2025 Rockingham County Baseball League Preview
Bucks capped league’s 100th season with 19th title
By CODY ELLIOTT Daily News-Record
It was a historic year for the Rockingham County Baseball League and it ended with an all-too-familiar team winning the championship.
No. 3 Clover Hill defeated No. 1 Bridgewater 8-3 in Game 7 of a thrilling best-of-seven championship series at Ray Heatwole last season to capture the team’s 19th league title and first since 2019.
“We knew it was going to be tough,” Clover Hill manager Kevin Chandler told the Daily News-Record. “We knew it was going to be a battle. I told them, ‘They thought it was over, but they don’t know y’all’s heart and they don’t know how resilient you guys are, so let’s show them.’ That was the message tonight, and those guys did it. Great at-bats — he’s a really tough pitcher with his slider, change up, and fastball, but these guys battled and got the job done. That’s all it is.”
The Bucks looked like they were on their way to a sweep, but quickly dropped three straight games to their nearby rival to force a Game 7.
But Tyler Conley came up big on the mound in the decisive game and the bats came bat alive to lead the league’s storied program to the top.
“It feels great to be the RCBL champions,” Clover Hill veteran Josh Eberly said. “It was a hard-fought series. We got up 3-0, then dropped three. That was challenging in and of itself. We came out in a do or die situation. You win and go home, or you lose and go home. We just came out with a lot of confidence to night and were able to get it done.”
It was a fitting end to what served as the league’s 100th season.
“It’s such a great league,” Bridgewater pitcher Derek Shifflett said. “A hundred years in anything is a very, very long time, but when you have teams and coaches and players and organization leaders and everybody that’s involved who keeps putting it together and getting it better and better every single year, it’s just been incredible.”
There were celebrations throughout the entire summer at the eight team ballparks, but the All-Star Weekend in July was special.Hosted at John Painter Park, league alumni and current players all filled Shifflett Field and shared laughs, memories and bonds.
Big bats from the host Cardinals ultimately led the East Team to a win.
Now, as another season is set to begin, everyone has a renewed hope.
“That’s our goal,” Conley said. “Just keep showing what it means to win, teach the young kids how to play clean, Clover Hill baseball, get out here, and whatever you’ve got to do, you do it and you get it done.”
Contact Cody Elliott at 540-5746284 or celliott@dnronline.com | Follow Cody on Twitter: @VTCody
TOP: Clover Hill celebrates after its Rockingham County Baseball League championship win against Bridgewater last summer. ABOVE: The ceremonial first pitches go out before the start of the Rockingham County Baseball League All-Star Game last season.
Daniel Lin / DN-R
ELKTON BLUE SOX
Blue Sox optimistic about improving this season
By JOHN BREEDEN Daily News-Record
ELKTON — It’s been a struggle for Elkton to find results since rejoining the Rockingham County Baseball League ahead of the 2023 season.
In the last two years, the Blue Sox have only been able to muster one victory.
Going into this season, with a deeper roster, several returners, and some new faces, Elkton manager Mike Sutton is optimistic on the improvements the team has made.
“Even before we practiced, I knew my roster was a lot more deep,” Sutton said. “We have much better depth at every position. After seeing the practice [earlier this month], we’re greatly improved defensively up the middle and the infield all-around. Really looking forward to the group of guys that I’ve got. We turned over probably about a third of our roster from last year, but I think the new additions are going to make a difference this year.”
With this being just the third year back in the league for the Blue Sox, Sutton said it isn’t a quick turnaround to make a start-up team into a contender.
Because of that, Sutton said it’s hard to set any specific expectations, but is hopeful the Blue Sox will show improvement compared to the previous two seasons.
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent
May
May
May
May
May 29 vs. Grottoes
May 30 vs. Stuarts Draft
June 4 vs. Bridgewater
June
June 8 vs. Montezuma
June 11 vs. Massanutten
June 13 at Stuarts
June
June
June 27 at Bridgewater
June 28 at Stuarts Draft 6:30 p.m.
June 29 vs. Clover Hill 6:30 p.m.
July 1 at Massanutten 7 p.m.
July 5 vs. Massanutten 6:30 p.m.
July 6 vs. Clover Hill 6:30 p.m.
July 8 at Broadway 7 p.m.
July 11 at Clover Hill 7:45 p.m.
July 14 vs. Montezuma 7 p.m.
July 16 at Bridgewater 7 p.m.
July 24 at Grottoes
ing this season.
“We talk all throughout the year,” Sutton said. “Me and Les, particularly, talk a good bit throughout the year about the league and the talent that’s out in the area and how to improve our teams and what’s best for the league and whatnot. Just continuing to grow those relationships with everybody is what I’m looking forward to.”
“It takes a little bit of time to build a team up,” Sutton said. “I’m expecting us to improve, record wise, over the past year, but to just be more competitive all-around.”
This season marks the 101st year of the RCBL, one of the oldest traditions still going in the area today.
While Sutton hopes to see better results for his Blue Sox, he’s excited to share the field with the other teams, noting that he’s known Stuarts Draft head coach Les Sandridge and Grottoes head coach Tim Nicely for some time.
One of the keys to why the RCBL has stayed around as long as it has is the league’s camaraderie, something Sutton is looking forward to continu-
A preseason practice instilled not only a lot of confidence in Sutton, but in many of the veteran Elkton players who saw a glimpse of what the new younger players are capable of.
It’s been a tough road for the Blue Sox since coming back to the league, but Sutton said there’s excitement around what this year could be.
“We’re going to be so much tougher defensively,” Sutton said. “We just need to find some more consistency in our pitching this year, eliminate the free passes and the walks. With the improved defense, we’re not going to have the amount of errors that we had to lead to a bunch of unearned runs. The excitement is definitely there with the veterans seeing the new additions to the team.”
Contact John Breeden at 540-574-6291 or jbreeden@dnronline.com. | Follow John on Twitter: @John_R_Breeden
Daniel Lin / DN-R
Elkton’s Tyler Stobbs scoops up a grounder to third base.
CLOVER HILL BUCKS
Experienced Bucks are ready to defend RCBL title
By CATIE HARPER Daily News-Record
CLOVER HILL — Getting to the top is difficult, but staying there can be even harder.
When last year’s Rockingham County Baseball League season came to a close, Clover Hill had the county trophy in hand.
Now, under manager Kevin Chandler, the Bucks are set to be the hunted in 2025.
“We’re not really going out to defend — we’re going out to win another championship,” Chandler said. “That’s the goal every year is to win a championship, so we’re going to be hunted, and that’s fine, but we got to keep playing our brand of baseball.”
If a Game 7 win against Bridgewater to claim the RCBL title wasn’t exciting enough for Clover Hill fans, the Bucks have a large group of that team returning for another season.
Chandler said the team was young in 2024, and despite that, Clover Hill still played its way to a 23-15 record and its 19th championship in organization history.
The Bucks are another year older and are led by a coach who isn’t focusing too much on last season’s successes.
Chandler and Clover Hill are now tasked with doing something that hasn’t been done since the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and that’s win back-to-back RCBL titles.
SCHEDULE
clude Nick Stavros and Luke Tomajcayk.
“This is my sixth year or seventh year coaching,” Chandler said. “Having a bunch of guys that have been with me from the start. They know what’s expected and how we want to play the game. Fundamentally good defense, pitchers throwing strikes, and then pressing 90 feet on the base paths, and those older guys and returning guys know what to expect.”
The managerhopes the experience can help the Bucks get there, but Chandler is stressing the importance of looking ahead.
“It’s a new year,” Chandler said.
It’s a long list of players Chandler expects to step up and be leaders throughout the 2025 schedule.
Some of the Bucks’ returners include John Siciliano, Luke Shiflett, Drew Easter, Kevin Kirk, Kevin Nevedo and Josh Eberly.
The six have been around the program for a while, and Chandler expects them to mix well with the 2024 newcomers who are set to return in 2025.
Chandler said the newer players who are back and could fill leadership roles in-
Chandler said the Bucks’ roster is nearly complete, but there are still a few spots to fill. He added that Clover Hill is always looking to add more arms to its rotation, and he hopes to do so with local talent. A nearly complete roster and just a few weeks left until the season gets underway, Chandler has his season expectations set.
They don’t change for the Bucks manager, and most of them stem around competing hard.
“[Play] our best ball late, to establish a brotherhood and culture and then just give it our all,” Chandler said. “Give me your best attitude and effort and energy. Errors and mistakes will happen, but as long as we can clean them up and learn from them moving forward, that’s the goal and expectation.”
Contact Catie Harper at 540-208-3268 or charper@dnronline.com. | Follow Catie on Twitter: @CatieHarper
Daniel Lin / DN-R
Clover Hill’s Tyler Conley celebrates as he steps off the mound after their championship win against Bridgewater last summer.
MONTEZUMA BRAVES
Braves focused on winning through special season
By JOHN BREEDEN Daily News-Record
MONTEZUMA — It’s a milestone season for one of Rockingham County Baseball League’s most beloved teams.
The Montezuma Braves are set for their 25th season this summer after changing the location from Briery Branch in 2001.
Montezuma team president Joe McNett has been involved with the team from the time he was a child and took over as president after his dad, Donnie, who had taken control after his dad, Carl, who was one of the team’s founders.
As McNett gears up for another season with the Braves, he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.
“It’s almost second nature to me,” McNett said. “Everybody says, ‘It’s a job,’ but you do what you love and I love it.”
Being a part of the Braves has been a family tradition for McNett, and the bond he and the players share together make it a family-like feel.
For some of the returners, McNett has seen them grow up on the diamond.
“I’ve seen some of them start in high school,” McNett said. “They’re 30-couple years old and still playing for us. It becomes a family.”
SCHEDULE
Date
May
May
May
May
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
ion,” McNett said.
Last season, Montezuma was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in a best-of-three series against Clover Hill, the team that went on to win the RCBL title in the end.
While the Braves came up short, McNett knew they were on the brink of keeping their playoff hopes rolling.
“They took the champions to game three in the first round,” McNett said.
“We gave it everything we had. I’m excited. I’m ready to go to see what’s in store for this year.”
With the season about a month away, McNett hasn’t gotten a chance to see much of who he’s working with but knows he has several experienced players returning for another summer.
“We have some older guys that’ve been there for us for years,” McNett said.
Having a decent amount of returners gives McNett a lot of promise as he believes the experience and longevity play key factors in being an elite RCBL ballclub.
“Keeping those guys stuck together for five, six years at a time is key to winning championships, in my opin-
Win or lose, this season will surely be special to those within the Montezuma team as they celebrated 25 years of the Braves.
Still, McNett wants to honor the history of the Braves by delivering a winning season in their 25-year anniversary.
When asked what his expectations and goals were for the season, McNett didn’t mince words.
“We want to win right out of the gate,” McNett said. “Win ball games and play good ball games.”
Contact John Breeden at 540-574-6291 or jbreeden@dnronline.com. | Follow John on Twitter: @John_R_Breeden
Daniel Lin / DN-R
Montezuma’s Gavin Rush winds up a throw to first base.
GROTTOES CARDINALS
Cardinals bring back core group, aiming for more
By CATIE HARPER Daily News-Record
GROTTOES — Last season, seven Rockingham County Baseball League teams were left disappointed when the summer came to a close, and the Grottoes Cardinals were one of those groups.
“If you didn’t win at all, you were disappointed at the end of the year,” Cardinals manager Tim Nicely said.
While Grottoes left the summer schedule without a county title, there’s still a foundation Nicely believes the team can build off heading into this summer.
The team finished third in the RCBL in win percentage, going 15-11 in 2024.
Nicely said the Cardinals played well in the regular season, excelling especially during the second half of the schedule.
It’s a team that’ll also benefit from getting back a good group of returners for this summer.
“Our main guys from the last couple of years, it looks like, fortunately, we’ll have those guys back,” Nicely said. “It looks like we’ll have our whole infield back and a couple of our outfielders. … Then we’ll be looking to probably add another outfielder, and then, like everybody else, we’re always looking to add pitching.”
Notable names the Cardinals expect to return include Dalton Nicely, Dylan Nicely, Austin Nicely, Cam - eron Irvine and Clayton Michael.
The five were all consistent contributors at the plate for the Cardinals last summer.
Dalton Nicely, who appeared in every game last summer, led the team in plate appearances with 127 and had a top-four batting average at .374.
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
May 22 at Elkton 7 p.m.
May 24 vs. Mountaineers
May 27 vs. Clover
May 29 at Elkton
May 30 vs. Montezuma
June 2 at Stuarts Draft
June 10 at Massanutten 7
June 14 at Broadway 6:30 p.m.
June 15 at Massanutten 6:30 p.m.
June 17 at Bridgewater 7 p.m.
June 18 vs. Montezuma 7
June 20 vs. Elkton
June 24 at Bridgewater
June 27 at Clover Hill 7:45
June 29 vs. Massanutten 6:30 p.m.
June 30 vs. Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
July 3 at Broadway 7 p.m.
July 8 at Montezuma 7 p.m.
July 9 vs. Broadway 7 p.m.
July 13 vs. Bridgewater 6:30 p.m.
July 15 at Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
July 19 vs. Clover Hill 6:30 p.m.
July 21 vs. Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
July 24 vs. Elkton 7 p.m.
in. Getting pitchers on the roster, Nicely said, can be a challenge.
The coach added that Grottoes is trying to balance bringing in college-aged pitchers, while also having some younger options with high school talent.
“We like to have some of those mature college guys, but sometimes with them, if they’ve had a really good spring season, which we hope they do, a lot of times they’ve thrown a lot of innings,” Nicely said. “Then they’re not able to throw as much during the summer, and then you go and you try to add some good high school guys, which we have been able to do, fortunately.”
The other four players all batted .299 or better during 2024.
“It’s helpful that you’re able to keep the stability from one year to the next,” Nicely said. “Guys are accustomed to playing with one another and hitting in certain spots in the order consistently — that always helps.”
While the majority of the Cardinals’ starting lineup is back for another summer, Nicely is still trying to finalize his pitching rotation as opening day closes
The Cardinals may have been disappointed when the season concluded last summer, but ending on a loss just adds to the group’s drive.
“With the teams that have some of the older guys or the guys that are returning year after year, they start to understand the importance of the playoffs,” Nicely said. “As they return year after year, and have been through it a couple of times, then they really start to realize that, ‘Hey, this is important to a lot of people, and it’s a lot of fun.’”
Contact Catie Harper at 540-208-3268 or charper@dnronline.com. | Follow Catie on Twitter: @CatieHarper
Daniel Lin / DN-R
Grottoes’ Dylan Nicely rounds the bases on a two-run home run.
STUARTS DRAFT DIAMONDBACKS
D-Backs trying to improve after early playoff exit
By SHANE METTLEN Daily News-Record
STUARTS DRAFT — The Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks, owners of four Rockingham County Baseball League championships in their history, enter the 2025 season trying to get back to the top after going 12-14 last season.
The Diamondbacks made the RCBL playoffs, but bowed in a first-round series against Massanutten in three games.
Stuarts Draft manager Les Sandridge did boast two of the top hitters in the league with Wy att Raymond hitting .349 with 26 RBI while Charlie Pausic it .333 with 11 RBI.
.250 with six doubles and three home runs.
A lot could depend on how the Diamondbacks do on the mound with Colton Harris leading the way for the Stuarts Draft rotation.
Raymond also stole five bases.
The Diamondbacks also got some power from Caden Richter, who hit
Harris had a 2.65 ERA in 21 innings of work while striking out 19 with just nine walks.
Trevor Vernon adds depth to the pitching staff, throwing 32 ⅔ innings in 10 appearances.
Vernon went 2-1 with a 5.24 ERA, but displayed an ability to get strikeouts, fanning 24.
The Diamondbacks open the season at home in Stuarts Draft on May 23 against the Broadway Bruins.
Contact Shane Mettlen at 540-574-6244 or smettlen@dnronline.com. | Follow Shane on Twitter: @Shane_DNRSports
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
May 23 vs. Broadway 7 p.m.
May 24 at Elkton 6:30 p.m.
May 28 vs. Massanutten 7 p.m.
May 30 at Elkton 7 p.m.
June 2 vs. Grottoes 7 p.m.
June 7 at
June 9 at Montezuma
June 13 vs. Elkton
June 14 vs. Bridgewater
June 17 at Clover Hill 7:45
June 18 vs Broadway 7 p.m.
June 20 vs. Massanutten 7 p.m.
June 25 at Clover Hill 7:45 p.m.
June 28 vs. Elkton 6:30 p.m.
June 30 at Grottoes
July 5 at Montezuma 6:30 p.m.
July 6 vs. Montezuma 6:30
July 7 at Bridgewater
July 10 at Massanutten
July 15 vs. Grottoes 7 p.m.
July 18 at Massanutten 7 p.m.
July 20 vs. Clover Hill 6:30 p.m.
July 21 at Grottoes 7 p.m.
July 24 vs. Bridgewater 7 p.m.
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Stuarts Draft’s Ryan Farris runs to second base.
BRIDGEWATER REDS
Reds hope veterans can guide another deep playoff run
By SHANE METTLEN Daily News-Record
BRIDGEWATER — After coming up just shy of an 18th Rockingham County Baseball League title last summer, Bridgewater is hungry to bring the championship back to Ray Heatwole Field in 2025 with largely the same roster returning.
“There’s no doubt about it,” Reds manager Robert Sherfey said. “You have all winter to sit and think about how we let that one get away. We’re not going to let that happen again. The core of guys I’ve got coming back and the young guys we’ve got coming aboard, they’ve got the same mentality. They like to win and we do what we need to to win.”
Among the veterans who are coming back to Bridgewater this season are Chris Huffman, Corbin Lucas, Grey Sherfey, Derek Shifflett, Eric Yankey, Jordan Yankey and Nick Griffin. Huffman, Shifflett, Griffin and the Yankeys will be among the veteran arms bolstering the Bridgewater pitching staff while Lucas and Sherfey also bring big bats to the outfield.
But it’s the veteran pres ence and continuity on the roster that has the Reds manager expecting to make another run at the RCBL championship.
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Among them is Bridgewater College sophomore reliever Cole Keel. Keel has gone 4-0 in four appearances for the Eagles. S herfey said he also hopes to add some local high school players that give the Reds some innings of relief pitching.
But for the Reds, the key to success seems to be in the number of players returning to play for what has historically been one of the RCBL’s top teams.
“We’ve got just about everyone coming back except for four or five guys who have other commitments,” Sherfey said. “But my key players coming back are my old guys who have been with me for a long time.”
The Reds will have some turnover with the younger players on the team with some of last year’s college players heading off for internships and jobs this summer.
But Sherfey expects some new faces to round out the order and bolster the pitching rotation.
“When you have experience and you have a team with guys who have played together for three to six years, that makes a world of difference,” Sherfey said. “All of those guys are teachers, and when those young guys come on board, they teach them. We had six high school players last year and all of those older players teach them how to play the game the right way. That’s a big plus. The younger players love it and they are go-getters. That’s a team that’s going to gel together and the more experience you have in years to come, that’s always a plus.”
Contact Shane Mettlen at 540-574-6244
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Bridgewater’s Chris Huffman winds up a throw to first base.
MASSANUTTEN MOUNTAINEERS
Mountaineers like their blend of youth and experience
By SHANE METTLEN Daily News-Record
PENN LAIRD — As the Massanutten Mountaineers prepare to begin their second season in the Rockingham County Baseball League, they bring enthusiasm about a relatively young roster that gained RCBL experience last season.
Massanutten manager Nolan Potts said Kaden Spaid, Harrison Madigan, Parker Hildebrand and Camden Blank should be among the top bats in his lineup with Hildebrand from William Monroe High School and Blank from Spotswood High each Division I recruits.
Several other Spotswood players should be available for the Mountaineers during the summer along with Shepherd University’s Nate Brookshire and Eastern Mennonite’s speedy slugger Nick Arnold, one of the players who blends youth with RCBL experience.
“On paper, we look pretty good,” Potts said. “We play the games for a reason, so who is to say how it will turn out, but we look pretty good on paper right now. I think if we play the way we are capable of we should be there near the end.”
That doesn’t mean the Mountaineers don’t have some longtime RCBL standouts.
That includes veteran pitcher Kirk Messick, who can go deep into games and rack up strikeouts doing so.
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
May 24 at Grottoes 6:30 p.m.
May 28 at Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
May 31 at Clover Hill 7:45 p.m.
June 1 vs. Bridgewater 6:30
June 10 vs. Grottoes
June 11 at Elkton
June 15 vs. Grottoes
June 16 vs. Elkton
June 20 at Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
June 26 at Montezuma 7 p.m.
June 28 vs. Broadway 6:30 p.m.
June 29 at Grottoes 6:30 p.m.
July 1 vs. Elkton 7 p.m.
July 2 vs. Bridgewater
July 5 at Elkton 6:30 p.m.
July 7 vs. Clover Hill 7 p.m.
July 10 vs. Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
July 11 at Broadway 7 p.m.
July 12 vs. Montezuma 6:30 p.m.
July 17 at Bridgewater 7 p.m.
July 18 vs. Stuarts Draft 7 p.m.
July 19 vs. Broadway 6:30 p.m.
July 21 at Clover Hill 7:45 p.m.
July 24 at Montezuma 7 p.m.
with plenty of college experience.
Bridgewater College righthander Nick Harris has thrown 21 innings of relief for the Eagles this season.
The Mountaineers also picked up Thomas Burgess from Roanoke College, who has worked 52 innings for the Maroons.
“The big one back is Kirk, because he’s been around forever,” Potts said. “He’s won Pitcher of the Year two times in recent years and he shows up every day to give us six or seven innings every time out. The good news for us is we have our top six innings guys coming back, so I think the pitching depth will be there.”
In addition to the returning arms, Massanutten added some pitchers
Massanutten was able to add pitching depth with the league deciding to expand rosters to 35 players.
“They are guys who have a ton of college experience in the ODAC,” Potts said.
“Getting those guys just to add to the depth of our staff is huge for us.
Everybody in the league knows typically what it boils down to is who has the most arms at the end. With our top six guys coming back and adding Nick and Thomas — getting a full year out of Brady Hoover who is dominating for Spotswood — I think our pitching depth is going to be near the top of the league.”
Contact Shane Mettlen at 540-574-6244 or smettlen@dnronline.com. | Follow Shane on Twitter: @Shane_DNRSports
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Massanutten’s Harrison Madigan runs to third base.
BROADWAY BRUINS
Bruins bringing competitive edge as they seek RCBL title
By JOHN BREEDEN Daily News-Record
BROADWAY — With any new season comes a level of uncertainty.
For Broadway manager Mitchell Wilson, there’s sure to be some question marks surrounding who will be his top pitchers, heavy hitters, and other aspects of the game.
However, one constant is Wilson expects the Bruins to be contenders in this summer’s Rockingham County Baseball League season.
“We’re going to be competitive,” Wilson said. “Our pitching staff is going to be right there in the mix. It’s going to be about who can throw strikes and hit their spots that night.”
The Bruins are bringing back several returners and adding some new faces, some within the Broadway High program, for a similar, yet newer look.
Even with some new players, Wilson believes the results will stay the same.
“I think it’s going to be interesting,” Wilson said. “I’m always optimistic, like we are every year. I think, just like we have been in the last couple of years, we’re going to be competitive and try to get to that championship series.”
Wilson doesn’t want to call the RCBL a “college” league because while there are many collegiate players, there’s also a lot of high school players and older players who joined the league post-college.
Still, Wilson said they recruited many collegiate players who could’ve played in the Valley League but opted for a lighter schedule in the RCBL, and believes the experience of the collegiate and post-collegiate players will be a benefit for the Bruins.
many 30 and 40-year-olds making up the bulk of the rosters to one where coaches are recruiting collegiate and high school players.
With many of those 30 and 40-yearolds no longer in the league, Wilson said coaches had to find a different crop of talent to stay competitive.
“That was the next best thing in order to keep eight teams in a league competitive,” Wilson said. “It’s, ‘Hey, let’s go to the local colleges and local schools and get the upperclassmen and try to go out there and compete.’”
The Bruins have the competitive fire but Wilson is hopeful they can “finish” games and focus on winning the series.
the playoffs,” Wilson said. “Ultimately, that puts you in front of your home fans in the playoffs for at least one more game. … That plays into how you do in the playoffs.”
Because they play on the massive BHS field, Wilson knows the homefield advantage comes into play in more ways than one.
“If you get a quality pitcher, not many balls are going to leave the yard,” Wilson said. “We got a decent outfield that can track a lot of balls down, so I think that gives us an advantage there. If we can play more postseason games at home, it becomes a small-ball thing.”
The RCBL still stands as one of the oldest traditions in not only the Valley, but the entire country as the league is set to kick off their 101st season.
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“Having those guys come back, they’re not as nervous,” Wilson said. “They know they can come in and get quality reps if they need it to turn around and go back to school with, or if they’re already removed from college, they know it’s high-level baseball.”
Wilson has seen the league evolve over the years from one that had
Wilson knows the RCBL doesn’t play a series of games through the regular season but knows they play each team three times a year. If they can get the better of their opponents in those, Wilson believes it sets the Bruins up great for the playoffs.
“That’s going to help set us up for
While the Bruins play at BHS, Wilson enjoys heading over to places like Clover Hill and Grottoes to see people within the league that he only sees during this time of year.
No matter what team you represent, Wilson said the tight-knit community runs deep within the league and it makes for an enjoyable experi-
ence all summer long.
“There’s a common bond that we all love the game of baseball,” Wilson said. “The RCBL has been able to bring baseball to a high level that the
munity can enjoy.”
Contact John Breeden at 540-574-6291 or jbreeden@dnronline.com. | Follow John on Twitter:
Broadway’s Ryan Martin winds up a pitch to Elkton.
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