New Orleans Spice Baseball: Welcome
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Welcome to the official website of the New Orleans Spice baseball team!
New Orleans Spice Baseball is a NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED elite summer and fall baseball program for high school and college players that was founded in the early 1990s by New Orleans' prominent baseball figure Coach Wally Pontiff, Sr. to give players in the New Orleans metro area a chance to excel at high levels of baseball competition across the state, region, and country.
The Spice, under Head Coach Danny Riehm, has participated in many national events and most notably captured the Senior Division Dizzy Dean World Series Championship in 2006, 2007, and 2012 with a runner up finish in 2008.
The goal of the New Orleans Spice program is three-fold: (1) Give players great exposure to both college and professional scouts to help them advance in their careers, (2) Properly prepare players to be well respected, key contributors at the high school and/or college levels, and (3) Teach players how to work within a team concept, ultimately preparing them for the "game of life."
Also! The New Orleans Spice program has a tremendous track record of sending players on to collegiate and professional levels! Spice players have been seen from the college campuses of LSU and Stanford to the professional stadiums of the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves.
Sunday, October 28
The New Orleans Spice high school fall baseball team will conclude the fall season on Sunday, November 4th at Southeastern Louisiana University.
The team will play at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm against Team Louisiana from Lafayette and the Hammond Yankees.
Players should report to SLU for 1:00 pm and bring an extra shirt so that your jersey can be turned in at the end of the day.
Geaux Spice!
Friday, October 12
Coming off of a 2012 Dizzy Dean Baseball national championship...
The New Orleans Spice baseball club is beginning the process of putting together our 2013 19 and under summer baseball roster.
This team will compete against only the best local, regional and national competition! The summer schedule is primarily played at D1 college baseball parks.
All interested high school seniors and college freshmen should contact head coach Danny Riehm via e-mail at dannyriehm@aol.com
Geaux Spice!
Monday, September 17
Congratulations to Coach Oliver Lacoste and the high school fall New Orleans Spice squad on sweeping the Louisiana Knights in a double header on Saturday, Sep 15th at Northlake Christian High School in Covington.
The team won the first game by a score of 6-0 and then won the second game in dramatic, come from behind fashion, 9-8. Travis Bruzeau of East Jefferson High School drove in the tying and winning runs with a base hit.
The team will next be in action on Saturday, Sep 22nd at 12:30 PM vs Delgado Community College and the Southland Hogs at 2:30 PM, both games are at Kirsch Rooney Stadium.
Geaux Spice!
Saturday, August 25
Brady Williamson and Jonathan Lee of the 2010 New Orleans Spice fall baseball team recently helped lead Jesuit based Retif Oil to the American Legion national championship!
This was the first American Legion national title for a Jesuit based legion team in 52 years. The other American Legion national titles at Jesuit High School came in both 1946 and 1960.
We congratulate these young men and their families on an outstanding accomplishment!
Saturday, August 25
The New Orleans Spice organization is proud to announce that Gavin Culpepper, Ray Winter, Marc Picciola and Joey Harris of the 2011 Spice summer team and Blake Prest of the 2011 fall baseball team have signed to play Division 1 college baseball.
Culpepper, a RHP from Belle Chasse High School and Mississippi Gulf Coast Jr College, has signed with Southeastern Louisiana University.
Winter, a RHP from Brother Martin High School and Copiah Lincoln Jr College, has signed with the University of New Orleans.
Picciola, a INF/RHP from St. Charles Catholic and LSU Eunice Jr College, has signed with Nicholls State University.
Harris, an OF from Mississippi Gulf Coast Jr College, has signed with the University of Southern Mississippi.
Prest, a RHP from Holy Cross High School, has signed with the University of New Orleans.
Spice head coach Danny Riehm had this to say about these accomplishments -
"It is always very exciting and rewarding to see our players advance their careers to the collegiate level. This is one of our key missions for the program. We work hard to help players open up doors to the college ranks and these young men were able to take advantage of their opportunities. They are all fine young men who will make positive impacts at their respective colleges.
It will be fun to watch their careers progress at such a high level of baseball. We wish them the absolute best."
Sunday, August 5
The New Orleans Spice organization would like to officially announce that every player from the summer of 2012 roster will be getting the opportunity to play collegiate baseball!
Congratulations to these young men and their families!
Nicholls State University - Justin Sinibaldi, Zach Thiac, Jace Cheramie, Alex Tucker, Alex Becnel, Michael Mentzer, Grant Borne and Cole Wilson
University of New Orleans - Jonathan Coco, Seth Laigast and Nathan Rome
Delgado Community College - Tyler Hannan and Alex Brennan
LSU Eunice - Ray Veit and Ben Leblanc
Loyola University - Allen Newman and Brian Reaney
Baton Rouge Community College - Jared Keating, Austin Vicknair and Kelby Blalock
Spice head coach Danny Riehm had this to say about such a large number of players moving on...
"It is great to see these young men get the opportunity to play collegiate baseball. It is a well deserved honor for them.
They were extremely committed to our team goal this summer and are now champions, which is something that can never be taken away.
These young men are well prepared to be key contributors at their respective colleges. The rigors of our summer program will have them battle tested and on top of their game as they begin fall workouts.
We wish them nothing but the best!"
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| Jeremy Bleich - Newman High School, Stanford University, and New York Yankees |
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| Jordan Poirrier - Riverside High School and Louisiana Lafayette |
Ben Soignier - West Monroe - Alabama
Trey Simon - Destrehan - LSU
BJ Rodrigue - Br.Martin - St. Louis University
Matt Adams - Br. Martin - Loyola New Orleans
Nick Pontiff - Jesuit - LSU
Andrew Lassere - Destrehan - Louisiana Tech
Landon Braud - Hahnville - Louisiana Tech
Kyle Mineo - Hahnville - Louisiana Lafayette
Tony Suarez - Curtis - Southeastern La.
Matt Gaudet - Rummel - LSU
Paul Bertuccini - Rummel - LSU
Tyrone Wethers - Destrehan - UNO
Jeremy Bleich - Newman - Stanford - New York Yankees
Josh Borges - Belle Chasse - Loyola New Orleans
Dustin Gilmore - Curtis - Southeastern La.
Andrew Laiche - Br Martin - Loyola New Orleans
Rhett Abraham - Salmen - Northwestern State
Jeb Huber - Mandeville - Southeastern Louisiana University
Stephen Pugh - Ponchatoula - Spring Hill
Ryan Collins - Chalmette - Southeastern Louisiana University
Bryn Thompson - Ponchatoula - McNeese St.
Matt Heltz - St.Charles - UNO
Jordan Poirrier - Riverside - University of Louisiana Lafayette
Kyle Olasin - St.Charles - University of Louisiana Lafayette
Chris Lizana - St.Paul's - Loyola New Orleans
Robbie Breaux - ED White - Nicholls St.
Blake Gillies - Br.Martin - Huntingdon College
Bobby Osburn - Mandeville - Millsaps College
Brandon Bravata - Redemptorist - LSU Shreveport
Ted Oser - St. Paul's - Nicholls St.
David Nolting - Salmen - Southern
Randy Verdin - Ehret - UNO
John Pivach - Jesuit - UNO
Craig Schnell - Jesuit - UNO
Mike Oncale - St. Charles Catholic - Enterprise Jr College
BJ Cancienne - St. Charles Catholic - Enterprise Jr College
Adam Roy - Belle Chasse - Northwestern State
Jules Roussel - Destrehan - Southeastern Louisiana
James Callahan - St. Charles Catholic - Loyola New Orleans
Andrew Richardson - St. Paul's - UL Monroe
Brent Hidalgo - Morgan City High - BRCC
Tanner Theriot - Brusly High - BRCC
Taylor Domengeaux - Hahnville High - Loyola New Orleans
KeKe Isaac - Ponchatoula - Alcorn State University
Jordan Prout - Belle Chasse - William Carey University
Kyle Shnowski - Destrehan - Southeastern Louisiana University
Zack Kelt -Salmen - Southeastern Louisiana University
PJ Donnelly - St. Paul's - Southern Miss
Taylor Roy - St. Thomas Aquinas - Southern University
Donnie White - Dutchtown - Nicholls St
Joseph Zimmerman - De La Salle - UL Lafayette
Michael Ballero - Jesuit - UNO
Josh Faciane - Jesuit - UL Monroe
Bubby Riley - Jesuit - Delgado
Brady Williamson - Jesuit - Delgado
Kyle Keller - Jesuit - Southeastern La.
Grant Authement - St. Charles - BRCC
Jacob Benoit - Thibodaux - Nicholls St
Christian Cale - Curtis - UNO
Jonathan Coco - Shaw - UNO
Mitch Corzine - Notre Dame - Nicholls St
Gavin Culpepper - Belle Chasse - Southeastern La.
Joey Harris - St. Patrick's (MS) - Southern Miss
Brady Hitt - St. Charles - Delgado
Jared Keating - St. Charles - BRCC
Allen Newman - Shaw - Loyola
Marc Picciola - St. Charles - Nicholls State
Jacob Rodrigue - ED White - Nicholls State
Casey Rodrigue - Brother Martin - LSU Eunice
Ray Winter - Brother Martin - UNO
and Many More to Come!!!
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| Nick Pontiff - Jesuit High School and LSU |
Sunday, January 1
"One day a father called his six sons together to teach them a lesson that would help them throughout their life. He had already gathered together a bundle of six sticks which he had tied together with string. One by one he asked each of his six sons to try to take the bundle and break it. All six of them FAILED. Then the father took out a knife and cut the string and took out a single stick for each son. He repeated the request that they break the single stick. This time each son broke his stick.
The father then looked at them and said, "When you work together as one, toward a common goal, you resemble the bundle of sticks, and no one can defeat you, but when you quarrel amongst yourselves and worry only about your own achievements, anyone can defeat you one at a time."
Remember - A house or team divided against each other cannot stand or win!
Sunday, June 3
The New Orleans Spice organization would like to congratulate former Spice players Casey Rodrigue of Brother Martin and Marc Picciola of St. Charles Catholic on winning the JUCO Division II National Championship as members of the LSU Eunice baseball team.
Rodrigue, INF, was in his freshmen season and Picciola, INF/P - a transfer from Louisiana Tech, was in his sophomore season.
Great Job!
Sunday, June 3
Behind a stellar mound performance by Jace Cheramie of Central Lafourche, the Spice defeated the Marucci Elite by a score of 2-1 on Sunday at Tulane University's Turchin Stadium.
With the game tied at 1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Spice's Alex Brennan of Rummel scored the winning run on Cole Wilson's fly ball.
Cheramie struck out 11 hitters and scattered only four hits in the outstanding performance!
Go Spice!
Sunday, July 8
In a battle of New Orleans area foes, the New Orleans Spice defeated JPRD East, 6-2, to capture the program's third national championship at the Dizzy Dean World Series in Southaven, MS.
The Spice jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning behind a key two out, two RBI single by Rummel's Ray Veit, which scored Loyola's Allen Newman and UNO's Jonathan Coco. After JPRD East tightened the score up at 3-2 in the top of the sixth, the Spice would extend their lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a bases clearing, two RBI double by Rummel's Tyler Hannan.
An outstanding starting pitching performance by starter Zach Thiac, who picked up the win and also claimed the tournament's MVP honor, led the Spice in the title tilt. The Rummel product Thiac, named tournament MVP, pitched five complete innings before turning it over to former high school teammate Justin Sinibaldi, who tossed the sixth and seventh innings for New Orleans.
Evan Chacon took the loss on the mound for JPRD East, who were playing in their second consecutive Dizzy Dean World Series title game under Grace King head coach Bobby Ledoux.
"We came out very focused today. Our young men gave great effort and defeated a very solid JPRD East team" said Spice head coach Danny Riehm, who has led the team to each of their three national title wins. "We played a sound baseball game in all phases and you just can't say enough about the pitching performances from Zach Thiac and Justin Sinibaldi. Those guys stepped up when our club needed them the most. That's a sign of true champions."
"It is very humbling to capture a third national title for our program. It is a long, tough road from the end of May until the end of July and it takes great commitment and sacrifice from everyone involved" said Riehm. "We are just thrilled for our players. Sharing moments like this with teammates, coaches, parents and fans is what it's all about."
Riehm was again assisted this summer by Oliver Lacoste.
Five New Orleans players were named to the all tournament team -
- Pitcher Zach Thiac of Rummel
- Pitcher Justin Sinibaldi of Rummel
- Catcher Alex Tucker of Catholic BR
- Outfielder Tyler Hannan of Rummel
- First Baseman Jonathan Coco of UNO
You can click the above link to see the official bracket.
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