By Joe Conroy The Jim Lineweaver trophy sat alone in its own seat, bathed in the soft green light of the Haymarket Senators’ chartered bus overhead lights. The players bustled in the back of the vehicle, still basking in their unprecedented postseason run......

By Dan Roem Source: Gainesville Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 2009

The seventh-seeded Haymarket Senators won the Valley Baseball League Championship Series last Thursday night in Covington, defeating the eighth-seeded Lumberjacks 6-1 in the game and 3-1 in the series.....

By Joe Conroy Published: August 12, 2009 COVINGTON—

Though they admitted they would have liked to clinch their first Valley Baseball League championship on their home field, the Haymarket Senators weren’t interested in sending the series back to Battlefield High School. It didn’t hurt that the Senators had a man familiar with Covington’s Casey Field....

By Dan Roem Source: Gainesville Times TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 2009

The turnaround is almost complete. One day after a 13-inning affair that the Senators took 8-3 to even the series, Haymarket topped Covington again 5-3 Monday night, moving the Nators within one game of winning the Valley Baseball League Championship Series...

By Joe Conroy Published: August 11, 2009

Junior Arrojo stepped to the plate with two out and two of his Covington teammates on the bases. Haymarket’s Grant Sasser stood on the mound of Battlefield Park, looking to end the threat and give the Senators their first lead in the Valley Baseball League championship series with a second straight win.....

The following blog was taken from John Leonard's All Things Valley League

Showing a resilience not often seen at the very end of a season, the Haymarket Senators used two dominating relief performances to outlast the Covington Lumberjacks in game two of the finals in 13 innings, 8-3. Yes, you read that right- 8-3 in 13 innings. The Senators, at a slow boil all night, finally exploded in the top of the 13th inning against Lumberjack reliever Ryan Shook......  

By Joe Conroy Published: August 10, 2009 COVINGTON—

The Haymarket Senators refused to return home from Covington down two games in the Valley Baseball League championship series. Every time the Lumberjacks threatened to break the tie the two clubs had been locked in since the third inning, the Senators pitchers and defense found a way to escape without surrendering a run. Then, in the 13th inning, Haymarket put a rally of its own together.....

With a week left in the season, Ryan Fecteau lamented his team's ability to get its hitting, pitching and fielding all playing well on one night. Thursday night, in the Valley Baseball League semifinals, Haymarket granted its second-year coach's wish with a victory over No. 6 New Market in which the Senators executed all three facets to virtual perfection.....

The Haymarket Senators’ ownership group knew there would be concerns when they took over the struggling franchise late in the 2007 season. But having made the Valley Baseball League postseason two years in a row — as well as winning its first playoff series in history Monday — the previously embattled club is erasing those ugly memories of possible contraction.......

Grant Sasser peered in to catcher Evan Noell for the 0-2 sign, receiving a request for a changeup. The N.C. State left-hander agreed, reared back and hurled the offering that danced just under Zac Caito’s bat—strike three. And with that pitch, history was made for the Haymarket Senators franchise....

For the second night in a row, the wild card Haymarket Senators hammered South Division champion Staunton, this time 7-2, knocking the Braves out of the Valley Baseball League playoffs while sweeping the first two games of the best-of-three opening series...

Haymarket looked every bit like a team still battling for its postseason life Thursday night at Bridgeforth Field. The Senators scored runs in six of the first seven innings and kept Winchester's suddenly slumping offense in check on their way to a 9-3 Valley Baseball League victory over the Royals before a crowd of 500 fans....

Grant Sasser hadn’t been the starting pitcher since 2007, but Valley Baseball League opponents wouldn’t know it from the success he’s had against them this summer. The last time a coach tabbed him to open a game was while he was a senior at C.B Aycock High School in Freemont, N.C. But this year Sasser asked Haymarket Senators coach Ryan Fecteau to give him a trial as a starter..........

From the pregame home run derby to the final out of the ninth inning, the first-ever Mid-Atlantic Summer Classic didn’t disappoint anyone who came to the game Wednesday night......

The Valley Baseball League recently announced its selections for the annual all-star game to be held July 12 at Central High School in Woodstock. The Haymarket Senators will send five players to the home of the River Bandits to represent the six northern-most teams, including expected starting third baseman Greg Hopkins......

Since arriving in Haymarket with eye-popping offensive numbers, every time Greg Hopkins steps into the batter’s box, his Senators teammates and coaches expect something big to happen for their team............

The Haymarket Senators are one of the hottest teams in the Valley Baseball League right now, winning five of their last six games entering Monday night’s road contest at New Market. The roll has pushed the Senators to second in the North Division at 3-3 against division opponents and 6-4 overall. Perhaps the biggest factor in the recent hot streak has been the pitching that head coach Ryan Fecteau has received from his staff......

After starting the year 0-2, including a 10-1 loss in their home opener, the Haymarket Senators were winners of their last two games and owned an even 3-3 mark entering last night’s rescheduled contest at Winchester. The first win of the year didn’t come easy, either, forcing the summer wood-bat league team to wait 14 innings before filling the ‘W’ column June 11 when they beat Harrisonburg 6-5. “They say the first one is toughest,” Haymarket head coach Ryan Fecteau said. “All the games are usually dogfights with the wood bats. Our pitching has been pretty good so far.”........

Last season the Haymarket Senators saw one of their most successful seasons in recent history, pushing away unpleasant memories of bankruptcy and team sales in favor of a playoff appear-ance. The Senators, members of the Valley Baseball League, won 18 games last year, including one against top-seed Waynesboro in the first round of postseason play. To build on that success will take focus, says second-year manager Ryan Fecteau. "For me, last year came down to 'who wants it more?'" Fecteau said. "Even at the college level, it's not always talent that wins. Talent obviously helps—it's going to win you a lot of games—but when it comes down to it in a playoff setting, it's which team wants it more?" Perhaps no one on Haymarket's roster this year epitomizes that sentiment than outfielder Joe Conforti, entering his third and final season with the Senators.........

The Senators are pleased to have Ryan Fecteau return as their Head Coach this season.  Fecteau, University of South Carolina - Upstate, has been busy during the off-season putting together another strong Senators team for 2009.  Although there are many new faces who will be wearing the Haymarket "H" this year, we are thrilled to have four returning players from 2008 who will look to lead the Senators to a championship.  Outfielder, Joe Conforti, (Wagner College) reigning VBL All-Star Game MVP and third-time Senator; Outfielder, Wayne Miller (Samford University); Pitcher, Grant Sasser (NC State University) and Outfielder, Andrew Lawrence (Boston College) bring plenty of VBL experience back to Haymarket.  Coach Fecteau has also hired Assistant Coach Mike Martin (Utah Valley University) to join him on the bench this season.  With opening night just around the corner, the Senators are excited about 2009!!

We are currently looking for host Families for players, volunteers for game day operations, and corporate sponsors.  If you are interested in getting involved with, and being a part of the Senators family, please contact us at haymarketsenators@hotmail.com

The Haymarket Senators are proud to offer an opportunity for high school students to earn volunteer credit for graduation, National Honor Society, etc. during Senators' home games at Battlefield High School in Haymarket.  For more information, or to apply, contact Robin Schaffler at haymarketsenators@hotmail.com.