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The rain almost prevented the 2012 New York-Penn League Home Run Derby from taking place.  Before a rain delay halted the official game itself, the derby took place.  Chris Serritella, representing the Williamsport Crosscutters got by Mahoning Valley’s Joe Sever in the finals to win the award.

Serritella said this was all new to him.  “I have never competed in a home run derby before, it was a lot of fun and I am very happy to have won.”

Serritella has five regular season home runs for the Crosscutters this season but said the long ball has been his ticket.

“I have always been a home run type of hitter, so it was real rewarding to win something like this.”

Sever, the lone Scrappers participant in the contest had a blistering first round with five bombs.  It was definitely a showcase of the power potential the Indians envisioned when drafting the All-Star DH.

“Sever always hits home runs in batting practice”, said Craig Antush, the Scrappers batting practice pitcher.  “He gives a full, maximum effort and really swings coming out of his shoes.”

In the end, however, it was Serritella (above) who walked away with the hardware in an entertaining display of power-hitting.

Players from both teams stood outside their respective dugouts and cheered for their one-day only teammates.  Charlie Valerio and Luis DeJesus ran out to Sever during the first round after Sever launched his fourth fence-clearing shot with Gatorade and toweling down the slugger.

Chris Notareschi is very deserving of her 2012 Youngstown State Hall of Fame induction.  I have the perfect witness to verify her dedication and commitment to women’s softball greatness, me.

I was fortunate enough to grow up two doors down from the Notareschi family.  I would get home after football practice at dusk on a school night and could see the silhouettes of Chris and her father throwing softballs around.  Chris would be pitching and Dave would be catching and working with her to assist her in pursuing a dream most Lowellville residents never get to see, a chance to play college sports.

“I am really honored by the induction”, said Notareschi.  “Hopefully I won’t be too nervous when I have to talk, but I truly am honored and my family is thrilled.  I am looking forward to seeing many people, especially those who will be inducted with me.”

Lowellville didn’t have baseball or softball in those days, so Chris had to go to Poland to play the sport she was best at.  The bloodlines of her father, Dave, and mother,  Debbie (Koss) are full of athletic tradition and greatness, especially football.  Chris was never one to suit up and run sweeps, so softball was the chosen sport.

“My father was a huge influence on my career, if it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did with softball”, said Notareschi.

Notareschi practiced pitching for all those years, but her legacy will be left in the hitting department.

Notareschi was a four-year letterwinner and a three-time first-team all-conference pick. She finished her career as YSU’s career home run and RBIs leader with 18 and 103, respectively, and is currently tied for third in home runs and ranks fourth in RBIs. She set the single-season home run mark with eight and the RBI record with 33 in 1998. She now ranks tied for sixth all-time with 169 hits.

“The most rewarding thing about playing at YSU was that my family was close and got to come and watch me play.  I have been able to maintain the friendships I made with teammates, and obviously, getting my degree and allowing me to be where I am today.”

“I try to keep up on the internet with what the team is doing today, but I have not been on campus since I graduated, so I am really looking forward to going back”, said Notareschi.

“I played ball with Stacy Banfield at Poland.  We went on to play together at YSU.  She lives in North Carolina now but we still talk once a week.  Facebook is the best way for me to keep contact with all of my former teammates.”

Pretty much the entire Notareschi clan has headed West to Las Vegas, Nevada.

When asked if she still wears Youngstown State apparel in Sin City, Notareschi had a good response.

“When I am wearing Youngstown State stuff there, people are always coming up to me and asking me if I know so-and-so, or if I was really from Youngstown, Ohio.  There is always somebody.  As big as our country is, it is weird that someone knows your friends or your relatives back home.”

Notareschi is a teacher in Las Vegas but swears that the students don’t learn about football lines before fractions.

“If I had one career regret, it would be that we never won a championship”, reflected Notareschi.  “The fact that the teams were always getting better each year was pretty rewarding.”

So I can vouch wholeheartedly that my friend has earned the honor to be inducted.  She is a good representative of the product that Youngstown State turns out as an academic model and as a person.

** Photos courtesy of YSU Sports Information / Jamie Hall

 

 

 

Auburn used a five-run first inning to coast past the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 8-4, in the final game before the New York-Penn League All-Star Break.  The Scrappers chipped away but could never get the deficit to less than three.

Scrapper starter Jake Sisco dropped to 1-4 as he took the loss.  Sisco got roughed-up in the first inning.  After walking in the first run, Sisco gave up a grand slam to Carlos Lopez to make it 5-0 in favor of the Doubledays.

Mitch Nilsson (below), who finished the game with two hits, doubled to start off the second.  Nilsson moved to third on a single by Erik Gonzalez and later scored on a sac fly by Andrew Cambell.

Trailing 6-1, the Scrappers scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to make it a 6-3 game.  Robel Garcia singled in the fifth and moved to third on an Aaron Siliga hit.  Garcia would score the Scrappers second run on a Logan Vick groundout.    Charlie Valerio doubled and came home on a Nilsson single in the sixth.

Vick had to leave the game with an injury and his status is unknown.

Scott Peoples, Luis Encarnacion, and Josh Martin all had hitless and scoreless innings of relief pitching for the Scrappers.  Jack Wagoner did not fare as well as he was touched up for two runs in his seventh inning appearance.

The Scrappers head into the break six games behind the Doubledays.  If the Scrappers are to make a run for the postseason, they will have to get hot and win a few in a row with Auburn coming to town next week.  The Scrappers are 25-28 and currently find themselves in fourth place in the Pinckney Division.

Brooklyn currently holds the wildcard spot with a 34-20 record, so the Scrappers would probably have to catch Auburn (31-22) to realistically have a shot.

Coming into this season, no one was sure what to expect from a defense filled with new faces.  In Saturday’s first scrimmage action, the defense did things that they failed to do last year in all situations, and they did those things consistently.  In fact, for the last couple of seasons, these same scrimmages looked like offensive track meets.  Not on Joe Tresey‘s watch.

Early on, the offense tried to run a reverse.  Last season that same reverse was a guaranteed minimum ten yard gain.  This season the contain was there, the reverse was turned in, and the pursuit caught up to the play for a three-yard gain.

Another glaring thing that stood out was the run defense.  By looking at the top picture of this article and counting the white jerseys tackling the red jersey, you get a good idea of how well the defense reacted.  Everyone at every position has a job to do and new defensive coordinator Joe Tresey had to be happy with what he saw.

One of the other impressive things was that the defensive backs, who are healthy right now, did a great job reading their keys.  They were taking a step forward to respect the run and participating in many group tackles, but they were also doing something they couldn’t last season – stuffing the pass.  Even play-action passing plays did not fool the corners and safeties.  Kurt Hess and the receivers looked out of rhythm because the defense was on their game.

So is it time to panic on behalf of the offense?  No.  It is just a measure of the strides that the defense has made under Tresey.

“Recruiting solves a lot of problems”, said Eric Wolford.

Wolford was answering a question about filling the biggest cracks on a defense that was not up to standards last season.

During the drive sequences, the defense allowed just two plays of more than 10 yards. One of those plays resulted in a takeaway for the defense.

Newcomer Parnell Taylor was looking downfield when he dropped a sure interception that would have resulted in six defensive points on a Hess swing pass.

The defense made two big plays on consecutive snaps. First, transfer Dale Peterman intercepted a Hess overthrow and returned it 50 yards on a second-and-12 play. Then, Marcel Caver was stripped of the football by new arrival Quamane Bryant and fellow newcomer Jameel Smith recovered it.  New faces, new results.

Hess was 9-of-15 for 75 yards and had one touchdown and one interception.  The touchdown was a 20-yard strike to TE Will Shaw.  Adaris Bellamy had nine carries for 41 yards and Torrian Pace had nine chances for 19 yards.

Defensively, newcomer  Julius Childs had seven tackles while returning DB Jeremey Edwards had five.

“We want to continue to diminish our weaknesses and accentuate our strengths”, said Tresey after the scrimmage.

“The first scrimmage was probably a little cleaner than what I would have expected”, said Eric Wolford.  “There were no silly penalties like personal fouls and those sorts of penalties, and I was happy about that.  The defense didn’t surprise me.  This was practice number eleven today, and I know that we are faster and recruited well. It is very clear that we recruited well, we are flying around.”

With the 2012 New York-Penn League All-Star Game right around the corner, there are a ton of things that must get done, steps to still be taken, to ensure that the game goes smoothly.  The Mahoning Valley Scrappers staff has been working like crazy to ensure the game will go off without a hitch, but there are many things people do not realize that go into planning such a big event.

“We knew this was coming for two years”, said Scrappers Director of Entertainment Heather Sahli.  “A lot of it cannot happen until now though.  Things like getting approvals from farm directors, once the roster is finalized we have to hurry and assemble the game program, flights for the players and people attending, pickups from the airport, hotel arrangements, it is endless.”

Considering the size of General Manager Jordan Taylor‘s full-time office staff, which is only ten employees, everyone is hustling and doing more than usual.  Within that ten are the head groundskeeper, Matt Rollins, and Radio and Media Relations Director, Tim Pozsgai.  Rollins has been doing a great job on the field all year and Pozsgai is on the road with the team, so the working pool of people is actually eight.

The five Scrappers players named to the team are (L-R) Jacob Lee, Joe Sever, Charlie Valerio, Joe Wendle, and Luis DeJesus.  Ted Kubiak and staff will also have the honor of coaching the American League team.  A full slate of activities, starting Monday, will keep everyone involved tremendously busy.

“Every day seems to get harder and harder”, said Sahli.  “There are so many things to keep track of because there are different things than we are used to.  We are adding a local twist to everything.  This game seems like a season in itself because of the preparation involved.”

Sahli joked that August 16th couldn’t come soon enough, yet she is looking forward to being part of a staff that has really taken the challenge head-on and done a superb job.

Pozsgai, the voice of the Scrappers, knows how big of a deal this game is and what his role will be.

“The production crew will have a lot of sleepless nights leading up to the game”, said Pozsgai.

“I think the league did well with their selections.  Tyler Naquin would have probably been named if not for his back issues.  None of this years first rounders in the league were named to either all-star team.”

Naquin would have been chosen if healthy.  The Indians first round pick has had a good year with the numbers to back it up.  Going into the break, Naquin, who didn’t even make the current road trip, batted .310 over his last ten games played which included seven doubles.  He will be involved in all-star games at higher levels in the future.

“It is going to be fun to broadcast that game that will be carried by everybody”, added Pozsgai.  “I really like it here and don’t want to go anywhere, but that kind of opportunity can really be looked at as a resume booster for sure.”

The agenda for the week is as follows:

Monday

 6 pm Valley Gala at Packard Music Hall

Tuesday

11:30 am – Luncheon at Magnuson Grand Hotel

3:30 pm – Gates open at Eastwood Field

3:30 pm – American League autograph session

4:30 pm – National League autograph session

5:30 pm – Home Run Derby

7 pm – All-Star pre-game ceremonies

7:35 pm – New York – Penn League All-Star Game

Postgame – Fireworks and Postgame Party in the Bud Light Bullpen (picnic area)

A few extra tickets for the All-Star Game have been released and if you act quickly, you may still be able to get in.  Be a part of a great moment in Scrappers history and prove that baseball is alive in well in the valley.  Call 330-505-0000 for ticket availability and information.

 

 

Wednesday, the New York Penn League named five Mahoning Valley Scrappers to the 2012 All-Star team.  The five Scrappers named were (above, l-r) Jacob Lee, Joe Sever, Charlie Valerio, Joe Wendle, and Luis DeJesus.

The game will be held at Eastwood Field in Niles for the first time ever.  Scrappers Coach Ted Kubiak and his staff will handle the duties of mentoring the American League team while the Jamestown Jammers will handle a Tri-City laden National League squad.

All-Star week kicks off on Monday, August 13 at Packard Music Hall when the participants for both teams will be introduced.  The All-Star Gala begins at 6 and will feature foods unique to the Mahoning Valley. A culinary diversity will be on display for sure.

Tuesday is loaded with activity featuring an All-Star luncheon at the Magnuson Grand Hotel featuring keynote speaker, Mike Hargrove.  Following the luncheon, the players from both the American and National League teams will partake in an autograph signing.  The home run derby is next at 5:30 followed by the game itself which will begin at 7:35.

Small quantities of tickets remain and you can still get in by calling the Scrappers box office at 330-505-0000.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers returned home after a rough road trip in hopes of regaining their winning form.  Williamsport made sure the ship would not be set straight.  The Crosscutters took advantage of two early home runs and marched past the Scrappers, 6-2.

Jake Sisco coasted through the first three innings without giving up a hit.  In the fourth inning, however, the Scrapper starter surrendered his first hit, a solo home run to Kyle Hoppy.  The next hit he would give up would be in the fifth inning, a two-run homer to Tyler Greene.

After Williamsport tacked on another run in the top of the sixth, Joe Wendle (above) hit a two-RBI triple to make it a 5-2 game.  For Wendle, his fourth triple of the year yielded his 23rd and 24th RBI’s.  Wendle has been the most consistent Scrapper this season, both offensively and defensively.

Sisco would pitch six complete innings for the Scrappers but would take the tough loss.  In his six innings, Sisco threw 89 pitches, 55 for strikes, he only gave up four hits that resulted in five earned runs.  Sisco walked two and struck out seven but had the two costly home runs.

Kevin Brady was effective for the Crosscutters.  Brady also gave up four hits but those hits only cost his team two runs before he was yanked during the sixth.

The Scrappers got two innings out of James Stokes, who looked decent in relief and worked out of a bases loaded jam.  Jack Wagoner pitched the ninth.

Wendle would finish the game 3-4 with two singles, a triple, and two RBI.  He would reach in the ninth after Hunter Jones singled to put runners on first and second with nobody out.  Joe Sever struck out swinging and Evan Frazar hit into a double play to end the game.

 

The Scrappers will face the Crosscutters again on Wednesday, their last home game before hosting the New York Penn League All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

 

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will return home to play two games on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The bus couldn’t pull out of Tri-City’s parking lot fast enough as the Scrappers were swept following Monday’s 5-1 loss.

In what is turning out to be the normal scenario for these Scrappers, a starting pitcher does real well and turns the ball over to the bullpen.  Things go downhill from there.  Jacob Lee was the latest Scrapper starter to pitch his heart out only to get a ‘no decision’.

Lee worked himself out of a bases-loaded first inning jam and went on to surrender just one hit over his four innings.  Lee walked two and struck out five to increase his team lead in strikeouts to 38 on the season.  Geoff Davenport came in and allowed five hits and two runs in taking the loss for the Scrappers.  Cody Penny and Luis Encarnacion followed in relief and also gave up at least one run in their stints.

Evan Frazar had three hits for Mahoning Valley.  His RBI-double knocked in Joe Sever with the Scrappers only run in the contest.

Williamsport will be in town for a pair of games, the last two home games before the All-Star game at Eastwood Field.  Two-dollar Tuesday is a good deal!  Get there early and take in a game!

Expect a lot.  This is the time that everyone has been waiting for in the Youngstown State Football community.  Coach Eric Wolford, in his third season with the Penguins, expects to win.  Kurt Hess and Jamaine Cook, leaders of an explosive offense that returns everybody, expect to win.  Enter a slew of defensive transfers to mix in with what worked last season and you should pretty much expect to win in 2012.

What will you win besides the Valparaiso game?  How about every game.  People automatically rule Pitt out as a potential win.  Blame the defense or perhaps the “big school” theory as early reasons this team cannot succeed.  These games are not money beatings anymore, they are winnable contests, ask Michigan State.

“I have had pressure on myself since Day One”, said Coach Wolford.  “I am at a school that has won four National Championships and the pressure does not effect me.  We are flying around, we’re faster, we’re stronger, and the defense is more accountable.  It has been a process to get to that point, but recruiting can solve a lot of problems.”

YSU had problems on defense last year, but not many on offense.  Wolford and staff have done a tremendous job scouring the United States looking for defensive help, and they came up big.  Chris Charles, Julius Childs, Dale Peterman, and Ricardo Dixon add instant impact to a secondary that limped to the finish line last season.

“I think our defensive back play has been better”, said Wolford.  “It is early, but they are really making our receivers work.  The defensive line is definitely more mobile and stronger than where we have been in the past.  At linebacker, we can flat out run.  We have to stay healthy.  We definitely solidified our defense and developed some depth.”

So the polls and writers that picked Youngstown State to finish third, the experts, citing YSU’s defense as a sore spot probably should have waited to see the talent in camp that wasn’t even here yet before predicting.

I will say that YSU will finish the season at 10-1 and gain at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.  The Pitt game and the North Dakota State contest will be tough challenges for the ‘Guins, but if this team can stay healthy they have the potential to make a run deep into the playoffs, this season.

I could be wrong, they could go 11-0.  They could go 9-2, but I don’t think that this team will finish any worse than that.  The playoffs are within reach and Hess knows that undefeated is a goal only achieved by winning one game at a time.

“We want to go out and win games”, said Hess.  “I really think we are going to continue to build team chemistry.  As far as not being picked to win it all, there are a lot of defensive players who just got here that will have a say in those predictions.  We have so much invested it would be devastating if we don’t reach the playoffs.  We expect to get there by going 1-0 every week.”

As the challenge of going to Pitt  on September 1 nears closer, a group of young men and coaches in Youngstown are readying themselves for what can be more of a war than anyone might predict.  Just four years ago, YSU traveled to Pitt and pretty much got spanked.  The goals of scoring a touchdown and staying close at halftime (Penn State), and being in a game against a D-1 team in the second half (Michigan State) have all been met.  All that is left is to win.  Expect to win.

 

Luis DeJesus has been the best starter the Mahoning Valley Scrappers have had all season.  Friday, DeJesus, a converted reliever, threw his best foot forward in a 2-0 win over Vermont.  In earning his fourth win, DeJesus definitely stuck his flag in the dirt to be the starting pitcher on August 14th at the NYPL All-Star Game to be held at Eastwood Field.

DeJesus entered Friday nights game against the Lake Monsters ranked 4th in the NYPL with a 1.64 ERA.  He was masterful throwing 76 pitches, 62 of them for strikes in the win.  DeJesus was perfect through 4-1/3 innings before giving up a single.  The Scrapper hurler completed 7 strong innings, only giving up three hits.  He didn’t walk anyone and struck out six.

Rafael Homblert started the eighth and after recording a quick out, he got into a jam.  Homblert was yanked with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth but Jack Wagoner was able to come in and prevent DeJesus losing another victory after leaving with a lead.

Wagoner struck out Chris Bostick to leave the bags loaded to end the inning.  He would also pitch a scoreless ninth to earn his first career save.

The Scrappers offense scratched out just enough run support to chip in.  Erik Gonzalez walked to start the third inning.  A passed ball and a groundout got Gonzalez to third base with two outs.  Jairo Kelly, who has really been struggling at the plate, came through with a big situational single to right to plate Gonzo.

The Scrappers would tack on an insurance run in the 7th inning.

Mahoning Valley boards the bus and heads to Tri-City for a three-game set before coming home to face Williamsport on August 7th.

Catch the road games on AM-1570 with Tim Pozsgai calling the action.