by the RCBL’s Nick Stevens.
 
One of those young players from the Bruins is Dan Fry, who is nominated for Rookie of the Year. Fry finished the season batting .316 with four home runs and 26 RBIs. Joining him on the list is Stuarts Draft’s Will Hass, who batted .341 with four home runs and 19 RBIs. Hass had a breakout three home run game against Montezuma earlier in the season.
 
Rounding out the nominees for Rookie of the Year is Matt Larson of Clover Hill. Playing 23 games at catcher for the Bucks, Larson batted .329 on the year with 17 RBIs. The rookie backstop also stole six bases for Clover Hill.
 
The nominees have been sent to the coaches for voting and winners will be announced sometime in the coming weeks.
 
2018 RCBL Awards Nominees
 
MVP

• Brian Bocock, Bridgewater
• Tyler Bocock, Bridgewater
• Nick Goode, New Market

Pitcher of the Year

• Kevin Chandler, Clover Hill
• Corey Armentrout, Clover Hill
• Eric Yankey, Clover Hill
• Kris Lalk, Elkton

Coach of the Year

• Chris Cofer, Clover Hill
• Justin Getz, Broadway

Rookie of the year

• Dan Fry, Broadway
• Will Hass, Stuarts Draft
• Matt Larson, Clover Hill

By Nick Stevens

GROTTOES- Behind a strong pitching performance from Adam Dofflemyer and big night from the bottom of the batting order, the Grottoes Cardinals became the first team to advance to the semi-finals of the 2018 RCBL playoffs.
 
With a 6-3 win on Monday night in front their home crowd, the fifth-seeded Cardinals completed their sweep of the four-seed Broadway Bruins.
 
Broadway struck first as starting pitcher John Judy scored on a Kevin Rush fielder’s choice in the top of the fourth, breaking up what had been a pitcher’s duel between Judy and Dofflemyer.
 
Grottoes responded in the bottom half of the inning with a four-run explosion, including a three-run double by Matt Curry. Curry upped his playoff RBI total to six in just two games.
 
Judy would try and pull his Bruins back in the eighth, driving in Bryce Strawderman with an RBI single and later scoring himself, pulling Broadway to within two, heading into the ninth inning
 
The comeback attempt would eventually fall short as Michael Wilhite came out to work a quick final frame and secure the series-clinching victory for the Cardinals.
 
Adam Dofflemyer was credited with the win after giving up just one run on four hits in his five innings of work. Meanwhile, the eight/nine hitters of Logan Grimm and Matt Curry combined to go 3-for-6 at the plate with two walks, four runs driven in, and a run scored.
 
The loss ends an impressive 2018 season for the Broadway Bruins. The Bruins finished the regular season with an 18-10 record, finishing third in the extremely competitive Western Division.
 
With a roster of young talent led by Head Coach Justin Getz, the Bruins are poised to come back just as strong in 2019. Their 18 wins this season nearly matched their entire win total from 2014-2017 (21 wins).
 
The rest of the playoffs will continue tonight, with every series but New Market/Elkton up for grabs.