Cummings Named Euro Team Coach of the Year

THE NETHERLANDS – Maryland RBI's Chris Cummings has been named the 2016 Sant Boi Barcelona Falcons Coach of the Year in the Collegiate Baseball League Europe (CBLE).

Cummings, who serves as the Maryland RBI head coach and pitching coach in the AAU Mid-Atlantic Wood Bat League, guided the CBLE’s top pitching staff in 2016 as the Sant Boi Barcelona Falcons advanced to the CBLE Championship Game for the fifth consecutive time since 2012.

Under Cummings’ direction, Maryland RBI alumni RHP Brandyn Vogtsberger (Towson University, ‘20) blossomed into the 2016 CBLE Pitcher of the Year as the ace of a staff that racked up 11 wins, 3 shutouts, 80 strikeouts, 4 saves, all of which ranked as the highest totals in league history.

Sant Boi Barcelona's pitching staff carried it to an 11-4-1 (9-2-1 West) record earning the CBLE’s regular season Western Division Championship and berth in the CBLE Championship Series finals.  The Falcons turned in a 2.24 ERA in their 16 games, the lowest of any team in the league, as they allowed only 32 earned runs in 100 innings.

In the postseason, Sant Boi Barcelona finished second, losing in the title game to the La Rochelle Admirals representing France.

Four pitchers off Sant Boi Barcelona's 2016 staff were named to the All-Star team selected by CBLE coaches, with Vogtsberger's MVP selection leading the way.

Among other highlights of Sant Boi Barcelona's 2016 pitching staff:

Sant Boi Barcelona led the CBLE in opponent batting average (.243), strikeouts (80), shutouts (3) and saves (4). The Falcons also ranked second in the league with complete games (5).

Northwest Missouri State University’s RHP Nikko Pablo (’17) garnered the Falcons Player of the Year honors.

Anne Arundel Community College (Md.) RHP Dominic Stanbery received the True Grit Award given to a Falcon team member that best demonstrates the qualities of courage, determination and perseverance. 

RHP Stewart Rich (Georgia College and State University) earned the Outstanding Leadership and Teammate of the Year honors.

Hugo ter Steege (Dutch UVV) earned Outstanding Sportsmanship honors for the athlete who demonstrated the best overall sportsmanship throughout the season.

Vogtsberger, Rich, Pablo, and Steege were named to the Western Division All-Star team.

During Cummings’ seven years on the Maryland RBI coaching staff, they have won 226 games, a record three consecutive Maryland AAU State Championships (2012, ’13, ’14) and earned a Maryland AAU record-setting number of five consecutive AAU National Championships invitation-only or automatic bids, including one appearance in the AAU National Championships, finishing #5 in the nation (’13). Maryland RBI has made 29 tournament appearances, including three Maryland AAU State Championships, eight wood bat league tournament championships, and seven second-place and four final four tournament finishes, and played in four Mid-Atlantic regional championship games.

Maryland RBI and Sant Boi Barcelona manager/coach Mike Graham on Coach Cummings:

"Chris separates himself from others and is unique in how he gets the best out of every single player. He’s been up there on the bump himself as a pitcher at a high level and learned a lot of what it takes in his early years to maximize every player and turn guys into successful, usable pitchers. Even if they don't have 90 miles per hour, he helps them create outs. He has guys believing they can do the job and get it done, and that's a gift."