Left to right – Rocky Capobianco, Lawrence Nesselrodt, Issac Wengert and Loren Torres.
Kingsport – 60 minutes into prepping all 95 players names and 14 Coaches names I am willing to declare myself almost ready to head over to Hunter Wright Stadium 🏟.
Game 1 (11:00) will have Bluefield State playing our Golden Bears 🐻.
Game 2 – Bluefield State versus Point Park
Game 3 – Point Park versus our Golden Bears 🐻
Somewhere in between will be Jersey Mike’s and afterwards a team dinner. Thankfully the Hampton Inn takes care of a Hot Breakfast !
Minor League Ballpark that will become the 500th ➕ place where I have held a 🎤🎙🎤 so adding to the list is always fun.
Both of our opponents today are NCAA Division 2 teams, where we play in the NAIA. The biggest difference is that both games of everyones double header will be scheduled for 9 innings instead of 7 innings.
Maybe 10 hours of Baseball ⚾️ today lies ahead and then back to the Hotel 🏨.
Bluefield State is in the CIAA and Point Park just made the jump up from our league last year, up to the Mountain East Conference. The Pioneer program is led by Skipper Loren Torres, who is a great ambassador to the game of baseball.
Rocky Capobianco is his Associate Head Coach and equally personable. It will be fun this season to follow their efforts in their new league as they are an easy group to pull for.
Bluefield State is coached by Skipper Scott Considine. Scott spent a stretch in our Golden Bears program and has been around the game for quite some time. Dedicated is the word I would use for Scott.
Next weekend our season opens for real as we travel to Midway, Kentucky for our league opening series against Midway. This will be PPU’s season opener so they are ready to break the seal on their new journey.
Bluefield State leads the way with eight games played as we have managed to get six in so far.
It’s almost time for the two greatest words in all of Sports – Play Ball !
Tempature watch – 8:30 am – 25°
9:30 am – 33°
10:30 – 37° and rising
1st pitch slated for 11:10 am
First Pitch – 11:14am 39°
Top 1st, Bluefield State scores 1 unearned run.
Bottom 1st – 3 up, 3 down
Kelley strikes out the side – Top 2nd, six K’s
Golden Bears 🐻 tie it up at 1-1, after 2
Kelley now has 9 K’s through 3 innings
Golden Bears 🐻 group three singles and plate the lead run, 2-1 after three !
Middle 4th, 2-1, Kelley 10 K’s
Bottom 4th is done, still up 2-1
Kelley must be Butter 🧈 because he is on a Roll !!! Still up 2-1
Golden Bears 🐻 leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th. Still 2-1, Top 6th now.
Kelley pitches around two singles with his 11th and 12th K’s. Now B6th
Exciting finish in the top of the 7th, including a play at the plate.
Golden Bears 🐻 Baseball ⚾️ wins 2-1 at 1pm…
Game 2 will be a 9 inning game
I will be announcing but not updating until we play again.
3:40 – Final Score, Point Park 14, Bluefield State 2, 7 inning mercy rule…
4:15 – ETA for 1st Pitch of Game 3
4:20 – First Pitch, 48°
Golden Bears 🐻 are visiting team.
Top 1st – 3 up, 3 down
Bottom 1st – PP 2 run Homer.
Top 2nd – 3up, 3 down
Bottom 2nd – Pioneers go quietly
Top 3rd – We get our first hit, strand runner at 2nd.
Bottom 3rd – Rough half inning as Pioneers sent 10 to the plate 🍽 and four score.
Top 4th – 3 up, 3 down
Bottom 4th – We give up 3 runs on No Hits, trail 9-0.
Top 5th – 3 up, 3 down
Bottom 5th – we hold them
Top 6th – 3 up, 3 down
Bottom 6th – We hold them, we are going the distance !!!
Top 7th – 3 good swings, including one from PH Logan Spurlock but its over at 6:15pm
Golden Bears 🐻 0-1-4
Pioneers. 9-5-0
Good Night for now
A.S.P.N on The Hill 