News & Notes: Orioles continue to roll; All-Stars announced!

2008 Statistics │ 2008 Schedule

Youse's Maryland Orioles (25-5) won two games over the Bethesda Big Train (23-7) in a big weekend series to take command of the Cal Ripken, Sr. League standings this week. Entering Friday night's contest at Povich Field in Bethesda, both the Orioles and the Big Train had won nine games in a row. The Orioles got a big offensive game out of Joe Velleggia (Old Dominion), who returned from an injury to hit two doubles and drive in three runs. On Saturday, the Orioles used Scott Swinson's (Maryland) shutout gem to defeat the Big Train for the second time in two nights. The Orioles started last week ranked #14 nationally by Perfect Game Crosschecker (www.pgcrosschecker.com) and will certainly see a rise in their ranking after extending their current win streak to 13 games.

The Big Train, meanwhile, are now looking over their shoulders at the rapidly approaching College Park Bombers (17-11). The Bombers have won eight games in a row to separate themselves from the remaining five teams and sit just five games back of Bethesda for one of the two coveted byes in the opening round of the LCS (July 29 to August 1). The bottom four teams will play a single-elimination round on Day 1 of the LCS, with the winners facing the #3 and #4 seeds that night in another elimination round. The winners of those games will face the top two seeds in a double-elimination round beginning on Day 2. The top two finishers in the regular season standings, therefore, will have an entire extra day to rest their players before the LCS.

The Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts (11-17) lost six straight games last week and lost their grip on fourth place in the league standings, thanks to the rise of the Rockville Express (11-17). After losing seven games to start the season, the Express have played above-.500 baseball since then, including a five-game win-streak from July 6 to July 12. The Herndon Braves (11-20), Alexandria Aces (10-20), and Maryland Redbirds (9-20) also remain in the hunt for the #4 seed in the LCS, as just 2.5 games separate the T-Bolts and the Express from the last-place Redbirds, who have won two games in a row.

The first round of 2008 Cal Ripken, Sr. League All-Stars have been announced! Several more players will be added to each side later this week, and look for an announcement about starters over the weekend. The "East" All-Stars will consist of players from the Orioles, Bombers, Redbirds, and Express. The "West" All-Stars will consist of players from the Big Train, Aces, Braves, and T-Bolts. Come on out to Povich Field on Tuesday, July 22 (one week from today!) to cheer on your favorite Ripken, Sr. League All-Stars. Tickets will be $7 per adult and $3 per child under 12. Kids wearing youth baseball or softball jerseys will get into the All-Star Game for free. The Third-Annual Home Run Derby will take place at 5:30 pm and the All-Star Game will get under way at 7:30 pm.

East All-Stars Roster │ West All-Stars Roster

Meet the 2008 CRSCBL Official Photographers!

Skonieczki (Buffalo/Redbirds), Sobocinski (Hartford/Bombers), Swinson (Maryland/O's) win weekly awards

Adam Skonieczki (University at Buffalo) of the Maryland Redbirds was named the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Co-Hitter of the Week for the week of July 7 to July 13. Skonieczki hit in all eight games for the Redbirds last week, going 14-for-28 for a league-best .500 batting average. The outfielder collected two doubles, a triple and a home run, drove in four runs, and scored four of his own. His 21 total bases over the course of the week were tops in the league. Skonieczki also stole two bases in three attempts. Skonieczki raised his team-leading batting average to .354 with team-highs in hits (34), home runs (4), RBI (13), total bases (51), slugging percentage (.531), and steals (10). Skonieczki has been named to the 2008 Cal Ripken, Sr. League All-Star Team.

Ben Sobocinski (Hartford University) of the College Park Bombers was named the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Co-Hitter of the Week for the week of July 7 to July 13. Sobocinski hit in eight-straight games for the Bombers last week, with six multi-hit performances. His 15 overall hits were tops in the league and his 20 total bases were second only to Skonieczki. He scored a league-high 11 runs and drove in six on a double and two triples. The second baseman also walked three times and stole five bases in seven attempts last week. Sobocinski is now hitting .326 for the season with 28 hits and 16 runs scored. Sobocinski has been named to the 2008 Cal Ripken, Sr. League All-Star Team.

Also considered: Mike Celenza (Salisbury/Bombers); Craig Lanzarotta (Mesa State/Bombers); Nick Wojnowski (Rider/Redbirds); Leon Landry (LSU/Orioles); Patrick Long (Georgia Tech/Orioles)

Scott Swinson (University of Maryland) of Youse's Maryland Orioles has been named the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 7 to July 13. Swinson went 6.2 innings in a start against the Aces on July 7, allowing one unearned run on just two hits and a walk while striking out six batters to get his third win of the season. He followed that up with his best outing of the year, a nine-inning shutout over the Big Train on Saturday. The righthander allowed five hits and did not walk a batter in that game, while striking out five to run his record to 4-1 on the season and 3-0 against the rival Big Train. Last season's Most Outstanding Pitcher in the Ripken, Sr. League, Swinson has pitched to a 1.19 ERA in his encore season with 32 total strikeouts in 37.2 innings-pitched. He has not allowed an earned run in his last three starts and 23.2 innings overall. Swinson has been named to the 2008 Cal Ripken, Sr. League All-Star Team.

Also considered: Jack Amidei (Mesa State/Bombers); Brad Miller (/Redbirds); Mike Stangroom (Buffalo/Redbirds); Quinton Miller (UNC/Orioles); Cody Allen (Central Florida/Big Train)
 

2008 CRSCBL Standings