`VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT'

OPENING DAY IS ONLY DAYS AWAY AND THE SLOVAK "ORANGE" IS READY FOR THE CHALLENGE.WE`RE READY TO DEFEND THE WASHINGTON DIVISION AND MAKE ANOTHER RUN FOR THE MINOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP!

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HISTORY BUFFS,IF YOU CLICK ON "MY SITE NEWS",YOU CAN SEE WHERE AND WHAT FORMER SLOVAK PLAYERS ARE DOING THESE DAYS.IF YOU ARE A FORMER PLAYER OR KNOW OF ONE,PLEASE CONTACT US AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU`VE BEEN DOING.
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SLOVAK FANS, CHECK OUT OUR "ALBUMS" ON THE SIDE MENU TO SEE OUR SLOVAKS IN ACTION!! THANKS TO LAURA KSIAZK FOR THE GREAT SHOTS DURING THE SEASON!

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GAME 1: 5/21/08     SLOVAK 10  FIREFIGHTERS 5

SLOVAK CLUB OPENED THE SEASON WITH A BIG 6 RUN FIRST INNING ON THE WAY TO A 10-5 WIN OVER FIREFIGHTERS.THE SLOVAKS ERUPTED WITH 15 HITS INCLUDING SETH HANCOCK(1 SINGLE), JAYDON KENDER(2 SINGLES), UTAH VENSON(3 HITS INCLUDING A DOUBLE), JUAN TORRES(2 HITS), HAY-LEE HENDERSON(2 HITS), JEREMY MALDONADO(2 HITS), JUSTIN BURGOS(A DOUBLE AND SINGLE), AND BRANDON HOLCOMB(A SINGLE).PITCHERS UTAH VENSON(6 K`s,2 BB), JUAN TORRES(5 K`S,3 BB) AND JAYDON KENDER(3 K`s,1 BB) DID THE JOB ON THE MOUND. VENSON WAS ALSO THE WINNING PITCHER.   

GAME 2: 5/23/08    SLOVAK 5  POLICE 0

PITCHERS JIMMY STRASKO(6 K`s,1 BB), JAYDON KENDER(5 K`s,1 BB) AND JUAN TORRES(6 K`s,0 BB) HANDCUFFED THE POLICE WHILE TOSSING NO-HIT BALL FOR 6 INNINGS. OFFENSIVELY, THE SLOVAKS JUMPED AHEAD WITH FOUR RUNS IN THE FIRST INNING AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. LEADING THE WAY WAS JUAN TORRES WITH A TRIPLE AND RBI, UTAH VENSON WITH A HIT AND TWO RUNS SCORED, JIMMY STRASKO WITH A SINGLE AND A RUN SCORED AND JEREMY MALDONADO AND BRANDON HOLCOMB EACH COLLECTING BASE HITS. STRASKO GETS THE WIN ON THE MOUND. 

GAME 3: 5/25/08  SLOVAK 5  USWA 4 

SLOVAK CLUB MOVED TO 3-0 DEFEATING A DETERMINED USWA TEAM IN MINOR LEAGUE ACTION. JIMMY STRASKO HAD A SINGLE AND ALSO SCORED TWO RUNS. JEREMY MALDONADO AND LUIS CAMACHO ALSO HAD BASE HITS FOR SLOVAK.SETH HANCOCK, JAYDON KENDER AND UTAH VENSON EACH SCORED A RUN AS WELL. JAYDON KENDER PICKED UP HIS FIRST WIN ON THE MOUND WHILE STRIKING OUT 5 AND ONLY WALKING ONE. JIMMY STRASKO(6 K`s,3 BB) AND UTAH VENSON(6 K`s,1 BB) ALSO PITCHED WELL.

GAME 4: 5/28/08   SLOVAK 2   ROTARY CLUB 1

BASEBALL IS A STRANGE GAME SOMETIMES! THE SLOVAKS "WALKED" TO A  2-1 VICTORY TONIGHT --WITHOUT A HIT! GO FIGURE!! WE`RE NOT COMPLAINING; YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. THIS WAS A DEFENSIVE GEM WITH GREAT PITCHING AND GOOD PLAYS BY BOTH TEAMS. JIMMY STRASKO(5K`s,2 BB), UTAH VENSON(3 K`s,0 BB) AND WINNING PITCHER JAYDON KENDER(5K`s,2 BB) KEPT THE ORANGE CLOSE THROUGHOUT THE GAME. STILL TRAILING 1-0 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH ROTARY WALKED THE BASES LOADED.LUIS CAMACHO AND THOMAS TAYLOR SCORED THE TYING AND WINNING RUNS RESPECTIVELY. SETH HANCOCK PLAYED A SOLID SECOND BASE AS WELL.

GAME 5: 5/30/08  CENTURYTEL 10 SLOVAK 8

CENTURYTEL HAD SLOVAK`S NUMBER IN A BATTLE OF UNBEATENS. UTAH VENSON HAD A DOUBLE AND SINGLE, GOOD FOR 3 RBI`s. JUAN TORRES CONNECTED FOR A HOMERUN AND 2 RBI`s. JAYDON KENDER, JIMMY STRASKO, AND THOMAS TAYLOR ALL SINGLED. SETH HANCOCK AND STEVEN ADAMS ADDED A RUN EACH. THE PITCHING BROKE DOWN TONITE WHILE ISSUING 9 BB`s. THE SLOVAKS DROP TO 4-1 ON THE SEASON.

GAME 6: 6/1/08   SLOVAK 8 ROSITANO 1

SLOVAK CLUB GOT THE TRAIN BACK ON THE TRACK AS THEY REBOUNDED WITH AN 8-1 WIN OVER ROSITANO. JUAN TORRES LED THE OFFENSE WITH TWO HITS INCLUDING A DOUBLE, TWO RUNS SCORED AND A RBI. UTAH VENSON HAD A BASE HIT AND 3 RBI`s. HAY-LEE HENDERSON ADDED A SINGLE, WHILE THOMAS TAYLOR, STEVEN ADAMS, SETH HANCOCK, JAYDON KENDER, AND JIMMY STRASKO ALL SCORED RUNS. UTAH VENSON(5 K`s,2 BB) GOT THE WIN AND IS 2-0 ON THE YEAR. JAYDON KENDER(5 K`s,5 BB) AND JUAN TORRES(2 K`s,4 BB) ALSO PITCHED FOR THE ORANGE.

GAME 7: SLOVAK 9  CITY CLUB 1

UTAH VENSON LED THE OFFENSE WITH A HOMERUN AND TWO RUNS SCORED. JUAN TORRES CLUBBED A RBI DOUBLE, WHILE SETH HANCOCK HAD A RBI SINGLE AND SCORED A RUN. HAY-LEE HENDERSON ALSO SINGLED FOR THE ORANGE. JAYDON KENDER, LUIS CAMACHO, THOMAS TAYLOR AND STEVEN ADAMS ALL SCORED RUNS IN THE CONTEST. TORRES (5 K`s,2 BB) WAS THE WINNING PITCHER. JAYDON KENDER(5 K`s,5 BB) ALSO PITCHED.

GAME 8:  GROSS PLUMBING 10 SLOVAK 5

 SLOVAK CLUB SPRUNG SEVERAL LEAKS AS THE PLUMBERS TOOK IT TO THE ORANGE 10-5. UTAH VENSON`S HOT BAT CONTINUED WITH ANOTHER HOMERUN, SINGLE AND TWO RUNS SCORED.SETH HANCOCK RIPPED A DOUBLE AND SCORED ONCE AND JUAN TORRES SINGLED AND SCORED TO ROUND OUT THE HITTING. THOMAS TAYLOR ACCOUNTED FOR THE FIFTH RUN OF THE GAME. JAYDON KENDER(3 K`s,3 BB) SUFFERED THE LOSS ON THE MOUND. THE SLOVAKS ARE NOW 6-2 ON THE YEAR.

GAME 9: SLOVAK 9  QUALITY DOORS 4

HAY-LEE HENDERSON PUT ON A HITTING CLINIC COLLECTING 3 HITS INCLUDING A GRAND SLAM HOMERUN IN THE FIRST INNING. JUAN TORRES ALSO SMASHED A GRAND SLAM AND A SINGLE AS WELL. UTAH VENSON CONTINUED HIS HOT STREAK WITH A TRIPLE AND SINGLE. SETH HANCOCK AND JAYDON KENDER BOTH SINGLED AND SCORED AS WELL. JIMMY STRASKO, BRANDON HOLCOMB, JUSTIN BURGOS, LUIS CAMACHO, THOMAS TAYLOR AND STEVEN ADAMS ALL SCORED IN THE GAME. JUAN TORRES(3 K`s,1 BB) COLLECTED THE WIN ON THE MOUND AND SETH HANCOCK(5 K`s,2 BB) MADE HIS DEBUT ON THE RUBBER.

GAME 10: 6/13/08   SLOVAK 10   P.C.CAMPANA 0

THUNDERSTORMS COULDN`T STOP THE SLOVAK CLUB FROM GETTING THEIR 8TH WIN OF THE SEASON. THE SLOVAKS CREATED THEIR OWN THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AS UTAH VENSON CONTINUED TO DOMINATE MINOR LEAGUE PITCHERS WITH 3 HITS INCLUDING A BLISTERING HOMERUN. JUAN TORRES HAMMERED A DOUBLE AND HAY-LEE HENDERSON, JIMMY STRASKO AND LUIS CAMACHO ALL SINGLED, WHILE JUSTIN BURGOS,  THOMAS TAYLOR,  SETH HANCOCK AND STEVEN ADAMS ALL SCORED RUNS BEFORE THE STORMS ROLLED IN. UTAH VENSON(4 K`s,0 BB) GOT THE WIN WITH GOOD RELIEF FROM JAYDON KENDER(3 K`s,1 BB).

GAME 11:  6/15/08    SLOVAK 22   CHAPMANS 4

SLOVAK CLUB TREATED OUR DADS TO A FATHER`S DAY WIN BY A 22-4 COUNT. JUAN TORRES BLASTED A HOMERUN AND SINGLE; UTAH VENSON DOUBLE AND JUSTIN BURGOS CRACKED A BASE HIT AS WELL. EVERY SLOVAK SCORED AT LEAST ONCE IN THE CONTEST! JIMMY STRASKO(3 K`s,5 BB) PICKS UP THE WIN WITH SETH HANCOCK(3 K`s,1 BB) DOING A NICE JOB OF RELIEF.

GAME 12: 6/15/08    SLOVAK 15   K of C 4

THE SLOVAKS MOVED TO 10-2 ON THE SEASON WITH A SOUND WIN OVER KNIGHTS. SOLID HITTING WAS THE KEY TONGHT WITH JEREMY MALDONADO COLLECTING TWO HITS INCLUDING A DOUBLE AND 4 RBI`s. UTAH VENSON WITH TWO MORE HITS AND THREE RUNS. HAY-LEE HENDERSON ADDED A PAIR OF HITS AND TWO RBI`s. JUAN TORRES RIPPED A TRIPLE WITH 2 RBI`s. SETH HANCOCK AND BRANDON HOLCOMB EACH SINGLED FOR THE ORANGE. JUAN TORRES(5 K`s,3 BB) PICKED UP THE WIN ON THE MOUND WHILE JAYDON KENDER(4 K`s, 2 BB) PROVIDED THE RELIEF.

GAME 13   6/18/08     SLOVAK 18   GIDICH 3

IN A MATCH-UP OF LAST YEARS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THE SLOVAK ORANGE CAME OUT ON TOP BY A 18-3 COUNT. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OFFENSE AS WELL AS DEFENSE. JUAN TORRES HAD A TRIPLE AND SINGLE.UTAH VENSON AND JIMMY STRASKO BOTH DOUBLED WHILE SETH HANCOCK, JAYDON KENDER, HAY-LEE HENDERSON, JUSTIN BURGOS AND JEREMY MALDONADO ALL SINGLED.LUIS CAMACHO, THOMAS TAYLOR AND STEVEN ADAMS ALL TALLIED RUNS TO ROUND OUT THE SCORING.UTAH VENSON(4 K`s,2 BB) GOT THE WIN.JAYDON KENDER(5 K`s,0 BB) FACED A MINIMUM 6 BATTERS AS DID JUAN TORRES(3 K`s) FOR ONE INNING. SLOVAK MOVES TO 11-2 ON THE  SEASON.

GAME 14:  6/20/08    SLOVAK 7   KIWANIS 1

SLOVAK CLUB BROKE A 1-1 TIE IN THE THIRD INNING WITH 6 RUNS ON THEIR WAY TO A 7-1 VICTORY. UTAH VENSON DRILLED A DOUBLE. SETH HANCOCK SINGLED AND SCORED, AS DID JAYDON KENDER. JEREMY MALDONADO HAD THE ONLY OTHER HIT FOR SLOVAK. HAY-LEE HENDERSON, JIMMY STRASKO, JUSTIN BURGOS AND STEVEN ADAMS EACH SCORED A RUN FOR THE ORANGE.JAYDON KENDER(4 K`s,3 BB) GOT THE WIN TONIGHT.UTAH VENSON(3 K`s,0 BB) AND JIMMY STRASKO(2 K`s,3 BB) ALSO PITCHED IN THE WIN.

GAME 15:  6/22/08    SLOVAK 4   CITY CLUB 2

THE SLOVAKS HELD OFF A DETERMINED CITY CLUB TEAM IN A RAIN SHORTENED GAME.THREE HITS WAS ALL THE OFFENSE THE ORANGE COULD MUSTER. UTAH VENSON, HAY-LEE HENDERSON AND JEREMY MALDONADO ALL SINGLED. HENDERSON ALSO SCORED A RUN AS DID SETH HANCOCK, JAYDON KENDER AND JIMMY STRASKO. KENDER(4 K`s,1 BB) PICKED UP THE WIN. SETH HANCOCK(5 K`s,0 BB) AND UTAH VENSON(2 K`s,0 BB) HELPED HOLD CITY CLUB TO JUST ONE HIT.IT WAS THE BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCE SO FAR THIS YEAR FROM THE YOUNG SLOVAKS.THE WIN MOVES THE ORANGE TO AN IMPRESSIVE 13-2 ON THE YEAR.

GAME 16:  6/25/08     SLOVAK 5   ROSITANO 5

SLOVAK CLUB HAD TO FIGHT, SCRATCH,AND CLAW THEIR WAY TO SCORE 4 RUNS IN THE TOP OF THE 6TH INNING TO HOLD ON TO A 5-5 TIE. SETH HANCOCK HAD A PAIR OF BASE HITS, SCORED TWICE AND ADDED A RBI AS WELL. UTAH VENSON HAD A HIT,SCORED A RUN WITH ONE RIBBIE.JUAN TORRES HAD A DOUBLE AND A RBI TOO. BRANDON HOLCOMB AND THOMAS TAYLOR ALSO SCORED A RUN EACH AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS NO WINNING PITCHER BUT, JUAN TORRES(6 K`s,4 BB), JAYDON KENDER(2 K`s,1 BB), SETH HANCOCK(4 K`s,3 BB) AND UTAH VENSON(3 K`s,1 BB) ALL SHARED THE PITCHING DUTIES.

GAME 17:  7/2/08    SLOVAK 5   QUALITY DOOR 1

THE SLOVAKS ENDED THE REGULAR SEASON WITH A VERY IMPRESSIVE 14-2-1 RECORD AS THEY DEFEATED QUALITY DOOR BY A 5-1 COUNT. HAY-LEE HENDERSON ACCOUNTED FOR 2 SINGLES,1 RUN AND 1 RBI. UTAH VENSON HAD A BASE HIT AND SCORED TWICE. BRANDON HOLCOMB ADDED A SINGLE AS WELL.SETH HANCOCK AND JAYDON KENDER ALSO SCORED A RUN EACH FOR THE ORANGE. KENDER(5 K`s,0 BB) AND HANCOCK(5 K`s,0 BB) WERE LIGHTS OUT ON THE MOUND, EACH FACING THE MINIMUM 6 BATTERS. UTAH VENSON(2 K`s,2 BB) MOPPED UP THE LAST TWO INNINGS. JIMMY STRASKO ENDED THE GAME BY THROWING A LASER SHOT TO JUAN TORRES TO CUT DOWN A WOULD-BE BASE STEALER.

AND NOW THE SECOND SEASON BEGINS!! IT`S PLAY-OFF TOURNAMENT TIME!

GAME 18:  7/11/08   SLOVAK 5  CITY CLUB 3

THE SLOVAKS SCORED THREE RUNS IN THE FIRST INNING AND HELD OFF A LATE CITY CLUB RALLY TO ESCAPE WITH A 5-3 VICTORY.UTAH VENSON HAD PAIR OF SINGLES AND SCORED TWICE.HAY-LEE HEDRESON,SETH HANCOCK AND JEREMY MALDONADO ALL HAD BASE HITS AS WELL.JAYDON KENDER(5 K`s,2 BB) GOT THE WIN ON THE MOUND WITH HELP FROM SETH HANCOCK(3 K`s,1 BB) AND UTAH VENSON(4 K`s,1 BB). THE COACHES CITED GOOD DEFENSIVE PLAYS BY SETH HANCOCK,HAY-LEE HENDERSON ,STEVEN ADAMS AND UTAH VENSON.

GAME 19:  7/13/08   SLOVAK 9    POLICE 1

 SLOVAK SCORED 6 TIMES IN THE FIRST INNING AND TOOK NO PRISONERS IN THIS SECOND ROUND OF PLAY-OFFS.SETH HANCOCK HAD A PAIR OF BASE HITS AND SCORED ONCE.JUAN TORRES HAD A SINGLE,A RUN SCORED AND 3 RBI`s.JIMMY STRASKO ADDED A DOUBLE AND RBI.JAYDON KENDER AND HAY-LEE HENDERSON BOTH HAD A HIT,RUN AND RBI.JEREMY MALDONADO SINGLED,UTAH VENSON SCORED TWICE,JUSTIN BURGOS ADDED A RBI AND STEVEN ADAMS SCORED A RUN IN THE VICTORY.JAYDON KENDER(3 K`s,4 BB) GOT THE WIN ON THE MOUND WITH HELP FROM JIMMY STRASKO(4 K`s,2 BB) AND JUAN TORRES(6 K`s,2 BB).HAY-LEE HENDERSON HAD THE PLAY OF THE GAME AT THIRD BASE AND SETH HANCOCK MADE A NICE DEFENSIVE STOP AT SECOND BASE AS WELL.

GAME 20: 7/15/08   SLOVAK 2  GROSS 1

SLOVAK CLUB ADVANCED TO THE MINOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP BY DEFEATING #1 SEED GROSS PLUMBING IN A HARD FOUGHT 2-1 WIN.JUAN TORRES LED THE OFFENSE WITH A DOUBLE AND TRIPLE.JAYDON KENDER HAD A DOUBLE AND RBI,SETH HANCOCK HAD A SINGLE AND SCORED A RUN,WHILE UTAH VENSON SINGLED.JIMMY STRASKO HAD THE GAME WINNING RBI WITH A DOUBLE IN THE 4TH INNING.AND ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME TIMELY HITTING,IT WAS THE PITCHING AND DEFENSE THAT WON THIS CONTEST FOR THE ORANGE.JUAN TORRES(4 K`s,3 BB) PICKED UP THE VICTORY.JAYDON KENDER(6 K`s,2 BB) AND JIMMY STRASKO(1 K,2 BB) ALSO PITCHED,BUT IT WAS "COOL HAND LUKE"(SETH HANCOCK) WHO CAME INTO THE GAME IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 6TH INNING WITH RUNNERS ON 1ST AND 3RD AND NOBODY OUT.HE GOT THE FIRST BATTER TO POP OUT TO THE PITCHER AND THE NEXT BATTER TO LINE OUT TO UTAH VENSON AT SECOND BASE WHO THREW TO JAYDON KENDER AT FIRST FOR THE GAME ENDING DOUBLE PLAY.JAYDON ASO TURNED AN UNASSISTED DOUBLE PLAY AT FIRST BASE BACK IN THE 4TH INNING. MRS.DILLON WAS AWARDED THE GAME BALL FOR HER BIRTHDAY.CONGRADULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE SLOVAK CLUB TEAM...WELL DONE! NOW LET`S GET 'R' DONE GANG!!