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Last updated
04-01-08 09:05 AM
Chesterfield Tigers
Dave Luethy
Chesterfield, Missouri

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Monday, May 21
Tigers Split Weekend Pair
The Chesterfield 12U Tigers split a pair of weekend games, coming out on top 14-13 vs. the Blue Devils Saturday, and then dropped a 18-3 crushing on Sunday.

"I was pleased with how the boys fought back on Saturday," said Coach Dave. "We spotted them 7 runs right off the bat due to an error or two, plus a few tough walks, but they hung on, chipped away at the lead, and then pulled it out at the end."

Andrew Keller's rough first inning was followed up by a 12 pitch, 3-K gem in the second. "Three-up three-down, with three strike-outs on 12 pitches - can't get much more efficient than that." Andrew shut out the Devils again in the third, thanks to a stellar unassisted double play at third by Ethan Sherertz. "Great play by Ethan to (a) make the catch, and then (b) have the awareness and hustle to beat the runner back to the bag. Andrew owes him an ice cream."

John Pappas delivered another steady game at first, including a great hustling catch to stifle a late rally. "If John doesn't make that catch, they go on to have a big inning. That catch set us up to for the chance to win."

Reliever Josh Smith once again provided two well pitched innings to keep the Tigers within reach of the opponents. "Josh has great concentration and control, and spots his pitches really well. He's stepped up and become a great closer for us."

Sam Luethy then did some stepping up of his own in the bottom of the sixth, raking the first pitch he saw into the left field gap and driving in a streaking Josh Smith all the way from first. "Sam had a once-in-a-lifetime day - 3 for 3, 3 doubles, 2 runs scored, 3 RBI, including the walk-off game winner. It was great to see Sam get his stroke going. He was seeing the ball very well."

Tim Brownlee also busted out with 2 key singles of his own. "Tim's stroke is coming around too - we'll need more hits like those from him."

The Tigers followed that exciting win with a relatively flat performance the following day. "I was very optimistic coming into that game - we had lost by 1 and tied the Comets in our prior two contests - I was hoping for a better result." But it was not to be.

After a strong 1st inning by hurler Matt Ludwig, the Comets busted out their hitting sticks for a 7 run second, and never looked back. "Matt did what we asked - throw strikes. The Comets found their timing and managed to hit it hard a few times, and right to where we weren't. They would have beaten anyone in our division today, with hitting like that."

John Pappas continued his steady first base play, and added a 1-for-2 day with an RBI and run scored to go with it.

The Tigers have 2 weeks before their next game on Friday June 1. "We have lots of winnable games left - we still have a great chance to finish above 0.500 for the season, which would be a great turnaround story."

Sunday, May 13
Tigers Kiss Their Sisters - 12-12 vs Comets
Playing their best all-around game this season, the Tigers fought back from an early deficit to eke out a 12-12 tie in a time-limited game this past Saturday.

"We had a rough first inning in the field, and had to play catch-up from there," said Coach Dave. "But once we found our groove and maintained our concentration we played very well."

John Pappas gave the Tigers three mistake free innings at first base in his first attempt at that position this season. "Its critical that the infielders have confidence in their first baseman, so that they can get off a good strong throw. John stepped in and filled that role perfectly today."

Sam Bruns rally-snuffing line drive snare in the bottom of the fourth ensured the Tigers had a chance to pull this one out. "Great heads up play by Sam," said Coach Dave.

At the plate, Youssef Younis stood out once again, going 2 for 3 with two runs scored. "Youssef has bumped his average up to 0.500 for the season, which is a credit to how he has matured as a ball player. He is the best example we have on the Tigers of someone playing within their ability, and making the best of what he can do." Youssef also contributed with a great snare at shortstop in the third inning that held the Comet hitter to an infield single, but more importantly prevented 2 runs from scoring.

Sam Hurwitz also continued his clutch hitting with a 2-RBI 2 out single to help the Tigers max-out at seven runs in the fourth. "Once again, Sam stepped up. He's our most consistent and dependable hitter."

On the mound, Andrew Keller's numbers were not indicative of how well he pitched. "The infield let him down in the first inning - Andrew had to work his way through about 4 extra would-be outs that inning. But - he maintained his composure, went about his business, and pitched well. He only gave up 2 more runs over the following two innings, and that was huge for us."

The Tigers resume play this weekend, prior to the Memorial Day break. "We'll finally get a chance to look at a different team this weekend. I'm sure that if we play as well this weekend as we did today, we'll have another good chance for a win."

Monday, April 30
Fielding Woes Sink Tigers
The Chesterfield Tigers dropped a pair of games this weekend that, other days, they would have had very real chances of winning. "The scores don't tell the true story for either of these games," according to Coach Dave. "A few plays here and there, a ball a few inches left or right, and we were right there."

Friday night the Tigers dropped a 17-1 mercy-shortened game to the Silver-Division 1st place team. They returned Sunday afternoon, and fought the division rival Bulldogs hard until the last inning, eventually falling 19-7.

Coach Dave was most pleased with the Tiger's aggressive batting performance for the weekend. "We had 44 plate appearances, combined, for these two games, and only drew 9 walks. That is a great sign - the boys are up there taking their cuts. Those nine walks go with only 8 total strikeouts, which means we're putting the ball in play nearly two-thirds of the time. That is a huge improvement over past years."

Hitting stars for the weekend including Youssef Younis' 2-for--3 on Sunday, with an RBI and a run scored. "Youssef bears down, and slaps the ball in play, Ichiro style. That's a perfect strategy for him and his ability." Sam Hurwitz hot streak continued with a 2 for 3 on Sunday, including a double, an RBI and a run scored. "Sam has great focus at the plate - the other players should learn from what Sam does." Sam Luethy also broke out of his season-starting slump with an RBI double of his own.

Tim Petersen's long run-scoring triple led a strong comeback on Sunday, that kept the game competitive until late.

Friday's hitting stats are not impressive, however what's not shown is how the Tiger's hitters stepped up and were aggressive against two hard-throwing pitchers. "In our next-to-last at-bat on Friday we went three-up-three-down, however all three outs were consecutive long fly balls to outfielders. On other days those would have been extra-base hits, but we just happened to hit them right to their fielders. That won't always happen."

The pitching staff also saw some key performances. "Andrew, Matt, Ethan and Josh. That's a solid staff for a relatively small team," said Coach Dave. "The stats so far are not great, however all we ask is that they avoid lots of walks, try their best to throw strikes, and let our fielders make the plays, and they are doing just that." Luethy was especially pleased with the emergence of Josh Smith. "He's come in on two occasions for us, gone a solid inning each time, and put out the fire for us. He's definitely earned more time on the mound."

Fielding is where there is the most room for improvement. "We are making the routine easy plays pretty well. What we need is a little extra aggressiveness and hustle on those not-so-easy plays. There are too many missed pop-ups that were very catch-able, late throws, and bumbled grounders that cost us runs. Giving teams as good as those we are playing 5 or 6 outs an inning is not going to allow us very many victories."

A stand-out in the field in Friday night's contest was right-fielder Daniel Curtis, who snared a sinking line drive for the first out, and threw to Ethan Sherertz at first, doubling off a straying runner. "Great heads-up baseball by Daniel," said Coach Dave. "Dan's make a concerted effort to be a factor this year, and it shows. His hard offseason work is paying off." With aggressive base-running Daniel also managed to score the Tiger's lone run for the night, averting a shut-out.

The upcoming schedule does not get an easier, as the Tigers are scheduled for three games in a 24 hour span this Friday and Saturday. "The weather forecast is iffy, but I would like to see us get these in while we have good hitting and pitching momentum going. If we can make a few more plays in the field, we'll end up on the right side of the score pretty soon."

Sunday, April 22
Tigers Open Season, Fall Short Twice
The 12U edition of the 2007 Chesterfield Tigers opened league play this weekend after the pre-season tourney of last weekend was washed out.

"Despite not being able to get the kinks out last weekend, like we had planned, the boys played great this weekend," said Coach Dave. "The number of errors in the field were minimal. The boys are growing up, catching on, and comprehending the game very well."

Saturday's contest vs. the Oconnell Comets came down to the bottom of the last inning before it was decided. Matt Ludwig had gone a very strong 4 innings, and was lifted for Andrew Keller to finish things off. Andrew looked sharp, but the Comets managed to steal a couple of runs to ice the Tigers off, 14-13. Sam Hurwitz strong hitting from last season has carried over, as Sam went 2-for-3 with a double and 3 RBI. "Sam just puts the ball in play. His double was key - it put us in position to take the lead."

The Tigers were back on the diamond less than 24 hours later. Keller got the start and went three strong innings, yielding only 5 runs on 1 hit to the Bulldogs. "Andrew did great - they were waiting for him to throw strikes, and Andrew accomodated them." First basemen Matt Ludwig had 8 defensive assists in the game, an indication of how well the Tigers defense was performing. Andrew helped his own cause, stroking an RBI double in the second to start the Tigers back from a 5-1 deficit. The Tigers eventually tied the game at 5, and had a 9-7 lead going into the top of the last inning. However they could not hold on and lost 14-9. "I was glad to see Ethan Sheretz make solid contact. He as a powerful swing - the rest of the boys will learn from his effort and hustle." Also getting off the schneid was Tim Petersen, with an opposite-field single in the bottom of the 5th.

All told, the weekend was a positive one for the Tigers, despite the two losses. Coach Dave was pleased. "Ethan Sherertz and Sam Hurwitz each had great weekends at the plate. And Andrew came back and pitched three great innings on Sunday to put us in position to win. Ethan's first two innings at pitcher were superb, he just ran out of gas in the third. If our defense continues to shine in the field like it did this weekend, we'll be just fine for the rest of the season."

The next regular season game is set for 12 noon on Sunday April 29th. However, expectations are high that the preseason tourney games will be rescheduled for each of the next two weekends, so the Tigers depth is sure to be tested, as they will have 2 or 3 games per weekend, most likely.

Stay tuned for futher schedule updates.

Monday, April 9
Tigers to Kick Off 2007 Campaign
The 2007 version of the Chesterfield Tigers are older, stronger, and faster than ever before, and hungry for the new season to get underway.

"The boys are growing-up," said Coach Dave. "I think everyone will be surprised at the higher level of play this year, in all aspects."

Two new additions to this year's team will certainly help. Tim Petersen joins the team after several years of Parish-league ball. "Tim has a solid fundamentally sound swing, and will also help us out at first base and in the outfield this year," said Coach Dave.

Also joining the team is Ethan Sherertz. "Ethan has a very strong arm, and should help us at any of the infield spots. He should be able to give us a few innings at pitcher, too."

Returning to the mound this year for the Tigers will be Matt Ludwig, Andrew Keller, and John Pappas. "Josh Smith will get a few innings of work. We'll need him to help out some during the season." Sam Hurwitz will resume his duties as the everyday catcher. "Sam's developed into a great backstop, and his hitting has come on strong as well."

Sam Luethy and Sam Bruns will platoon at various infield spots, along with whoever is not pitching that day. Luethy and Bruns may also spot Hurwitz occasionally at catcher. "We don't have a team rule that you need to be a 'Sam' to be a catcher, despite what some might think. It just has worked out that way."

Youssef Younis, Brad Akin, Tim Brownlee, and Daniel Curtis will rotate in the outfield, and each will also contribute some at various infield spots. "I'm expecting good things from each of these outfielders this year - we need them to be ready every day in order to keep us in the game."

The team opens with a quick start, playing three games over a 18 hour period on April 13-14. "That first weekend tournament will certainly test our pitching depth. But I like it, because it will give us a chance to see what we can do, and give the coaches a chance to evaluate the boys at several different positions."

Friday, June 23
Tigers Bats are Singing, End Season on High Note
Coming off a tough loss the previous weekend at the hands of the Bulldogs, during which there was little positive to report (save a triple from Sam Luethy), the Tigers rebounded with a positive attitude and aggressive hitting to salvage the final game of the season, 16-8 vs. the Eagles.

"We got off to a slow start, hitting wise, with three strikeouts and 2 players left on base in the first inning, but Brad Akin got us going in the top of the second," said Coach Dave. Brad went on to have the best hitting night of his career, with 2 triples and a double, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. "When Brad is hot, there is no better hitter on the team. He has great pitch-selection, is patient, and makes solid contact. Tonight he got us going, and led us to a win."

In total, the Tigers pound out 6 extra base hits out of 11 hits total, both season highs. Matt Ludwig had a triple, and Tim Brownlee and Andrew Keller each contributed doubles, and each scored twice. Youssef Younis and Daniel Curtis also scored twice. "Every player on the roster scored tonight. It was a total team effort."

The Tiger's pitching also rebounded from last week's outing. Matt Ludwig went 3 strong innings, only giving up 5 runs on 3 hits, and only walking 2. Andrew Keller threw 2 great innings to close, yielding only 3 runs on 2 hits, while only walking 2. "I saw concentration and determination from both Matt and Andrew tonight. Neither one were willing to let us get beat."

The Tigers were also aided by stellar plays in the field. "Tim Brownlee made a brilliant play at second - he was running toward second to cover a stealing runner, and had to do a u-turn and retreat 15 feet to snare a sinking liner. That was one of the more outstanding defensive plays of the year." Nico Cruz had a strong game on the left side of the infield as well, with a pair of rally stifling plays in the fourth and fifth inning.

Despite a loss-heavy W-L record, the season overall was a positive one. "5 of our losses were by a single run, and several of the others we had a chance to win in our last at-bat. There were only 2 games that got out of hand. Each player improved vs. last year, and I think they all had fun."

The Tigers will close out the season with their annual Awards Banquet, scheduled for July 12th.

Saturday, June 10
Tigers Lose Weekend Pair
"It was the best of teams, it was the worst of teams."

The Tigers truly were the "Tale of Two Teams" this weekend, playing a Friday-Saturday schedule for which two different teams with the same name showed up.

On Friday, the Tigers struggled against the Bulldogs, who they had previously fought to a 1-run decision earlier in the season. They managed to stroke only 5 base bits in route to a 19-5 loss. "With the exception of Brad Akin's bases-loaded double in the 4th, no one really made solid contact. They just weren't seeing the ball, or being aggressive at the plate."

Defensively, the Bulldogs pounded out 16 base hits of their own. "Matt pitched well - he only walked one hitter over 4 innings. We just had too many defensive let-downs. There were a few 5-out innings tonight when you include the fielding errors we made, and we just can't let that happen and hope for a chance to win."

Sam Luethy had his second consecutive strong game at first base, recording 5 assists and a put-out.

Saturday's noon game was the Tigers best effort of the year. Facing the same Comets team who had handed them a 15-5 loss the week before, the Tigers fought tooth and nail, coming up on the short end of their 5th 1-run defeat of the season, 14-13.

"We played a complete game this afternoon. We batted well, pitched great, fielded well, and ran the bases good enough to win. This game just came down to which ever team was batting last would have the best chance to win."

Sam Hurwitz continued his strong-hitting for the season, with a double and 3 runs scored. Nico Cruz stroked a triple, with 2 RBI and 1 run scored. Sam Luethy, Brad Akin, Andrew Keller, Matt Ludwig and Tim Brownless also scored twice each, with Tim contributing 2 hits of his own.

Andrew Keller started the game with 2 strong innings, giving up only 3 hits. Matt Ludwig finished up, walking only 2 over 3 innings.

In the field Nico Cruz turned an unassisted double play, plus two more assists. Youssef Younis snared a hard-hit line drive for the final out in the second, and then assisted on a great snare and long throw from the hole at short-stop in the 5th, keep the game within reach.

"We've lost 5 games by one run this season, several to some of the best teams in our division. In each case, a play or a hit at any point could have made the difference. Despite these close losses, we continue to play hard. I could not ask for any more from these guys."

The Tigers get another shot at the Bulldogs this Friday Saturday at 10am.

Sunday, June 4
Comets Eclipse Tigers
Playing short handed with 8 players for the second consecutive game, the Tigers fought hard for 5 innings before succumbing in the sixth, and ended up on the short end of a 15-5 game today. "The score does not indicate how well we played today," said Coach Dave.

It started with pitching. Matt Ludwig threw four strong innings, giving up only 5 hits and 5 runs, while walking none. "Matt had great rhythm, and we had great fielding backing him up." Andrew Keller finished the Comets off, going the final two.

Sam Hurwitz had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-4, with a double and 2 RBI's. "Sam's only out was a long fly to center - he's really seeing the ball well, and swinging superbly."

In the field, the Tigers recorded a season high 11 put-outs. Leading the team were Sam Luethy with 5 assists and 2 put-outs, and Matt Ludwig with 6 assists.

The Tigers resume play with 2 games next weekend.

Saturday, June 3
Tigers Fall Short, Again
The short-handed Chesterfield Tigers played well, fought hard, and swung the bats, but fell one run short for the fourth time this season this Saturday, 13-12.

"One more player would have made a big difference in this game," said Coach Dave. "The Eagles managed to get only 6 base hits against our strong pitching, but 3 of those were for extra bases into our short-handed outfield." One of those was a sharply hit grounder, straight through the box, that likely would have been stopped by a centerfielder. Instead it resulted in a 2-run home run.

"I was proud of every player out there today. It was warm and none of them got a break, but they all played hard, with concentration and focus. They were all swinging the bat and putting the ball in play. It was a great effort, and a great game between two evenly matched teams."

Offensive standouts for the day included Josh Smith, who was two for four, with a triple and 2 RBI's, and Sam Hurwitz, who also went two for four, with a double and 3 RBI's. "Josh and Sam put it in play, and good things happened. Aggressive hitting is contagious." Sam Bruns fed off of that aggressiveness for 3 hits of his own, and Brad Akin scored 3 runs. In total, the Tigers pounded out a season high 10 base hits.

On the mound, Andrew Keller gutted out 4 strong innings, scattering 4 hits and stiking out nine. "Andrew got stronger as the game went on, which was great to see. He's getting more confidence each time he goes out."

The Tigers conclude their two-game weekend against the Oconnel team at 4pm Sunday.

Sunday, May 21
Tigers Drop Pair
The Chesterfield Tigers came up short in a pair of weekend games.

Game 1 found them facing the same team they had beaten the weekend before, and the Knights were looking for revenge. Pitcher Matt Ludwig had another strong outing scattering 4 hits over the first three innings that yielded only 2 runs. The Knights dialed in for inning 4, but Matt still finished strong. Over all 4 innings Matt only walked 1 batter. "We want the other team to put the ball in play so that we have a chance to get the out, and that is what happened for the first 3 innings," said Coach Dave.

On the other side, the Tigers were not able to muster much scoring offense for those first four innings themselves. "Over four innings we only struck out 5 times, and just 2 of those were called-third-strikes. We put the ball in play - the Knights just made a few well-timed defensive plays to shut us out. These types of days will happen." The Knights managed to 10-run the Tigers, 17-6.

Defensive highlights included a bang-bang call at first, on an assist from Youssef Younis, who was playing at short. "Youssef has a flair and style he's learned from paying attention to big-league players, and that helped him today. He made great stop, took his time, and the throw just beat the runner."

Sam Hurwitz knocked his first triple of the year, scoring two. "Sam's aggressiveness at the plate is paying off - he's making contact and putting the ball in play. All of the Tigers need to follow Sam's example."

Game 2 was a much closer affair. Facing the Eagles for the first time this season, a late inning rally came up just short, as the Tigers were nipped 14-13. This was their third 1-run loss of the season. "We're playing in a very closely matched division, and we're very similar in team make-up to the Eagles. Our remaining games against them should be a lot of fun."

Game highlights included a double by Brad Akin, who also scored twice. Josh Smith and Michael Garvin added 2 scores of their own. "We're continuing to swing the bat, which I like to see. And it was great to see the boys battle back from 7 down to tie the score."

Defensively, Nico Cruz and Sam Luethy combined for nifty play in the fourth inning, and catcher Sam Hurwitz helped out with 2 back-back putouts in inning 2 as well. "Sam's catching skills get better with every game. On the pop up he caught, he played it perfectly, removing the mask, locating the ball, and making the play. That was huge in our comeback effort."

The Tigers will need to carry on this season without the services of reliever John Pappas, who will lost oossibly for the remainder of the year, due to family vacation and camp commitments. "John made 5 appearances for us this year, and was lights-out in four of them, including a 3-up-3-down-strike-out-the-side outing on May 12th. He also manages to get in the middle of the action much of the time, be it in the outfield or infield. John won't be easy to replace for our remaining games."

Of special note for the weekend was the hitting of Tim Brownlee, who went 3-for-3 with a walk, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored in these two games. "Tim's concentration and determination at the plate has been great. He's aware of the situation, and just tries to put the ball in play with a level, aggressive swing. We need that from him for the rest of this season if we hope to have a chance of competing."

After a 2 week stretch of time-off, the Tigers resume play with back-back games the weekends of June 3-4 and 9-10.

Saturday, May 13
Bats Awake, Tigers Win
The Chesterfield Tiger's woke up their hitting sticks Saturday, pounding out 9 base hits enroute to a 19-11 victory.

"Good things happen when we swing the bats and put the ball in play," said Coach Dave. This week the Tigers were called-out on strikes only 3 times in 40 plate appearances. "That's a great improvement over the last game. It helped that they had a starting pitcher with good location, but the boys went to bat thinking 'hit', rather than walk. We need to keep that up."

Offensive players of note for the day included 3 runs scored by Andrew Keller, 4 RBI's from Josh Smith, and an RBI double from John Pappas. John also knocked in the run that put the game out of reach in the top of the 5th, making the Knights last would-be at-bat moot. "By putting the ball in play, John ensured the win."

On the mound, Andrew Keller had 2 good innings, with 4 srikeouts and only 1 hit allowed. Inning 3 was a different story, as the batting order was seeing him for the second time, and a few untimely fielding errors hurt too. "Andrew threw good pitches, but they just managed to make solid contact. Overall he continues to have one strong pitching performance after another."

John Pappas sealed the victory by striking out the side, 3-up 3-down, in the bottom of the fourth. "That was key. With the 1:45 time limit, and a chance for us to pad our lead in the next inning, getting their batters 1-2-3, all on strike-outs was huge. John's our most effective reliever so far, because he comes in and throws strikes."

The Tigers will try to make it two in a row vs. the Knights, as they are scheduled to play them again this coming Saturday at 12 noon. That will be followed on Sunday with another game at 2pm.

Monday, May 8
Tigers Stymied, 16-10
The Chesterfield Tigers were held to just a pair of base hits in a 16-10 loss Monday night.

"Our bats were silent again," said Coach Dave. "Over our four innings of batting we recorded 12 outs in 27 plate appearances, but 5 of them were called-third-strikes. That's too many batters hoping for a walk. Friday night we only had 3 called third strikes in 31 plate appearances."

"We need hitters going up to the plate with the intention of putting the ball in play, and then good things will happen."

The Tigers had another sound pitching effort, this time from Matt Ludwig and John Pappas. "Matt only walked 3 batters out of the 27 he faced. The Knights hit the ball very well, and usually where we weren't positioned. That won't always be the case - those hits will find their way into our gloves eventually." Coach Dave was very pleased with John Pappas' relief effort. "When John reared back and fired, he had great location, and was difficult to hit. We'll need that from John as the season progresses."

The Tiger's fielders got a good workout. "Nearly every fielder was busy tonight, with all the hard hit balls. I was really impressed with plays by Brad Akin, John Pappas, Daniel Curtis, Michael Garvin and all of our other outfielders. We cut off nearly every hit to the outfield, holding them on only one extra base hit over the evening. There easily could have been many more doubles or triples if those balls had gotten through."

"Sam Hurwitz was very consistent in 4 innings behind the plate. He blocked several pitches that would have snuck through in the past. He's developed into a very reliable catcher for us."

The baserunning lapses from Friday disappeared. "We concentrated on the bases, were aware of the situation, the number of outs, and showed lots of hustle. That was great to see, and allowed us to keep the game close. I hope we can maintain that from here on out."

The Tigers next game is this Saturday at 2pm, vs. Team McCarthy, who they previously faced in the preseason tourney.

Friday, May 5
Tigers Lose 1-run Nailbiter, 11-10
The Chesterfield Tigers dropped their second 1-run game in a row, falling just short in a well played 11-10 affair.

"Another great game," said Coach Dave. "We had the winning run on base at the end, and managed to put the ball in play. The Bulldogs made the play and got the out, and that was that. As a Tiger's fan, what more could you ask for in these first two games?"

Luethy is generally pleased with the performance of the Tigers thus far this season. "Pitching, hitting, and fielding-wise - we are already exceeding my expectations for the year."

Andrew Keller and Matt Ludwig combined for another strong pitching performance. "They were near the plate with the majority of their pitches, they fielded their position well, and did not give up an excessive number of walks. We asked them to pitch well enough to make the other team swing and put it in play, and they did just that."

At the plate, nearly every Tiger hitter made it on base in one way or another, spreading 8 hits around to go with some other very good at-bats. "I saw fewer hitters looking for walks - everyone was taking cuts at the good pitches, but laying off the unhittable ones. And that was despite a 2 week lay-off between games, and a rained-out practice." Standouts at the plate included Brad Akin, who had 2 solid hits, despite having missed the last 2 games due to illness.

The Tiger's fielding was also consistent. "We dove after balls-in-play, and had a few spectacular put-outs, along with a few near-misses. Our hard work is paying off."

The area with the greatest room for improvement is base-running. "I'm befuddled. We start every practice running the bases, stealing, leading off, getting signs. If you watch Cardinals TV broadcasts, you hear announcer Al Hrabosky saying over and over that 'you will never embarass yourself by hustling.' I know that there are varying levels of talent, ability, strength, and speed on our team, but there is never an excuse for not hustling. We need to instill that in these boys. If we can see every one of them giving their all, all of the time, we will have suceeded, regardless of the score. That's a great life-lesson that these boys should be ready to absorb."

The Tigers get their chance to do some of that absorbing in their next game, on Monday night May 8th at 6pm.

Saturday, April 22
Tigers Drop Opener
The Chesterfield Tigers opened their season Saturday, just getting edged out by one run in a thrilling see-saw affair, 21-20.

Down 10-1 in the middle of the second, the Tigers battled back to take the lead 12-10 after three. And then, after trailing 20-14 going into their potentially last at bat, fought back again to send the game into extra innings.

"The team showed real guts and perseverance," said Coach Dave.

The Tigers had some solid performances at the plate, with several players busting out. Sam Bruns & Sam Luethy each scored three times, with Luethy clouting an RBI double. Josh Smith stroked 2 singles for 2 RBI. Daniel Curtis knocked in two runs with a hard-hit single. Very significant though, was Tim Brownlee's first home run of the season.

"Tim's hit was key for us today," Coach said. "First, it completed our first come-back, tying the score at 10. Second, the boys saw that going up to the plate, taking a good hard swing at the ball pays off. I saw a completely different set of batters after Tim's big hit. Good hitting is contagious, and the other boys certainly caught the fever after that."

The Tigers strong defense also helped keep the game close. Josh Smith led the way today with an assist and two put-outs.

From the mound, Matt Ludwig and Andrew Keller each overcame a big-run innings to hold the Tigers close when it counted. "In Matt's case, he had to overcome a few fielding blunders - he through a lot of pitches over two innings, due mostly to several fieling errors. Andrew was strong over his four innings again, and really buckled down and shut them out when we needed it."

Tigers renew a 2005 rivalry next Saturday, when they face the Eagles at 10am on field #5.

Saturday, April 15
Tigers Conclude Pre-season Schedule
The Chesterfield Tigers wrapped up their preseason schedule on Saturday, falling short 10-6.

Coach Dave was very pleased with the game. "Just like last week, we tried out several players at new positions, and identified a few things that need work. I could not have been happier with how things went."

"Our defense continues to be stellar. The boys are concentrating, and know what to do when the ball comes to them."

"On the other side, we were much more aggressive this week than last, banging out 7 hits vs. taking only 3 walks. And we ran the bases very well too."

In the field, again there were several great plays worth noting. "Daniel Curtis has a streak going now - 2 consecutive games of snaring a fly ball. Andrew Keller made a great cross-diamond throw from third, and Sam Bruns made a good catch in center field. Nico Cruz also contributed with a magnificent diving catch off the pitcher's mound. Their hustle and concentration is at a very high level - I hope we can continue that through our next games."

The pitching was steady this week, just like it was in the prior week's game. "We've stabilized our pitching situation, which was a concern going into the year. We have the boys aware that if they just throw strikes, our defense will back them up and good things will happen."

"All told, I think this is going to be a great season."

The first game of the regular season is this coming Saturday at 12 noon.

Saturday, April 8
Tigers Open Pre-Season
The 2006 Tigers opened their pre-season today, coming out on the short-end, 14-9.

Coach Dave was extremely pleased with the game. "Pre-season scores are meaningless. What I was really after was to get some game experience underneath our belts, and to get a look at players in various positions. From that standpoint, today's game was a resounding success."

Coach Dave noted a few areas that need some work. "At the start of every season, we have players looking for walks, rather than hits. We only had 4 basehits, but took 10 walks. I'd much rather see that turned around, even if it meant a few more strike outs. The other team's pitching had a role in that somewhat, but I'd much rather see us put the ball in play more often."

There were several positives to note as well. "Our defense was great. Daniel Curtis made a home-run saving catch in center field. Youssef Younis made two plays in the next-to-last inning at second base to keep us within striking distance. Defensive plays like those will win a few games for us this year."

Game #2 of the Preseason tourney is scheduled for April 15th at 10am.

Saturday, April 1
Tigers Add Three New Players
The Chesterfield Tigers made three off-season acquisitions this spring, all of which will improve the team in much needed areas. "We've brought in three players with good all-around skills that will be able to help us out in many different areas, including pitching," said Coach Dave Luethy.

Tim Brownlee is new to the team this year, but not new to Coach Dave. "Tim's sister Alyssa and Sam Luethy's sister Claire played softball for together for several season. Tim's a good all-around athlete with a natural whip-saw arm. We'll be able to use him at many different positions."

Josh Smith is a neighborhood friend of Andrew Keller's. "Josh has a lot of natural ability, and a fiery, competitive spirit. I hope to be able to use Josh at nearly every position."

Matthew Ludwig is another all-around athlete that will be able to step in right away. "Matt has a quiet confidence about him. He's got the mental make-up of a good pitcher, and is also sure-handed and will make a great first basemen."

The Tigers are scheduled to kick-off the season in Game 1 of the Chesterfield preseason tournament on April 8th.

Friday, March 31
Stingers Change nick-name to Tigers
Coach Dave Luethy announced this week that in addition to the change in leagues (from St. Louis County to Chesterfield), there are more changes in place for this year's team. After 5 seasons as the "Stingers" the decision was made to change this year to the Tigers.

"The sense I got from the players was that the name the boys selected when they were at the Training league level was dated. We had previously decided on orange as our primary team color, so Tigers was a natural."

The newly named Tigers open the preseason with Tournament games on April 8th and 15th, and then kick-off the regular season on April 22nd.

Wednesday, August 3
Year End Awards summary
Here's a summary of the year-end awards presented at the end of the season.

Brad Akin – Busted out this year for his first career triple. Batted .318 with an on base percentage of .545. Only stuck out 5 times in 33 plate appearances. Strengthened his arm this year vs. last, looking forward to even more improvement for next year. Brad received the Larry Walker award at the team’s Best Right Fielder.

Sam Bruns – Frustrating year for Sam, playing time limited by a broken arm during the preseason. Played in two games, managed 2 hits (1 triple) in 4 at bats. Played a reliable shortstop, making a couple of assists during his brief playing time. Sam receives the Barry Bonds award as the teams Most Missed Player.

Nico Cruz – An aggressive hitter, great listener, very coachable, and a great teammate. On base percentage of .586. Several strong plays at shortstop, always thinking, always aware of the game situation, and what to do with the ball when it comes to him. Nico receives the David Eckstein Award as the team’s best shortstop.

Daniel Curtis – Made amazing and rapid progress from the beginning of the year. Started out with raw ability, but improved into a consistent fielder and aggressive hitter by the end of the year. Had an on base percentage of .469, scored 12 runs, and made many good plays in the field. Daniel receives the So Taguchi award as the team’s Most Improved Player.

Joe Ferguson – Always manages to find himself in the middle of the action. A tough out, had a batting average of .385 and an on base percentage of .771. Led the team in runs scored with 20. Joe receives the Reggie Sanders award for having scored the most runs on the team.

Michael Garvin – a consistent contact hitter, Michael led the team with the fewest strikeouts – 4- in 31 plate appearances. Batted .421 with an on base percentage of .645. A reliable infielder capable of playing all of the positions consistently. Receives the Yadier Molina award for having the fewest strikeouts on the team.

Sam Hurwitz – a determined hitter not content to take a walk, Sam came on strong during the second half of the year, and led the team with a 1.000 slugging percentage, .828 on base percentage, and .643 batting average. Also tied for the team lead in getting hit by a pitch 4 times. A sound defensive catcher who was very conscientious about not letting balls get by. Sam receives the Albert Pujols award for having the Highest Batting average on the team.

Andrew Keller – Has developed a strong arm, and became one of the team’s top pitchers. Made great strides this year in improving his confidence and aggressiveness at the plate, had an on base percentage of .727. Receives the Jason Isringhausen award as the team’s best Relief Pitcher.

Sam Luethy – stepped up this year with improvements over last year in every aspect of his game. His strong throwing arm made him a good catcher and a very good thirdbaseman, with several assists on throws clear across the diamond during the year. Tied for the team lead in hit-by-pitch with four. OBP or .750 and batting average of .467. Receives the Scott Rolen award as the team’s top third baseman.

Kirby Mueller – the most aggressive hitter on the team, Kirby led team with 11 hits, 6 of them for extra bases (3 doubles, 3 triples). Let the team with 13 RBI, because he was up there taking his cuts, swinging at pitches, and not giving the base runners time to steal home. Led the team with the fewest number of walks with 6. A consistent fielder and excellent first baseman, turned many tough throws into easy looking plays. Filled in consistently and reliably at pitcher on several occasions. Receives the Albert Pujols award as the teams Best Hitter.

John Pappas – A smart player, always aware of the game situation and where the ball should go, John uses that intelligence to his advantage, especially in the outfield. Great at playing the angles, and cutting off the ball, John sets a great example with his hustle, quick pivot, and accurate throws back to the inflied. For that, John receives the Jim Edmonds award at the team’s best Center Fielder.

Matt Stewart – another aggressive hitter, Matt only walked 8 times in 33 plate appearances. A consistent fielder, Matt covers whatever position he is at very well.
As a pitcher Matt pitched a team leading 34 innings over 14 games (avg 2.5 innings per game) striking out 61 (nearly 2 batters per inning), and walking just over 1 batter per inning. Got to two strikes on most of his hitters. His hard work, practice and lessons throughout the year paid off, and for that Matt receives the Chris Carpenter award as the team’s best Starting Pitcher.

Brian Wilson - a determined, aggressive contact hitter, Brian sets a great example for the team. He tied for the team lead in base hits with 11, only walked 7 times. Pitched very well, with great control, forcing the other teams to put the ball in play. Fielded his second base and shortstop postion very well. For that, receives the Mark Grudzielanek award as the team’s best second baseman.

Youssef Younis – One the most baseball-aware players on the team, with a great looking swing and classis baseball swagger, Youssef has developed into one of the most better hitters on the team. An aggressive outfielder, Youssef hustles after the ball, setting a great example for his teammates. As a fierce Yankees fan, and a left handed-hitting left fielder, Youssef receives the Hideki Matsui award as the team’s best Left Fielder.

Saturday, July 2
Stinger's Bats Wake Up
The Stingers pounded out a season high 13 base hits on Saturday morning in route to a 27-11 victory over Ellisville. "Aggressive hitting is contagious, and they certainly showed that today," said Coach Dave.

Brian Wilson, Matt Stewart, Youssef Younis, Sam Hurwitz, and Kirby Mueller all stroked doubles. Youssef finished the day 3 for 3, with 5 RBI. Brian Wilson also had 5 RBI and scored 4 times.

Matt Stewart pitched 2 shutout innings to start the game off. He was backed up by several stellar defensive plays. Matt and Sam Luethy combined to pick off a runner at third to end the second inning, after having nailed a runner trying to steal home on the play prior to that. Kirby Mueller contributed in the third by snaring a line drive and tossing to Joe Ferguson at second, for a double play.

Andrew Keller finished the game off with two well pitched innings, despite coming off of 2 weeks of vacation. "Andrew pitched great - he was just the victim of a couple of seeing-eye grounders, and an error or two. He's done the same good job for us all year."

"All in all, it was a great way to end the year. The boys will walk away remembering what they did in their last game. Everyone played well, the all contributed. That should make them eager to come back next year."

Thursday, June 23
Stingers Bounce Back
Facing the same team that had defeated them just 2 days earlier, the Stingers bounced back and pulled out a 16-14 win on Thursday. Kirby Mueller got the Stingers going in the third inning with a triple, and they went on to max-out with 7 runs to ice the game.

"Our aggressive hitters led the way, again," said Coach Dave. "Even when they put the ball in play and fail to get a hit, good things happen."

With this win the Stingers split the pair of games vs. Chesterfield-Imming this week, but managed to take the season series, 2 games to 1.

The Stingers conclude their season on Saturday, July 2nd, vs. Ellisville.

Tuesday, June 21
Stingers Struggle at the Plate, Fall Short 16-10
The Stingers managed to squeak out 10 runs despite only 3 hits, but still ended up on the short end of a 16-10 on Tuesday night. "We faced some strong pitching tonight," said Coach Dave. "We were aggressive at the plate, and swinging at good pitches, but the time off hurt our confidence. I'm sure we'll bounce back on Thursday."

Matt Stewart through 4 strong innings for the Stingers, striking out 5 and walking only 6. "Matt's been consitent all year. His arm strength and control are improving, and as he gets more experience he's learning the mental part of pitching too. Matt gets 2 strikes on most of the batters he faces. All of his hard work and practice is paying off."

Nico Cruz was the defensive star of the game Tuesday, with assists and heads up plays in each of the first three innings. Brad Akin made perfect throw to Nico on a gap-line drive, and Nico relayed to Sam Luethy at third for the out. "Those are the types of plays that we're starting to make, and those plays weren't being made earlier in the year. We get better every day."

The Stingers get another chance vs. the same Chesterfield team this Thursday, June 23rd.

Monday, June 6
Stingers Fall, 23-13
Playing their second game in 48 hours, the Stingers fell behind late, but refused to give up before falling short on Monday. "Tonight the boys taught me few things," said Coach Dave. "I was getting discouraged, but they stuck with it, and played well over the last few innings."

Kirby Mueller and Sam Hurwitz continued their strong hitting, with Kirby stroking a 2-RBI single in the third to close out a 7 run inning. Sam H. contributed 2 triples of his own, collecting three RBI.

The Stingers get a break, with no scheduled games until June 21, when they have a pair vs. the third Chesterfield team they had defeated earlier this year. "Our confidence is coming back, and we're ready to finish the year on a strong note."

Saturday, June 4
Ballwin Bounces Stingers
Despite valiant effort with good pitching and aggressive, smart plate appearances, the Stingers fell to Ballwin Saturday morning 20-14.

"We showed real control and aggressiveness at the plate," said Coach Dave. We got some good cuts, but pretty much were only swinging at good pitches. We put the ball in play a fair amount, but Ballwin played sound defensively. I was very pleased with the effort."

A few costly defensive lapses extended a couple innings, and allowed Ballwin to score most of their runs with 2 outs. "Mistakes are going to be made. I liked their aggressiveness defensively too. They were after each ball, and we were the victim of a few tough bounces."

The Stingers are back in action Monday night at 8pm at Chesterfield.

Sunday, May 22
Stingers Bow to Ballwin
The Stingers ended a long week with a strong performance, but came out on the short in a 23-14 loss to Ballwin on Sunday. "Our bats woke up and we scored some runs again. That was fun to watch," said Coach Dave.

Everyone got on base today in this game, and all but one player scored. "Brad Akin, Joe Ferguson, Brian Wilson and Daniel Curtis all scored twice - its always good when you get a team effort."

Coach Dave was especially pleased with the play of Daniel Curtis. "Daniel is getting more aggressive at the plate and made several good plays in the field. I expect more out of him as the season goes along and he gets a taste of success."

Brad Akin also turned the first double play of the year, snagging a pop-up at second and doubling off the runner at first. "Brad's playing inspired ball ever since that triple a few games ago. I think he wants another. Nothing breeds success like a little success."

The Stingers have a few days off, and will hit the practice fields in advance of their last 5 games. The resume league play on Saturday June 4th.

Saturday, May 21
Stingers Lose Pair
Reality stung the Stingers' with a vengance this week, as the they suffered a pair of defeats to a rival Chesterfield tea by the scores of 17-1 and 15-3. "Wednesday's effort was not one of our best," said Coach Dave. "I was reminded of a word I learned from a former coach of mine - 'non-chalant.' They were not mentally in the game on Wednesday, and I take the blame for that."

Saturday's game though, was much better. "Today they were much more focused," Coach Dave said Wednesday night. "We had some defensive lapses on Wednesday, but today we were more attentive and showed much more hustle." Saturday's stellar performances included a 3-put-out inning in the first by second baseman Brian Wilson. Brian assisted on the first out, and caught a pair of line drives for outs 2 and 3.

Sam Luethy continued his aggressive hitting of late, with 2 singles and a run scored.

Monday, May 16
Stingers Fall to Ballwin, 15-7
What started out as a low-scoring pitchers duel slipped away from the Stingers Monday night. "We held the lead right up until the next-to-last inning, but just couldn't hold on," said Coach Dave.

Matt Stewart started on the mound and pitched with low pitch count efficiency. "We've got a busy schedule this week, and will need to use Matt again, so we gave him an easy night." Matt faced only one batter over the minimum in two innings of work, striking out five.

Andrew Keller and John Pappas finished the game off, and "they did just what we wanted - throw strikes, and make the other team swing." John closed out the 5th with a graceful snare of a pop-up.

Kirby Mueller had another strong game, scorching an opposite-field triple over the right fielder's head and making several tricky plays at first. "That was as well-of-a-hit ball as we've seen all year," said Coach Dave. "Kirby's extra batting practice at home is paying off."

"I continue to like our aggressiveness at the plate - the boys have definitely gotten the message. Now they need to adjust that aggressiveness just a bit, and focus on the good pitches."

Everyone should get plenty of chances this week. The Stingers next game is Wednesday, 6pm at Chesterfield.

Friday, May 6
Stingers Rally, Pull Out Win
The Chesterfield Stingers pulled out a walk-off last-inning rally, coming from 1 run down to eke out an 18-16 win Friday night.

"We continue to improve in all areas," said Coach Dave. "Our pitching is getting more consistent - Matt Stewart, Brian Wilson, and Andrew Keller all had good outings." Keller was especially effective in relief, shutting down a late surge with 2 strikeouts and great control, keeping the game within reach.

"We're also getting more aggressive at the plate - no one struck out looking tonight, which is a huge improvement over the early part of the season." In fact, the Stingers as a team only had 1 strike out all evening, and clubbed 6 hits. John Pappas and Brad Akin broke out the power sticks, each stroking a triple - believed to be the first of their careers. "Hitting is contagious - all it takes is one aggressive hitter to get the others going." Youssef Younis was especially aggressive at the plate, and it paid off with a single and run scored. Kirby Mueller continued with his clutch hitting, adding 2 more RBI to his team-high total of 8. "Kirby is always thinking hit first - the other players are learning just by watching Kirby's hitting approach."

The Stingers have a scheduled 10 day span before they play again on Monday May 16th, which starts a busy period of 4 games in 7 days.

Monday, April 25
Stingers Jump Out to Lead, Hold on for Win

The Chesterfield Stingers held on for a 9-6 win Monday night on a cold rainy night. "I sure felt chilled out there, but I never heard a complaint from the boys." Said Coach Dave. Game time temps hovered in the upper 40's, with intermittant showers off and on.

The Stingers bats however, were warm enough to generate the offense needed to win. Nico Cruz busted out with a 2 RBI double in the bottom of the last inning to generate a couple of much-needed insurance runs. John Pappas also managed a line-drive that might still be rolling had it not been hit right at the opposing center fielder. "It was great to see John getting some decent swings. We'll need more hits like that from him as the season progresses."

Youssef Younis also turned in a fine play of his own, robbing their lead-off hitter of extra bases by snaring a long fly ball in the first inning. "Great play by Youssef - he had positioned himself perfectly."

Matt Stewart pitched 3-1/3 strong innings before tiring, and giving way to Brian Wilson. "Matt pitched his usual strong game. And Brian had very effective stuff, with great control. He adds yet another dimension to our developing staff of pitchers. His practice and hard work paid off tonight."

The Stinger's next game is scheduled for Thursday, April 28th at 8pm.

Tuesday, April 19
Stingers Pound Out 23-5 Win
In an amazing offensive turn around from barely 48 hours prior, the Stingers bats woke up and turned 8 hits into 23 runs for a victory in their regular season opener on Tuesday.

"Swinging and hitting is contagious. Once someone gets going, everybody wants to get a hit. Michael Garvin was our sparkplug tonight, going 3 for 3, and scoring 2 runs."

Number 2 hitter Kirby Mueller also had a strong night at the plate, with 2 doubles and 4 RBI.

Pitchers Matt Stewart and Andrew Keller had another combined strong outing, combining for 10 strikeouts. "I like that 1-2 combination. Matt has had good control, and after three innings, then being able to bring Andrew in with his strong arm makes it tough for the opposing hitters to adjust."

Sam Luethy had another strong game at catcher, nailing the lead-off runner trying to steal third. "We had not practiced throwing out runners yet. He must have picked that up from someone else."

The Stinger's first home game of the year is set for Monday, April 25th.

Friday, April 15
Stingers Fall 12-5
Playing their third game in a 28 hour span, the Stingers fell behind early and could not rally, losing 12-5.

"We never quite found our focus today. The opposing pitcher had a little zip on the ball, and we had grown accustomed to the slower speed from yesterday. Hopefully it was a good learning experience that will help them out later in the year."

"We reverted back to looking at too many pitches. Half of our strike-outs were just looking. When the pitches are close, we need to be swinging."

The Stingers kick-off their regular season schedule on Tuesday April 19th at Ellisville.

Thursday, April 14
Stingers Notch Pre-Season Win

Fully rested from their first game only 5 hours earlier, the Stingers learned their lessons well and recorded a 9-7 victory Saturday afternoon. Pitchers Kirby Mueller and Matt Stewart combined to scatter 5 hits over 4 innings to ice the win.

"I've emphasized to our pitchers that we're not up there trying to blow the ball by anyone. We just want to put it where the batter will swing, and let our fielders take care of the rest. And that's just what they did."

The pitchers were helped by a couple of stellar fielding plays as well. "John Pappas gets credit for the Play of the Game today. He chased down a hard hit line drive, scooped up the ball, turned and threw a strike to second base to nail the runner. He hustled the ball back to the infield, just like we talked about for years."

Sam Luethy and Sam Hurwitz also combined to make some good plays behind the plate, each nailing a runner trying to steal home on wild pitches. "Stealing adds another dimension to the game this year, but the boys are adjusting well - offensively and defensively."

Game 3 of the preseason tourney is Sunday April 15th at 11:30 am.

Thursday, April 14
Stingers Lose Opener 11-2
The Chesterfield Stinger's 2005 pre-season finally got underway Saturday morning. In the end they found themselves on the short end of an 11-2 score, but Coach Dave Luethy saw many things to be encouraged about.

"Overall we played well. This group of boys listens, pays attention, and you can see when they are doing something on the field that we have practiced."

Coach Dave noted a few small things, like hustling the ball back to th