Matt Jimenez (Photo by F. Bertrand)

By Paul Casey Gotham

ONEONTA, N.Y. — A trio of pitchers turned the trick as the Oneonta Outlaws defeated the Webster Yankees, 5-1 in the deciding game of the New York Collegiate Baseball League championship at Damaschke Field.

Artie Lewicki (Virginia) struck out four and walked three over seven innings of work to earn the win for the Outlaws.

Austin Young (Virginia) worked a perfect eighth while Brady Wager (Grand Canyon) turned in a scoreless ninth for the Outlaws.

Oneonta’s defense snuffed out a pair of Webster rallies.

Kevin Spatkowski (So. New Hampshire) led the top-half of the third with a base on balls. Corey Goeggleman (Waynesburg) followed with a ground ball. When the throw was mishandled at first, Spatkowski advanced putting runners on the corners. Spatkowski gave Webster an early lead when he scored on the next play, but the Outlaws turned a 6-4-3 double play – John Howell (Binghamton) to Bijan Mangouri (Binghamton) to Chase Compton (Louisiana-Lafayette) – ending the chance for more runs.

Webster threatened in the fifth. Spatakowski slapped a one-out single over the outstretched glove of Howell at short. Then Goeggleman fouled off four pitches before going inside-out and singling to right field putting runners on the corners.  Again, Oneonta’s infield had the answer with a double play.

The Outlaws took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs.  Kaohu Gaspar (Fresno State) singled up the middle and scored on Mangouri’s double down the left field line. One out later, Carlos Asuaje (Nova Southeastern) doubled off the wall in right and Oneonta led, 3-1.

Oneonta added two more in the sixth. Howell reached on an error, and Compton plated the fourth run with an opposite field two-bagger down the line in right. On the next play, Compton beat the throw to third, and eventually scored on Gaspar’s ground ball.

Matt Jimenez (Mercyhurst) was the tough-luck loser.  After retiring the first ten he faced keeping batters off-balance with his change-up and busting his cutter down and in, Jimenez surrendered three earned runs in the next inning and two-thirds. Sixteen months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his throwing elbow, Jimenez threw 59 pitches – 45 for strikes, fanning five while walking none.

Jasvir Rakkar (Stony Brook) tossed three innings in relief. After giving up two in the sixth, Rakkar settled down and shut out the Outlaws in the seventh and eighth.

Compton was named Offensive MVP for the series while Bryan Galligan (Stonehill), the game-one winner, took home the Defensive MVP.

Compton had three hits and three RBI in the two games of the series. Galligan struck out ten in his complete-game victory of game one.

Spatkowski singled, walked and scored a run in a losing effort. The Bristol, Connecticut native had three hits for the series.

The loss ends the season for a Webster team which advanced in the playoffs for the first time in the organization’s history. The Yanks closed the season on a 13-game winning streak to clinch the NYCBL West Division. Eventually, the pinstripes won 14 in a row en route to defeating Geneva in the division championship.

Webster lost to Allegany County in the first round of last year’s playoffs. The organization lost in the 2006 playoffs when known as the Rochester Royals.

By Paul Casey Gotham

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Twelve teams competed for 44 games over two months. Six teams qualified for the playoffs. Two teams remain for a best-of-three series.

The 2011 New York Collegiate Baseball League Championship is on the line when the Oneonta Outlaws and the Webster Yankees meet at Basket Road Field tonight for game one of the series.

Oneonta finished the regular season in second place of the NYCBL East Division with a record of 29-15. They defeated the Rome Thunderbolts 5-4 in a one-game playoff before sweeping the Utica Brewers 5-4 and 7-1.

Webster claimed the top spot in the NYCBL West Division and outlasted the Geneva Red Wings to advance to the finals. Matt Jimenez (Mercyhurst) and Jasvir Rakkar (Stony Brook) combined to allow two runs on six hits as Webster defeated the Geneva, 5-2 in game one. Nick Flemister (Clark) paced a 13-hit attack, and Ryan Wilkinson (Toledo) battled for the win as Webster took the decisive game by the same score of 5-2.

Bryan Galligan (Stonehill) will make his eighth start of the season for the Outlaws. He is 4-1 with an ERA of 1.97. In 45-plus innings of work Galligan has fanned 32 and walked 26.

Bryan Tatelman (Stony Brook) gets the ball for Dave Brust’s Webster nine. The righty will make his third start and 13th appearance for the pinstripes. He is 2-0 in his starts. In 26 frames of work Tatelman has 26 strike outs and 24 walks.

John Howell (Binghamton) leads the Oneonta offense hitting .373 with 22 walks and 34 runs scored.  The Outlaws have stolen 79 bases while being caught 32 times.

Nick Flemister (Clark) paces the Webster bats. The Pittsford, New York native is hitting .468. Kevin Johnson (Pittsburgh) has driven in 24 for the Webster nine. Yankee runners have 97 swipes while being nabbed on just 29 occasions.

Oneonta went 4-0 against the West taking a pair at Hornell and sweeping a home-and-home with Geneva. The Outlaws hammered Geneva pitching for ten runs on July 10th.

Webster took three of four from the East sweeping a doubleheader at Utica while splitting a pair with Rome.

Oneonta won the champiosnhip in 2006 when the organization ws known as the Saratoga Phillies.

This is Webster’s first trip to the NYCBL finals.

Four former Outlaws were taken in this year’s MLB draft: Mark Lamm (Atlanta-6th round), Eric Potter (Oakland-19th), Dennis O’Grady (Atlanta-34th) and Matt Tomshaw (Minnesota-42nd).

Webster has had seven draft picks in the organization’s history.  The Chicago Cubs took Jordon Herr (’06) in the 2007 draft and Jordan Petraitis (’06) in the 2008 and 2009 drafts. The Cincinnati Reds chose Bryan Gardner in 2008 while the Atlanta Braves plucked Cory Brownsten and Dan Jurik in 2009. Chris Bostick was chosen by the Oakland in this year’s draft and signed a contract with the club just last week. Current Yankee, Jake Montgomery (Young Harris) was also chosen by the Braves in the 2oo9 draft.

Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 7 pm.

Nick Flemister making contact (Photo by F. Bertrand)

By Paul Casey Gotham

WEBSTER, N.Y. — It was a fitting end. Corey Goeggleman (Waynesburg St.), who had just entered the game as defensive replacement, leapt into the air and snared the line drive off the bat of Max Casper (North Dakota St.). When his feet returned to the ground, the second baseman alertly moved to double-up Ralph Alloco (Canisius College) at second base.

Another rally snuffed out by the Webster defense. This one being the last and punching the home nine’s ticket to the championship series.

Nick Flemister (Clark) paced a 13-hit attack, and Ryan Wilkinson (Toledo) battled for the win as the Webster Yankees defeated the Geneva Red Wings 5-2 at Basket Road Field to advance to the New York Collegiate Baseball League championship series.

After posting single runs in the first two innings, the pinstripes put three across in the third to take a commanding 5-1 advantage in the West Division Championship.

Flemister led with an infield single in the hole between shortstop and third base.  Two outs later, Kevin Spatkowski (So. New Hampshire) went to the opposite field with a single to right. Kevin Johnson (Pittsburgh) plated Flemister with a drive a into the gap in left-center field. Ben Bostick (St.John Fisher) kept the rally alive with a hit through the left side of the infield scoring Spatkowski. Dan Bick (Georgia College) capped the scoring with a bloop hit that neatly fell between three converging Red Wing fielders and bounded over the fence down the right field line for a ground-rule double.

The pinstripes defense made the lead stand.

Jake Chaplin Haverford), Geneva’s hero from Friday night, led the fourth with an infield base hit. He was erased when Spatkowski stabbed a hard-hit ball off the bat of Brian Sullivan (Clark) and started an around-the horn double play to Johnson and Jake Montgomery (Young Harris).

Geneva threatened again in the sixth combining to load the bases with three consecutive hits off Wilkinson. It appeared the threat was averted when the southpaw induced a ground ball from Sullivan. But heavy top spin on the ball and the distraction of a runner handcuffed Bick at shrtstop, and Kevin Knack (Oneonta State) came home with Geneva’s second run.

The Red Wings looked poised to tie the game with Dave Saluga (Youngstown St.) coming to the dish. The left-hander entered play Saturday with 12 RBI in his last seven games. Wilkinson fooled Saluga with a breaking ball for the strike out.

“That was big,” said Head Coach Dave Brust. “Wilky never stopped battling.”

With a right-hander coming to the plate and bases loaded, Brust called on Jon Massad (So. New Hampshire) from the bullpen, and the sophomore wasted no time. On Massad’s first pitch, A.J. DeMarco (Toledo) lifted a fly ball into right field that Luis Diaz (North Carolina Central) settled under as Evan Mansell (Freed-Hardeman) tagged from third. Diaz made the catch, took two quick strides and one-hopped a strike to Flemister at home for the inning-ending double play.

“It was do or die,” Diaz said of the game-changing moment. “I have been waiting for a chance to gun down a runner from right.”

Kevin Spatkowski (Photo by F. Bertrand)

Webster’s defense turned four double plays on the evening with Spatkowski having a hand in two of the plays.

“Kevin Spatkowski was outstanding,” Brust commented. “He saved our butts.”

In the third, Spatkowski stemmed a possible tide when he snared a line drive off the bat of Leon Stimpson (Alvernia) and doubled-up Scott Shields (Cal. State East Bay) at first.

Webster put a run on the board in each of the first two innings. Montgomery brought home Diaz with a two-out single to left to start the scoring.

In the second, Bick worked a bases-load walk delivering Spatkowski.

Wilkinson struck out two in five and a third innings for the win.

Massad struck out one while allowing two runners in an inning and two-thirds of shutout ball.

Jaz Rakkar (Stony Brook) continued his dominance of the Red Wings in the post-season pitching a scoreless eighth. Rakkar hurled four shutout stanzas in Webster’s game one victory using a combination of fastballs and off-speed pitches. Saturday night’s appraoch was simpler.

“I knew I was getting just one inning,” Rakkar noted.  “I was just going for outs.”

Johnson worked the ninth for the save. The Webster native also had two hits, a walk, a run scored and an RBI.

“It was awesome,” Johnson said. “They are our biggest rival. When we go out there to play them it is always fun with their bleacher creatures.”

The win ended a three-game series where the outcome always seemed in doubt. Geneva used an eight-inning comeback in game two and the Red Wings never relented in the series finale.

“I am happy this series went three games,” said Geneva Head Coach Dave Herbst. “It was great for the teams and great for the fans. This is a rivalry.”

Flemister finished with three hits. Diaz, Johnson, Montgomery and Spatkowski had two apiece. Spatkowski crossed the plate twice, and Bick drove in a pair.

Chaplin led the Red Wings with three hits.

Webster will take on the Oneonta Outlaws who advanced by defeating the Utica Brewers. Game one of the championship series is Monday night at Basket Road Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Dave Brust

By Paul Casey Gotham

GENEVA, N.Y. — Webster Yankee head coach, Dave Brust has his concerns. With his team clinching the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s West Division on Saturday, the Webster skipper wants his team to remain focused for the upcoming playoffs.

If Tuesday night’s effort is any indication, the Webster nine have blocked out all distractions.

Nate Sermini (Franklin Pierce) and Jon Massad (So. New Hampshire) combined on a no-hitter as the Yankees won for the 13th consecutive time downing the Geneva Red Wings, 4-0 in NYCBL action at McDonough Park.

Sermini picked up his fifth win of the campaign striking out 12 in eight innings of work.

“I am happy for him,” said Brust. “He is one of the most popular players on the team. He has been a model and mentor for the younger players.”

Sermini started the season on a 50-pitch count and has gradually increased that number from 60 to 70 before Tuesday’s night game. Couple the pitch count with his easy-going manner, and the young starter almost overlooked his chance at a milestone.

“He came to me before the seventh inning, and said he was ready to come out if he let anyone got on base,” Brust explained. “I asked him to look at the scoreboard and re-think that decision.”

Control problems resulted in ten walks issued by Sermini, and forced Brust to make a decision.

“The standard rule is if you have a no-hitter, you stay in the game,” Brust noted.

After eight innings Sermini had thrown 120 pitches.

“(Pitching coach) Bob Shaffer put it best when he said ‘a team no-hitter is as great as an individual one.’”

With that Brust went to his bullpen. Massad came on and retired the side in order with one strike out.

“That is probably the most we have celebrated on the field ever,” Brust said.

The no-hitter was the second in club history. Brian Pullyblank tossed a gem on June 19th, 2009 as the home nine defeated the Niagara Power, 1-0. On that night, Webster won in dramatic fashion. Geoff Dornes (R.I.T.) slapped a one-out hit in the ninth, and Nate Koontz (Ball State) plated Dornes with a triple just inside the right field foul line.

On Tuesday night, the pinstripes were methodical scoring all four of their runs in the second inning.

Ben Bostick (St. John Fisher) cleared the bases with a double as the Yankees got all the runs they would need.

“Once it got to 4-0, I simplified the play book,” Brust commented.

Bostick finished the game with two hits and three RBI for the Yankees.

“He is a model of consistency,” Brust said of his outfielder. “He shows up to play everyday. He has received my message that everything counts.”

Bostick finished the regular season hitting .362. His 19 stolen bases tie him for the club record with Tyler Grogg (Toledo) who set the mark last season.

Tyler Huntey (Central Michigan), Tyler DeClerck (University of Rochester), Kevin Spatkowski (So. New Hampshire) and Kevin Johnson (Pittsburgh) scored the four Webster runs. Johnson also drove in a run.

Webster finishes the season 30-14. They await the winner of Wednesday’s playoff game between the Red Wings and Power. Webster hosts game one of the NYCBL West Division championship on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 7 pm.

By Paul Casey Gotham

WEBSTER, N.Y. — It doesn’t matter who Dave Brust puts in the lineup, the result has been the same for nearly the last two weeks.

Tyler Wilson (Ithaca) made good on a spot appearance as the Webster Yankees dismantled the Niagara Power, 8-1 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Basket Road Field.

Taking advantage of a change in the NYCBL by-laws, Wilson made his first appearance for the Webster nine and tossed six shutout innings for his first win in what will be his only showing of the campaign.

“I am happy for him,” Brust said when asked about Wilson. “It was a great opportunity to prove he can pitch in this league.”

Brust went on to explain that Wilson will be ineligible for the playoffs because he needs five appearances to qualify for post-season play. With the playoffs starting later this week, Wilson gave Brust an opportunity to get his pitching staff prepared.

“He helped us because we are down to nine pitchers,” Brust noted.

After spotting the Power a one-run lead, the Yankees put one on the board in the third. Tyler DeClerck (University of Rochester) singled through the right side of the infield and advanced to third when Power right fielder, Adam Taylor (North Greenfield), misplayed the ball. Kevin Johnson (Pittsburgh) tied the score with an infield single.

Webster grabbed the lead in the fourth.

Chris Bostick (Aquinas) and Luiz Diaz (North Carolina Cent.) led with back-to-back walks. Tyler Huntey (Central Michigan) moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt that hugged the third baseline. Zach Bricknell (Young Harris) plated Bostick with a single up the middle. Kevin Spatkowski (So. New Hampshire) brought home Diaz with a ground ball to the right side of the infield.

The Yanks put the game out of reach with a five spot in the seventh.  After DeClerck led with a base on balls, Johnson’s base hit to right left runners on the corners.  Ben Bostick (St. John Fisher) singled up the middle delivering DeClerck.  Nick Flemister (Clark) found the hole between third and short, and Johnson came home with the fifth Webster run. Chris Bostick loaded the bases with a bunt single, before his brother Ben scampered home on a wild pitch.

Diaz made it 7-1 with an RBI hit through the left side of the infield, and Chirs Bostick scored on a double play.

Ben Bostick, Diaz and Bricknell each had a pair of hits. Chris Bostick and DeClerck scored two runs apiece.

Webster improves to 29-14 on the season with its 12th win in a row as the team continues adding to its club record for consecutive victories. The Yankees clinched the NYCBL West Division last Saturday.

“The toughest thing now is keeping guys on task,” Brust commented. “You want to make sure you are doing the right things going into the playoffs.”

“Staying focused,” Diaz added. “It’s the main thing.”

Webster will host the first game of the NYCBL’s second round of playoffs this Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Basket Road Field.

WEBSTER, N.Y. — Another day and another win in the last at-bat for the Webster Yankees. And a familiar surname again takes the honors.

Ben Bostick (St. John Fisher) dropped a two-out, bases-loaded bunt down the first base line, and Nick Flemister scampered home as Webster came from behind in extra innings to defeat the Alfred Thunder, 6-5 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Basket Road on Tuesday night.

“It wasn’t called,” Bostick said when asked if head coach Dave Brust signalled for the bunt. “I saw the infield was playing back. I thought it was worth the chance. We tried to squeeze the winning run home a couple batters earlier, but the pitches weren’t in the strike zone.”

Bostick’s hit, his third of the night, capped a five-run comeback as the Webster nine won for the seventh consecutive time.

Trailing by three in the fourth, the pinstripes scratched a run across the dish.

Jake Montgomery (Young Harris) started the rally with a one-out single to center field. Tyler Huntey (Central Michigan) moved the runner with a base hit to left field. After Huntey was gunned down in a double steal, Flemister plated the run with a triple to center field.

Alfred stretched its lead to 5-1 before the Yanks answered in the seventh.

With two outs, Corey Goeggleman (Waynesburg St.) reached on an infield error. Dan Bick (Georgia College) singled to left, and Goeggleman went station to station. Bostick cleared the bases with a triple to deep center field.

“It looked like a fast ball away. That’s where I like it,” Bostick explained. “I was trying to not get greedy because we needed baserunners. It felt like it was a check swing, but I got it on the good part of the bat. I saw the outfielder going back, and I knew it was good.”

Webster tied the game in the eighth.

Chris Bostick (Aquinas Institute) led with a base on balls. Montgomery reached on an infield single. One-out later, Flemister brought home the younger Bostick with a single to left. Montgomery came home when Kevin Johnson (Pittsburgh) grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Cameron Schooley (Ball State) tossed three shutout innings for the win. Ryan Wilkinson (Toledo) struck out two and walked two in seven frames.

Ben Bostick and Flemister led the offense with three hits each. Bostick drove in three. Montgomery and Huntey each rapped a pair of hits.

The Yankees improved to 24-14 with the win and increased their lead in the NYCBL West Division by a half-game over idle Niagara with six games remaining.

“It’s coming around,” said Brust of his team’s recent success. “We’ve had five of seven weeks in league play where we have been in first or second.”

Brust went on to explain the role of his coaching staff – Bob Shaffer, Ollie Bertrand and Ryan Sullivan.

“It’s a blessing to have this staff,” Brust commented. “We are a young team, and a lot of our leadership comes from in the dugout.”

Bertrand played the last two seasons for the Yankees earning all-league honors and guiding the team from behind the plate to the playoffs last season.

“Ollie is just like when he was playing,” Brust noted. “He takes charge. He has worked out a system to call pitches, so we can use when needed.”

Brust went on to explain the formal instruction given by his staff during pre-game meetings with pitchers and catchers.

“We pick a theme of the day. Sometimes, we discuss bunting and driving the ball the other way. Other days we will work on baserunning.”

The persistence is paying off with Webster nine leading the division for the first time this late in the season.

Chris Bostick supplied the winning hit in Tuesday’s night victory. The younger Bostick, who was the 44th pick by the Oakland Athletics in the recent MLB Draft, bounced a single down the third base line with two outs in the tenth as Webster trimmed Geneva 8-7.

The Yankees have three games on the road before returning home Sunday for a 3 p.m. matinee against the Hornell Dodgers.

The New York Collegiate Baseball League is a summer wood bat league sanctioned by the NCAA and partially funded by MLB. Each of the players on the field in front of you have used at least one year of eligibility and have at least one year of college eligibility remaining. Major League Baseball’s 2010 amateur draft included the names of 36 players with ties to the NYCBL. In the last three drafts 112 former NYCBLers have heard their names called. Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Dallas Braden and Hunter Pence have all spent at least one summer playing in the NYCBL.

The NYCBL – sending players to the pros since 1978!

WEBSTER, N.Y. — All’s well that ends well, and for the Webster Yankees that means another day atop the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s West Division.

Chris Bostick (Aquinas Institute) rapped a two-out, walk-off single in the 10th inning capping  a wild affair as the Yankees trimmed the Geneva Red Wings 8-7 in NYCBL action on Senator Mike Nozzolio night at Basket Road Field.

Bostick’s hit glanced off the glove of Red Wing third baseman, Ralph Alloco (Canisius College), and bounded down the left field line plating Dan Bick (Georgia College) as the pinstripes returned the favor with a late-inning rally.

“Chris battled all night,” Webster head coach, Dave Brust said. “They were tough on him. To get him out is a feather in your cap.”

The win was Webster’s sixth in a row and allowed the home nine to keep its one-game lead, but it didn’t come without some anxious moments.

Webster fought off a furious Geneva comeback for the victory.

Webster jumped to an early six-run lead.

Corey Goeggleman (Waynesburg State) used some chicanery to put the pinstripes on the board. With two outs and bases loaded in the first, the Fairport, New York native surprised the Red Wing defense with a bunt that trickled down the third base line scoring Dan Hurlimann (Youngstown State).

Kevin Spatkowski (So. New Hampshire) followed with an infield single between third base and shortstop scoring Luis Diaz (North Carolina Central) for the two-run advantage.

The home nine added four more in the second. Hurlimann started the rally with a two-run bomb over the fence in right field off Geneva starter, Joe Luft (Elmhurst).

“He can swing the bat,” Brust said of Hurlimann. “He helps offensively.”

Bick scored on the round-tripper after leading with a base on balls and stealing second.

The hit parade continued from there.

Bostick slashed an opposite field, ground-rule double down the right field line and advanced on a wild pitch. Diaz did his job with a sacrifice fly to center field. Kevin Johnson (Pittsburgh) re-started the rally with a single to left field.

After stealing second, Johnson came home on Goeggleman’s base hit through the right side of the infield, and Webster led 6-0.

But the Red Wings responded with their own flurry of jabs.

With one swing of the bat, Webster starter, Joe Greenfield (Eastern Illinois), lost his no-hit bid and found himself tangled in 6-4 battle.

The right-hander baffled the Wings for four frames, but another in a line footwear controversies potentially led to problems for the Webster starter.

When field umpire, Ryan Carlson noticed the metal spikes (not allowed on the synthetic turf of the Webster facility) worn by Geneva reliever, Trever Gast (Toledo), the game was delayed ten minutes and a protest issued by the Red Wings.

Subsequently, Greenfield was made to change his footwear.  He retired the first batter he faced, but a dropped third strike, an infield error and a walk loaded the bases before Jon Leroux (Northeastern) delivered with Geneva’s first hit – a three-run double.  By the end of the at-bat, Geneva drew within one on five unearned runs.

Geneva took the lead in the sixth with back-to-back doubles by Kelly Myers (Davidson) and Max Casper (N. Dakota St.).

Webster used a two-out rally in the seventh to tie the game. After falling behind in the count, 1-2, Spatkowski earned a base on balls and scored from first on a towering triple to left-center field by Tyler Huntey (Central Michigan).

Johnson came on in the tenth for the win. Connor Sullivan (Niagara) struck out two in three and a third innings pitched. Brian Tatleman (Stony Brook) held the Wings at bay in the ninth.

Goeggleman and Spatkowski paced the offense with three hits apiece. Hurlimann and Goeggleman both had two RBI.

The Yankees are looking to make their second playoff appearance in as many years. With the win, Webster improves to 23-14 and holds the narrowest of margins over the second-place Niagara Power.

“We got a ways to go,” Brust explained. “A good number is 27. That will get us first place or at least a share of it. If we can’t go four and three, we don’t deserve first place.”

Webster hosts Alfred on Wednesday night before heading out on the road for three games including a tilt with the second-place Power. Webster and Niagara play again at Basket Road Field on July 25th.

Webster fell to Allegany County in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

Bostick was chosen in the 44th round of the recent MLB Draft.

The game was the annual event sponsored by New York State Senator Mike Nozzolio.  Fans were encouraged to bring items for babies to be given away as part of the community cupboard. Brenden Bills won the contest for bringing in the most items and threw out the game’s first pitch.

The New York Collegiate Baseball League is a summer wood bat league sanctioned by the NCAA and partially funded by MLB. Each of the players on the field in front of you have used at least one year of eligibility and have at least one year of college eligibility remaining. Major League Baseball’s 2010 amateur draft included the names of 36 players with ties to the NYCBL. In the last three drafts 112 former NYCBLers have heard their names called. Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Dallas Braden and Hunter Pence have all spent at least one summer playing in the NYCBL.

The NYCBL – sending players to the pros since 1978!

Deuel looking on

By Paul Casey Gotham

Bryan Deuel faced a dilemma. His coach, Dave Brust, asked him to get ready. It was the ninth inning, and the Webster Yankees trailed in the deciding game of the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s West Division semi-finals. Brust used a pinch runner for Yankee starting catcher, Ollie Bertrand. If the home nine scored, the Yankee skipper needed Deuel behind the plate in the bottom half of the frame.

Deuel wanted to play. The reserve catcher is always game. It’s just that on this occasion, he was without some of his gear.

Earlier, Deuel loaned his cleats when a teammate discovered one of his spikes missing. When another teammate broke his belt while making a diving stop, Deuel didn’t think twice. He reached in his bag and gave without needing to be asked twice. His pants were gone from the beginning of the game when a mis-communication left a teammate with the wrong pair.

It didn’t matter. Webster stranded the tying run at third in a 3-2 loss to the Allegany County Nitros. Deuel was ready though. He reclaimed his cleats. He found a pair of pants to wear. Sure, the garment belonged to a player some seven inches taller than the Webster, New York native. He would make due with the size difference.

Just another day in the life of a student-athlete who makes it his responsibility to look out for the guys around him, and who left his college choice up to the flip of a coin.

For three years, Deuel started every game for the Webster-Thomas Titans. He earned All-County honors his junior and senior seasons. He also served as goalkeeper for the Titan soccer team. He nabbed a spot on the Section V tournament team as the Thomas squad won the sectionals and advanced to the state finals.

With all that to his credit, one could understand if Deuel expected some privileges when it came to college. Instead of feeling entitled, Deuel narrowed his college choice to two schools: the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Rochester Institute of Technology.

“Both are great engineering schools,” said Deuel. “It didn’t matter to me whether I was staying close to home or not.”

Faced with the decision of where he would spend at least four years of his life, Deuel did the only logical thing. He flipped a coin.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” he added. “I could accept going to either school.”

A month before leaving for Massachusetts, Deuel sent an email to Riverhawk head coach, Ken Harring, expressing his interest in trying out for the team. He arrived on campus without any ceremony,  earned a spot on the team and an opportunity to sit the bench.

“When I got to U-Mass Lowell, there were already two older catchers,” mentioned Deuel. “Another experienced catcher transferred to the program.”

The prospects failed to dampen his spirits. “It’s baseball. It’s always a good time. I am willing to wait my turn.” The experience prepared Deuel for life in the NYCBL.

“I got a call the first day of practice from coach Brust. I planned to play on the National Adult Baseball Association (NABA) team I played with last summer.” Deuel left behind a sure thing for a chance to play in the NYCBL. He was all but guaranteed to play every inning of every game for the summer if he stayed in the NABA. Instead, Deuel played in 11 of Webster’s 44 games for the season.

“It was an opportunity to get batting practice every day and to play with really good players,” noted Deuel. When it was done, Deuel saw 29 at bats. He had three hits and walked five times. But his contributions went beyond those numbers.

“He is a big part of our team’s success,” said Brust.  “He played outstanding defense along with working the bullpen.  He knew his role and performed well.  UMass -Lowell will be happy with his development.  His work ethic and unselfishness are a coach’s dream.”

Deuel will enjoy a couple weeks of rest before heading back to campus. He takes with him the experience of a summer in the NYCBL. He looks forward to the day when he will get his chance.

The New York Collegiate Baseball League is a summer wood bat league sanctioned by the NCAA and partially funded by MLB. Each of the players on the field in front of you have used at least one year of eligibility and have at least one year of college eligibility remaining. Major League Baseball’s 2010 amateur draft included the names of 36 players with ties to the NYCBL. In the last three drafts 112 former NYCBLers have heard their names called. Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Dallas Braden and Hunter Pence have all spent at least one summer playing in the NYCBL.

The NYCBL – sending players to the pros since 1978!

Photo F. Bertrand

By Paul Casey Gotham

With milestones reached both on and off the field, the 2010 Webster Yankees marked their spot in time. From professional contracts, to franchise marks, to a playoff appearance, the pinstripes proved their worth.

Dave Brust’s Webster nine opened and closed their campaign with losses to Allegany County: 2-0 in the season opener and 3-2 NYCBL West Division semi-finals. In between, the home nine established new standards for fielding, theft and professional contracts signed.

Brust’s defense established new marks – some that could be measured, and others incapable of putting on paper. Monte Marrocco (U Mass-Lowell) and Matt Boulter (So. New Hampshire) led a group of gloves that set a new Webster standard for efficiency (.966) – a number that finished fourth in the New York Collegiate Baseball League just one percentage point behind a group of three including eventual league champion, the Amsterdam Mohawks.

Boulter/ Photo by F. Bertrand

Boulter led the way with 232 chances and finished second in the league with 147 assists. The native of Wrentham, Mass. led the Yankees in at bats (145), hitting (.331), runs scored (29), hits (48), slugging (.434) and hit the only home run out of a park this summer.

Marrocco finished the ledger without an error. Nine others did that this season, and many have accomplished that feat of perfection in the past, but none with as many chances – 108.  He bumped Adam Perlo from the top spot in club history. Perlo went without an error in 94 chances during the 2007 campaign. Marrocco hit .326 including 10 hits in the final six regular season games as the Yanks clinched a spot in the playoffs.

Webster also set a new club record for double plays turned (38). That number was good enough for third in the league.

Marrocco / Photo by F. Bertrand

Those numbers are clearly defined. What is not so clear is the effect Brust’s outfield had on every game. On paper, Wes Winkle (Ball State) made 48 plays, Tyler Grogg (Toledo) 100 and Matt Francis (U of R) 57. What the numbers can not tell is the number of bases taken away by the speedy outfield. Night after night, fans were treated to as fine a display of outfield work one can get. Winkle, Grogg and Francis made the extra-ordinary look ordinary. The trio regularly went into gaps and took away sure extra-base hits.

The finest of which happened in Hornell on July seventh.

Hornell’s Craig Schafer (Webster College) opened the bottom of the fourth with a single to left.  Dane Frazier (Central Methodist) followed with a bunt single. Hornell looked poised for a rally when Kyle O’Boyle took an Eric Kline (Iowa Western) pitch deep to left center. But Winkle sprinted into the gap, lunged and, with his back to home plate,  made the diving catch. With the runners thinking it was a sure hit, Winkle alertly got back on his feet and fired a strike to Matt Boulter (So. New Hampshire U)  at second for the force. Boulter then tagged Frazier for the unconventional triple play.

“That was the finest play I have ever seen in this league,” said Brust.

Winkle / Photo by F. Bertrand

The trio’s speed on the base paths gave opposing pitchers headaches. Grogg finished second in the league and set a new franchise record with 19 thefts during the regular season. The native of Springfield, Ohio finished just one off the league lead, and one can only imagine how many bases Grogg would have swiped had he not missed six games recovering from an injury sustained when he took a pitch off the hand.  Grogg stole three more bases in the playoffs.

Francis and Winkle added  11 and 13 stolen bases repsectively. All together the 2010 team set a new club mark with 65 steals.

Shawn Bailey (2009) held the previous individual single-season mark with 14 and last year’s club stole 57 bases. Bailey still holds the career mark for the club. Playing parts of four seasons, Bailey collected 25 steals.

Grogg/ Photo by F. Bertrand

Grogg hit .324 for the summer. In all, five Basket Road Bombers went .300 or better as the team finished .279 good for third in the league behind finalists Amsterdam and the Elmira Pioneers.

Matt Delewski (Toledo) hit .317 and shared the team RBI lead with 22. Delewski  and the denizens of Basket Road Field established a flair for the dramatic early in the season. Delewski sparked an eight-run comeback as Webster shocked Elmira. Two days later, Delewski returned for an encore against Allegany County and then scored the game-winner in a late-inning comeback over Niagara.

Grogg and Delewski combined for nine hits and six RBI in the three playoff games.

Corey Goeggleman (Waynesburg St.) hit .323. The Fairport, New York native swatted three hits as Webster pounded Niagara, 9-4 on June 19th.

Bertrand / Photo by F. Bertrand

In his second tour of duty with Webster, Ollie Bertrand (Flagler) made the most of his opportunities. Bertrand finished with just 29 hits, but the native of Saint-Adele, Quebec shared the team lead with 22 RBI. Bertrand earned all-league honors a year ago. This season he proved himself to be the rudder of the ship with several clutch hits including a 12th-inning walk-off double to beat Niagara.

Bertrand was not alone in returning for a second stint. Bryant Guilmette (U Mass-Lowell) came back for another summer along the shores of Lake Ontario. Last year, Guilmette made 17 appearances all out of the bullpen. This summer, the southpaw tossed 61 innings (second in the league) in nine starts over two months. He earned Performance-of-the-Week honors for a complete shutout of the Geneva Red Wings.

Thank you sir. May I have another? Photo by B. Ribas

Guilmette’s ERA of 2.49 topped the list for starters. Collectively, the staff’s 3.72 ERA was good for fifth in the NYCBL.

Tim Johnson (St. John Fisher) led the way with an ERA 1.67. The right-hander from Williamson, New York tied for first in the league with 21 appearances. Johnson got the home crowd ready for Genesee Beer as he ended 15 contests and struck out 25 while walking 12. Johnson’s six scoreless stanzas led the Yanks to an extra-inning triumph at Geneva.

As a staff, the Yankees held opposing batters to .243 with 326 hits and 183 runs allowed – all ranking fourth in the respective categories.

Jared Locke (Toledo) allowed just 35 hits while holding opposing hitters to .213 at the plate. That number put Locke third in the league.  The 6’3″ right-hander from Dundee, Michigan won three and dropped two fanning 28 in 44 frames of work.

Locke / Photo by F. Bertrand

Jason Gardner (Tusculum) led the way with four wins. His outing against Alfred clinched the playoffs for the good guys. In 38 and a third innings, Gardner struck out 27 while walking 14. Gardner was set to pitch the opening game of the NYCBL West Division finals.

G.C. Yerry (Stonybrook) saved his best for last. After going 2-0 in the regular season with an ERA of 3.27, Yerry outdueled the league’s top pitcher for eight innings as Webster grabbed game one of the post-season.

Michael Sandman (Ball State) made 20 appearances in relief. The native of Newark, Ohio held Elmira without a runner for three innings as Webster completed a doubleheader sweep of the first-place Pioneers.

Gardner/ Photo by B. Ribas

Pat Corrigan (MCC) left everybody looking to the future. After red-shirting for a season, Corrigan found his groove by the end of the season.  The native of Henrietta, N.Y. retired five of the six batters he faced (fanning two) in the playoff loss to Allegany County.

Kyle Raleigh (Ball State) notched two wins. Eric Kline (Iowa Western) added one. Joe Akel (Canisius) and Adam Sullivan (Canisius) both earned wins in relief.

Johnny Brill (Rollins) knocked Webster’s only home run at “The Basket.” The speedy outfielder found the gap in right center and scampered around the bases. Brill chipped in with 20 hits and 10 RBI.

Blake Beemer (Ball State) spent just a few games playing right field, but the native of Clayton, Ohio left a big impression. Beemer took away a pair of hits early in the season when he quickly charged singles into right and fired peas to first to retire the unsuspecting batter. Beemer had 20 hits and a boat load of enthusiasm. His endless encouragement sparked teammates on several occasions.

Beemer: "Mmm...babe" / Photo by F. Bertrand

Chase Grissom (UNC Pembroke) added 16 RBI with 23 hits. Evan Wexler (Niagara) chipped in three RBI with 16 hits.  Nick Carlson (Ithaca) knocked five hit and Bryan Deuel (U Mass-Lowell) contributed three.

Thomas Kufel’s (Mercyhurst) season was cut short by a hamstring injury. Before going down, Kufel tripled and doubled twice in 26 at bats.

Webster’s 22 wins to go with 19 losses marked the first time above .500 since 2006 when the franchise was known as the Rochester Royals.

Amid all this on-the-field success, the Webster organization received affirmation for its efforts. For the first time in club history, multiple players signed professional contracts. Cory Brownsten (2008) and Dan Jurik (2009) both earned draft status when chosen by the Atlanta Braves in the 2010 MLB Draft.  Two days later, Marcus Nidiffer (2007) inked a free agent deal with the Houston Astros. The trio joins three other Webster Yankee alums in the professional ranks: Pat Urckfitz (2008), Gray Helmick (’06, ’07) and Jason Stifler (’06, ’07).

Tim Johnson / Photo by F. Bertrand

The organization also unveiled the first book written about the NYCBL: Everybody On, Nobody Out follows the 2007 team throughout its season. The book gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at life in a summer wood bat league.

The Yankees also added several key staff members this season. Jason Freeman, Travis Larner, David Malerk and Matt Moodie along with Kevin Thompson and yours truly took care of game-day responsibilities.

The most telling of measurements is the number of contests the Yankees played that were decided by one run.  Of their 41 regular season games, the Yankees took part in 15 contests decided by a single tally. The Yanks won six of those games. The trend continued in the playoffs as Webster fell twice by that margin. On the other hand, the Yankees managed a winning record against the Elmira Pioneers – the top team in the West Division.

Curynski, Sullivan and Brust / Photo by B. Ribas

The measure of the 2010 Webster Yankees could come in the future. This year’s group raised the bar. It won’t be long. Brust with his assistants, Ryan Sullivan and Adam Curynski will begin preparations for 2011. Another season full of possibilities await.

The New York Collegiate Baseball League is a summer wood bat league sanctioned by the NCAA and partially funded by MLB. Each of the players on the field in front of you have used at least one year of eligibility and have at least one year of college eligibility remaining. Major League Baseball’s 2010 amateur draft included the names of 36 players with ties to the NYCBL. In the last three drafts 112 former NYCBLers have heard their names called. Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Dallas Braden and Hunter Pence have all spent at least one summer playing in the NYCBL.

The NYCBL – sending players to the pros since 1978!

By Paul Casey Gotham

WEBSTER, N.Y. – Webster’s Yankees went from the penthouse to the outhouse. Less than twenty-four hours after knocking off NYCBL West Division leading Hornell Dodgers at Maple City Park, the Yankees submitted to the cellar-dwelling Niagara Power.

A quartet of Webster pitchers issued 15 free passes, and Power batters rapped 14 hits as Niagara trounced Webster 17-6 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at “The Basket.”

Niagara took advantage of a walk, two errors and a passed ball to score four runs in the second. The Power put the game away in the sixth. Webster pitchers handed out four base on balls and hit two batters as the Power plated eight in the frame. Niagara left two on base and needed just four hits for the tallies.

Webster looked poised to make a come back in the fifth. Down 5-1, Monte Marocco (UMass-Lowell) and Tyler Grogg (Toledo) led with back-to back base hits. Marocco scored on a fielder’s choice, but the pinstripes managed just one run in the inning and left two on base.

Chase Grissom (UNC Pembroke) led the offense with three hits. Grogg, Matt Delewski (Toledo) and Wes Winkle (Ball State) chipped in two hits each.

But Webster hitters left 12 runners on base. A night after combining timely hitting with spectacular defense to beat one of the best teams in the NYCBL, the Yanks looked lifeless. Webster had three two-out hits to score six runs in the fourth inning at Hornell. Winkle’s spectacular catch and subsequent triple play was just one of the many outstanding plays turned in by the inspired Webster defense on Tuesday.

“We have to compete every night,” said head coach Dave Brust. “I feel bad for them (Niagara). They came all this way, and we didn’t compete. We need to turn the page on this one.

With the loss, Webster falls to 12-11 and find themselves deadlocked with Allegany County in third place. The second-place Elmira Pioneers visit “The Basket” tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.