Valley League Baseball
The Valley League All-Decade Teams
Date:12/20/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
As a decade-end celebration, All Things Valley League has named an All-Decade first and second team of players who performed the best in their summer season: First Team Catcher: Brad Zebedis, Strasburg 2011. The league MVP in Strasburg’s inaugural season, Zebedis hit .420/.490/.638 in 174 at-bats, with 19 doubles, two triples, five home runs, and a 22/20 BB/K ratio. First Base: ...
The 2019 Valley League Annual is Now Available to Order
Date:12/06/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The 2019 Valley League Annual is now available to purchase! Coming in at 85,000 words and 265+ pages, the Annual is an awesome early Christmas gift and keepsake for all fans and former players of the Valley League. The PDF includes: A foreward by VBL commissioner Bruce Alger Results from every single game played in 2019 Top hitters, starting pitchers, and relief pitchers 2019 top...
Staunton Braves Name 2020 Coaching Staff
Date:12/04/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The Braves have their coaching staff in place for the 2020 summer. Tyrie Blalock will be back for his second summer as head coach. Tyrie is in his first season as a grad assistant at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., where he is responsible for player development. Jeff Scott will also be back for his second summer as an assistant. Jeff is in his first season as a grad assistant at...
Two Former Valley Leaguers Named All-World
Date:11/19/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Two former Valley Leaguers have been named to the All-World Team by the World Baseball Softball Confederation after the Premier12 tournament finished on Sunday, November 17. Brandon Dickson (New Market 2006) was named to the team at relief pitcher, after saving three games and striking out at least two batters in each of his five appearances. Dickson has been pitching in Japan since 2013, ...
Eight Former Valley Leaguers in MLB Postseason
Date:10/01/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The major league playoffs begin tonight with the National League wild card game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals. While there is only one former Valley Leaguer who might appear in that game, there are seven more on the other playoff-bound squads. (And these guys might not be on the playoff roster, but they were all with the major league club at the end of the 2019 regular se...
Stenberg to Helm 2020 Rebels
Date:09/27/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
By Dennis Atwood Arthur Stenberg IV will be the New Market Rebels head coach for the 2020 season. Stenberg capped his seventh year of college summer league coaching by leading the Niagara Power of the New York Collegiate League to their first-ever league championship in 2019, finishing at 34-12-1. “The quality of coaches I had with me, who I found after a six or seven week search, shared ...
Charlottesville Wins Second VBL Title
Date:08/09/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Riding the left arm of Sam Crawford, the Charlottesville Tom Sox won their second Valley League title last night against the Strasburg Express, winning game two of the best-of-three series 4-1. The Tom Sox got things rolling right away in the first inning, when the usual suspects got things started- Paul Giacomazzi and Thomas Francisco hit back-to-back singles off Strasburg starter Jordan Patters...
Tom Sox Win Game One, 11-8
Date:08/07/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The Charlottesville Tom Sox kept battling and came away from Tuesday's seesaw battle with a 11-8 win in game one of the Valley League finals. There was mostly order in this game through three innings, thanks to starters Mason Kenney (Strasburg) and Maddison Furman (Charlottesville). The score after nine outs each was Charlottesville 1, Strasburg 0, after a Brock Edge home run blast to left fi...
Tom Sox Advance to Finals
Date:08/06/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Last night, the Charlottesville Tom Sox made quick work of the Staunton Braves, 10-2, in the deciding third game of the South Division finals. The Sox took control immediately in this one, leading 2-0 after one, 4-0 after two, and 7-0 [Cville v Brave 1080 80519] after four. In fact, the Sox led 2-0 after only two batters, when Paul Giacomazzi walked, and Thomas Francisco continued his torrid hitt...
Tom Sox Answer Back, Game Three Tonight
Date:08/05/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Playing with only ten available players, five of them pitchers, the Braves fought.. ahem... bravely, but the Tom Sox won the war of attrition, 9-7, in extra innings, to send the South finals to a final game Monday night in Charlottesville. The Sox started off with a bang, scoring three runs on five hits in the first inning off Staunton starter Reid Celata. Trey McDyre singled in Cayman Richardson...
Braves Win Game One of South Finals, 3-1
Date:08/03/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by Maddie McNamee The Staunton Braves defeated the Charlottesville Tom Sox 3-1 on Friday night (8/2) in game one of the South Division Championship Series at C-VILLE Weekly Ballpark. While the weather, a major threat coming into the day, was on the ‘Sox’s side; the hitting, unfortunately, was not. A Purcellville Cannon during the regular season, Avery Short (Siena) put on his Tom Sox...
Express Advance to Finals With Win in Slugfest
Date:08/03/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
By John Leonard Before the game, I overheard a Strasburg fan say, "I don't know; the wind is blowing in. It might be a pitchers' night." It was not. The ball was flying out of First Bank Park at an alarming rate, as both teams combined for seven home runs. The Express started things off with two solo shots in the first inning off the Bandits' Ryan Mitschele- one by Josiah ...
Tom Sox Eliminate Lumberjacks, Move to South Finals
Date:08/02/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by Maddie McNamee The Charlottesville Tom Sox defeated the Covington Lumberjacks 10-5 on Thursday night, advancing them to the South Division Championship Series for the third consecutive season. The decisive game three of the first round of the playoffs had great anticipation behind it after being rained out the past two nights. However, good things come to those who wait, and the patient fans o...
Express Extend Series With Bandits
Date:08/02/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by John Leonard You would be excused if you thought this one would have a few more runs scored, or if you thought the Express would throw in the towel. But one night after Woodstock hung 18 runs on the board, Strasburg fought gamely, never giving in, even when the Bandits had the tying run on third with none out in the ninth. Let's back up. First, the Express started things off in the top o...
Nagle, Bayless, Cole Highlight 2019 All-VBL Team
Date:08/01/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by John Leonard A pair of Woodstock River Bandits, outfielder Aidan Nagle and pitcher Tristen Bayless, along with Waynesboro coach Zac Cole took home the major awards as the VBL announced its 2019 All-League teams. The All-VBL teams are chosen by a vote of team and media representatives across the Valley. Nagle is the 2019 Most Valuable Player, while Bayless earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Co...
Playoffs Day Three: Tuesday, July 30
Date:08/01/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Covington at Charlottesville: postponed Woodstock 18, Strasburg 7 (Bandits lead series, 1-0) Well, we all knew they could hit, but when this River Bandit lineup gets rolling, it's like that huge stone in Raiders of the Lost Ark, just smashing everything in its path. Last night in Strasburg, the Bandits scored two in the first, and then four in each of the second, third, and fourth innings, ...
Playoffs Day Two: Monday, July 29
Date:08/01/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Woodstock 5, New Market 4 (River Bandits win series, 2-0) The Woodstock River Bandits scratched and clawed their way to a series sweep against the New Market Rebels. But for the first five innings, this one was the rarest of Valley League sights- a pitcher's duel. Two lefties, Tristen Bayless (Woodstock) and Davis O'Brien (New Market), matched zeroes until the bottom of the sixth, when ...
Playoffs Day One: Sunday, July 28
Date:08/01/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Staunton 8, Waynesboro 2 (Braves lead series, 1-0) The old saying warns us that you can always see something new at a baseball game. Well, last night saw the Generals, 6-0 against the Braves this summer, make a whopping four errors in the first inning alone (and two more after that) to allow Staunton to grab an early 3-0 lead- enough for the Braves to seize the advantage in the series. The trou...
The Valley Says Goodbye to a Legend
Date:07/27/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Mo Weber passed away today at the age of 96. Weber was the hitting coach for the New Market Rebels for 17 years, and head coach for two. A 2017 Valley League Hall of Fame inductee, Weber's #1 jersey was retired by the Rebels, and the league named the Coach of the Year award after him in 2008. There will be no public service. ...
The Playoffs Begin Sunday
Date:07/27/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by John Leonard With the last two regular season games to be played this afternoon and evening, it's just about time to turn our attention to the Valley League playoffs! The format for the games remains the same as in past years. Each series is a best-of-three, with the higher seed hosting the first night, and the lower seed hosting the second (Monday night, weather permitting). If a t...
A Note on the Schedule, Take 2
Date:07/23/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The Valley League has added two extra daya to the regular season- Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27- and will begin the playoffs on Sunday, July 28. The structure of the playoffs is the same as in past years. Each series will be a best-of-three. The first game will be held at the higher seed’s home park on Sunday, and will move to the lower seed’s park for game two, hopefully on M...
Bowlan Fires No-Hitter
Date:07/23/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by John Leonard Jonathan Bowlan is best known is the Valley as a 2016 New Market Rebel. In other circles, though, he is known as a fast-rising prospect in the Kansas City Royals' minor league system. A 2nd round selection in the 2018 draft, Bowlan became even better known on July 15th when he fired a complete game no-hitter for High-A Wilmington against Carolina. Bowlan didn't walk a bat...
Menhennett Named Signs USA Player of the Week
Date:07/21/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
by John Leonard Our seventh, and final, Signs USA Player of the Week is none other than Front Royal's Dylan Menhennett. Menhennett, from West Florida, exploded this week, going 13-25 at the plate, with six runs scored, five doubles, a triple, home run, five RBIs, and two stolen bases. Apparently it was a golf outing plus some pineapple that helped spring him to domination this week, but what...
Results from 2019 Prospect Showcase
Date:07/18/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
By John Leonard The 2019 Southeast Collegiate Prospect Showcase, held in Cary, North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday, brought together five summer leagues to play a few games in front of scouts and a few fans. The Valley League took 25 prospects to the mini-tournament, and while the squad didn't win both of its games, it also didn't lose either one (stay with me here). The team, chosen t...
Stanley Named Signs USA Player of the Week
Date:07/14/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The Valley League's sixth player of the week award, sponsored by Signs USA, is awarded to Purcellville's Jacob Stanley! Perhaps taking some momentum from the All-Star game home run derby, Chipola's Stanley went 7-11 on the week, with four runs scored, three home runs, and three RBIs. One of his home runs was a walk-off blast in the 11th inning against Strasburg on Friday. Overall thi...
VBL Team Ready for Prospect Showcase
Date:07/11/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
For the third straight year, the Valley League will send an All-Star team to North Carolina to compete in the Prospect Showcase, joining four other summer leagues in a prospect extravaganza. Held in Cary, North Carolina at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, the Showcase will feature players from the Southern, Cal Ripken, Florida, Sunbelt, and, of course, the Valley League next Monday and...
Riopelle Named Signs USA Player of the Week
Date:07/09/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
The USA Signs Player of the Week for week five of the Valley League is Purcellville's Bradley Riopelle! From Coastal Carolina, Riopelle went 7-13 last week, with a slash line of .538/.625/.923, along with three runs scored, a triple, home runs, and six RBIs. For the season so far, he's 20-60, with a slash line of .333/.444/.617, with four doubles, two triples, three home runs, 14 runs sco...
Express Fire Second Combined No-Hitter
Date:07/09/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
By Matt Neal Coming off a stretch of one game in five days due to weather, and staring another off day in the face, Strasburg needed some positive momentum and needed it quickly. As the team has done so often this season, they rebounded after a tough loss in a big way...by posting their second combined no-hitter of the season. Cole McMillan (San Jac) started the no-hit bid on the mound, firing s...
The “Striking” 2019 Valley League All-Star Game
Date:07/08/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
By Maddie McNamee The 2019 VBL All-Star Game was plentiful of striking, as in lightning and pitching. The game was called after three and a half innings of play, where the South Division scored one run and the North Division came out scoreless. Rather than being drenched in sweat from the cruel heat and humidity of July, players were soaked from the intermittent storms. Umbrellas were clearly th...
Valley League All-Star Game Schedule
Date:07/07/2019 Source:Valley League Baseball
Hello Valley League fans! Join us starting at 3 p.m. for a day of All-Star activities in Harrisonburg, at Veterans Park! Schedule: 3:00- Gates Open 3:10 – 3:55- Home Team Batting Practice Visiting Team Kids Session Pictures and Autographs 4:00 – 4:45- Visiting Team Batting Practice Home Team Kids Session Pictures and Autographs 4:50 – 5:15- 60 Yard Dash Contest ...
