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 2007 Tournaments |
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Thursday, May 17
Fauquier Mustangs to Play in Tourney at Cal Ripken Baseball Academy (915 - 9/16)
The Fauquier Mustangs will play in the Pennant Fever Tournament, September 15th - 16th at the Cal Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, MD.
In looking at the rules, it looks like this is a small barrel (2 1/4" diameter) tournament...so keep those little bats warmed up.
To see more info on this tournament, click the headline above.
Thursday, July 26
ECTB National Championship
The Fauquier Mustangs headed north to Allentown, PA this past weekend to compete in the 7th Annual ECTB National Championship. The top 20 teams from around the Northeast and Virginia assembled to decide a champion. After the dust cleared, and the rain fell, the Fauquier Mustangs ended the tournament in 11th place. However, the 11th place seeding is not indicative of the quality of baseball played by the Mustangs this weekend. The Mustangs were literally two swings away from going 3-0 and a top 4 seeding.
Manassas Generals 8 Fauquier Mustangs 7
The first game for the Fauquier Mustangs pitted them against their old rivals, the Manassas Generals. These two teams have a history of hard fought battles, and this one would be no different. The Mustangs jumped out to an early lead after a Tanner Delph hit, and looked poised to capture the win. Shane Buss started for the Mustangs and kept the Generals in check for the first three innings. In the fourth inning, the Mustangs lead evaporated with one swing of the bat. With the bases loaded, the Generals clean up hitter took advantage of the extremely short fences and hit a grand slam to run their score to 8. However, the Mustangs weren't done yet. They clawed themselves to within one run (and had the tying run on) before their outs expired in the bottom of the sixth.
Susquehanna Stars 6 Fauquier Mustangs 4
The second game saw the Fauquier Mustangs facing a team made up of travel team all stars; the Susquehanna Stars. The Mustangs rose to the challenge and battled the Stars run for run most of the game. Tyler Johnson started for the Mustangs and pitched a gem, keeping the Mustangs within striking distance all day. Jason Alvarez thwarted an early Stars rally by gloving a line drive that would have easily gone for a double and scored two runs. Early in the game, the Mustangs were able to move runners into scoring position in three consecutive innings, only to have their rallies ended without scoring a run. In the fifth inning, the Stars opened up a four run lead to run the score to 6-2. In the bottom of the sixth, the scrappy Mustang boys put together a rally that brought two runs across the plate and moved the tying runs into scoring position. Unfortunately, once again, the Mustangs ran out of outs before they could capture the win.
Fauquier Mustangs 4 Richmond Indians 3
Needing a win to earn a position in the playoff round, the Fauquier Mustangs found themselves pitted against the Richmond Indians. The Indians were a team known to have strong hitting and tough defense and securing a win would not be easy. Tanner Delph started for the Mustangs and pitched very strong. Both teams played excellent defense and neither team was able to take solid command of the scoreboard. Shane Buss came on in relief of Delph midway through the contest and pitched brilliantly. Buss had pinpoint control and only allowed two walks all day. John Lewis kept the Indians baserunners in check by not allowing many passed balls and by making several pick-off attempts to third base. Down 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs were able to take advantage of the Indians pitchers and score two to secure the lead. That was all they needed as Buss closed out the Indians in the top of the sixth. This win guaranteed the Mustangs a spot in the championship round.
All in all, this was a great weekend for the Fauquier Mustangs. After several lackluster performances in recent tournaments, the Mustangs showed the fire and intensity that has driven them to success in the past.
The Mustangs will next be in action in the Cal Ripken Pennant Fever Tournament, September 15 - 16th in Aberdeen, MD. The month of August will be an off month (at least most of it will) for the Mustangs, stay tuned for practice schedules.
For those families traveling during the down-time...enjoy your vacations and be safe!!
Friday, June 1
Fauquier Mustangs Bow Out Early in Greater Washington July 4th Tournament
The Fauquier Mustangs bowed out early of the Greater Washington July 4th Tournament in Rockville, MD. After winning ...
Saturday, June 30
Fauquier Mustangs Take Fourth Place in the June Jamboree Tournament
The Fauquier Mustangs won their first two games on day one of the June Jamboree tournament at the Virginia Sports Complex. However, the Mustangs fell to fourth place in the tournament on Sunday by losing their semi-final game.
The first game took an extra frame to decide, as the Fauquier Mustangs defeated the Suffolk Warriors 13 - 8. With the score knotted at 6 - 6 after regulation, the Mustangs exploded for seven runs to secure the win. The Mustangs had pushed three runs across in the seventh inning to take the lead, but a two out bases loaded triple by Tyler Colwell proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Warriors. Tanner Delph and Travis Croson combined for the win on the mound, with Delph also showing a strong bat during the first game. Mark Terrel continues to hit the ball hard and helped the Mustangs offense.
The second game saw the Fauquier Mustangs lock horns with a very determined VSC Patriots team. The Patriots, in only their second tournament appearance of the season, kept the Mustangs in their sites all day but finally succumbed 6 - 5. Tyler Johnson and Colin Cummins both pitched well for the Mustangs, with Shane Buss picking up the save. Tanner Delph's hot bat continued in the second game, where he delivered a bases loaded triple that proved to be the difference in the game. Brenton Doyle also laced one down the left field line for extra bases during this game. Mark Terrel also found the outfield wall with a double in the middle innings.
Unfortunately, time was not on the side of the Mustangs in their semi-final game against the Suffolk Warriors. After spotting the Warriors an 11-4 lead, the Fauquier Mustangs simply ran out of time to complete their comeback and fell 11-8. This loss dropped the Mustangs to fourth in the June Jamboree tournament.
Wednesday, April 25
Fauquier Mustangs Drop 3 in the USSSA State Tournament
The Fauquier Mustangs faltered in the State USSSA tournament, dropping three games straight. Brenton Doyle, Colin Cummins and Shane Buss each pitched well for the Mustangs. Doyle also had a good weekend in centerfield, keeping many surefire extra base hits in front of him and limiting the opposition to singles. Mark Terrell hit the ball hard at the plate.
Thursday, May 10
Fauquier Mustangs Capture Second in the Sports N' More Tournament
 | .jpg) | | Sports N' More Runner Ups | |
The Fauquier Mustangs captured second place in the Sports N' More Memorial Day tournament this past weekend in Covington, VA. It was a good weekend for the Mustangs playing against a group of new teams.
The Fauquier Mustangs opened the tournament with a 12 - 4 win over the Diamond Dogs. Tanner Delph pitched four outstanding innings and held the Dogs in check. In the fifth inning, Travis Croson came on to close out the game for the Mustangs.
The second game of the evening saw the Mustangs dispose of a persistent Virginia Titans team. The Titans kept it close by only allowing the Mustangs to cross the plate for 9 runs in this contest. However, Tyler Johnson of the Mustangs kept the pressure off his team by pitching a solid game. Once again, Travis Croson came on in relief and closed out the win for the Fauquier Mustangs, preserving the 9-5 victory.
In the first game of the elimination round, the Fauquier Mustangs faced a determined Skyline Chippers team. The Chippers pitchers kept the Mustangs off balance and their offense never got going. Fortunately for the Mustangs, Shane Buss pitched a masterpiece, striking out 13 Chippers hitters. Tanner Delph was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Mustangs. Delph consistently came to the plate during this tournament and delivered.
The championship game pitted the Fauquier Mustangs against the Augusta Swarm. Once again, the Fauquier Mustangs bats fell silent for most of the game. Tanner Delph returned to the mound for the Mustangs and was solid through three innings, before giving way to Tyler Johnson in relief. Johnson battled through the pain of a nagging leg injury and had excellent control.
And while the song says, "One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch..." unfortunately the same thing can't be said for one bad inning. One bad inning spoiled an otherwise outstanding weekend for the Mustangs. Poised to capture their first championship of the season, the Mustangs fell victim to the error bug and allowed six Swarm runners to cross the plate in one inning early in the game. This inning proved to be the difference as the Fauquier Mustangs fell to the Swarm 7-5.
While coming in second may have been a disappointment to some, it once again showed the consistency that has become the trademark of the Fauquier Mustangs. Each tournament, they continue to put themselves in a position to win and teams are beginning to realize that the road to the championship will have to go through the Fauquier Mustangs.
Saturday, April 1
Fauquier Mustangs Capture Second Place in the Longhorn Stampede
The Fauquier Mustangs continued their strong roll in 2007 by capturing second place, out of 12 teams, in the Longhorn Stampede. This is the third tournament the Mustangs have played in this year and they have yet to finish lower than third place.
Fauquier Mustangs 6 Gainesville Cannons 3
The Fauquier Mustangs and Gainesville Cannons are no strangers to each other and usually always play each other close. The opening game of the Longhorn Stampede was no exception. Both teams came out very strong and kept this game undecided until the last out was called.
The Fauquier Mustangs were anchored by a strong defensive performance. Jason Alvarez made an acrobatic diving catch at first base to thwart an early game Cannons rally. Later in the game, three of the Mustangs' Tylers came up big in the field. Tyler Shaffer moved in front of a routine base hit in left field only to have it take a hard bounce behind him. Somehow he got his glove on it and kept the ball from going to the fence and two runners from scoring. Later that same inning, Tyler Johnson sacrificed his body to make a truly major league play as he dove and caught a shallow foul ball down the third base line. Tyler was slightly shook up on the play but toughed it out to remain in the field for his team. Finally, catcher, Tyler Fetherolf, was able to track down an extremely high pop up in front of the plate and make the grab for the final out of that inning.
The Mustang bats also showed signs of life in this game with several hitters having good trips to the plate. Mark Terrell continued to be the offensive anchor for the Mustangs driving in three runs with a bases loaded double. Those runs proved to be the difference in the ball game. Shane Buss and Travis Croson combined for the win on the mound.
Fauquier Mustangs 14 Longhorns Baseball 3
The second game of the weekend saw the Mustangs explode against a formidable Longhorns Baseball team. Tyler Johnson started on the mound for the Mustangs and struggled early with his control, allowing three Longhorns runs to cross. However, after the initial inning he became virtually unhittable, not allowing another Longhorn run to cross.
The Mustang hitters were very patient and drew several walks off of the Longhorn pitchers. This kept the bases occupied and allowed for quite a few runs to be scored early. This game ended on the slaughter rule after the fourth inning.
Fauquier Mustangs 19 SYA Mets 4
The second game on Saturday saw the Fauquier Mustangs continue their onslaught on the basepaths. The Mustangs disposed of a gritty SYA Mets 8U team after only three innings. The Mets came out strong and capitalized on several walks and well placed hits to score three runs in the first inning. The Mustangs answered with a barage of runs of their own. Tanner Delph started the game for the Mustangs and pitched well before giving the ball over to Colin Cummins who closed out the game. Cummins control proved to be the difference maker in this game by not allowing the Mets to mount any serious threat, and giving the Mustangs the opportunity to end this game early based on the slaughter rule. This win clinched a pool victory for the Fauquier Mustangs, and more importantly, the number one seed in the playoff round.
Fauquier Mustangs 11 Gainesville Cannons 1
The semi-final game pitted the number one seeded Fauquier Mustangs against the fourth seeded Gainesville Cannons. The Mustang bats were awesome in this game with just about every player making solid contact during the game. Tanner Delph and Tyler Johnson were both robbed of extra base hits by the outstanding play of the Cannons centerfielder. Mark Terrell continued to be an RBI machine as he drove in several runs during this game with powerful drives to the fence. As strong as the Mustang bats were, the defense was just as solid. The Cannons never gave up and fought to get runners on base in the early innings but were unable to move them across the plate due to strong play in the field by Brenton Doyle and Tyler Colwell. Tyler Johnson locked down third base and made some outstanding plays to turn surefire singles into outs.
Travis Croson pitched the entire game for the Fauquier Mustangs and kept the Cannons hitters confused and off balance. His outstanding control forced the Cannons to swing their bats. This game ended after four innings due to the slaughter rule.
Upper Deck Predators 10 Fauquier Mustangs 4
The championship game was a rematch of the semi-final game of the St. Patrick's Day Slugfest held just two weeks before. During that game, the Predators and Mustangs were involved in a pitchers duel, with the Predators coming out ahead 6-2 after scoring four runs late in the game off of Mustangs miscues.
The Predators jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, however the Mustangs responded. Once again, the strong bat of Mark Terrell delivered a mighty blast to right-center and emptied the bases for the Mustangs scoring three runs. Both teams then engaged in a defensive struggle with very little scoring. Shane Buss was able to work himself out of a couple jams on the mound early in the game to keep the score close while Tyler Colwell and Travis Croson played tight defense in the middle infield.
In the middle innings, the Predators were able to keep more consistent pressure on the Mustangs and capitalized on the basepaths by manufacturing a couple runs to make the game 6-4 heading into the late innings. The Fauquier Mustangs continued to fight and put runners on base, however they could not advance them across the plate. Late in the game, the Predators exploded for four more runs to ice this game and the championship.
This tournament was a giant step forward for the Fauquier Mustangs. Throughout this past weekend, the Mustangs dominated most of their opponents through solid defense and exceptional hitting. Rather than relying on walks for baserunners, as has been the case in the past, the Mustangs took control and hit their way on base driving many good pitchers out of the game early.
The Mustangs also have a secret weapon named Jamie Fetherolf who consistently keeps the Fauquier fans motivated and cheering in every inning. Without her leadership, the Mustang fans would never be able to sustain the emotion needed to cheer this team onto victory during a long weekend tournament.
With just slightly over one month of baseball under their belt, the Fauquier Mustangs are proving that they are a legitimate force to be reckoned with in Virginia 9U baseball in 2007.
Pictures have been posted to the Albums section. (I apologize I didn't get everyone's picture...between camera issues and poor lighting, not everybody made it in this time.)
Wednesday, April 25
Fauquier Mustangs Capture Second in First Annual Fauquier Spring Bash
The Fauquier Mustangs continued their winning ways this past weekend by capturing the runner up position in the first annual Fauquier County Spring Bash tournament held at Child's Field. The Mustangs showed determination and real grit as they faced potential elimination in this tournament. Trying to find standout players to call out was very tough for these games. This weekend the entire team stepped up and played good baseball with everybody contributing at one point or another.
Fauquier Mustangs 13 - SYA Mets 3
On a damp and dreary Saturday morning, the Fauquier Mustangs jumped out to an early lead against the SYA Mets and never looked back. Led by the strong arm of Tyler Johnson, the SYA Mets were held scoreless for two innings. Several Mustang hitters had a good game at the plate. Tyler Colwell took the mound in the third inning and shut down a Mets rally.
Manassas Storm 12 - Fauquier Mustangs 10
Renewing their rivalry from the Old Dominion Baseball League, the Fauquier Mustangs and Manassas Storm picked up where they left off in the fall. It seems when these two teams meet it is always a see-saw affair, where the team that jumps out first usually ends up coming out on the short end...Saturday was no exception. The Mustangs came out strong and jumped out to an early 10 - 1 lead after two innings. However, the Storm never gave up and eventually the momentum shifted in their favor. On two separate occassions, the Mustangs got their lead off hitter on base only two be doubled up on hard line drives to the second baseman. Rally killers such as those were the order of the day for the Mustangs as they were held scoreless in the final four frames and fell to the Storm 12 - 10.
Fauquier Mustangs 15 - Virginia Bruins 10
Needing a win to remain alive in the tournament, the Fauquier Mustangs reached down deep and orchestrated an offensive explosion. The Mustangs jumped out to a five run lead after the first inning, but the Bruins stayed close, collecting three runs of their own. However, as the game wore on, the Fauquier Mustang bats continued to get stronger. Tanner Delph, Tyler Johnson, and Mark Terrell all hit the ball hard and drove in runs. Shane Buss was excellent on the mound, only allowing five runs over four innings. The Bruins began to mount a late game charge in the bottom of the fifth, but the Mustang defense eventually put out the fire. A heads up play by pitcher Tyler Colwell and first baseman, Mark Terrell, picked off a Bruin runner at first for the final out of the game. This win catapulted the Mustangs into the championship game against the Bruins.
Virginia Bruins 9 - Fauquier Mustangs 7
In a rematch of the early morning game, the Fauquier Mustangs took on the Virginia Bruins for the championship. The Mustangs took control early behind the strong arm of Travis Croson. Croson kept the Bruins hitters at bay and never allowed them to mount a big inning. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the Bruins defense was solid and prevented Fauquier from opening up a large lead. In the fifth inning, Fauquier loaded the bases with no outs and looked poised to blow the game open. However, the Bruins tightened up and worked themselves out of the jam, allowing no runs to score. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bruins mounted a rally of their own and took the lead for good, 9 - 7.
Congratulations to the Virginia Bruins on capturing the first annual Fauquier County Spring Bash Championship. Watching these two teams play this weekend was an exciting preview to the upcoming ODBL season.
Monday, March 26
Fauquier Spring Bash Results
Wednesday, April 25
Fauquier Mustangs Finish Third in St. Pattie's Day Slugfest
The Fauquier Mustangs had a successful start to their 2007 baseball season by capturing third place in the St. Patrick's Day Slugfest tournament. After leaving the ice and snow of Fauquier County, the Mustangs took the field in balmy 43 degree conditions in Petersburg.
Fauquier Mustangs 17 Glen Allen Extreme 0
The first game saw the Mustangs dominate a very good Glen Allen Extreme team 17 - 0. The Extreme came into the tournament ranked fifth in the state in the USSSA Power Rankings. Tyler Fetherolf set the tone early in the game for the Mustangs, by gunning the Extreme's lead off hitter as he tried to steal second base. This forced the Extreme into playing a much more cautious game on the basepaths. Travis Croson pitched four solid innings and was virtually unhittable on the mound. His combination of fastballs and a wicked change-up left the Extreme hitters frustrated. When the Extreme did make contact, the Mustangs defense was flawless. Shane Buss capped an exciting defensive performance with a double-play. Mark Terrell made several good plays at first base. Several Mustang hitters had solid plate appearances. Shane Buss cleared the bases with a triple and Tanner Delph hit a towering blast to left to bring in Mustang runners. Tyler Johnson and Jason Alvarez both hit the ball hard during this game.
Sandlot Slammers 6 - Fauquier Mustangs 3
The second game saw the Mustangs fall victim to their own mistakes to a persistent Sandlot Sluggers team, 6-3. The Sluggers kept constant pressure on the Mustangs and were able to take advantage of several Mustang miscues in the field. Tanner Delph had a solid outing in his first pitching appearance as a Mustang and promises to be a powerful addition to an already strong pitching staff. Colin Cummins came on in relief of Delph. Cummins showed that he hasn't lost any of the pinpoint control he exhibited last fall and was able to keep the game within reach for the Mustangs.
Upper Deck Predators 6 Fauquier Mustangs 2
The final game of the weekend pitted the Fauquier Mustangs against the Upper Deck Predators. The game was a pitchers duel for the first several innings. Shane Buss held a strong hitting Predator team to 1 run, while the Upper Deck pitcher kept the Mustangs off the bases. In the third inning, the Predators opened the gap with a two run triple. The Mustangs began to show signs of life in the fourth inning by scoring two runs, but time became their enemy and the game was called after the fifth. The final score was Predators 6, Mustangs 2.
Overall, it was an impressive start to the season. For only having a handful of practices, this team showed it has the players and coaches to have an exciting season. The Mustangs held their opponents to only 12 runs over three games (4.0/game average) and scored 22 runs (7.33 / game average).
(As a side note, the Upper Deck Predators went onto defeat the Hanover Sports (ranked number 1 in the state) by a score of 10 - 0. Also, sorry there are no pictures...the photographer's fingers were numb. If anybody took pictures and would like them posted to the site, just send them to me.)
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