The NSPBA annouced their 1st and 2nd teams on September 15th and the Brunswick Orioles did well garnering 4 1st team selections as well as a 2nd team selection.

        Making the 1st team as  a catcher for the second consecutive year is John Mcdowell. Mcdowell had a good year for the Birds hitting .367, with 36 RBI'S, and led the team with 6 homeruns. Mcdowell also collected 9 doubles and 21 base on balls. Making the team for the first time is Oriole newcomer Matt Rankin. Rankin made the team as an outfielder. Rankin hit .350 this season , with 4 homeruns. He also led the team in doubles with 12, and hits with 51. Rankin played in every game and also led the team in at bats. Also making the 1st team as a pitcher was workhorse Travis Lee. Lee tossed an amazing 93 innings for the Orioles in 2009. Lee had a record of 10-2, and often hurled on just 1 or 2 days rest. Lee also picked up a huge win against the Winchester Royals out of the Valley League. The last 1st team selection is longtime Oriole Roger Dawson. Dawson makes the team as a Utility/ DH player. Dawson led the Birds in average banging the ball around the yard for a .376 clip. He was second on the team in RBI'S with 22, and led the team in on base%, and walks with 44. Dawson garnered the same honor in 2007.

        Making the second team as a pitcher is hard throwing righthander Andy Taylor. Taylor went 6-1 for the Orioles in 2009 in 38 2/3 innings of work. Taylor picked up a huge win against Canton Ohio in the Youngstown Regional, on a 4 hitter. Canton went on to eventually win that tournament. Taylor also shut down Bonnsboro in the BRAL championship series.

        The list of NSPBA 1st teamers for the Orioles now stands at seven and are as follows:

         Corey Obryan           Catcher           2007

         Roger Dawson         DH                  2007/2009

         John Mcdowell          Catcher          2008/2009

         John Sechler             Pitcher            2008

         Corey Green              Outfielder       2008

          Travis Lee                 Pitcher            2009

          Matt Rankin               Outfielder      2009

 

         Congratulations goes out to all the Birds on this stellar achievment.

Offense :

 

At Bats :   Matt Rankin     154

                  John Mcdowell   123

                  Wayne Toms    123

 

Hits :   Matt Rankin   51

            John Mcdowell  44

            Roger Dawson   40

 

Doubles :  Matt Rankin  12

                    John Mcdowell  10

                    Wayne Toms   9

 

Triples :   Matt Rankin  2

                  Zach Helman 1

                  Corey Green   1

 

Homeruns :   John Mcdowell   6

                         Matt Rankin     4

                         Josh Wenderoth  3

 

RBI :            John Mcdowell    36

                      Roger Dawson  22

                      Matt Rankin     21

 

Stolen Bases :     Wayne Toms    19

                                Roger Dawson  7

                                Sam Walls  6

 

Walks :     Roger Dawson    44

                   John Mcdowell   21

                   John Mangold    20

 

Sac :      Roger Dawson 9

               John Mangold   6

               Wayne Toms   3

 

On Base % :      Roger Dawson 686%

                             John Mangold 624%

                              Sam Walls      587%

 

Batting Average :    Roger Dawson   .376

                                  John Mcdowell     .367

                                  Matt Rankin       .350

 

Pitching :

 

Wins :    Travis Lee   10

               Andy Taylor   6

               Steve Smith 3

                John Keravich  3

 

 

ERA :   Sam Walls     1.50

             Andy Taylor     1.63

             John Keravich   2.12

 

 

Innings Pitched :  Travis Lee    93

                                 Steve Smith  43 1/3

                                 Andy Taylor    38 2/3

 

 

Strikeouts :     Travis Lee    48

                          Steve Smith   40

                          Andy Taylor   38

 

Walks :     Travis Lee   30

                   Andy Taylor   23

                   Ryan Lipscomb  15

 

Saves :      Buzzy Jackson    2

                   Steve Smith     2

                    Ryan Lipscomb  2

Although the 2009 season has just ended the Orioles are already firming up the roster for 2010. Several contacts have been made and players are already verbally committing for 2010. The Orioles finished 2009 as the Blue Ridge Champions once again their 7th straight title, and 11th title in their 19 year existence. The Birds also won the 2009 Reno Powell Memorial Tournament in the teams 1st entry into the event. Brunswick made a good run in Youngstown where they finished third in NABF play.

           Team and General Manager Roger Dawson had this to say. We had a very productive season but we still fell short of some accomplishments that we are very used to. I feel with our talent pool and reputation we should always be in Louisville competeing for the National Title. Lack of dedication and a revolving lineup was the obstacle they kept us from achieving that goal this year. I've never seen so many vacations and work obligations then I have this year. One thing is for sure for 2010. If you plan to be an Oriole then you need to be there. We are looking to sign guys that can make that committment. I have already contacted several guys that fit that mold and are excited to wear the Black and Orange. We hope to annouce some of those players in the near future.

            Hopefully Dawson and the Front Office can put next seasons squad back in Louisville in mid August.

The Brunswick Orioles won their 7th straight BRL title Saturday by beating the Boonsboro Pirates 5-3 at Boonsboro High School. The Birds jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead and won their 11th overall title with the help of two spectacular Wayne Toms plays. In the first with one out, Matt Rankin singled and went to third on a Sammy Walls single. Walls then stole second and John McDowell walked to load the bases. John Mangold was hit by a pitch, forcing in the first run. Roger Dawson then walked giving the Birds a 2-0 lead. Brunswick added another run in the second inning. Jayson Mobley led off with a walk followed by Rankin's second hit of the game. Sammy Walls then collected his second hit of the game loading the bases again. John McDowell then hit into a fielders choice, driving in Mobley. John Mangold then hit a hard line drive up the middle where Pirates second baseman Nikky Brown made a diving catch, keeping the score 3-0. In the sixth the O's extended their lead to 4-0. Wayne Toms doubled and went to third on Jayson Mobley's ground out. With two outs, Toms stole home for a huge 4-0 Oriole lead. Boonsboro fought back with two runs in the bottom half off Bird's starter Travis Lee. In the seventh the Orioles would come right back. Matt Rankin again was the catalyst, doubling to right center to lead off. Sammy Walls moved Ranking to third with a ground out to second. John McDowell was intentionally walked. John Mangold laid down a safety squeeze bunt, scoring Rankin with their fifth run. Again the Pirates came storming back. After three straight hits and a run, Pirate catcher and assistant coach Nate Himes decided to swing away instead of bunting to move the runners into scoring position. Himes hit a line drive to right center field where Birds center fielder Wayne Toms made a spectacular diving, championship saving catch, keeping the runners at first and second base. Travis Lee then got the next batter to hit a grounder to shortstop Zack Helman who stepped on second and threw to first, completing the double play and giving the O's the championship. Lee, Brunswick's big game pitcher all year, worked all seven innings, running his record to 10-1, giving up the three runs, two earned, on seven hits with two strikeouts and five walks. He also hit a batter. Offensively, Matt Rankin led the charge, collecting three hits to go with his double. Sammy Walls had two hits while Wayne Toms doubled. Roger Dawson and jayson Mobley both singled. John Mangold added two rbi. Brunswick will now travel to the Youngstown, Ohio regional tournament starting Thursday Aug. 6

The Brunswick Orioles completed their semi final series win with a 12-3 victory Wednesday night at Smithsburg High School. The Birds, who were leading game four 7-3 when play was suspended due to darkness, picked up where they left off, adding 5 runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game, and series, out of reach. The Orioles now advance to the Blue Ridge League Championship Series and will travel to Boonsboro to face the Pirates Friday evening at 6:15. Game 2 is slated for Saturday at noon. Brunswick will host games three and four at Brunswick High School Sunday afternoon and Monday evening. With the win, the O's also earn a trip to the NABF regional tournament in Youngstown, Ohio starting Aug.6.

After losing their 1st game of the tournament the Orioles went on a roll sweeping their next five games to capture the 2009 tournament trophy. The Birds stuggled with the bats in game one dropping a tough 1-0 decision to the Baltimore Bobcats even though Steve Smith chucked 4 hit baseball at them with 0 earned runs. Brunswick was held to just one hit a Roger Dawson single in the top of the 7th inning.

          The Orioles then went on a roll winning their next 5 games. Game two saw Brunswick beat the Buck County Reds 3-0 behind the 1 hit pitching of Travis Lee. Lee didnt surrender a hit until 7th inning. Brunswick then faced a tough Fredericksburg Cardinal team and picked up another shutout win behind the arm of lefty Brad Fitz. The final was 4-0. Fitz only surrendered 5 hits in the contest. John Mcdowell and Corey Green both homered. The Birs then faced Blue Ridge rival the Hagerstown Braves at Smithsburg High School. Andy Taylor picked up the win in 6 innings of work . He surrendered no earned runs off 4 Brave hits. Buzzy Jackson came on in the 7th to record the save. Brunswick then played their 3rd game of the day as they defeated the Frederick Flying Dogs 7-5. Willie Mclane got the win in 6 innings of work. Jackson came on in the 7th to record his second save of the day. Matt Rankin homered in this one.

        The Birds concluded the tournament with a 3-2 win over Fed Lock a team out of Fairfax Va. Fed Lock got on the board 1st with two unearned runs in the 3rd inning. The Orioles cut the lead to one with a lone tally of their own in the bottom half of the 3rd inning. Andrew Derr led off with a double off the fence in left. Derr eventually scored on a deep sac fly off the bat of Corey Green. The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the 5th inning. With two out John Mcdowell walked. Mcdowell moved to second on a passed ball. Brad Fitz entered as the pinch runner. Oriole DH Roger Dawson stepped to the plate and cranked a 2-2 offering into the gap in rightcenter for a double that tied it at 2. Matt Blazynski sent a line drive into right to put runners at the corners. Wayne Toms then delivered a 1-1 fastball into center to plate Dawson with the wiinning run. Travis Lee buckled down and held Fed Lock scoreless the rest of the way as the Birds captured the tournament crown in their 1st entry into the event.

       Lee went all 7 innings surrendering the two unearned runs off 4 Fed Lock hits with 4 k's and 0 walks. The victory was Lees second of.f the tourney. Dawson went 2-2 with 2 doubles and Andrew Derr was 2-4 with a double. Matt Rankin, John Mcdowell, Matt Blazynski, and Toms all singled.

 

Noteable Tournament Stats :

 

Roger Dawson    6-13     .462

Matt Rankin           7-20     .350

John Mcdowell     6-18      .333

 

Steve Smith 0 earned runs 6 innings 6 k's

Travis Lee 14 innings 0 earned runs 5 hits 10 k's  2-0

Brad Fitz   7 innings 0 runs 5 hits 5 k's   1-0

Andy Taylor 6 innings 0 earned runs 4 hits  1-0

Willie Mclane 6 innings 1-0

Buzzy Jackson  0 runs   2 saves

 

The Brunswick Orioles, down by scores of 4-0 and 8-4, came back to stun the Hagerstown Braves 9-8 in 8 innings at Brunswick High School. The O's defense put the home team in an early hole, committing 2 errors in the second inning, giving the Braves a 4-0 lead, but the Birds cam back to tie the score in the bottom half of the second on a bases clearing, 3 rbi double by Matt Rankin tot he corner on left. After the Braves again took a four run lead, the Orioles got a run back in the sixth, John Mangold walked and after singles by Willie McLane and Wayne Toms, Zack Helman drew a bases loaded walk to score Mangold and make the score 8-5. After Travis Lee relieved and held the Braves scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Birds went back to work. Jared Olson walked to lead of the bottom of the seventh, after an out, Roger Dawson singled Olson to third, after the second out, Dawson stole second and Mangold doubled in both runners making the score 8-7. Mangold then scored the tying run when the Braves third baseman misplayed Willie McLane's hot shot. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Matt Rankin walked and went to third on Jared Olson's double. As the Braves tried to intentionally walk Oriole catcher John McDowell, the pitcher threw wildly to the backstop, scoring Rankin with the winning run.  Rankin led the offense with his three rbi while Mangold added two walks to go with his double, Dawson also added two walks to go with his single. Zack Helman, John McDowell and Wayne Toms all singled. O's skipper Roger Dawson said this about the game, "it was an exciting game, we were down but we battled back and got a big win. Hopefully we can shore things up defensively and get on a roll."

A huge crowd came out for the dedication ceremony to retire the Uniform of #8  Andy Maught who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident in December. The Orioles played the 1st pitch with Maughts gear at second base the posistion he anchored for the Birds. After the 1st pitch play was stopped and Maughts family went to home plate where they were greated by the Orioles as well as Express and presented memorabilia in honor of Andy. Roger Dawson said  It was sad but a real tribute to Andy and his family. The huge crowd is proof of how valuable he was not only as an athlete but also a person. He will be missed.

The Birds traveled to Winchester Tuesday evening to face the Royals a team comprised of some of the best Div1 talent in the country, whom play in the distinguished Valley League. It was two different looking teams as the Royals are young and at the peak of athletic prowess and the Birds are comprised of players that are everyday working guys that still love to play the game.

        What the O's did is prove they are still pretty good as they shocked the young fellas with a 5-2 victory. The Royals got on the board first as their lead off hitter slammed a 3-2 offering off of Oriole hurler Travis Lee beyond the fence in leftfield for a solo shot. Willie Mclane tied it up with a solo homer of his own in the 3rd inning. The Royals took a 2-1 advantage when they plated one in the 5th inning. The Birds wouldnt have as they grabbed the lead back in the top half of the 6th frame. Matt Rankin singled to get things rolling. Four hole hitter and Oriole catcher John Mcdowell slammed a 2-1 offering well beyond the fence in right to put the O's up for good. The Orioles added two more insurance runs late in the game. Andrew Derr scored off Zach Helman single and Josh Wenderhoff scored on a Matt Rankin fielders choice.

         All the while Travis Lee baffled the Royal hitters, and never really allowed them to get anything going. A variety of curves, changeups, and spotty fastball, had them totally off balance. Lee went all 9 innings surrendering the two runs off 7 Royal hits while fanning 5, and walking 1.

         Mcdowell and Mclane both hommered, while Matt Rankin, Josh Wenderhoff, and Roger Dawson all collected two hits. Zach Helman garnered the RBI single.

         It was good to show just how good our program is. I know we are nationally known at the amateur level, but winning games against teams like this shows we can compete at a very high level. This win was a feather in the caps of the Brunswick Orioles. Lee was outstanding and showed just how good he really is. He dominated some really good Div 1 sticks. These comments were made by Manager Roger Dawson.

The Orioles would like to thank the folks at United Rentals for purchasing the new powder blue jerseys worn in honor of Andy Maught. Maught was an employee of United Rentals at the time of his death. The jerseys sport the #8 on the sleeve in honor of Maught and also has United Rentals on it as well. On behalf of the Orioles and entire Brunswick community we thank you greatly.

The Following Individuals Have Made Memorial Contributions In Memory Of Anna Dawson :

 

Regina Carey

Kay and Gary Cooper

Mark and Hypatia Tarleton

The Brunswick House

Walter Donovan

Mick and Karen Staley

Dean and Taylor Staley

American Legion #96 Auxillary

Jane Marsh

Charlie, Daphne, Matt, and Danielle Maught

Gary Carter

Jeff Axline

Nancy and Kenny Piper

Ladies Auxillary Brunswick Eagles

 

 

The Brunswick Orioles and the Dawson family would like to thank all the generous contributers. Anyone interested in cotributing in honor of Anna should make checks payable to the Brunswick Orioles and send to 206 A Street, Brunswick Md. 21716