Matt Crouse - CGL 2009 Co-Pitcher of the Year

Undefeated (6-0), ERA league leader (0.82) Matt Crouse, Mississippi, was named the Clark Griffith League’s Co-Pitcher of the Year and was named to the All CGL Team along with four other Carney Pirates. Congratulations to Catcher Chad Morgan, Virginia Tech, Outfielder George Piccirilli, Virginia Military Institute, and Pitchers Connor Mielock, Oakland University and Mike Manfro, Greensboro College for also being named to the 2009 All CGL Team. The Carney Pirates ranked 24th in the nation overall in the final 2009 Collegiate Wood Bat Rankings, an impressive accomplishment. Good luck in college Pirates. Click here for more details at the CGL website.

Piccirilli - just one of many pics in the new gallery

The season might be over for the Carney Pirates but we still have tons o’ stuff to keep that spirit alive here on the website. With the shutter snapping at the August 1 victory match up against the Fairfax Nationals over 100 photos have been collected for your viewing please. Click this to see our gallery at Flickr.com or you can click here to see our Photos page — that’s where you’ll find the new along with the old — old pics from the 2008 Carney Pirates Inaugural Season. Jump into the new gallery and enjoy!

Winter Challenge

All you Pirates players with talent swinging the bat – check this video and let’s see you top that in 2010:

The Cardinals earned another run while the Pirates’ scoring was silent in the second inning. Both teams were scoreless  in the third inning.

The fourth was a different story as the Cardinals scored one more run which the Pirates answered with two of their own. The Pirates earned their runs with two out as Zach Costello and Alex Guerra got on base with walks. Brett Bowers then singled to center field followed by a zippy run to third on a Cardinal error. That opportunity helped Costello and Guerra cross home plate for the two Pirate runs in the fourth inning. At the end of four innings the score was tied at 4 runs each, struggling, but still scrapping.

Both teams were scoreless in the fifth inning but the sixth saw significant momentum move in the Cardinal’s direction. The Southern Maryland crew were able to pile 5 more runs onto their score and things began to look bleak. The Pirates continued their scoreless streak and, after six full innings, the Pirates, running on fumes, trailed 9-4.

The Southern Maryland momentum would not let-up during the seventh inning as they scored an additional run. The Pirates again went scoreless, now behind 10-4.

Scoring was quiet during the eighth inning with no action at home plate for either team. Again the Cardinal beast was awakened as the Southern Maryland crew scored three more runs in the top of the ninth inning and the end was near. Now the Pirates step into the batter’s box down by 9 runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. That deficit was  too much to overcome during the second game of a hot, humid, August day (5th game in four days, thanks for the playoff game) as the Pirates remained scoreless to end the game and the season with a loss, 13-4.

UPDATED: Official Jacob’s Cup Stats

Fresh off the presses, the CGL has released the Jacobs Cup Tournament Statistics, congratulations to Chad Morgan who had a terrific tournament and to Brad Wimmer and Mike Manfro who threw six and four innings respectively of shutout tournament baseball, take a look; Clark Griffifth Baseball – The Mid-Atlantic Premier Wooden Bat Summer League.

Best wishes to the entire gang, you had an excellent season. Here’s hoping you can squeeze out a few well deserved vacation days. Best of luck in your college career both academically and athletically,
The webmeister and his cave dwelling sidekick

More Updates: Compiled Post-Season Stats

Click to see compiled post-season stats for 2009

Sisyphus' fate, let's hope the 'rock' doesn't roll back

The Carney Pirates finished their third Jacob’s Cup Tournament contest squeezing out one more cliffhanger over the Fairfax Nationals  5 to 4. Now they can stick around for the 7PM game against the Cardinals.  Here are some highlights…

After one inning the score is 1 to 1. George Piccirilli drives a double down the left field line. Chad Morgan, who has been red hot this week, smacks a line drive bringing home Piccirilli.

The strong Pirate defense held the Nationals through the second and third innings. With two outs in the Pirates third, Rob Lamas hammers a line drive sending Piccirilli home, scoring for the second time in the game. After three, the Pirates go up 2 to 1.

No change in the score through the fourth inning. The Pirate defense is playing strong and crisp behind Matt Crouse. Tim McCormick fires a rocket from right field to nail a runner at third, slowing down the Nats momentum.  Going into the bottom of the fifth the score remains 2 to 1. With runners on the corners and no outs, Piccirilli does the job with a sacrifice fly sending Costello home. The Nats defense hanging tough, finish the inning with the score  Pirates 3, Nationals 1. The Nationals, having completing 14 innings last night at 11:30pm, still have a lot of competitive spirit left.

The sixth begins with the Nationals loading the bases and no outs. After a strike out, the Nats tie the score on a line drive through the right side. The meat of their lineup is having a terrific day at the plate, reducing superstar Crouse to mere mortal status. With the score tied, the Pirates defense steps up and Matt guts it out and finishes the threat with a job well done, only allowing two. Pirates can’t get across home plate and the sixth ends with the score tied at 3. Once again another white knuckler  for both teams.

Reed Bromley comes on in relief  for the Pirates to begin the seventh inning. The defense backs him up nicely as they leave the field with no change in the score. Chad Morgan once more  reaches base safely and advances to second on a passed ball. With two outs Matt Snyder, always a deep threat, powers a two-run homer over the center field fence. The Pirates appear to have generated some breathing room and go into the eighth up 5-3.

Nothing for either squad in the eighth. One more to go.

Pirates are up by 2 as the ninth inning begins, but no one’s claiming victory yet. The Nationals have been like zombies all week, they just won’t go away. Nationals put a runner at first who advances on a passed ball. Another base hit and they have runners on the corners and no outs. A fine catch by Matt Murakami at second records the first Fairfax out of the inning. A walk loads up the bases and Adam Young is called on to win it for the Pirates. Nationals’ Brig Tison smacks his 5th hit of the day on a hard drive to right field to score a run, but when league leading hitter and fine baserunner Johnny Bladel (3 hits) tries to score from second, once again Mr. Cannon in rightfield, Tim McCormick unleashes a bullet that nails him at the plate – talk about ‘money’.  Two outs with runners on second and third with the score  5 to 4, what’s new! Young falls quickly behind two balls, battles back to a 2-2 count, when Matt Snyder makes an unassisted putout on a grounder and touches first base for the final out of the game. Pirates keep hope alive with a 5 to 4 victory over the Fairfax Nationals.

What’s Next?

The Pirates now must promptly play the undefeated Cardinals at 7:00pm, a team that has given the Pirates headaches and heartbreaks all season long. The Pirates must sweep the Cardinals in a Saturday/Sunday doubleheader (season ends upon losing) a doable, but formidable challenge (yeah, yeah, we know, play it one game at a time – so cut our pay if you don’t like our writing). Any Pirate championship would be hard earned and well deserved because it would require going through Pirate killer, Austin Poretz (8-0 CGL, 4-0 vs. Pirates). Here’s hoping Jim Toman is watching pitch count!

Inning Two felt like deja vu as Pirates found themselves with runners at second and third with just one out. George Piccirilli powered a sacrifice fly that allowed Matt Crouse, who reached first on a well executed bunt single, to score. Now with a runner on third, Chad Morgan batting average and slugging average leader, popped  a single to right field giving Zach Costello room to score. At the end of their at-bat the Pirates increased their score to 4 with 2 hits. The Pirate defense held the Senators as the league’s ERA champ, Matt Crouse catches fly in right and throws a runner out at the plate for his first of two double plays of the night, the score at the end of two,  4 to 1 (add Crouse to the list of Pirate guns, Costello and McCormick, that you don’t run on).

Third inning was a pitching duel as neither team scored and both were out of the batter’s box one-two-three. The fourth looked similar for the Pirates but very different for the Senators as the squad from Vienna was able to load the bases and score with a combination of Pirate miscues and a couple of walks — one of which scored a run for Vienna. But there wasn’t too much damage as Matt Crouse (deja vu all over again) makes a diving catch and doubles up the runner at first.  The fourth inning ends with the score Pirates 4, Senators 2.

The Pirates scored nothing in the fifth inning as the Senators continue to hammer the ball and score another run — at the end of five the score is Pirates 4, Senators 3., Torey Mancari did the job,a good solid five inning performance, now bring on the league’s best closer, Mike Manfro for one of  his longest stints of the year.

Pirates finish their at-bat in the sixth with one-two-three outs and the Senators bat, sensing a possible momentum shift. Pirates take the field showing a solid effort and with a crisp double-play by John Ralston, snagging a liner and doubling the runner at first, the Pirates end the inning holding a tense 4-3 lead.

We’ve got some base runners for the Pirates in the top of the eighth as Chad Morgan  doubles to right field and Rob Lamas singles to center. With a key  sacrifice bunt, Mike McMenamin pushes Morgan to third and Lamas to second base. Conner Mielock delivers in the clutch, hammering a single to left field and hustles to second on an error. Mielock’s hit drives in Morgan while Lamas advances to third. With one run already scored and just one out the Senators make a pitching switch while the Pirate runners at second and third take a breather. The momentum continues when John Ralston sends a clutch line drive to right field sending Lamas home and Mielock to third base. That takes care of the Pirate offensive attack, providing some invaluable insurance — now the Pirate defense is fired-up going into the bottom of the eighth. They finish the Senators after just four batters, allowing one hit and no runs. The score has now settled with the Pirates at 6 and the Senators with 3.

Everyone is taking a deep breath as we go into the ninth inning. These are both excellent nationally ranked teams and anything can happen with a three-run differential. Pirates start the inning with three batters and three outs. Nail biting begins as the Senators come up to bat. The Senators get a runner on third (Pirates proudly lead the league in balks) but the Pirate defense finish the inning strong allowing no runs with just 1 hit, Manfro records another save, one of his most impressive of the year. Pirates win the game and keep hope alive with a final score of 6 to 3. The Pirates now play the Nationals  Saturday at 3:00pm. Be there, aloha.

Some Numbers for Your Viewing Pleasure

UPDATED: The Vienna Senators now have the full box score and play-by-play action posted on their site – click here to see all the details at ViennaSenators.com.

Click this to see the Pirates’ box score from the July 30 game.

UPDATE: Click to see the play-by-play from the CGL “live webcast”.

Friday at 4PM

Well as predicted, right on these very pages, this tournament will be very competitive. The Pirates play the Senators Friday in the losers’ bracket, because the Nationals defeated the Senators in the day’s second tightly contested game 6-5, decided by a double play in the bottom of the ninth. The winner of  Friday’s game plays Saturday at 3:00pm, the loser unfortunately finishes their summer baseball. Get ready for another tense afternoon  Friday, 4PM at Waters Field (click to see a map). See the Wednesday game report (below) for info and directions to Waters Field. This message brought to you by our sponsor Tums, when apparently two nail biters back to back aren’t quite enough.

The Pirates now begin their post season play with a 4:00pm game at Waters Field (click this for a map or look below for a map and to get directions) against the always tough Southern Maryland Cardinals. The tournament is double elimination and each of the four teams remaining have demonstrated the ability to beat each other, so as Paul Pagnato’s fantasy woman Bette Davis once said, “Buckle your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night (several).”

UPDATE: Game & Season Stats

Click this for July 29 game details.

Click here for regular-season compiled stats through the July 29 game.