NECBL Stars Update: Missouri duo shine and Kirby excels

Graves (Missouri Baseball)

Graves dazzles in pitcher's duel
Brett Graves (Newport) pitched seven shutout innings on Saturday but was handed a no-descion as Missouri couldn't get onto the board and fell to Wake Forest, 1-0 on a walkoff single. Graves went seven strong, allowing just three hits and striking out six. It was the junior's longest outing since March 2012. Missouri dropped to 3-3.

Miles has excellent run support in win
John Miles (Vermont) threw five solid innings and was backed by 15 runs as Missouri beat Radford 15-3 on Friday. Miles earned his first win of the season and went five innings, allowing seven hits, two runs with three strikeouts and no walks.

Kirby leads top-ranked Virginia to victory
Nathan Kirby (Keene) threw six and a third innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits as the Cavaliers downed Eastern Carolina, 3-2 on Friday. Kirby struck out three and improved to 2-0 with an impressive 1.46 ERA on the season.

Shaw continues tear for BC

Michael Gerber (Photo by Creighton)

Chris Shaw (New Bedford) has been a machine for Boston College as he's hitting .370 over seven games with a team-highs with seven RBIs, five doubles and 10 hits. The 4-3 Eagles recently beat Stetson 8-0 with Shaw knocking in three runs while going 2-4.

Gerber grand slam leads Creighton to win
Michael Gerber (Ocean State) hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to ice a 8-0 win over Minnesota. Gerber leads Creighton with 8 season RBIs and is hitting .231 with a .462 slugging percentage and 12 total bases.

NECBL Stars Update: Kirby has solid start, Shaw hits well over weekend

Nathan Kirby (Keene) went six strong in a win against VMI.
Photo by Mark Gormus/Times-Dispatch

Miles earns no decision in Missouri win

John Miles (Mountaineers) went four and two-thirds innings in a 4-2 Missouri win over Southern Miss. Miles earned a no decision and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four and walking just one in his first start since May 26th in 2012 against Kansas. He allowed his two runs in the first frame but then worked his way out of several jams.  

Kirby leads Virginia to win

Nathan Kirby (Swamp Bats) had a flawless start in a 12-0 win over Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Kirby went six strong innings and fanned seven while walking just one and allowing four hits. The Cavaliers pitched flawlessly as he let just two balls out of the infield and Virginia bounced back from a season-opening loss to Kentucky.

Brett Graves (Newport)

Graves takes loss after allowing unearned run in fifth

Brett Graves (Gulls) was dealt a loss in his season debut after allowing an unearned run in the fifth inning. He went 4.2 innings on Saturday afternoon in a 3-2 defeat to McNeese State. Graves allowed four hits and two walks and allowed three runs, two earned. He struck out three.

Shaw excels over weekend, leads BC to 3-1 record

Chris Shaw (Bay Sox) had five RBIs, including a 2-4 outing against Santa Clara that included a home run, double and three RBIs. He added individual RBIs in the Eagles other two wins, over Nevada and Santa Clara again.

Roberts and Tam Sing battle top ranked Fullerton

Washington State and Newport Gulls teammates Ben Roberts and Trace Tam Sing took on top-ranked Cal State Fullerton in a three-game weekend series. Tam Sing had one of three hits in the 12-0 season opening loss to the Titans and added a sacrifice fly and a run in the 9-7 win. Roberts went 2-4 in the Cougars win over Fullerton and scored.

Gerber has three RBIs but Creighton is swept

Arkansas Little-Rock swept Creighton with three straight wins, and Mike Gerber (Waves)didn't pick up any hits in the bookends of the series. He did have a strong middle game in a 7-4 loss. He went 1-5 but had a three-run blast to right center to cap a four-run sixth.

Ocello named Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year

Evan Ocello (Waves) was selected as the Patriot League Baseball Preseason PLayer of the Year, which was voted by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. 

Predicting the 2013 NECBL HR Derby Players and Winners

This year, the NECBL All-Star game is in Laconia, New Hampshire at Robbie Mills Field, home of the Laconia Muskrats. The All-Star game may be the main attraction, but the Home Run Derby at 2:00 is not to be lost in all of the commotion. The rosters have not been announced, but the format released states that a player will be representing every team in the derby, totaling 13 players. The top four from the first round on, then the top two into a championship. Laconia's own Danny Collins took it home last year. The hitters hasn't been announced yet, so I'm taking my best guess at who it will be. Remember, players will have to deal with the Muskrat Monster (above) in left field- a 18 by 88 foot replica of the "Green Monster."

EASTERN DIVISION

Steve Anderson, Newport Gulls

Anderson, a returning Gull has three home runs this year and also holds the third highest slugging percentage. Last year for the Gulls, he hit three regular season bombs and three in the postseason. He also added three for Georgetown University this spring. 
PREDICTION: First Round

Mike Gerber, Ocean State Waves

Gerber only has two home runs so far this season but lead Creighton with five home runs this past season. He's second in the league in slugging and is a serious threat. The senior also was named to the MVC All-Conference team and has a good chance of winning the derby.
PREDICTION:  Second Round

Brandon Cipolla, Mystic Schooners

Tied for the league lead in home runs with four, Cipolla also hit five for Holy Cross College this past spring. Cipolla also hit his four in 17 games, while the other two four-homer hitters did it in 26 and 24 games respectively.
PREDICTION: First Round

Christopher Shaw, New Bedford Bay Sox

Also tied for the league lead with four, Shaw also hit six home runs for Boston College. Last summer, as a member of the Nashua Silver Knights (a Futures Collegiate Baseball League team) he hit nine home runs.
PREDICTION: Second Round, Champion

Jake Thomas, Sanford Mainers

Thomas hit five home runs as a sophomore at Binghamton University last season and has added two this summer as a Mainer. As a senior in high school he added another seven, and this year has been a huge part of the Mainers offense.
PREDICTION: First Round

Steven Patterson, Plymouth Pilgrims

The Pilgrims don't have a lot of power hitters, but Patterson has a home run and multiple home runs as a member of the UC Davis baseball team. Patterson also strikes out almost never, as he was fifth in the nation in at bats per strikeouts, with 20.4
PREDICTION: First Round

Kaleb Barlow, Laconia Muskrats

Barlow crushed 11 home runs for the University of West Florida and has added three of the Laconia Muskrats. Barlow has some serious power and has a good chance of winning the Derby.
PREDICTION: Second Round, Runner Up


WESTERN DIVISION

Riley Palmer, Danbury Westerners

The other league leader in home runs with four, Palmer also hit five this spring for the University of Southern New Hampshire. Palmer had a two-home run game on July 6th against the Mountaineers, both solo on his way to a 3-4 day.
PREDICTION: First Round


JP Sportman, Keene Swamp Bats

Sportman has three home runs this year for the Swamp Bats, which is his second year in Keene. This summer for Central Connecticut University, Sportman hit seven home runs in 50 games. 
PREDICTION: Second Round

Brian Taylor, Saratoga Brigade

A redshirt freshman from North Carolina State, Taylor has hit three home runs for the Brigade this year. Last year, Taylor was a part of the Wolfpack football team and the year before as a high school senior, he parked eight long balls.
PREDICTION: First Round

Vahn Bozoian, Holyoke Blue Sox

Bozoian has two home runs this year, tied for the Blue Sox lead and added two last year for USC. 
PREDICTION: First Round

Cody Doyle, North Adams Steeplecats

Doyle has one home run so far this season for the Steeplecats, but he added five home runs for Cal State Los Angeles. At his junior college he added seven home runs before transferring to Cal State.
PREDICTION: First Round

Scott Donley, Vermont Mountaineers

Donley hasn't hit a home run yet this year for the Mountaineers, but he's only played six games due to his late arrival from the University of Indiana. A consistent hitter for the Hoosiers, he had five home runs this spring after transferring from Virginia Tech. 
PREDICTION: First Round

Boston College's Christopher Shaw

This is shaping up to be an intriguing Home Run Derby. My prediction is that advancing from the first round is JP Sportman, Christopher Shaw, Mike Gerber and Kaleb Barlow. Moving on to the final two, I have Shaw and Barlow battling, with Barlow holding home field advantage. However, I believe that Shaw will prevail, but barely. Shaw has the ability to do it and sneak by Barlow.