2014 Blazers News

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Blazers Announce 2015 Head Coach
October 24, 2014
Matt HollodMatt Hollod, currently in his 3rd season as the head coach at Wilkes University, will be the field manager of the 2015 Quakertown Blazers.

Matt has extensive summer collegiate experience serving as the head baseball coach for the Willmar Stingers out of the Northwoods League from 2010 to 2013. In four years as manager for the Stingers, Hollod tallied 160 wins which puts him in the top 10 all-time in the league. His .573 winning percentage is second highest in the leagues 22 year history. Hollod had also recruited 36 players to the Stingers, and helped develop, who have gone on to play professionally. Matt is a former associate head baseball coach at DeSales University and Southern Utah University.

Hollod was a four-time letter winner in baseball at the University of Washington and the University of Portland. He was an honorable mention All-West Coach Conference selection during his junior season where he was a consistent starter for the Pilots on the mound. As a hitter, Hollod led the team with a .346 average in his final season in Portland.

Vogelsong plays key role as Giants advance to NLCS
October 8, 2014
Ryan VogelsongRyan Vogelsong (Kutztown University, Quakertown Blazers, 1996-1997) only allowed two hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Washington Nationals 3-2 to advance to the NL Championship Series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

By holding the Nats to one run over 5 2/3 innings, Vogelsong became the first pitcher in Major League history to allow no more than one run in each of his five career postseason starts. Vogelsong's previous four playoff outings came in 2012.

He has now given up a total of four earned runs in 30 1/3 postseason innings for a 1.19 ERA which ranks him ninth lowest in postseason ERA with more than 30 innings pitched.

Blazers end season on positive note
August 16, 2014

Picture of Blazer All-Stars, Courtesy of Bill Hahn

The Quakertown Blazers won eleven of their last thirteen games as they claimed second place in the Wolff Division with a 19-21 record. Pat Donnelly (Lehigh) topped the Blazers with a .385 average and 30 RBIs which was second in the ACBL. Chris Melillo (Notre Dame) was second with a .342 average and 26 RBIs. Tyler Kirkpatrick (Marist) and Brett Smith (Bucknell) hit .333 and .308 respectively.

Connor Donovan (Lehigh) and John Geffre (Delaware) each posted four wins on the mound. Ryan Filipowicz (Holy Cross) posted a team leading 1.25 ERA with seven saves. Kevin Long (Lehigh) topped the Blazers with 30 strikeouts while Brandon Kulp (Lehigh) followed with 22 Ks.

Picture of Blazer All-Stars, Courtesy of Bill Hahn
Front Row: Corey Baiada, Chris Melillo, Pat Donnelly, Brett Smith
Back Row: Ryan Filipowicz, Kevin Long, Brandon Kulp

First Place Railers Down Blazers 7-4 in Home Finale
July 30, 2014
By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers

QUAKERTOWN, Pa – The Quakertown Blazers fell to the Wolff Division Regular Season Champions, the Allentown Railers, 7-4 in the last game at Memorial Park of the 2014 season. Patrick Donnelly and Kevin Jewitt paced the Blazers with two hits apiece.

Corey Baiada gave the Blazers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as he drove in Jewitt on a ground out to short. Jewitt got in scoring position as he laced a double into the left center gap with one out in the frame.

The Railers threatened in the third. Anthony Reinz singled to center with one out and Andrew Brandstetter raced around third to tie the game. However, Brett Smith made a tremendous throw home to Baiada who applied to tag to gun out Brandstetter to end the scoring threat.

After relinquishing the lead in the top half of the fifth, Jackson Martin tied the game at 2-2 for the Blazers in the bottom half as he singled to center, scoring Ed Posavec.

Allentown took back the lead in the sixth off back-to-back doubles by Jacen Nalesnik and Reinz off reliever Cody Stoneback that brought in three runs to give the Railers a 5-2 advantage.

The Blazers battled back in the seventh. Donnelly once again came through for Quakertown as the Lehigh-product singled to left. The left fielder for Allentown misplayed the ball and allowed it to get past him. Brett Smith and Martin were able to score on the miscue and Donnelly ended up at third. Donnelly had a chance to tie the game at 5-5 as he tried to score on a wild pitch but was tagged out on a close play at the plate.

The Railers got those two runs back in the eighth as Nalesnik drove in Casey Clauss on a deep double to center and Joe Forcellini beat out and infield single to short to bring home Nalesnik and supply Allentown with the 7-4 edge.

Quakertown sent the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth but could not force free baseball and fell to 18-21 on the year.

The Blazers will conclude their 2014 season tomorrow night as they travel to face the Jersey Pilots in Berkley Heights, N.J.

Blazers See 10-Game Winning Streak Snapped in DH Spilt
July 29, 2014

By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers EASTON, Pa. – The Quakertown Blazers rallied from a one run deficit to defeat the Lehigh Valley Catz 6-2 in game one to push their season-high win streak to 10 games, the longest by a team in the ACBL this year. However, the Catz jumped out to a big lead early in game two and held on to win 7-2. The loss handed the Blazers their first loss in almost two weeks of action. In addition to seeing their winning streak come to end on Tuesday night, the Blazers also saw their playoff hopes vanish. The Staten Island Tide needed just one win in their remaining three games to clinch the fourth seed and eliminate the Blazers. The Tide picked up that win as they knocked off the Generals in game one of their double dip on Tuesday, 9-3. Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the fifth, the Blazers rallied for three runs to take the lead. Patrick Donnelly came through with another big hit as he drove in Ed Posavec and Brandon Martinez on a bloop single to right to put the Blazers in front 3-2. Chris Melillo also added an RBI in the frame to give the Blazers a two-run lead. The Blazers added two insurance runs in the sixth to increase their lead to 6-2. Corey Baiada had the big blow in the inning, depositing a home run over the right field fence. Connor Donovan went the distance in the first game to pick up the victory for Quakertown. He allowed just four hits in his seven innings of work. He struck out four. After the Blazers scored in the top of the first to start game two with a 1-0 edge, the Catz jumped on starter John Santioanni for seven runs in the first two innings to chase him from the game. Quakertown did not go quietly as they scored in the fifth on an RBI double off the bat of Kevin Jewitt to make it 7-2 Catz. Reliever Dan Furman pitched four perfect innings in relief of Santioanni to help keep the Blazers in the game but the early six run hole proved to be too much to dig out from. The Blazers return to Memorial Park tomorrow night as they host the first place Allentown Railers in the last home game of the season. The Blazers will then conclude the 2014 season on Thursday as they travel to New Jersey to face the Pilots.

Blazers Tie ACBL Mark with Ninth Consecutive Victory; 2.5 GB of Playoff Spot
July 27, 2014

By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Quakertown Blazers bested the North Jersey Eagles 10-5 and 5-3 on Sunday afternoon. The two wins ran the Blazers’ season long win streak to nine straight, tying the ACBL-mark for the longest winning streak by a team this season. With the Trenton Generals sweeping the Staten Island Tide on Sunday, the surging Blazers now sit just 2.5 games behind the Tide for the fourth seed in the ACBL playoff standings. Quakertown has four games remaining in the regular season to try and earn a playoff berth. The Blazers continued their hot hitting as they scored four times in the first inning to begin game one. Quakertown was aided by sloppy North Jersey defense in the frame as the Eagles committed three errors that led to the four runs. Chris Melillo brought home Blazers returnee, Brandon Martinez, for the first run of the game. Martinez led off the inning with a hustle double to shallow left field. Tyler Kirkpatrick reached base on a fielder’s choice to plate Jackson Martin, who reached on an error attempting to sacrifice Martinez to third. Kirkpatrick came around to score on a deep double to center off the bat of Kevin Jewitt. Jewitt scored the fourth run of the inning on a single by Corey Baiada. Jewitt tacked on another run for the Blazers in the third inning as he reached on an infield hit to shortstop. Melillo was able to cross home plate on the play to provide Quakertown with the 5-0 advantage. The Blazers were not done as they scored five more times in the fourth to go in front 10-0. Martin, Patrick Donnelly, Melillo and Baiada had four consecutive RBI singles to center field driving in all five runs in the inning. Baiada finished game one with two hits and a team-best three runs batted in. The Eagles cut into the lead in the fifth inning, scoring four times with the big blow coming from a three-run home run by Ryan Carroll. The four runs snapped Blazers starter John Geffre’s 18 inning scoreless streak. North Jersey loaded the bases with one out in the sixth looking to cut into the deficit further but Geffre was able to escape the jam with only one run scoring, making it 10-5. Geffre finished the day allowing five runs on nine hits in six innings of work but was given plenty of run support to pick up his fourth win of the year. In the nightcap, the Blazers started right where they left off as they took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Kirkpatrick delivered a two-out base knock to center and Martin came in from third to give Quakertown the early edge. North Jersey took their first lead of the day in the fourth inning as they got to starter Kevin Long for two runs (one earned). Long misfired on a pickoff attempt to first which allowed Jason Uliano to score from third to tie the ballgame. Dane McDermott singled to left to bring home Brian McKenna to put North Jersey in front 2-1. The Eagles threatened to pad their lead in the fifth as they put runners on second and third with just one out. But Long buckled down and was able to record the final two outs via a strikeout and groundout to keep the score at 2-1 North Jersey. The Blazers bounced back in the bottom of the fifth as they put two runs on the scoreboard to regain the lead at 3-2. Donnelly came through in the clutch as he singled to right on the seventh pitch of the at bat. Connor Donovan and Brandon Martinez scored on the play to put Quakertown in front. The Blazers added two insurance runs in the sixth to increase their lead to 5-2. Jewitt drove a ball over the center fielder’s head to bring home Kirkpatrick. Jewitt later scored in the frame on a base hit up the middle from Ed Posavec. Closer Ryan Flipowicz finished out the game, throwing two innings of relief. He allowed one run on three hits and one walk. He punched out two in the outing to earn his seventh save of the season. The Blazers travel to Easton, Pa. on Tuesday night with a doubleheader against the Lehigh Valley Catz to try and stretch their winning streak to 10 games and continue their push to the postseason.

Blazers Win Seventh Straight to Remain in Playoff Hunt
July 25, 2014

By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers QUAKERTOWN, Pa – The Quakertown Blazers defeated the South Jersey Giants 6-5 and 8-3 on Friday night at Quakertown Memorial Park. The two wins pushed the Blazers’ current win streak to seven consecutive victories, a season-high. Kevin Jewitt provided the spark in game one as he drove home Patrick Donnelly in the bottom of the ninth for the walk-off win. In game two, an early 6-0 lead was all the Blazers needed as they went on to win 8-3. The two victories helped bring the Blazers to within 4.5 games behind the Staten Island Tide and the Giants for the fourth seed in the ACBL playoff standings with just six games remaining in the regular season. Play began tonight with the Blazers having runners on second and third with only one out as the two squads set out to complete the July 8th contest that was suspended in the fifth inning, tied at 2-2. New pitcher for the Giants, Matt Rakus, struck out Jewitt and Connor Donovan to get out of the two-week old jam. The Blazers took the lead in the sixth inning as Ed Posavec singled home Tyler Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick started the frame with a deep double to the left center field gap. The Giants rallied in the top of the eighth as they scored three runs (one earned) against relievers Brandon Kulp and Ryan Flipowicz. A costly two-base error by centerfielder Jackson Martin allowed the two go-ahead runs to cross home plate. Quakertown was unfazed as they were able to score twice in the bottom of the eighth off RBI base hits by Corey Baiada and Vince Careghini to knot the score up at 5-5. In the bottom of the ninth, Donnelly led off with a single to right. With one out in the frame, Jewitt came up to the plate. The Villanova-product cranked the 0-1 offering to the center field wall. Donnelly raced around from first and scored without a throw to give the Blazers the 6-5 walk off win. The Blazers jumped out to an early lead in game two, scoring three times in the second inning. Kirkpatrick put the Blazers on the scoreboard as he drove in Posavec on a single to center. Later in the frame with the bases loaded, Donnelly smacked the ball up the middle, plating Careghini and Kirkpatrick. Quakertown did all their damage in the inning with two outs. Quakertown padded their lead in the third inning as the Blazers scored three more runs to move ahead 6-0. Baiada scored the game’s fourth run as he scampered home on a wild pitch by Giants pitcher, Anthony Buonopane. It appeared as that was all the Blazers would get in the inning as Kirkpatrick hit a fly ball to left for the third out. However, the left fielder mishandled the catch and Posavec and Careghini scored without issue to provide the Blazers with the six run cushion. The Giants cut into the lead as Kyle Lindsay deposited a two-out base hit into right field, just over the reach of first baseman Connor Donovan. Two Giants scored on the play to make it 6-2 Blazers. Quakertown starter Matt Ternowchek limited the damage as he got Shaine Hughes to fly out to left to end the inning. In the top of the sixth, the Giants sent the tying run to the plate with just one out. Dan Furman entered from the bullpen to try and prevent further damage. Furman did his job as he retired both hitters he faced in the frame, allowing just one inherited runner to score on a wild pitch. The Blazers answered in their half of the sixth. Jewitt reached base with a one-out single. Three wild pitches over the course of the next two Blazer hitters allowed Jewitt to reach home to put the Blazers in front 7-3. Quakertown tacked on another run as South Jersey pitcher, John Brue, issued four straight free passes which brought home Baiada to put the Blazers in front by five. Furman closed it out in the seventh, recording a clean 1-2-3 inning to pick up his first save of the season. The Blazers will look to continue their season-high seven game winning streak as they host the North Jersey Eagles for a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.

Railers and Blazers 7/23 PPD, Makeup Date Scheduled for 7/30
July 23, 2014

By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers QUAKERTOWN, Pa – Tonight’s game between the Quakertown Blazers and the first place Allentown Railers has been postponed due to inclement weather. The contest will be made up a week from tonight, Wednesday, July 30, at 7 p.m. The Blazers will look to win their fifth game in a row tomorrow night when they travel to Berkeley Heights, N.J. to take on the Jersey Pilots. Quakertown will return to Memorial Park on Friday night as the host the South Jersey Giants.

Flipowicz Notches Two Saves as Blazers Run Win Streak to Four
July 20, 2014

By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Quakertown Blazers won their third and fourth games in a row as they defeated the Staten Island Tide 2-0 and 8-7 on Sunday afternoon. Ryan Flipowicz picked up a save in both ballgames to help lead the Blazers. In the fourth inning of game one, the Blazers broke a scoreless tie when Patrick Donnelly singled up the middle to bring home Brett Smith. Smith had led off the frame with an infield single to short for Quakertown’s first baserunner of the contest. Tyler Coleman manufactured another run for the Blazers all by himself in the fifth. Coleman began the inning with a single to center. With Vince Careghini at the dish, Coleman stole second on the first pitch of the at bat. Two pitches later on a pitch in the dirt, Coleman took off for third. Staten Island catcher John Giakas’s throw was over the third basemen’s head and Coleman scored easily for the game’s second run. That was all the run support the Blazers needed as Brandon Kulp, Connor Donovan and Ryan Flipowicz combined to throw Quakertown’s third straight shutout. Kulp threw four innings, allowing three hits and three walks. He fanned five in the start. Donovan allowed just a lone free pass in his one inning of work to pick up the victory. Flipowicz pitched two hitless innings, allowing just two walks to earn the save. The Blazers continued their momentum right away in the second game as Smith began things with a triple down the right field line. Jackson Martin drove him home as he also smacked one down the right field line for a double. Chris Melillo added to the scoring as he dropped a hit in front of the right fielder to bring home Martin. John Santioanni pitched two hitless innings to run the Blazers’ pitching staff scoreless streak to 23 straight innings before Staten Island snapped it in the third. C.J. Moore singled to right before stealing second and then attempted to steal third. On the attempt, Ed Posavec’s throw missed its target and went down the left field line. Moore scored easily on the play to cut the Blazers lead to 2-1. The Blazers got that run back right back as Kevin Jewitt singled to left which plated Martin to put Quakertown back in front by two. The Blazers were not done in the inning as Coleman belted one to right center that one hopped the wall, bringing home Jewitt and Melillo. The Tide rallied in the fifth as they scored twice and still had the bases loaded with just one out. Staten Island threatened to add more on the scoreboard but reliever Dan Furman got Steve Notaro to ground into the 6-4-3 double play to get out of the jam. Quakertown answered in the bottom of the fifth as the Blazers scored twice to increase their lead back to four. The first four men reached base to start the inning and Melillo and Jewitt came around to score in the frame. Tyler Kirkpatrick and Posavec batted in both runs. The Tide threatened again in the sixth as they loaded the bases against Furman with two outs in the inning. Cody Stoneback was called on in relief and promptly got the final out of the frame to keep Staten Island off the scoreboard. After the Blazers added an insurance run in the sixth off the bat of Melillo in the bottom of the sixth, the Tide rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh off Stoneback. With the lead cut to 8-7, the bases remained loaded with just one out. Manager Mark Angelo called upon Flipowicz again to get the final two outs. The Holy Cross-product was up to the task as he struck out pinch hitter Michael Abate and got Joe Venturino to fly out to right to end the game. The Blazers will look to continue their four-game winning streak as they return to action on Wednesday night as they host the Allentown Railers. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.


Blazers sweep North Jersey
July 19, 2014
Kevin Long and John Geffre both tossed shutouts as the Blazers defeated the North Jersey Eagles 1-0 and 2-0 at Overpeck Park. Connor Donovan knocked in the winning run in the opener when he singled to centerfield to score Kevin Jewitt. Pat Donnolly and Ben Moller each posted two hits in the opener. Brett Smith and Chris Melillo each had two hits in the second game. The Blazers are now 10-19 and move into second place in the Wolff Division as the Lehigh Valley Catz lost two today at Staten Island by the scores of 5-4 and 7-5. The Blazers return home tomorrow to host Staten Island in a 1pm DH at Memorial Park.

Kaiser Division shuts out the Wolff Division; John Giakas and Kyle Cullen Named Co-MVPs
July 17, 2014

By Phil Engel, Quakertown Blazers QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Kaiser Division All-Stars defeated the All-Stars from the Wolff Division 3-0 in the ACBL All-Star Game on Thursday night in front of a packed house at Quakertown Memorial Park. John Giakas from the Staten Island Tide and Kyle Cullen of the North Jersey Eagles were named Co-MVPs. Giakas was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Cullen also notched two base hits including a double and scored a run for the Kaiser Division. The Kaiser Division pitching staff held the Wolff All-Stars to five hits and one walk in the game. Delio Coutinho (Staten Island) earned the victory, pitching a hitless third inning while racking up two strikeouts. Steve Bloodworth of North Jersey allowed one hit but punched out two in the ninth to record the save. The Kaiser All-Stars cracked the run column in the fourth inning off Wolff pitcher Ryan Flipowicz (Quakertown) as Giakas singled home Dane McDermott (North Jersey) for the game’s first run. Flipowicz allowed three hits and one run in the frame to receive the loss for the Wolff All-Stars. The Wolff Division threatened in the bottom of sixth inning as Jacen Nalesnik (Allentown) and Joe Forcellini (Allentown) singled with two outs. Both runners advanced an extra base on a wild pitch from Matthew Kostlos (Staten Island). Kostalos, however, was able to escape without any damage as he got Anthony Reinz (Allentown) to chase a ball in the dirt for a strikeout to end the inning. In the seventh, the Wolff All-Stars had another chance to get on the scoreboard as Michael Caputo (Jersey) was in scoring position with one out. But Tom Fazzini (South Jersey) got out of the jam as he got Matt Hansen (Lehigh Valley) to line out to left. Caputo strayed too far off of second base and was not able to get back in time and was doubled up to end the scoring chance. Giakos added another RBI in the eighth as he tattooed a ball into the right field gap off Wolff pitcher Kevin Long (Quakertown). Cullen scored easily from second to put the Kaiser All-Stars in front 2-0. The Kaiser All-Stars tacked on another run in the ninth as John Brucker (North Jersey) brought home his teammate Dane McDermott on a single to right to increase their lead to 3-0. Bloodworth came on to close out the game in the ninth. He struck out the first two men he faced before allowing a two-out hit to Reinz. Bloodworth then retired Chris Melillo of Quakertown on a fly ball to center to end the game.


Blazers defeat Railers 10-9
July 11, 2014
The Quakertown Blazers (7-16) won their first road game of the season as they rallied for a 10-9 win over the Wolff Divison leading Allentown Railers (18-9). Tyler Coleman (West Chester) cleared the bases in top of the eighth inning with a three run double to rightfield. Brett Smith (Bucknell) had four hits with four RBIs. Coleman posted two doubles while Kevin Jewitt (Villanova) added three hits. Ryan Filipowicz (Holy Cross) pitched two scoreless innings for the save. Anthony Renz (Mansfield) hit two home runs for the Railers and collected four RBIs.

Blazers-Giants Suspended in the Fifth, Will Resume on 7/25
July 8, 2014
By Phil Engel QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – Tonight’s game between the South Jersey Giants and Quakertown Blazers was suspended due to rain. The score was tied at 2-2 in the bottom of fifth. The Blazers had runners on the corner with one out and already one Blazer crossing home plate in the frame. Play was then stopped with a 0-1 count to Ben Moller. The Giants struck first, scoring twice in the second inning but the Blazers got one run back in third. Quakertown loaded the bases to start the inning but could only muster one run on a Patrick Donnelly sacrifice fly. In the fifth inning, Brett Smith led off with a single to left. After a sacrifice bunt by Jackson Martin to move Smith to second, Donnelly singled to right and Chris Melillo followed with a single to left to score Smith and knot the game up at 2-2. Moller looked at a called strike before thunder and lightning forced the umpires to bring the players off the field. Play was stopped for 37 minutes before the game was officially called. The game will be completed when South Jersey returns to Memorial Park on July 25th. The regularly scheduled nine-inning game will then follow. The Blazers now embark on an eight-game road trip with the ACBL All-Star game (July 17 at 7 p.m.) scheduled in between.

Blazers Celebrate Fourth of July with Victory over Catz
July 4, 2014
By Phil Engel QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Blazers got out to an early three-run advantage and were able to hang on for the 3-2 victory. The win marks the second straight triumph over the Catz and third overall on the 2014 campaign. The Blazers staked a 3-0 lead through six innings with the help of Brett Smith. Smith played an integral part in manufacturing all three Quakertown runs in the first, third, and fifth frames. The Bucknell-sophomore reached base all three times he came to the plate, stole second in each inning and came around to score each time. Ryan Kelly pitched six strong innings for the Blazers. He scattered six hits and did not allow a run to pick up his second win of the season. After the Catz cut it to 3-2, Ryan Flipowicz entered the game in the ninth. He struck out the first batter but allowed the next two hitters to reach base. With runners on the corners with only one out, Flipowicz got Brody Clifford to ground to first. First baseman Doug Trimble made a quick throw to SS Patrick Donnelly, who made a terrific scoop with the Lehigh Valley runner barreling down on him for the force out. With the runner colliding into him, Donnelly was able to make the return throw to Trimble for the final out of the ballgame. With the tremendous double play to close it out, Flipowicz earned his third save of the year, tying him for the ACBL lead in that category. The Blazers will ride their current two-game winning streak as they return to action on Tuesday night as they host the South Jersey Giants. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Blazers Plan Baseball Memorabilia Silent Auction
July 3, 2014
The Quakertown Blazers will hold a baseball memorabilia silent auction in conjunction with the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game set for Thursday evening, July 17, at Memorial Park at 7 p.m. Items include autographed baseball cards, Jamie Moyer’s recent book, a Jimmy Rollins bobblehead, youth baseball gloves and maple bats. Anyone interested in donating items should contact George Bonekemper at gbonekemper@yahoo.com. The contest will pit the Wolff Division (Allentown, Jersey, Lehigh Valley, Quakertown) against the Kaiser Division (North Jersey, South Jersey, Staten Island, Trenton). The rain date is Friday, July 18.

Blazers Pull off Monumental Comeback against the Catz to Snap Six-Game Skid
July 1, 2014
By Phil Engel QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – After falling behind 7-0 before even coming to the plate in the first inning, the Blazers remained unfazed and focused, battled back, and scored 15 unanswered runs to pick up their most impressive win of the season over the Lehigh Valley Catz 15-7 on Tuesday night at Memorial Park. Trailing 7-1, the Blazers batted around in the fourth, plating six runs to tie the game at seven. The first six men reached base for Quakertown, all of whom came around to score in the frame. Ed Posavec, Brett Smith, Jackson Martin and Ben Moller netted RBIs for the Blazers. The Blazers capped off their comeback, taking the lead in the sixth inning when Smith scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Lehigh Valley reliever, Connor McMahon. Quakertown put the game away in the seventh when Smith and Jackson earned back-to-back bases loaded walks to give the Blazers a 10-7 advantage. Both players had big days at the dish to carry the offense. Smith reached base all six times including five base hits. The Bucknell-product added two runs batted in and three runs scored. Jackson reached base four times on one hit, two walks and one hit-by-pitch. The Seton Hall-product scored once and brought home two runs. The Blazers batted around again in the eighth, sending 10 men to the plate. Quakertown scored five runs in the frame to seal the contest. Patrick Donnelly tripled home Tyler Coleman and would later score on a wild pitch. Donnelly recorded four hits and scored three runs for the Blazers. Doug Trimble drove in two runs with a two-out single and Tyler Kirkpatrick followed suite with an RBI base hit of his own as he singled home Smith to provide the 15-7 final. The bullpen was tremendous on the night for the Blazers. After Quakertown starter John Santoianni struggled to record just one out in the opening inning, the relief corps, led by Connor Donovan, held the Catz scoreless over the next 26 outs. Donovan entered the game down seven with the bases loaded and only one out. The Lehigh sophomore struck out both men he faced in the inning to help the Blazers avoid further damage. Donovan pitched five more shutout innings to help Quakertown to the win. He finished the night allowing seven hits and two walks in his 5.2 innings en route to earning the victory. He punched out three Catz. Aiding Donovan out of the pen was Brandon Kulp, who worked two no-hit innings and Ryan Flipowicz, who closed it out in the ninth, allowed one hit and one walk but finished the ninth unscathed. The Blazers will look to continue their momentum as they host this same Lehigh Valley Catz squad on Friday, July 4th, at 1 p.m.

Blazers Strike First but Fall to Allentown
June 24, 2014
By Phil Engel QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – Allentown scored in six straight innings after the first to defeat the Blazers 11-2 on Tuesday night at Memorial Park. The Blazers struck first in the bottom half of the first on an RBI single by Chris Melillo to take an early 1-0 lead but it was all Railers from there. Quakertown would get one run back in the sixth inning on a Tyler Coleman double to the right field gap. Coleman and Melillo both collected two base hits and one run batted in to lead the offense. Jackson Martin, Ben Moller and Brett Smith also had base knocks for the Blazers. The Black and Orange will look to stop their two-game skid as they travel to Staten Island for a doubleheader with the Tide on Saturday afternoon. Game one is scheduled to start at noon.

Pilots Snap Blazers Four-Game Winning Streak in DH Split
June 22, 2014
By Phil Engel QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Blazers defeated the Jersey Pilots 7-4 in game one but saw their four-game winning streak come to an end, falling 2-0 in the second game of the double dip. The Blazers scored in every inning except the first in game one. Chris Melillo and Tyler Fitzpatrick provided the offense for Quakertown as they combined to drive in six of the team’s seven runs. Melillo was 3-for-3 at the plate with two singles and two-run home run in the fifth inning. The Notre Dame product drove in a team-high four runs. Fitzpatrick collected two hits in two plate appearances one of which was a solo home run in the fourth. He drove in two runs and stole two bases. Ryan Kelly held the Pilots to two unearned runs on four hits in his 5.2 innings of work to earn the victory. He issued four free passes and struck out two. The Pilots threatened in the seventh; scoring twice off reliever Dan Furman to cut it to 7-4 but Ryan Flipowicz came in and was able to record the final two outs to preserve the win for the Blazers. Flipowicz got Anthony Critelli to fly out to left fielder, Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick then gunned out Michael Caputo who was trying to score from third for the last out of the contest. The Blazers could not muster any offense against Jersey starter Stephen Silvestri in the second game. Silvestri began the game retiring the first 15 Blazers batters before Connor Donovan and Doug Trimble had base hits to begin the sixth inning, however, both runners were left stranded. Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, Tyler Coleman reached base on an error to begin the inning but Silvestri sent down three of the next four Quakertown hitters to end the game. Kevin Long earned the tough-luck loss as he allowed two unearned runs on five hits in his seven innings on the mound. Long punched out seven Pilots and did not walk a batter. The Blazers will conclude their nine-game home stand on Tuesday night as they host the first-place Allentown Railers. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Blazers-Giants 6/19 Postponed; No Makeup Date Scheduled
June 19, 2014
QUKAERTOWN, Pa. – Tonight’s contest between the Quakertown Blazers and ACBL newcomer, the South Jersey Giants, has been postponed due to inclement weather. No makeup date has been announced. The Blazers will return to the diamond this Sunday as they host the Jersey Pilots again in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Memorial Park.

Blazer Bats Come Alive in DH Sweep over Pilots
June 18, 2014
By Phil Engel QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Quakertown Blazers offense exploded for 11 runs in game one to defeat the Jersey Pilots 11-0. The hot hitting continued in game two as the Blazers won their third game in a row, winning 6-2. Patrick Donnelly led the way at the plate as he collected five hits in the two games with four runs batted in. The Blazers bats remained hot in game one against Pilots as Quakertown sent eight men to the plate in their three-run first. Five straight Blazers reached base with one out. Donnelly scored on a single by Chris Melillo. Melillo later came around to score along with Tyler Coleman on Corey Baiada single to right and an error on the play by the Pilot’s right fielder. The Baiada base knock gave the Blazers an early 3-0 lead. Quakertown blew the game open in the fourth as three more runs came across home plate. Donnelly drove in Vince Careghini and Brett Smith with a triple to the right field wall. Donnelly scored later in the frame on an error by Jersey’s third baseman. Blazers were not done, as they scored four more times in the fifth inning to go in front 10-0. Smith reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in the first run of the frame. Coleman brought home Donnelly for the second run on a single to right. Melillo knocked in two more as he doubled to right, however, he was out trying to stretch his hit into a triple. Melillo finished game one 2-for-4 at the plate with a team-high three RBIs. Tyler Kirkpatrick added one more run for good measure in the sixth as he knocked in Baiada on a sac fly to left. John Geffre pitched six strong shutout innings to earn the victory. Geffre allowed five hits and one walk. He struck out two Pilots. In the nightcap, the Blazers answered a first inning run by the Pilots by scoring two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Donnelly tripled to deep center field to bring home Jackson Martin who walked to begin the frame. Donnelly would score on a sac fly from Baiada to put the Blazers up 2-1. The Pilots threatened to tie the game in the fourth after the first two men reached base. However, starter Ryan Fleming worked his way out of trouble by retiring the next three hitters via a sacrifice, strikeout and ground out to keep the game at 2-1. Quakertown picked an insurance run in their half of the fourth as Martin doubled to deep center to score Shane Allen. The Pilots responded though in the fifth, scoring an unearned run to cut it to 3-2. In the sixth inning, the Blazers were able to put the game away by scoring three times. Smith tripled down the right field line, plating Connor Donovan and Allen. Smith scored the third run of the frame on a sac fly by Donnelly to provide the 6-2 final. Fleming pitched five innings to pick up his first win of the season. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk. The Rutgers left-hander punched out five Pilots in the victory. Ryan Flipowicz went two innings in relief for the Blazers. He struck out three compared to just one walk to earn the save. The Blazers will ride a three-game winning streak into their next contest as they take on ACBL newcomer, the South Jersey Giants, Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.

Blazers Defeat Catz 7-4 to Earn First Win of 2014 Season
June 17, 2014
QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Quakertown Blazers defeated the Lehigh Valley Catz on Tuesday night to snap their eight-game losing skid and pick up their first victory of the season. The team scored seven times in the first three frames and held on for the 7-4 final. The Blazers sent eight men to the plate in their four-run first inning. Ben Moller doubled home Patrick Donnelly for the first run of the game. Tyler Coleman, who was making his 2014 debut, provided the big blow in the inning as he tripled to deep right center, plating Jackson Martin and Moller. Coleman later scored on a double to left by Chris Mellilo. Lehigh Valley got three runs back in the second inning off Blazer starter John Santoianni on the strength of RBI singles by Thomas Asbaty and Brian Uliana. Santoianni made a good pitch as he got Mike Garzillo to hit the ball on the ground with two outs but an infield error allowed the third run to cross the plate and the inning would continue. Santoianni was able to retire the next hitter to escape further damage. Quakertown continued their hot hitting in the second inning as Shane Allen and Donnelly led off the frame with back-to-back base hits. After a Martin flyout, Moller reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with one out. Doug Trimble made up for his error in the field by bringing home Allen on a sac fly to left to make it 5-3 Blazers. The Blazers tacked on two more runs in the third as Corey Baiada came around to score on a Donnelly looper to center. Allen scored the second run on a wild pitch by Catz reliever Colton Lee. Leading 7-3, Santoianni worked into trouble in the fifth, walking three Lehigh Valley batters. The Villanova left-hander was able to get out of the jam unscathed; however, as he struck out two Catz and got another to pop out to second to end the threat. Santoianni went five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits to pick up the win. He struck out three on the night. Cody Stoneback was solid out of the pen for the Blazers. The Millersville-product threw four innings of relief to earn the save. He gave up one run on just two hits in the outing and punched out three Lehigh Valley batters. The Blazers will look to keep the momentum going Wednesday night as they host the Jersey Pilots in a twilight doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.

Blazers Remain Winless as Generals Pickup DH Sweep
June 15, 2014
QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Trenton Generals defeated the Blazers by scores of 3-2 and 4-2 on Sunday afternoon to push Quakertown’s losing streak to eight games. Trenton was spotted an early 3-0 in game one after the first two innings and hung on to defeat Quakertown 3-2 in game one. The Blazers got one run back in the third inning on a Patrick Donnelly RBI single that brought home Shane Allen. Quakertown added another run in the sixth as Vince Careghini reached on an error by the shortstop. Chris Mellilo came around from second to score on the play. Mellilo led the Blazers in the first game, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and one run scored. Kevin Long pitched five innings in the loss. He allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits. Long struck out five compared to just one free pass. Daniel Furman pitched two shutout innings of relief for the Blazers. In game two, Mike Scaringelli provided the big blow for the Generals as the first basemen doubled home three runs in the second inning to put Trenton up by three. The Generals added another run in the third inning to increase their lead to 4-0. The Blazers led off the fifth inning with back-to-back singles by Mellilo and Ben Moller. The Mellilo hit broke up a streak of 12 straight Quakertown batters that were sent down to begin the game. After a double play, Tyler Kirkpatrick singled home Mellilo to break through into the run column to cut the deficit to 4-1. The Blazers sent the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh but Trenton starter Josh Sharik got Kirkpatrick to fly out to center for the second out of the inning. Andrew Lysy came on in relief but promptly threw a wild pitch and Moller raced home for Quakertown’s second run of the ballgame. Lysy, however, rebounded and got Connor Donovan to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the contest. Sharik allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in his 6.2 innings of work. He punched out seven Blazers en route to the 4-2 win. Pat Vanderslice went five innings, giving up four unearned runs on six hits to receive the loss. He struck out two while walking just one. The Blazers are in the midst of a nine-game home stand and will be back in action Tuesday night as they host Lehigh Valley. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Blazers-Pilots Doubleheader Postponed
June 12, 2014
By Phil Engel Tonight’s doubleheader between the Quakertown Blazers and Jersey Pilots has been postponed due to rain. No makeup date has been announced. The Blazers will search for their first win of the 2014 season tomorrow night when they travel to Allentown. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Quakertown is back at Memorial Park this Sunday with a doubleheader against the Trenton Generals.

Catz outpitch Blazers to 2-1 Final
June 10, 2014
QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – Lehigh Valley defeated Quakertown 2-1 on Tuesday night to drop the Blazers to 0-6 on the year. David Moyer of Lehigh Valley broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth, launching a two-run home run over the right field fence off Blazers reliever Bob Reddick to give the Catz the two-run lead. Quakertown responded in the bottom half of the frame as Brett Smith successfully stole home on a double steal with teammate Patrick Donnolly to cut the deficit to 2-1. Donnolly, who was making his Blazers debut, collected one hit at the plate in addition to the stolen base. The Blazers threatened in the seventh, as Ben Moller and Doug Trimble reached on singles but a Corey Baiada fielder’s choice and a groundout by Edward Posavec ended the threat. Quakertown sent the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but Connor McMahon came in and got Baiada to pop out to second for the final out of the game to earn the save for Lehigh Valley. Ryan Fleming threw five scoreless innings for Quakertown. He allowed just one hit and four walks while striking out five. Ryan Kelly pitched 3.1 shutout innings of relief for the Blazers, giving up one hit and one walk. He punched out two. Quakertown will look to earn their first win of the season on Thursday as the host the Jersey Pilots in a twilight doubleheader. Game one will begin at 5 p.m.

Catz Double up Blazers 6-3
June 7, 2014
The Lehigh Valley Catz capitalized on six unearned runs to defeat the Quakertown Blazers 6-3 on Saturday at Easton High School. The Blazers had the tying run at the plate in the top of the ninth inning. Corey Baiada, Ben Moller and Jackson Martin each had two hits for the Blazers. The Blazers return home on Tuesday evening to host the Catz and hopefully end their five game losing streak

Blazers Versus Pilots 6/5 PPD
June 5, 2014
QUAKERTOWN, Pa. - Tonight’s game against the New Jersey Pilots has been postponed due inclement weather. It will be made up next Thursday as part of a twilight doubleheader with game one scheduled to start at 5pm. The Blazers will resume play at Lehigh Valley on Saturday as they look to snap their four-game losing skid. Quakertown will return to memorial park next Tuesday against the LV Catz.

Blazers Swept by Railers to Begin 2014 Slate
June 1, 2014
QUAKERTOWN, Pa.- In game one, the Railers were able to break a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, pushing across an unearned run to take a 1-0 edge. Eric Peterson came home to score from second base on an error by the Blazers’ shortstop Doug Trimble. Allentown starter Matt Swarmer retired to first 10 Blazers to come to bat before back-to-back singles by Trimble and Tyler Kirkpatrick created a threat for Quakertown in the bottom half of the fourth. However, both runners were left stranded as Swarmer was able to send down the next two Blazer batters. The Railers added an insurance run in the sixth when Ryan Cox singled home Jason Nalesnik to give Allentown the 2-0 lead. Swarmer went the distance for Allentown, allowing just four hits while striking out seven. Kirkpatrick led the Blazers with two singles. John Geffre received the loss for Quakertown. He allowed an unearned run on one hit in two innings of relief. During the nightcap, the Railers plated two runs in the top of the second to take an early 2-0 lead. Peterson and Brett Bittiger led off the frame with back-to-back base hits. Jay Young brought home Peterson on a sac fly then later in the inning, Andy Brandstetter singled home Bittiger. Allentown added another run in the third inning on the strength of a Peterson sac fly that brought home Anthony Renz. The Railers added two more runs in the fourth inning on two walks and one hit to go in front 5-0. The Blazers responded in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two times to cut the deficit to 5-2. Kirkpatrick and Jackson Martin both singled to start the inning and then both scored on a wild pitch and error from Allentown pitcher, Daniel Woodley. Allentown (2-0) added six more runs in the sixth inning to move ahead 11-2. Quakertown (0-2) answered with one in bottom of the sixth but their threat was ended as Kevin Long grounded out to the pitcher with the bases loaded to end the frame. The Blazers tacked on a Corey Baiada RBI single in the seventh but ultimately fell to the Railers 11-4 in game two. Pat Vanderslice went three innings, giving up three runs on eight hits to pick up the loss for the Blazers. Ryuta Amaike threw 1.1 innings in relief to earn the win for Allentown. Connor Donovan was 3-for-4 at the dish to lead the Blazers offense in the second game. Quakertown returns to action Tuesday night against the Railers. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Martinez Earns Additional Honors
May 29, 2014
Brandon Martinez, Photo courtesy of Kutztown University AthleticsJunior outfielder Brandon Martinez (Kutztown, Quakertown Blazers, 2013) was named to the Capital One Academic All-America First Team. The ACBL All-Star holds a 3.85 GPA as a business major after a 4.0 semester this spring. He was also selected to the All-Atlantic Region Second Team sponsored by the ABCA, Daktronics and NCBWA for the second consecutive year. The first team All-PSAC East choice hit .392 and was 35-for-36 on stolen base attempts. He had a perfect fielding percentage with 102 putouts this spring.

Blazers Open 31st Season on Sunday
May 28, 2014
The Quakertown Blazers open their 31st Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League season on Sunday, June 1, hosting the Allentown Railers in a 1pm doubleheader. The Blazers finished 20-20 last year, just missing the playoffs. The entire coaching staff returns with Mark Angelo, manager, Andrew Huebner, pitching coach, and assistants, Dan Horoshock and Greg Angelo. Mark Angelo played in the Mariners system, while Huebner hurled for the Orioles affiliates. The pitching staff is paced by returnee Kevin Long (Lehigh), Ryan Fleming (Rutgers), John Geffre (Delaware), Ryan Kelly (St. Joseph’s), and Pat Vanderslice (Temple). Offensive leaders include veterans Kevin Jewitt (Villanova) and Corey Baiada (Bloomsburg) as well as Doug Trimble (Delaware) and Tyler Kirkpatrick (Marist). Catcher Ed Posavec, a .313 hitter at Binghamton, and Brett Smith, Patriot League Rookie-of-Year at Bucknell, will have their debuts delayed due to participation in the NCAA Regional Playoffs.

Weinhold named to Commonwealth All-Conference First Team
May 10, 2014
Mike Weinhold, Photo courtesy of Alvernia University AthleticsThe Middle Atlantic Conference recently announced that Mike Weinhold (Quakertown Blazers, 2011-13) was selected as a starting pitcher on the 2014 Commonwealth All-Conference First Team.He is one of nine Alvernia players to gain conference honors. Seven of those players have participated in the ACBL. Weinhold, a senior LHP, posted a 1.21 ERA in 59.1 innings with 86 strikeouts. He topped D-III nationally with 13.04 strikeouts per nine innings. Kevin Becker-Menditto (Trenton Generals, 2012) was selected to the first team as a relief pitcher as was outfielder Chris Gehris (Allentown Railers, 2013). Senior first baseman Matt Patterson (Trenton Generals, 2012-13) and junior shortstop Richie Ricciardi (Trenton Generals, 2012-13) were second team selections. Catcher Chris Burns (Trenton Generals, 2013) and pitcher Steve Price (Allentown, 2013) received honorable mention honors. Photo courtesy of Alvernia University Athletics

Smith, Garzillo and Spera Earn Patriot League Honors
May 8, 2014

Brett SmithMike GarzilloCory Spera

Brett Smith (Bucknell, Quakertown Blazers, 2014) was named Patriot League Rookie of the Year after hitting .313 for the regular season league champion Bucknell University. The freshman centerfielder topped the Bison with 35 runs scored. Smith also earned a slot on the All-Conference Second Team. Mike Garzillo (Lehigh, Lehigh Valley Catz, 2013-14) was selected to the First Team All-Patriot League as a second baseman after hitting .319 with 30 RBIs for the Mountain Hawks. Cory Spera (Lafayette, Lehigh Valley Catz, 2013-14) was a first team selection as a relief pitcher. Spera posted a 1.52 ERA in 23.2 innings with 14 appearances. Both Garzillo and Spera were named to the Baseball Academic All-Patriot League Team. Spera was selected as the Patriot League Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year. Brett Smith photo courtesy of Bucknell University Athletics Mike Garzillo photo courtesy of Lehigh University Athletics Cory Spera photo courtesy of Lors Photography

Martinez Repeats as PSAC First Team Selection
April 29, 2014
Brandon Martinez (Quakertown Blazers, Kutztown)Brandon Martinez (Kutztown, Quakertown Blazers, 2013) was named to the PSAC Eastern Division First Team for the second year in a row. The speedy centerfielder hit .406 with 33 stolen bases in 34 attempts and played flawless defense with no errors. Other former ACBL players named to the first team include Casey Cooperman (Bloomsburg, Quakertown, 2011; Allentown Railers, 2013), Nico Delerme (East Stroudsburg, Lehigh Valley Catz, 2011), Mike Douglas (Shippensburg, Allentown, 2012), Eric Forth (East Stroudsburg, Trenton Generals, 2012) and Nick Rabasco (East Stroudsburg, Allentown, 2013). Tad Barton (Millersville, Southampton, 2011), Pat Kregoloh (Shippensburg, Lehigh Valley Catz, 2011), Justin Roman (West Chester, Trenton Generals, 2013) and Adam Zipko (Millersville, Quakertown Blazers, 2012) were selected to the Eastern Division Second Team.

Posavec Named America East Rookie of the Week
April 9, 2014
Eddie Posavec, Photo courtesy of Binghamton University AthleticsEddie Posavec (Quakertown Blazers, 2014) was named Rookie of the Week in the America East conference after hitting .636 (7 for 11) as Binghamton University swept UMBC over the weekend. The freshman catcher finished the week with six RBI, five runs scored and a .600 slugging percentage. He was also named BU's Athlete of the Week. The Bearcats have won five of their last seven and sit in fourth place in the America East conference with a 4-4 record. Photo courtesy of Binghamton University Athletics

Moller Named Rookie of the Week
April 3, 2014
Ben Moller Named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week , Photo Courtesy of Marist AthleticsMarist freshman Ben Moller (Quakertown Blazers, 2014) was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week after hitting .517 (8 for 14) over the past week. The 6 foot 1 inch infielder also had four RBI and scored three runs. Teammate Scott Boches (Quakertown Blazers, 2014) tossed 4.1 innings of shutout ball as Marist defeated Siena on Monday 1-0 for their first conference win. Boches has posted a 3.26 ERA in 30.1 innings thus far this spring. Photo courtesy of Marist Athletics

Boches named MAAC Rookie of the Week
March 17, 2014
Marist freshman Scott Boches (Quakertown Blazers, 2014) was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week after allowing only one run in 5.1 innings as Marist defeated Wofford 3-1. The 6-4 RHP has a 3.38 ERA in 21.1 innings pitched thus far in the season. Other Marist freshmen on 2014 ACBL rosters include Tyler Kirkpatrick and Ben Moller on the Blazers roster. Dalton Mayberry and Stephen Priolo are pitchers with the South Jersey Giants while Greg Kocinski and Sean Keenan have roster spots on the Jersey Pilots and Trenton Generals respectively.

Bahnick and Jewitt off to hot starts
February 21, 2014
Matt Bahnick (Lehigh Valley Catz, 2011; Allentown Railers, 2013) and Kevin Jewitt (Quakertown Blazers, 2013-14) started the 2014 season with hot bats. Bahnick, a junior third baseman, is hitting .636 ( 7-for-11) for Kennesaw State. Jewitt, a sophomore third baseman, tops Villanova with a .417 average (5-for-12) and was named to the BIG EAST weekly honor roll and is also the Philadelphia Big Five Player of the Week.

Quakertown’s Brandon Martinez, Preseason All-American
January 25, 2014

Kutztown’s Brandon Martinez, who graduated from North Penn High School, was selected the Collegiate Baseball Division II Preseason All-America team

By: Kev Hunter, khunter@thereporteronline.com As snow blanketed the area on Tuesday, forcing just about everyone indoors, Brandon Martinez could feel the anticipation building inside him. "Getting kind of antsy," he said from his dorm room at Kutztown University. "I can't wait to get back out on the field." In the midst of indoor January practices, Martinez and his Golden Bear teammates are looking forward to the sunshine. "Our main goal is to make regionals," the outfielder said. "Everything is focused on working together as a team." Martinez should once again be a vital piece to Kutztown success. He is playing the best baseball of his career and is beginning to gain national recognition. The North Penn grad was selected to the...

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Kirshner and Martinez named to D-2 pre-season All-America teams
January 5, 2014
Kenny Kirshner (North Jersey Eagles, St. Thomas Aquinas)Brandon Martinez (Quakertown Blazers, Kutztown)
Kenny Kirshner (North Jersey Eagles, St. Thomas Aquinas) and Brandon Martinez (Quakertown Blazers, Kutztown) are among seven former ACBL players selected to the D-2 pre-season All-America teams. The list was prepared by the ABCA Division II All-America Baseball Committee and published in Collegiate Baseball. Kirshner and Martinez were ACBL All-Stars and were among the league leaders in several categories. Centerfielder Martinez hit .381 for second in the league while stealing 19 bases in 19 attempts. Kirshner played both the outfield and first base. His .356 average placed 4th while he stole 17 bases in 18 attempts. Ryan Lubreski (East Stroudsburg, Lehigh Valley), Ray Gambone (Quakertown, Wilmington), Mike Douglas (Allentown 2012, Shippensburg), Dylan Tice (Quakertown 2012, IUP) and Pat Kregoloh (Lehigh Valley 2011, Shippensburg) were also included on the lists. Tice, a middle infielder, was selected MVP of the season and playoffs in the Futures League and ranked as the league's 12th top prospect by Perfect Game. Douglas, an outfielder was ranked as the 6th top prospect in the MINK League after hitting .350 with seven home runs. Kregoloh, a multi position player, was ranked the 25th prospect in the Prospect League.


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07/24Jersey W 7-610:00 AM
07/24Jersey L 12-712:30 PM
07/26New Brunswick - PPD7:00 PM
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07/30Trenton W 7-012:00 PM
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07/31Trenton W 7-112:00 PM
08/02Bergen L 15-124:00 PM
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