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Mustang News Archive
Pitching and Batting Highlights From The Turkey
Shoot Tournament:
Pitching
# 8 Jake Sullivan - 4 Innings
Pitched, 1 Win, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 7 Strikeouts
# 00 Brian Yeagle - 4 Innings
Pitched, 1 Win, 2 Earned Runs Allowed
# 32 Ben Trimmer - 7 Innings
Pitched, 1 Save, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 9 Strikeouts
# 29 C.J. Schmitt - 2 2/3 Inning
Pitched, 1 Save, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Strikeouts
# 8 Cameron Ayers - 6 Innings
Pitched, 4 Strikeouts
# 35 Matt Morris - 4 Innings
Pitched, 2 Strikeouts
Batting
# 3 Andrew Tyree - .583 Avg., 3
Runs Scored, 7 Hits, 1 Double, 1 Triple, 8 RBI
# 18 Jonathan Hunt - .538 Avg.,
5 Runs Scored, 7 Hits, 2 Doubles, 3 RBI, 4 SB
# 4 Matt Heflin - .500 Avg., 6
Runs Scored, 6 Hits, 2 RBI, 7 SB
# 00 Brian Yeagle - 2 Hits, 3
RBI
# 17 Dustin Hunt - 3 Runs
Scored, 2 Hits, 1 RBI, 3 SB
# 15 David Dilegge - 2 Runs
Scored, 2 Hits, 2 SB
Pitching and Batting Highlights From The
Mechanicsville Tournament:
Pitching
# 32 Ben Trimmer – 5 Innings
Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Strikeouts
# 29 C.J. Schmitt – 4 2/3 Innings
Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Strikeouts
# 8 Cameron Ayers – 3 2/3 Innings
Pitched, 1 Win, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Strikeouts
# 00 Brian Yeagle – 2 Innings
Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Strikeouts
Batting
# 17 Dustin Hunt - .500 Avg., 5
Runs Scored, 5 RBI
# 00 Brian Yeagle - .500 Avg., 1
Run Scored
# 15 David Dilegge - .444 Avg., 3
Runs Scored
# 18
Jonathan Hunt - .429 Avg., 3 Runs Scored
# 35 Matt Morris - .400 Avg., 1
Run Scored
# 4 Matt Heflin - .364 Avg., 2
Runs Scored, 2 Doubles, 1 Triple, 2 RBI
# 3 Andrew Tyree – 1 Triple, 4
RBI
# 8 Cameron Ayers – 2 for 2
Mustangs Take YMCA
League Championship
- The Stangs defeated the
Stafford Rage 16-1 on Wednesday, October 22nd, to win the Rappahannock
YMCA championship and clinch a berth at the AAU National Tournament in 2004.
Hats off the the Mustangs - they came out determined and focused - great job
guys!
# 9 Jake Sullivan. pitched 3
innings of no-hit ball, striking out 5 with the only run coming via a base
on balls. Defensively, # 4 Matt Heflin made 2 great plays at shortstop
and # 35 Matt Morris threw one runner out attempting to steal 3rd base.
Offensively, # 9 Jake Sullivan
went 2 for 2 - # 18 Jonathan Hunt went 1 for 1 with a double and 1 RBI - # 4
Matt Heflin went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs - # 22 Evan Houde
went 1 for 1 with 1 walk and 2 runs scored - # 8 Cameron Ayers went 1
for 1 with 3 runs scored and 1 RBI - # 29 C.J. Schmitt went 1 for 1, 1 run
scored, and 1 RBI - # 00 Brian Yeagle went 1 for 2 with a double, 2 runs
scored, and 2 RBIs - # 15 David Dilegge and # 17 Dustin Hunt both had two
runs scored.
Pics from the Game and Awards Ceremony
Big Win in YMCA Game - The Virginia Mustangs'
defeated the Stafford
Pistols 7-3 in a YMCA League game on Tuesday, October 21st.
Starting pitcher # 8 Cameron Ayers paved the way by throwing 5 strong
innings and was followed in relief by # 29 C.J. Schmitt - combined, the
Stangs' pitchers threw a 2-hitter.
# 15 David Dilegge provided a timely two-out 3 RBI
double in the 3rd inning to lead the Mustangs' offensive punch. Other
offensive highlights included # 2 Nick Torrice's long single off the left
field fence, # 32 Ben Trimmer's 1-2 performance, # 29 C.J. Schmitt's 3 walks
and 2 runs, and # 2 Andrew Tyree's 2 RBI's.
Defensive highlights included the usual "brick wall" in
the middle of the infield, catcher # 17 Dustin Hunts's throw outs at second
and third, and centerfielder # 22 Evan Houde's catch of a sinking ball and
throw to second for a double play.
Each Mustang player displayed the "Mustang Way" -
outstanding defense, great pitching, heads-up ball, clutch hitting and quiet
confidence. Great job to each and every Mustang! This win
guaranteed the Mustangs at least a second place finish in league play.
Pics from the Game
Pics from the
Pistols' Award Ceremony
Mustang Practice and Cookout - The Mustang
family enjoyed a full day of practice, great food, outstanding weather, and
an exciting parent-son baseball challenge on Saturday, October 18th, at
Mustang Field. Thanks to all the parents and coaches for going all out
in making the day such an enjoyable experience!
Pics from the
Practice & Cookout
Baseball Tips - Check out
Coach John Peter's Baseball Tips newsletters. The latest
newsletter (# 31) includes tips on fall baseball areas of focus and basic
hitting fundamentals and swing mechanics.
Stafford Baseball - My Kind of Game - As a
former coach (SBL and AAU), and a parent of an eleven-year old who cut his
teeth playing Stafford T-Ball, I have to say that the fall AAU 12U season
has been a pleasure to watch. No, make that 'heaven' to watch - or better
yet - poetry in action.
We seem to be making a breakthrough, at least in the
YMCA League. Four very competitive teams with great talent are going into
the last week of league play with a chance to take home the championship.
The Mustangs, Pistols, Rage and Stingers are all within 1 and 1/2 games of
each other. It really does not get much better than that. Moreover, we
have seen a breakthrough in how Stafford teams are performing in tournaments
- holding their own against established teams that once 'dominated' the
field. Expect great things from each and every one of our "Home Teams".
I say home teams, plural, for several reasons. First
and foremost, hats off to the boys - they seem to have an instinctive
ability to put things in perspective - while competitive, they maintain
their friendships from days gone-by when they were SBL or AAU teammates.
The second reason is they have an understanding that they could very well be
teammates again - many will probably be playing together, or facing each
other, in AAU / USSSA ball , high-school and beyond. Each and every one of our guys is
special in that way and it was a pleasure to see players rooting
for another Stafford team during recent tournaments.
And of course, hats off to the managers and coaches who
put their blood, sweat and tears into each and every game, practice and
season.
- Dave Dilegge
Baseball Believe it or Not - All professional baseball teams have a
policy on foul balls, something akin to: Fans are welcome to keep any foul
ball hit into the stands. At no time should a ball be thrown back into the
field of play. Foul balls may be dangerous and fans should remain alert to
on-field activities at all times.
But 80 years ago no such policy existed. At that time,
the "Dead Ball" era of baseball was just becoming a distant memory (courtesy
of the Herculean feats of Babe Ruth) and fans were not allowed to keep a
foul ball that was hit into the stands. But the history of the game was
again about to be altered.
One afternoon in 1923, 11-year-old Reuben Berman
refused to give back a ball that was hit into the stands while attending a
game at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl. This angered the owners of the Phillies,
who detained him overnight and pressed charges.
When a
judge threw the case out of court, Berman became the first fan legally
entitled to a foul ball, and thus began a baseball tradition that remains
intact today.
As for MLB
team owners, they have Berman to blame for the short average lifespan of a
Major League baseball, which now lasts just seven pitches before becoming a
souvenir.
Courtesy of Coach John Peter's Baseball Tips.
Mustangs Drop YMCA League Game - The Mustangs lost to the Stafford Rage
6-4 in a Rappahannock YMCA League game on Wednesday, October 8th.
The Stangs are now tied with the Stafford Pistols
for first place in a tight race for the league championship. With
three games remaining, and all four teams within 2.5 games of first place,
the next several weeks hold promise for some very exciting baseball at the
"Y". The next Mustang YMCA game is Tuesday, October 14th against the
Pistols at 6:30 PM. The Stangs come right back on Wednesday the 15th
to face the Stafford Stingers,
also at 6:30 PM. Lets go Mustangs!
Pics from the game:
Mustangs vs. Rage
Stangs Go 1-0 on 1st Day of the Battle of Manassas Tournament, 1-1 on
2nd, Drop 2 Tough Ones on 3rd - The Mustangsd the Battle of
Manassas Tournament with an exciting 9-7 victory over the Prince William Express
on Friday, October 3rd at Valley View Park in Nokesville, Virginia. The Mustangsd the second day with a hard-fought loss against the Hanover Generals 6-5, then rebounded in the second game with a 9-7 win over the Virginia Rams.
On day three, the Mustangs once again faced the Hanover Generals and held a
lead against the eventual tournament champions into the final inning, but
ended up on the short end 6-5 in a very tough and emotionally draining game.
The Mustangs then immediately faced the Tidewater Drillers,
dropping that game 11-2.
Of note, the Stangs were two outs away from finishing in the top four.
Again, the Hanover Generals won the tournament by beating the Huguenot Hornets
10-2 in the semi-finals and then the Maryland Red Dogs (no web site found)
2-0 in the final. The Generals are a great team and the Stangs gave them
everything they could handle. In their three other games, the Generals gave
up a total of three runs - the Mustangs scored ten runs against them in two
games.
This is
the beginning of something great and special!
Go Mustangs! Here is
what you guys are all about!
Pics from the games:
Mustangs vs. Generals & Drillers
Saturday -
In the first
game, the Generals jumped out to a 6-0 lead with 4 runs in the 1st inning
and 2 in the 3rd inning before the Mustangs settled down. # 15 David Dilegge
walked and scored the Mustangs’ 1st run in the 4th inning on a sacrifice fly
by # 35 Matt Morris. The Mustangs' defense and pitching tightened and shut the
Generals out the rest of the way. In the bottom of the 6th, the Mustangs
mounted a strong comeback attempt with one out as # 15 David Dilegge was hit by a
pitch, followed by consecutive hits by # 8 Cameron Ayers, # 35 Matt Morris and a #
2 Nick Torrice double to pull within 1 run. The final out was made with the
tying run on 3rd base. # 9 Jake Sullivan took the tough loss, while # 29 C.J. Schmitt,
# 22 Evan Houde, and # 32 Ben Trimmer did outstanding jobs in relief to keep the
Mustangs in the game.
In the second game, the
Mustangsd the scoring in the 2nd inning with 3 runs on walks to # 29
C.J. Schimitt, # 3 Andrew Tyree, and # 8 Cameron Ayers followed by an RBI groundout by #
15 David Goins, a solid RBI single to center by # 9 Jake Sullivan, and an error by the
Rams. The Rams scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 2nd to make the
score 3-1. The Mustangs answered right back in the top of the 3rd with 2
more runs on a single by # 17 Dustin Hunt, a walk by # 29 C.J. Schmitt, and an RBI
double by # 3 Andrew Tyree. The Rams came right back and scored 3 runs in the
bottom of the 3rd to make the score 5-4. In the top of the 4th, the
Mustangs broke out for 4 runs on consecutive hits by # 18 Jonathan Hunt, # 4
Matt Heflin, # 17 Dustin Hunt, # 2 Nick Torrice, and a 3 run inside-the-park homerun into
the left field corner by # 29 C.J. Schmitt to take a 9-4 lead. The Rams fought
hard, scoring 3 more runs in the 5th inning to get the score to 9-7 with 1
out, but # 8 Cameron Ayers took the mound and shut down the rally, striking out
the final batter to preserve this hard-fought victory for the Mustangs.
Pitchers for the Mustangs were # 11 David Goins, # 32 Ben Trimmer, # 22 Evan Houde and # 8
Cameron Ayers – with Ben Trimmer earning the victory in relief and Cameron
Ayers notching his
4th save of the season.
Pics from the games:
Mustangs vs. Generals & Rams
Friday - The Stangsd the Battle of
Manassas Tournament with a hard-fought and exciting 9-7 victory over the Prince William Express
on Friday, October 3rd at Valley View Park in Nokesville, Virginia.
The Mustangs' offense was particularly outstanding. Combined with the
usual excellent defensive play and pitching depth, the Stangs' bats put the
team over the top in a game that saw the lead change several times.
The Mustangs
jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the 1st inning on a rally started by # 18
Jonathan Hunt’s walk, stolen base, and then consecutive hits by # 11 David Goins,
# 4 Matt Heflin, and # 17 Dustin Hunt. # 2 Nick Torrice scored the 4th run on an
excellent steal of the plate, avoiding the pitcher’s tag by sliding to the
inside corner of the plate as the pitcher was blocking the outside and
middle. The Express tied the game in the 3rd inning by scoring 3 unearned
runs. In the top of the 4th, the Mustangs retook the lead at 6-4 with 2
runs on hits by #35 Matt Morris, a long blast by # 3 Andrew Tyree for a triple, and
an RBI single by # 22 Evan Houde. The Express answered again in the bottom of
the 4th to score 3 runs to take a 7-6 lead. In the top of the 5th, the
Mustangs answered right back as # 18 Jonathan Hunt again started a rally that
led to 3 Mustang runs on another long blast by # 17 Dustin Hunt for an RBI
triple, and RBI singles by # 29 C.J Schmitt and # 00 Brian Yeagle. # 35 Matt Morris
pitched 3 strong innings for the Mustangs, followed by # 32 Ben Trimmer, # 29 C.J.
Schmitt,
and # 8 Cameron Ayers. # 29 C.J. Schmitt earned the win in relief and # 8 Cameron Ayers
shut the door to earn his 3rd save of the season.
Great win over a very good team in the Virginia Mustangs' tournament debut!
Pics from the game:
Mustangs vs. Express
Mustangs Increase YMCA Win Streak to Four - The Stangs continued
their winning ways in the Rappahannock YMCA League by defeating the Stafford Stingers 7-4
on Monday, September 29th. A hint of brisk fall weather brought the
Mustangs' bats back alive - accompanied by outstanding pitching - there was
'Mustang Magic' in the air.
Starting pitcher # 9 Jake Sullivan. pitched two strong innings and was followed by
# 32 Ben Trimmer who struck out 9 batters in four innings to complete the game
and go home with the win. Great stuff Ben!
Mustang defense was on its usual excellent stride - of particular note was
catcher # 17 Dustin Hunts' throw-out of a Stinger steal attempt to
third baseman # 11 David Goins with two outs. Way to shut it down Dustin!
Mustang offense was provided by # 3 Andrew Tyree (1-1, 1 RBI), # 17 Dustin Hunt
(1-2, 2 RBI), # 18 Jonathan Hunt (1-2, 1 RBI), # 29 C.J. Schmitt (1-3, 2 RBI), # 2
Nick Tyree (1-3), and # 4 Matt Heflin (2 walks and 2 runs scored). Andrew Tyree's RBI double to left with a man on second is worthy of mention as Andrew
has just rejoined the Mustangs' after a lengthy stay on the DL.
Welcome back!
That said, tonight's win was a total team effort - every Stang
contributed!
Pics from the game:
Mustangs vs. Stingers
Baseball Tip of the Week: In a recent study done at the college
level, it was found that batters hit an average of .199 on a 0-1 count
versus .342 on a 1-0 count. On a 2-0 count, hitters are very good, batting
.386. It is safe to assume that these statistics hold true at the 12U
level. Lesson learned - stay ahead in the count pitchers!
Mustangs Drop Game to Xtreme - The Mustangs dropped a tough one to
the Virginia Xtreme
4-0 on Sunday, September 28th. On a night that saw little action by
Mustangs' bats, an early Xtreme lead proved enough for the win.
The Stangs' settled down after the 1st inning, playing head-to-head with the
Xtreme, but could not muster enough offensive to overcome the early lead.
# 35 Matt Morris was the Mustangs' starter (2 innings). Follow-on pitchers #
22 Evan Houde (2 innings), # 4 Matt Heflin (1 inning) and # 32 Ben Trimmer (1 inning)
produced 4 innings of outstanding shutout pitching. # 15 David Dilegge played great
defense at second base putting out 5 Xtreme batters to include a diving snag
of a line-drive between second and first. Another defensive highlight
was a 4th inning double-play, pitcher # 22 Evan Houde to shortstop # 17 Dustin
Hunt at second to first baseman # 3 Andrew Tyree Mustangs' offensive was provided by # 15 David Dilegge
(2-2) and # 3 Andrew Tyree (1-2).
The Xtreme are a very good team and the Stangs are looking forward to facing
them again in the near future.
Lets go Mustangs!
Mustangs Continue YMCA Streak - The Stangs increased their
Rappahannock YMCA
League win streak to three by beating the Stafford Pistols
7-6 on Wednesday, September 24th.
The Pistols
jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning, but the Mustangs scratched back
and took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 5th inning with a 2-out, 2-strike
clutch RBI single to the left-center gap by # 18 Jonathan Hunt, scoring # 2 Nick Tyree who
had singled and stole 2nd Base. The Pistols brokewith 5 runs in
the top of the 6th to take
a 6-3 lead with some clutch hitting of their own, before # 29 C.J. Schmitt took the mound
and got the Mustangs out of the jam. In the bottom of the 6th,
the Mustangs showed their heart and determination by striking back for 4
runs on 5 hits in a row by # 17 Dustin Hunt, # 4 Matt Heflin, # 29 C.J. Schmitt, 2 RBI Double by
# 11 David
Goins, and finally # 8 Cameron Ayers with a 2 RBI Single to score the winning run in
this exciting 7-6 come-from-behind victory.
# 9 Jake
Sullivan
pitched 5 1/3 solid innings, striking out 6 batters and allowing only 2
earned runs, and # 29 C.J. Schmitt chalked up the win in relief.
Great team
effort in this nail-biter by a gutsy Mustangs team!
Mustangs' YMCA Streak at Two - The 'Stangs' continued their winning
ways on September 17th with a 12 - 3 victory over the Stafford Rage.
Solid pitching, lively bats, savvy base running, and a superb job
behind the plate by catcher # 35 Matt Morris were key to this YMCA league
victory. Starting pitcher # 11 David Goins was 'in the groove' - shutting down any offensive threat by the Rage
for the first two innings. # 4 Matt Heflin then took the mound and shut
down opposing hitters for two shutout innings. # 8 Cameron Ayers came in
for an inning and struck out the side and # 29 C.J. Schmitt closed the game
striking out the last batter. Tonight was a time for
our pitchers to reach down deep and show us 'what they got' - and they did!
Mustang catcher Matt Morris also reached down deep, making a 'picture-perfect'
throw, for an out, to second on a stolen-base attempt to shortstop # 17
Dustin Hunt - kudos to both on a job well done.
Mustang offense was
provided by # 00 Brian Yeagle (2-2), # 35 Matt Morris (2-3), # 29 C.J. Schmitt (1-1), # 15
David Dilegge(1-1), # 11 David G oins(1-2), and # 17 Dustin Hunt (1-3). Mustang
batters hit the ball solidly and consistently. Of note, upon receiving
a signal from third base coach Jim Hunt and with runners at first and
second, David Dilegge laid down an extraordinary bunt along the third base line
for a single.
Great job Mustangs - keep it up!
Successful Fundraiser - The Mustangs held their first Krispy Kreme
donut sale on Saturday, September 13th. Despite adverse weather
conditions, the sale went extremely well. Thanks to all the
parents and players for their efforts. A special Mustang thanks goes to
Rob Heflin (fundraising director) and Jeff Yeagle for organizing and
coordinating the sale. Job well done!
The next Krispy Kreme donut sale is
scheduled for Saturday, October 11th. The
locations are the Ferry Farm Food Lion, 610 Food Lion, and Central Park Lowes. The schedule and store
assignments can be found here.
We are still looking for additional high-traffic
locations, if you know of one please contact Rob.
Fall Brawl Tournament (Northern Ireland Style) -
On Saturday, September 13th, the Lisburn Redsox
joined the Mustangs' sister team, the
Portstewart Eagles, for a day of baseball and barbecue. In what may well be the first Northern
Ireland Little League tournament ever held, the Eagles defeated the Redsox
19-1 and 12-5. More details and pictures of the Fall Brawl can be
found on the Portstewart Eagles'
Website.
Rappahannock YMCA
League - The Mustangs lost a
tough one to the Stafford Pistols
6-5 on Tuesday, September 9th and then rebounded on Wednesday, September
10th, defeating the Stafford Stingers 5-3.
In Monday's game the Mustangs came out flat in the
early innings against a talented Pistols team. A late Mustang rally,
while exciting, fell short with three runners left on base in bottom of the
sixth. The starting pitcher was # 35 Matt Morris, middle relief was
provided by # 32 Ben Trimmer, and late relief by # 29 C. J. Schmitt. Mustang
offense was provided by # 18 Jonathan Hunt (1-2), # 32 Ben Trimmer (1-1), and # 17
Dustin Hunt (1-3). Solid defense up-the-middle was provided by # 4 Matt Heflin
(shortstop) and # 15 David Dilegge (second base).
# 9 Jake Sullican started against the Stingers on Wednesday
and pitched 4 strong innings. # 32 Ben Trimmer provided middle relief and #
8 Cameron Ayers closed the game. Mustangs bats were much more alive on
Wednesday with # 17 Dustin Hunt going 2-3, and # 15 David Dilegge, # 32 Ben Trimmer and #
35 Matt Morris all going 1-3. The game was characterized by heads-up base
running, outstanding defense, and two perfectly executed infield plays that
caught Stinger base runners in run-downs. A defensive highlight was #
22 Evan Houde's diving catch in centerfield that stopped a potential late rally
by the Stingers. The coaching staff all agreed that the outfielders'
defense won the game for the Mustangs.
There are four teams signed up for this year's YMCA
fall season - the Stafford Pistols, Stafford Rage, Stafford Stingers,
and of course our Mustangs. The fall season will
include nine games and the winner will qualify for the AAU National
Championships in July of 2004.
This year's YMCA league should provide some very
exciting baseball as both teams the Mustangs have faced so far are talented
and ready to play. The Mustangs next "Y" game is on Wednesday,
September 17th against the Rage.
Mustang
Double-Header Sweep - Part II - The Virginia Mustangs continued
their winning ways on Sunday, September 7th, by taking two games against the
Stafford Rage at Pratt Park in Stafford, Virginia. Once again,
great defense and pitching were hallmarks of the Mustangs' efforts. That
said, the Mustang's bats were especially alive in the 16-3 first game
victory. Timely hitting and defense led the Mustangs to their 7-6
second game win. Today's pitching lineup consisted of # 00 Brian Yeagle, #
8 Cameron Ayers, # 11 David Goins, # 17 Dustin Hunt, # 29 C.J Schmitt, and # 32 Ben Trimmer.
Mustang
Double-Header Sweep - The Virginia Mustangs kicked off their
preseason schedule with two wins against the
South County Hawks at Mason Neck West Park in Lorton, Virginia.
Both wins, against an established and talented team, were well earned.
Solid pitching, great defense, and timely/clutch hitting led the Mustangs to
a 3-1 win in the first game and a 6-4 come-from-behind victory in the second
game. Listing individual Mustang standouts is impossible, as every
Mustang made significant contributions to these victories. Of
particular note is that the Mustangs obviously have a wealth of talent in
the field. Mustang infielders and outfielders made extraordinary
defensive plays look routine. Moreover, the depth of talented Mustang
pitching bodes well for a very successful fall season. Great job
Mustangs!
USSSA Fall State Qualifier Tournament - The Virginia Mustangs are entered in
the USSSA Virginia State Qualifier tournament at Battlefield Park in
Mechanicsville, Virginia. Tournament dates are October 24th through the 26th.
Driving directions
to Battlefield Park and a link to a map can be found on the Mustang Event Locations page of this website.
This tournament is sponsored by the Richmond Reds
and additional information will be posted here as it becomes available.
Support our Troops!
 
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