The PenMar-WV Baseball League will meet Thursday, February 5, at 7 p.m.., at Personal Best Sporting Goods in the Narrows, Cumberland.

   The previously scheduled meeting of Jan. 25 was canceled because of inclement weather.

   The wood bat league's two teams -- the Oakland Oaks and Cumberland Orioles -- merged with the nearby Fayette (Pa.) County League last year, and will be competing again in that league this year, as well as playing several exhibition doubleheaders against the Martinsburg (W.Va.) Blue Sox of the Blue Ridge League. The Oaks finished second in the league last year and the Orioles placed fourth.

  Last year, the Oaks placed second and the Orioles fourth in the Fayette County League regular season. Both advanced to the postseason, with the Oaks finishing runner-up in the playoffs, falling to Uniontown in the championship series. The Oaks finished second in the Maryland Semi-Pro State Championship last August, losing a 1-0 pitchers duel to Carroll County in the final.

   Players interested in finding a team to play on can attend the meeting or contact league officer Terry Helbig at 301-616-0661.

Play ball!

The first pitch of the 2022 baseball season was thrown recently, and although it's not a whole new ball game, it is a whole new league that the Pen-Mar WV League teams find themselves in.

The Pen-Mar League voted unanimously at its last meeting to apply for membership to the Fayette County Baseball League in nearby Fayette County, Pa., for this year. That league accepted the membership request of the Pen-Mar League's Cumberland Orioles and Oakland Oaks, and the expanded seven-team Fayette County League opened its season last week.

The Orioles and Oaks will be full members of the Fayette County League, and will also be playing non-league games against other teams, including the Martinsburg Blue Sox of the Blue Ridge League.

The other teams in the Fayette County League, which plays single games on weekday evenings with the possibility of some doubleheaders, are M&R Transit, Mill Run Millers, Carmichaels Copperheads, Mitch's Bonds and ARH Industries.

This year's move was necessary because the Pen-Mar WV League was down to two teams, Cumberland and Oakland.

"The Pen-Mar WV League has never been down to just two teams and that is what the Cumberland Orioles and Oakland Oaks found themselves in this year," said Pen-Mar WV League President Terry Helbig. "The last two years they played games against teams from the Blue Ridge League. This year only the Martinsburg Blue Sox remained in the Blue Ridge League."

The Pen-Mar WV League is not a stranger to the Fayette County League, as the two leagues used to play all-star games against each other, at Garrett College or Hopwood, Pa. Fayette County League President Ryan Encapera worked to get Oakland and Cumberland into their league this year. They were down to five teams.

"With this new arrangement with seven teams, a total of 18 regular-season games will be played. Oakland and Cumberland will add exhibition games against Martinsburg and others," Helbig said.

Cumberland and Oakland, except for the games against each other, will be playing the Fayette County League teams at neutral sites within the Uniontown, Pa., area of Fayette County.

In early season games, Cumberland beat Oakland 10-2. Oakland then defeated Mitch's Bail Bonds 7-0 and Mill Run 8-1, and lost to Mill Run 4-0.

"We are looking forward to an exciting summer of competitive baseball," Helbig said. "We are very appreciative to be part of Fayette County baseball."

The top four teams in the Fayette County League's regular season advance to best-of-three semifinal and championship series in the postseason. After the Fayette County postseason, the Pen-Mar League will hold a championship series between Cumberland and Oakland for its championship and berth in the Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball championship tournament. A Pen-Mar team, should it finish among the top four teams in the Fayette County League, would have the chance to be Fayette County and Pen-Mar WV league champions.

The Pen-Mar WV League will reassess its future following this season, with the hopes of adding additional local teams from the Cumberland, Md., tri-state area. 

For more information, results and league standings, visit leaguelineup.com/Fayettecountybaseballpa

  The Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball State Championships will be held Saturday at the Hammersmith Hot Stove Complex at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.  This year's Final Four field includes the Oakland Oaks and Cumberland Orioles of the Pen-Mar and Fayette County leagues, the Mason-Dixon Rebels of the South Penn League and the Tri-County Twins of the Eastern Shore League.

  The tournament is single elimination, with semifinals Saturday at 4:15 and the championship at 7:05. Because Oakland and Cumberland are the top two seeds, the longtime Pen-Mar rivals could face each other in the title game.

  At 4:15, top-seeded Oakland, runner-up in the Fayette County League this year, plays fourth-seeded Tri-County at Hamilton Field, while second-seeded Cumberland, a semifinalist in the Fayette County League, takes on Mason-Dixon at Holler Field. The winners play at Memorial Field at 7:05.

  This is the 26th Maryland State tournament, with several having been held in Cumberland. The Cumberland Orioles (2018) and the former Tri-State Titans (2009, 2002) of the Pen-Mar League are former state champions.

The National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Evansville, Indiana, inducted its fifth class on Nov. 10, 2018, and among those entering the hall were players, coaches and league officials of the PenMar-WV League, which recently concluded its 70th consecutive season of operation with the Cumberland Orioles winning the playoff championship as well as the Maryland state championship.

Players of a league that reach the major leagues are automatic inductees to the Semi-Pro Hall of Fame. From the PenMar-WV League, those players were: John Kruk, Leo Mazzone, Sam Perlozzo, Bob Robertson and Tobi Stoner.

Players to inducted into the Semi-Pro Hall of Fame this year were: Basil Armstrong (Bel Air); Gene Decker, Chris Glass, Joe Rowan (Everett); Mike Keel, Vohn Lehman, Mike Mathews, Gene Stair (Hyndman); John Chaney, Jerry Mahoney, Junie Perry (Keyser); Wayne Mathias (Moorefield); Pete Skidmore, Bobby Uhl (Mount Savage); Phil Cook, Rick O'Reilly, Bob Raines, Don Raines (Tri-Towns); Stan Fitzwater, Mike Gustave, John Helmick, Francis Mouse, Tim Mouse, Lawrence Nesselrodt, Mark Tysinger (Oakland).

Several of the listed players played for more than one team during their careers.

Coaches inducted were: Bob Bryant (Hyndman); Phil Caruso, Terry Helbig (Oakland).

Officials inducted were: John Culp, Terry Helbig, Harry "Henskie" Ritchey.

Umpires inducted were: Doug Ellis, Steve Hines, Rick Renotas.

Visit the Cumberland Times-News web site or click on the link below for the full story:

www.times-news.com/sports_local_sports/local-players-coaches-earn-national-honors/article_71dec20c-ee30-59f9-80e3-fe9f8fabb7a7.html

 The Pen-Mar/West Virginia League and the Blue Ridge League, two semi-pro leagues that have combined to win eight Maryland State Championships, have merged into one, with the regular season set to begin on Saturday.

  Both leagues have rich baseball histories.

  The local Pen-Mar League is the second-oldest semi-pro league in Maryland, and among the oldest in the nation, having debuted in 1947 with regular seasons and playoffs every year since. The Cumberland Orioles are the defending league champions and Maryland Semi-Pro State Champions. The Oakland Oaks won last year's regular-season title.

  The Pen-Mar League has sent several former players to the Major Leagues, including Bob Robertson, a World Series champion with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971; John Kruk, a three-time NL All-Star and career .300 hitter with the Padres, Phillies and White Sox; Sam Perlozzo, former Baltimore Orioles manager and coach of the World Series champion Reds in 1990; and Leo Mazzone, pitching coach of the World Series champion Braves in 1995.

  The Blue Ridge League was named in honor of the original Blue Ridge League, which was a Class D league in the old classification system that included Class D to Class AA in the minor leagues. That league had teams from Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland, including the Cumberland Colts in 1917 and 1918, and the Piedmont/Westernport Drybugs in 1918.

  For a short time, several Major League teams had affiliations with teams in the Blue Ridge, including the Cleveland Indians (Frederick); Detroit Tigers (Hanover, Pa.); New York Yankees (Chambersburg, Pa.); St. Louis Cardinals (Waynesboro, Pa.); Philadelphia Athletics (Martinsburg, W.Va.); and the Washington Senators (Hagerstown).

  The league debuted in 1915 and continued until 1930. The current league debuted years later. The Brunswick Orioles won last year's league championship and has had a vice-like grip on the league title. Since 2000, Brunswick won league championships from 2003 to 2013 and again in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

  The Pen-Mar/Blue Ridge merger has formed a seven-team league this year.

  The Pen-Mar teams will be the Cumberland Orioles and Wheelhouse Titans, who will play home games at the Hot Stove Complex at the Allegany County Fairgrounds; the Oakland Oaks, who will play home games at Garrett College; and the Clarksburg Generals, a new team that will play its home games on the artificial turf Frank Loria Field in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

  Although the Generals are a new team, the Pen-Mar League has had Bridgeport, Morgantown, Elkins and Buckhannon teams in the past from West Virginia, in addition to Keyser, Moorefield and Petersburg.

  The Blue Ridge teams are the Brunswick Orioles, who play home games at Brunswick High School; the Martinsburg Blue Sox, who play at Martinsburg High School; and the Maryland Bay Crabs, who play home games at Babe Ruth Field in Thurmont.

  Terry Helbig, Pen-Mar League president, is hopeful of additional expansion in coming years, including the return of former local teams. The Pen-Mar has had teams in many towns in the past, including Westernport, Frostburg and Mt. Savage in Maryland; Hyndman, Bedford and Salisbury in Pennsylvania; and Keyser, Moorefield, Petersburg, Elkins and Morgantown in West Virginia.

  A 24-game schedule, with doubleheaders on weekends, begins Saturday with the Bay Crabs playing the Cumberland Orioles at the Hot Stove Complex, and the Oaks playing the Blue Sox in Martinsburg.

  On Sunday, Clarksburg hosts Oakland, Martinsburg plays the Cumberland Orioles at the Hot Stove Complex, and Brunswick faces the Bay Crabs in Thurmont.

  To reduce travel time and costs, games involving Clarksburg and the new teams from the Blue Ridge League will be played at the Hot Stove Complex.

Bryce Nightengale, a right-handed pitcher who played for the Tri-State Titans and Cumberland Orioles in the PenMar-WV League, was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 16th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

Nightengale was drafted after his junior season at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and was among the Atlantic 10 Conference's top pitchers in several categories. Please visit http://www.times-news.com/sports/local_sports/a-s-draft-nightengale/article_a26b096c-6795-5b82-9e43-a01cb75e095e.html for a draft day story that was featured in the Cumberland Times-News.

Good luck Bryce!

The Cumberland Orioles are not only the PenMar-WV League playoff champions, they are the Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball State Champions.

Chris Wilson's 2-run single in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie, and Joe Glass tossed a two-hitter as the Orioles beat the Maryland Dodgers of the Susquehanna League 3-1 in the tournament championship game Saturday night at Memorial Field at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.

Wilson, who had three of the Orioles five hits, was selected the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

The O's had beaten the defending state champion Brunswick Orioles of the Blue Ridge League 3-1 in the semifinals behind a complete game by Cameron Bratton.

The Orioles, who won $2,018 for winning the 2018 state title, are the second PenMar-WV League team to win the tournament. The Tri-State Titans won it in 2002 and 2009.

 Brian Powell of the Tri-State Titans, a former MVP of the Maryland State Semi-Pro State Tournament, was recently inducted into the National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in Evansville, Indiana.

  A former high school standout at Allegany who was All-Region at Allegany College of Maryland and all-conference at Shepherd University, Powell, 37, has a 157-19 pitching record while playing for the Titans of the PenMar-WV League, the Brunswick Orioles of the Blue Ridge League, and the Susquehanna Assault of the Susquehanna League.

  Read the full story, published in the Cumberland Times-News, by clicking on this link: http://www.times-news.com/sports/local_sports/brian-powell-inducted-into-semi-pro-baseball-hall-of-fame/article_6b9bb9fb-8dc0-5d72-b1b0-17617bdc527b.html

Brooks Carr, who belted a grand slam in the opening game, hit a two-run shot in the final one to help send Oakland to a 4-2 win over Cumberland and give the Oaks the league playoff championship for the second year in a row.

Oakland won the first game of the best-of-three series 8-6. Cumberland took game two on a three-hitter by Cody Ellsworth 7-0, and the Oaks took game three, 4-2, getting the final out with Cumberland having the tying run at second base.

Game 1: Oakland 8-6

Carr's grand slam came during a five-run third inning, and two-run single by Alex Beiler in the sixth boosted the Oakland lead to 8-0.

The Orioles stormed back, with Ben Russell hitting a two-run single in a four-run seventh, and Hunter Jenkins adding an RBI single in the eighth to cut the score to 8-6.

Nathan King to the win, allowing one earned run and eight hits over eight innings. He struck out six. Oakland reliever Jeff Wong struck out three in the ninth for a save. Dan Strietbeck allowed seven hits and fanned seven for Cumberland.

Game 2: Cumberland 7-0

Ellsworth silenced the Oakland bats, allowing only three singles while striking out seven in a seven-inning complete game win.

Ellsworth and Dylan Wilson hit two singles, with Wilson driving in two runs, for Cumberland. Matt Wright and Brent Parrish hit doubles.

Game 3: Oakland 4-2

Carr knocked in three of Oakland's four runs, and his RBI single in the fourth helped stake the Oaks to a 2-0 lead.

After Ellsworth's RBI single in the fifth cut the margin to 2-1, Carr belted a two-run homer in the sixth to increase the Oakland lead to 4-1.

Ellsworth, who had four hits on the day, hit another RBI single in the seventh to make it 4-2, and the O's had runners on second and third when Ryan Valentine got a fly out for the final out of the game, and series.

Cody Jefferys doubled and Hunter Jenkins singled twice for Cumberland.

It was the second league championship in as many seasons for Oakland, which had swept Cumberland in the 2016 series after winning the regular season flag as well. This year, Cumberland won the regular season and Oakland was runner-up.

Oakland (19-6) and Cumberland (23-6) played nine times this year. Cumberland won five times and Oakland four. 

The PenMar-WV League regretfully announces today that longtime league vice president and former Hyndman player, team treasurer and business manager Harry T. ''Henskie'' Ritchey, passed away on his 101st birthday, Saturday, May 12, 2018.

Ritchey, who marked his 100th birthday a year ago with a town get-together and party in Hyndman, Pennsylvania, served as the league''s vice president from 1977 to 2000. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he returned to Hyndman and became the town''s postmaster, a role he greatly enjoyed. Well known and loved by the town's residents, he quickly earned the nickname of "Mr. Hyndman."

Henskie was a fixture in this small PenMar community for decades, a popular, affable figure who lived up to the well-earned moniker of "Mr. Hyndman." Henskie loved Hyndman, and Hyndman loved Henskie. He was a gentleman and a community leader who truly never met a stranger, greeted all he met with a smile and always had a kind, courteous, encouraging word to share.

His attendance at Hyndman home games was a treat to fans and players alike. The moral and verbal support, humor, upbeat and positive attitude, and his famous call for, and passing of, the hat for contributions are legendary, just as Henskie was, and remains.

With condolences to the Ritchey family and the town of Hyndman, and in appreciation for the time and work and dedication to the league over so many years, the PenMar-WV League respectfully dedicates the 2018 season in memory of Harry T. "Henskie'' Ritchey, "Mr. Hyndman."

The Cumberland Orioles, riding a pair of strong pitching performances from Cameron Bratton and Trenton Eirich, swept the regular-season champion Oakland Oaks to win the best-of-three championship series and a berth in the Maryland Semi-Pro State Championship Tournament.

The O's (20-8) beat the Oaks 1-0 in the opening game of the series and 3-1 in the clincher, and will represent the PenMar-WV League in the state tournament on Aug. 18 at the Hot Stove Complex in Cumberland.

In the series opener, Bratton took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, and was just an out away from the no-hitter when Matt Jeffery singled for Oakland.

Ryan Valentine tossed a gem for Oakland and allowed only three singles and one run. The game's only run came in the third when Roy Jefferys singled and scored on a single by Hunter Jenkins.

In the second game, Eirich scattered six hits and allowed only a fifth-inning run. He was staked to a quick lead, as the Orioles scored all three of their runs in the first inning.

Cody Jefferys hit a two-run double in the top of the first inning and scored on an error for the quick 3-0 lead.

Valentine singled and scored on a single by Anthony Gavin for defending playoff champion Oakland (22-4).

The Oakland Oaks defeated the Cumberland Orioles, 5-3 and 10-2, to sweep the PenMar-WV League''s best-of-three championship series.

Oakland, also the regular season champion, finished the year with a 20-2 overall record and qualified to participate in the Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball State Tournament, which will be held Aug. 27 at the Hot Stove Complex in Cumberland. The Orioles, runners-up during the regular season, finished 17-11.

After the 5-3 win in Game 1, the Oaks scored seven times in the first inning of Game 2. James Bolander hit a three-run double in the big inning and finished with two doubles and four RBIs. Cody Humberson doubled and singled, Alex Banko had a single and two RBIs and Fraser Brown added a double and scored three times.

Ross Conley allowed only five hits and struck out seven in a complete game win.

Brent Parrish belted a solo home run Chris Wilson had an RBI single for Cumberland.

Joey Harbach tripled home Timmy Heller with one out in the top of the 10th inning to lead the Susquehanna Assault to a 7-5 victory over the Hagerstown Braves in the 2016 Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball State Championship Game at Memorial Field in Cumberland.

Harbach was later named the game's Most Valuable Player and the Assault, from the Susquehanna League, won its fifth consecutive state title. 

Harbach's triple broke a 5-5 tie. Gilbert Peralta's fielder's choice plated Harbach with an insurance run.

The Braves, of the West Short Twilight League, forced the first extra-inning game in state championship history with a two-out RBI single in the ninth before Assault reliever and winning pitcher Jake Ferrante came on to get the third out with runners on the corners.

Hagerstown led 4-0 after two innings before Susquehanna began its assault. Peralto's three-run homer in the seventh put Susquehanna up 5-4.

Semifinal: Susquehanna 2, Oakland 1

Steve Cooke fired a two-hitter and struck out 14, while Heller broke a 1-1 tie with an RBi single in the seventh inning to lift the Assault over Oakland of the PenMar-WV League.

K.J. Hockaday reached on an infield single in the fourth, moved to third on a double by Peralta, and stole home for the first run. Oakland's Corey Helbig hit a two-out double that scored Fraser Brown and tied it 1-1 in teh top of the seventh.

Nathan King scattered eight hits and struck out eight in absorbing the loss.

Cooke, after the complete-game win in the first game, started the championship game as well, working the first 7 2-3 innings.

MONTGOMERY, W.Va. -- Congratulations to Lawrence Nesselrodt, a longtime PenMar-WV League player and coach with the Oakland Oaks, and now the head coach at West Virginia Tech, which set a school record for wins in 2016, going 40-16.

Nesselrodt, also former head coach at Garrett College and Davis & Elkins, got career coaching victory No. 500 this season. He is a former player and a graduate of both Garrett and Davis & Elkins, and a member of the Davis & Elkins Hall of Fame.

Also a former Shenandoah Valley League Coach of the Year, Nesselrodt has had seven former players reach the big leagues and three have played in the MLB All-Star Game, including Houston pitcher Will Harris, whose strikeout with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's game helped preserve the American League's 4-2 win.

Nesselrodt was recently featured in a story in the Cumberland Times-News. You can find that story on the Times-News web site at www.times-news.com/sports/local_sports/nesselrodt-tunes-in-sees-a-familiar-all-star/article_b505d5ae-48ae-11e6-a4c2-f365ef66ae50.html

Hunter Jenkins' walk-off single in the first game and a 10-hit attack in the second helped send the Cumberland Orioles to a 2-1, 6-2 sweep of Oakland on the final day of the regular season, giving the Orioles the regular season crown.

In the first game, tied 1-1, Cameron Bratton led off the Orioles seventh with a single, moved to second on a walk and scored on the game-winning single by Jenkins.

Roy Jefferys put Cumberland up 1-0 with an RBI single in the second inning. Oakland's Matt Jeffrey tied it with a home run in the sixth.

Corey Helbig went 3 for 3 with two doubles for Oakland. 

Cody Ellsworth went the distance for the win with a six-hitter. Ryan Valentine absorbed the loss, allowing six hits in 6 2/3 and striking out eight.

In the second game, Jenkins, Cole Smith, Chris Wilson and Roy Jeffreys hit two singles and Cody Ellsworth had a single and two RBIs for the O's. Both teams had 10 hits, all singles. Helbig, Alex Beiler, Matt Jeffrey, and Ryan Valentine had two singles for Oakland.

Trenton Eirich walked one and struck out two in a complete-game win.

Cumberland finished 20-4 and will be the top seed in the postseason. Defending playoff champion Oakland went 15-5.