ACADEMY BARONS

Academy Barons: Vertigan, Hatcher, & Boras Leading With the Bats

2010-06-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons were on a 4 game slide that dropped them into 3^rd place in the California Collegiate League. But even on gloomy days when the grey skies appear unable to shine, the almighty sun has moments where it burns through sections of depressing clouds. So is the case with the Academy Barons who were for a short time tied for 1^st place, then crashed in four consecutive games, but not without some positive signs of life from key players. Emitting some life force for the Barons is centerfielder Brett Vertigan, who’s now the leadoff hitter since Alfredo Lopez was drafted this June. During the losing streak, Vertigan went 6 for 18, with 3 RBI’s, and 4 runs scored. As a Baron this summer, Vertigan has amassed the most at bats (68), and has sustained a respectable batting average of .309, and the most hits on the team (21). This past spring he spent time at Saddleback Community College as a sophomore outfielder where he led the team with a .421 batting average in 145 at bats playing in all 35 games. Vertigan led the team in five other categories; 47 runs, 61 hits, 8 triples, 27 walks, and 12 stolen bases. His on base percentage and slugging were also the teams best .522/.614. To top it off, Vertigan had 5 assist from the outfield. Vertigan plays hard, and watching him for a few games made for some honest and exciting baseball whether he got a hit or not. Another Baron showing some great potential and improvement this summer is Caleb Hatcher. The freshman was almost non-existent at Cypress Community College this past spring; he had 8 at bats and only registered a single base hit. Flash forward to the present time, and you would think your looking at a different ball player. I watched him play in the first couple of games of the season and thought Hatcher was nervous and turning his head as he swung. These days Hatcher is putting together a decent summer that should spell more opportunities at Cypress next spring. During the 4 games that the Barons couldn’t even spell W-I-N, Hatcher had a game against The San Luis Obispo Blues where he went 3 for 3 with 2 runs, and an RBI. Hatcher’s numbers are looking more interesting as time goes on and as he shakes off the freshman adrenalin, after 42 at bats he’s hitting .333, with 2 homeruns, 6 RBI’s, and his slugging percentage is the highest on the team (.524). Time should be a motivating factor in a summer designed strictly to prepare players for the next school season. The learning curve has a sharp edge at times and it’s very evident in the play of infielder Shane Boras. He was a sophomore this past season at USC where he only saw 13 at bats. He struggled in his limited action batting .077 and striking out 5 times. Well, this spring Boras wasted no time getting acquainted with some positive licks at a ball he must make contact with if he expects to be an everyday player next year as junior at USC. This summer as a Baron, Boras is hitting .366 after 41 at bats and is getting on base 44% of the time. This is positive news for Boras and the Barons as they attempt to keep a winning season within reach. With the All Star game only a week away, summer baseball is reaching the halfway point to its inevitable end. So let’s enjoy what we have in front of us rooting, and hollering for the Barons.

Adrian Nevarez

Hillman's Clutch RBI!!!

2010-06-19T22:29:00.000-07:00

The exhilaration of a walk off double to win a tightly pitched game in the 10^th inning is how our love for baseball is brought back into perspective. The Academy Barons were tied with the Santa Maria Packers in a three game series 1 game to 1 when the third game took both teams back to Compton. The deceiving amount of hits would have loved to tell a story of a high scoring game, but in truth, the lack of scoring is what gave this game its character. Neither team scored until the 3^rd inning, when the Packers Doug Snover hit a routine ground out to the shortstop, but it was effective enough to drive in a run. That was the only run that the Packers could muster, and the Barons didn’t score a run until the 7^th inning when Brett Vertigan pinch hit for Scott Colton and instantly thumped a one out double into left center field. Two batters later, the hot hitting Rucky McKinley single into center field driving in Vertigan. Up to that point, the story on both sides was pitching. The Packers started with Matt Morris. The sophomore from Duke University was poised with his control and only scattered 5 hits in his five innings of work. The Barons never surpassed the threats they posed on Morris early in the first inning, and went down quietly all the way into the 6^th when the Packers made a pitching change. The Barons started the Dominican Roman Martinez who’s been in the Seattle Mariners organization since he was 18 back in 2003 until his release after the 2008 season. Against the Packers, Martinez pitched 3 innings and he allowed three hits and nothing else. The only run the Barons relinquished was from JR Bromberg during his 5 innings, and then Erick Ruvalcaba offered the Barons the chance for some extra inning heroics by holding the Packers without a run in his 2 innings of work. Sean Williams led off the 10^th inning with a walk, and then the Anteater from UC Irvine Drew Hillman stepped up to the plate and doubled in the game winning run and helped the Barons celebrate taking another victorious series. The Barons beat the Santa Maria Packers 2-1 in the bottom of the 10^th inning. They are now 7-2 and only a half a game behind the 1^st place Santa Barbara Foresters in the California Collegiate League. California is mostly known for amazing sunsets, blissful weather, and a few other negative things we’d rather not mention. But, it also produces some of the greatest baseball players ever seen in the Major Leagues. The Barons are a team on a thunderous roll of positive details. Beating the Packers who lead the league in pitching was a strong statement. Offensively, the Barons are 2^nd in the league behind the colossal bats of the Santa Barbara Foresters. The shape of this season is sharpening its edges as the Barons attempt to elevate to new levels of summer baseball.

Adrian Nevarez

Frierson's Officially A Pro & The Academy Barons Win Their 4th In A Row

2010-06-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

The biggest thing a college baseball player can expect is to sign a professional contract. Many have had the dream, but so many of them come short and disappeared off the radar before ever getting the chance. Jarred Frierson of the Urban Academy and also a former member of the UNLV Running Rebels is one of those players that have officially inked the ever so powerful signature to start playing for the Atlanta Braves farm system. It’s not just the numbers that Frierson has put up in college. In his four year at UNLV, the growth was constant with each year and watching him play was always exciting. He hit .359 as a senior and his ignition from the 2^nd spot in the lineup was instrumental to the success of UNLV. In his season’s last series against the San Diego Aztecs, Tony Gwynn’s team found it almost impossible to keep Frierson off the bases. During the last Mountain West Conference championship Frierson played with heart and effectiveness and made the All-Tournament Team, so his new position as a professional baseball player is much deserved. As Jarred Frierson finds his way through another exciting phase of his life, the team he’s leaving behind, the Academy Barons are now officially on fire as they win their 4^th game in a row, and it came against a the Santa Maria Packers in the first game of a three game series. This victory was a well balanced act of both hitting and pitching, and a defense that’s keeping errors to a minimum. Derek Eligio is starting to scorch the leather wrapped string and cork with a consistent bat that now lifts his average to .417. He went 2 for 4, scored 2 runs, and drove in a run against the Packers. Collearen Randolph the junior from Dominguez Hills was very present as he drove in two runs on a double to left field in the 7^th inning. But the biggest bat for the Barons against the Packers in the first game was Drew Hillman. Fresh from the NCAA regional where as an Irvine Anteater he lost to UCLA in the final game, Hillman bangs all the drums as a Baron. He brings with him huge numbers from the Big West, and against the Packers he knocks out a homerun and couple of singles that produced two RBI’s and a pair of scored runs. Shane Boras didn’t let up either. In his only at bat of the game slapped an RBI single helping keep his batting average at .467 after 5 games and 15 at bats. The offense is looking like gold bricks in the hands of someone who knows what to do with them, but no offense is worth that much if the teams pitching looks like a devaluated peso. The Barons pitched with authority and only used 2 arms to collect their 6^th win of the season. Martin Rosenfeld climbed onto the mound and delivered 4 nerve wrecking innings where he allowed 7 hits. He finished practically unscathed with only 1 earned run against him. He passed the ball over to the sophomore from Compton Community College, and I’m sure the 6’2 lefty left his mark on the Packers memories. Antonio Peraza went for 5 innings and only scattered a couple of hits as he shutdown them down. He struck out 5 in the process and his only teeth grinding glitch was a pair of walks he surrendered. The Barons are now 6-1 and look like a complete arsenal of baseball potential as they beat the Santa Maria Packers by the score of 6 to 1.

Adrian Nevarez

Barons Take 3 of 3 in San Juan Capistrano

2010-06-15T10:35:00.001-07:00

The Urban Academy Barons of the California Collegiate League completed a 3 game weekend in San Juan Capistrano. Winning 3 out of the 3 games in their first road trip of the season has put their record to 5-1. In the first game on Friday, the Barons went up against the San Diego Force of the Western Baseball League. The Force showed up, but was unable to press any type of attack. The Barons scored a run in each of the first two innings, and two more in the 5^th inning. Their bats came out to play with energy and finished the game with 14 hits. Brett Vertigan as the lead off hitting center fielder from Saddleback Community College shined with a double and a pair of base hits, while Shane Boras, the second baseman from USC singled 3 times. The run production for the Barons came from other sources. The left fielder from UC Santa Barbara Derek Eligio singled in a run and doubled in another. The player of the game for the Barons has to be Jordan Hinshaw the sophomore from Cal State Poly. He not only hit a solo homerun and double, he also pitched an excellent 3 innings of 1 hit ball. A teammate of Hinshaw at Poly is fellow pitcher Erick Ruvalcaba. Only a freshman, he pitched the final 3 innings, allowing no hits as he struck out 2. The Barons won the game 4-2. The next day on Saturday, the Barons were in for a double header against another Western Baseball League team, the East L.A Dodgers. The Barons were actually out hit in this game, but in sports, what counts most is scoring more runs. That’s exactly what the Barons did, and it was led by two hitters who combined for more than half of the scoring for the Academy. Billy Hamilton, the Sophomore First Baseman from Vanguard University came up big for the Barons. He went 2 for 4 on a base hit and double that produced 2 RBI’s; he also scored twice in the process. He was followed by the DH Mac Tucker, the freshman from West Los Angeles College is learning to produce, he banged out an RBI base hit and a fly ball hit far enough into right field to drive in Connor Rhoads. The pitching for the Barons looked gloomy in the first 3 innings as JR Bromberg gave up 5 hits and 3 runs. But that was followed by some respectable work turned in by the senior lefty from Vanguard University Brandon Godfrey, and the big right handed free agent from Puerto Plata Dominican Republic. They each turned in 3 scoreless innings. The second game was when the Academy Barons turned on their after burners and went on a 17 hit, 16 run tear against the battered East L.A Dodgers. In this game, the junior outfielder from Biola University exploded in only his 3^rd game this season. He went 4 for 4, with 5 RBI’s, and scored a run. Two base hits came in the 3^rd inning alone, and then an RBI single in the 5^th, and a two run blast in the 6^th. The pitching for the Barons started rougher than the pavement on Artesia Blvd. Joe Spizzirri the junior from Notre Dame, struggled in his 3 innings as 5 runs scored against him. The best pitcher for the Barons in this game was another student from Vanguard University. Robert Purpura pitched the last two innings of the game by striking out 5 hitters, giving up 2 hits, and a walk. It wasn’t perfect, but it was effective as the Barons routed the Dodgers 16-6. Now it’s on to Elks Field in Santa Maria California to face the Santa Maria Packers.

Adrian Nevarez

Barons Travel to JSerra High School

2010-06-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

Come support the Barons as they take on San Diego Force in San Juan Capistrano at JSerra High School. First pitch is set for 1:00pm

See you there!

No Sweep For The Barons As The Foresters Win 13-1

2010-06-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

On the third day, the brooms were without the strength to sweep even a small leaf with the torrential winds that the Santa Barbara Foresters offense unloaded on the Barons. The first batter of the game was Foresters Chase Yost and he came up with a triple. He was brought home by a groundout to short, and then the first homerun of the 3 game series was launched by James Wharton. Baron’s pitcher Brandon Godfrey was stung early, and despite having a clean 2^nd inning, the 3^rd was when his evening turned into a complete nightmare. He gave up four more runs including another homerun to James Wharton, but this time it was a two run shot. Wharton went 3 for 5, scored 3 runs, and drove in 5 runs. The pitching woes for the Barons continued when Daniel Heben stepped up on the mound and immediately turns over 6 runs in the 4^th inning. He didn’t exactly settle down in his next 2 innings, but at least he didn’t allow any more runs. The only good news coming from the Barons pitching department came in the name of Jason Dovel. He wrapped up the 7^th and 8^th innings pretty well by only giving a walk and couple of harmless singles. Dovel cringed a bit in the 9^th when he gave up a double to Jeff McVaney and then an RBI single to Ryan Hedge who’s currently a sophomore at Wichita State. It was an upsetting night for the Academy’s pitching for it showed some weakness, but the offense was just as dismal. Only one run was muscled through and it happened in the 3rd inning. Mac Tucker got on base by way of an infield hit and Rucky McKinley followed with one into right field. With Tucker standing on third base, Brett Vertigan pulled a one baser to right driving in Tucker. Other than that, the Barons were as dry as my radiator on a hot highway. The good thing is that we were able to see Caleb Hatcher get his first hit of the season. He’s only a freshman attending Cypress College, and he’s been visibly struggling at the plate. It’s clear that he’s built like a ball player, and once he matures and learns how to control his body, the awkwardness and fear will disappear. What he’ll do with that is still unclear. On the Forester side, a 16 year old catcher who still plays high school ball, is up hear banging out hits with the big boys. Riley Moore pinch hit in the 7^th inning and singled into center. He also got hit by a pitch in the 9^th as a lesson from the heavens and as an experience gainer from a game that will teach him how to suck it up. It was a great night for Tim Kelly. A junior at Wichita State pitching for the Foresters this summer, Kelly went for a solid 6 innings only scattering 4 hits, giving up a run, and striking out 7 hitters. It comes as no surprise, Kelly was an exceptional pitcher, he had an 11-2 record over in Wichita, and he had a 3.94 ERA, the 2^nd best in his team. Going the distance is not uncommon for him, he had 2 complete games, and one of them was a shutout last year. With the Foresters stellar pitching performance, they avoided being swept by a Baron team getting accustomed to waiting for the last minute to create comebacks. Tonight, by the score of 13-1, the Barons are re-grounded and snapped back into reality.

Adrian Nevarez

Congratulations BARONS!!!

2010-06-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

We would like extend our congratulations to the current and former Barons selected in the 2010 First Year Player Draft.

Josef Terry (former)- selected in the 8th round by the Chicago White Sox

Tony McClendon (former) - selected in the 47th round by the Oakland A's

Alfredo Lopez (current) - selected in the 20th round by the Florida Marlins

Jarred Frierson (current) - selected in the 36th round by the Atlanta Braves

Great job and we wish you all the best!

Pitching Paves It & Clutch Hitting Saves It

2010-06-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

With the draft hysteria winding down, the world at the Urban Youth Academy is motivated once again by the results. The news that former players Joe Terry was taken by the White Sox in the 8^th round and Tony McClendon was taken by the Athletics in the 47^th round further establishes the Academy’s ability to connect with quality talent. In the current squad Alfredo Lopez was chosen by the Marlins in the 20^th round while Jarred Frierson went in the 36^th round to the Atlanta Braves. Good news is always welcomed, appreciated, and celebrated, but tonight, the Academy Barons got back to business and have more relevant reasons to be excited. Facing the Santa Barbara Foresters in the second game of a three game series, the Barons started with a left handed pitcher who’s been throwing for Norte Dame, Joe Spizzirri. His 3 innings of work went well except for falling behind on a few hitters. Still, he only allowed one hit, no runs, no walks, and no punches to proclaim. Tonight, the Barons were the first to crack the LED’s on the scoreboard. Center fielder Brett Vertigan dumped one into the right field corner and sped into 3^rd base without a problem. His triple bumped up the energy and it also allowed Abel Medina to crack a single up the middle and into center field for an RBI. Other than that sequence of disturbance, Foresters pitcher Kevin Chambers seemed pretty much unbreakable even though his outing was not perfect. On the Barons side, Marcos Lara came in for the 4^th inning and shocked the crowd by striking out all three batters he faced. He wound up pitching 3 innings, giving up a hit, no runs, a walk, and three impressive strike outs. Meanwhile, the Barons were unable to pick up any runs, and as the Foresters inserted Jeff McVaney and Jon Abramson in the pitching slot, the tide was destined to avalanche on the crew from Santa Barbara. The Foresters did mount an attack with 2 runs 7^th and one in the 8^th against then newly place pitcher Martin Villanueva. His struggles unleashed Roman Martinez from the bullpen. The tall right hander inherited the bases loaded and escaped the inning, but not without a run crossing the plate that was charged to Villanueva. Memories of the previous night began to circle our heads, this time, it was the bottom of the 8^th inning and the Barons were down 3-1. I sensed that the Foresters were once again feeling that their handle on the victory was as assured as oxygen flourishing on earth. Proof that to underestimate is the same as naïve complacency in a game like baseball. Able Medina from Cal State Dominguez began the shift of awareness by taking a walk. In a way that seemed simple and thoughtless, Connor Rhoades was hit by a pitch. And after striking out more times than I can count, Mac Tucker practically dislodges second base from the ground on a hard hit single up the middle. It produced a run and I was able to see the confusion on the faces of Foresters losing cabin pressure. Then, the strategy of pinch hitting Justin DeMarco became a scientifically plotted success that crunched another RBI single. With the score now tied, I heard more disbelief in the visiting dugout and bleachers than conscientious hearts on the Gulf of Mexico. With two outs and runners in scoring positing, it seemed almost inevitably predictable that the next pinch hitter Rucker McKinley would become the second Baron Hero in two days to break a tie late in the game with an RBI single. And so it was, the Barons went ahead 5-3, and Roman Martinez closed out the top of the ninth with only a walk to talk about. Barons getting drafted, and two late game rallies are brining about a new found emotional ground that the Compton Crew could generate into a trip to Wichita in August.

Adrian Nevarez

Barons Rise Up In The Ninth To Win The Opener

2010-06-08T23:37:00.000-07:00

On a night when the Major League Baseball draft was in full stride and Stephen Strausburg struck out 14 in his debut with the Washington Nationals, the Academy Barons hosted their opening day game against the Santa Barbara Foresters. The Foresters were quick to light up scoreboard with a couple of runs in the top of the 1^st inning. Ryan Hawthorne sliced a single into center field and promptly stole second. A double by Graham Saiko drove in the run as the Foresters felt the comforts of taking such an early lead. It wasn’t until the 3^rd inning that the Barons responded with a run of their own. Jordan Hinshaw opened the inning with a base hit down the right field line. He was pushed to second on an opposite field single into right field by the highly praised Alfredo Lopez. With runners on first and second, Jarred Frierson blasted a RBI double into the gap. Other than that, the Barons were held under control by Forester pitcher Boone Whiting. He went for 6 full frames allowing 4 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, and struck out 9. For the Barons, pitcher JR Bromberg was unable to continue after the 3^rd and finished his day by pitching 3 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, and 4 strike outs. Meanwhile, the Forester offense cracked the whip again in the 4^th inning and knocked in 3 more runs off of Antonio Peraza. A single by Jeff McDavey and the wild pitched that advanced him to second base is how it began. Nick Melino was walked, Patrick Tolentino peeled off an RBI single, Shane Kroker cranked an RBI single himself, and then Saiko streaked a single to center and sealed in the 3^rd and final run of the inning for the Foresters. Peraza settled into his remaining 2 innings of work and ended his participation with 3 innings of work, giving up 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walk, and striking out 5. The Foresters thought they had the game in a bag thicker than the earths crust by the time they brought in a highly scouted left handed pitcher by the name of Kylin Turnbull. He swept through the Barons line up easily through his first two innings of work. Then suddenly, not only did the bag rip at the seam giving up all it contained, the life seeped back into the bodies, minds, and souls of the Compton squad. It was in the bottom of the ninth inning, at a time when all seemed lost and doom was being spelled out by every Turbull pitch. A single by Collearen Randolph almost made the lights flicker. Hinshaw got on board on an error and the situation began to build itself slowly. An outright single by Shane Boras loaded the bases and produced a clutch opportunity for the highly touted shortstop from Compton College Alfredo Lopez. With the scene set, Lopez slapped a properly placed single into right field driving in two runs. Then a perfectly laid bunt by Brett Vertigan loaded the bases again and with no outs, the Barons prepared for the finale. The drama of Billy Hamilton tapping a ball that the pitcher was unable to handle began to choke up many of the Forester fans as they saw yet another run score. A change of pitcher was in order and as Mathew Stropoli took on the task of suppressing a newly charged Baron offense, it felt as if something interesting was filling the air. The excitement might have been the cause of the passed ball that allowed another run to cross. Now, the game was tied 5-5, and with runners in scoring position, the night’s hero Connor Rhodes stepped up and drilled a walk off single to right center field and the Barons rallied back from what seemed like an awkward night. The glorious moment would not have been possible if the Barons didn’t receive an amazing performance from pitcher Martin Rosenfeld. He was able to shut down the Foresters for 3 whole innings without giving up a hit or a run. He walked 1 and struck out 3 as the Barons take the first game of the season by the score of 6-5.

Adrian Nevarez

OPENING DAY

2010-06-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

Come out to the MLB Urban Youth Academy tomorrow night as the Barons take on the Santa Barbara Foresters to open up the season. First pitch is set for 6:00pm

SEE YOU AT THE BALL PARK!!!

2010 Roster

2010-05-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

Here are the 2010 BARONS..........

Schedule is up!!!

2010-05-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons will open the 2010 season at home. The summer season begins June 8, and the Barons will be in Compton, California where they will compete in a 3-game series vs. the Santa Barbara Foresters. The 39-game regular season, excluding tournament play, features 19 home games, 9 of which will be played at the Urban Youth Academy, 5 at JSerra High School and 4 at USC. The Barons will play in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 23-25, to play a 3-game series vs. Team Las Vegas, a new addition to the California Collegiate League.

Make sure to mark your calendars and check out the Barons this summer.

Hope to see you at the ballpark!

Jarred Frierson

2010-05-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

Barons’ favorite, Jarred Frierson, is in his fourth and final season with the UNLV Rebels’ program. He made the move to the outfield after spending the majority of his time in the infield. A very dangerous switch hitter with great pop from both sides of the plate.

In the 2009 season, Jarred played in 51 games, making 49 starts. He was the starting 3^rd baseman for 34 of those games. He was 6^th on the team with a .340 batting average. Had career highs in multiple categories; 65 hits, four homeruns, four triples and seven doubles, he also drove in 35 runs and scored 35 times. He posted 20 multiple-hit games, including seven with three or more hits. Matched his career high with fours hits in 5 trips to the plate at New Mexico on May 3^rd.

Expectations were high his senior year and Jarred has not disappointed. He is currently 6^th in batting average with a .337 average in 45 game starts. Season highs in 6 categories, including runs scored (41), doubles (8), triples (6), HRs (6), RBIs (43) and OB % (.540). He ranks in the top 5 in every offensive category for the Rebels.

Highlights of this season include:

Jarred Frierson drilled three home runs, including an important two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth to outscored Sacramento State 18-13 in the early part of the season. The trio of home runs by Frierson marked the 16th time in school history that a player hit three home runs in a single game, and it was the first time that happened since Xavier Scruggs hit three against San Diego State on April 18, 2008. Frierson matched his career high with four RBI and also scored three times.

Another multi-homerun (2) performance by Jarred was in a recent showdown between the visiting Cougars from BYU, the Rebels couldn't complete the sweep, falling to the Cougars 16-7.

Final Numbers for Frierson in the NBC World Series

2009-08-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

Barons' Jarred Frierson had a great showing in the NBC World Series tournament. He's started all 5 of the Oaks' contests in the tournament. Frierson hit .417 , accumulated 10 hits in 24 at bats. He's tallied 5 RBIs for the Oaks, scored three times, walked once and struck out twice. He tallied 3 stolen bases in 5 attempts.

Update from the NBC World Series in Wichita, KS

2009-08-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Conejo Oaks were off to a great start until they suffered their first loss vs the Liberal Bee Jays from Kansas this morning...They are 3-1 in the tournament.

Good Luck Oaks!

Barons' Jarred Frierson is having a great tournament. He's started all 4 of the Oaks' contests in the tournament. Frierson is hitting .350 has 7 hits in 20 at bats. He's tallied 5 RBIs for the Oaks, scored twice, walked once and struck out twice. He has 2 stolen base in 3 attempts.

2009 All CCL Honors and Awards

2009-08-06T13:54:00.001-07:00

Here are the 2009 ALL-CCL First Team and League Honorees.

There were 8 Barons mentioned including Manager Coach George Hinshaw, of those 8, 7 of them received multiple honors.

Barons' right-hand pitcher, Shuhei Fujiya was one of the Barons that was mentioned in 5 categories. Fujiya, from the University of Northern Iowa, drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 18th Round of the 2009 MLB Draft was selected 3rd in the category of All-League Relief Pitcher with 93 points. Placed 4th as 2009's Best Pitching Prospect with 20 points, 5th in the category of possessing the Best Fastball, with 22 points, 9th as having the Best Breaking Pitch with 4 points and placed 5th in Being Closest to the Majors with 3 points.

Barons' left fielder, Ryan Thornton also ranked among the best in 5 categories. Thornton, from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, placed 5th in the category of All League Outfielders with 62 points, 9th in the category of Best Batting Prospect with 10 points, 4th as possessing the Best Power with 25 points, 2nd as being the Best Defensive Outifielder with 31 points and ranked 4th Most Exciting Player with 29 points.

Barons' second baseman, Jarred Frierson received 4 honors. Frierson, from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, placed 2nd in the category of All League Second Baseman with 25 points, 12th in the category of Best Batting Prospect, 4th as the Best Defensive Second Baseman, and ranked 8th in the category of the Most Exciting Player with 5 points.

Barons' right-hand pitcher Geoff Broussard received 4honors as well, Broussard from Cal Poly Pomona, placed 11th in the category of Best Starting Pitcher with 19 points, 9th as being the Best Pitching Prospect with 6 points, 4th as possessing the Best Breaking Pitch with 19 points, and 7th in having the Best Control with 15 points.

Barons' third baseman, Dimitri De La Fuente received 3 honors. De La Fuente, from Cypress Junior College, placed 2nd in the category of All League Third Baseman with 28 points, 2nd in Best Defensive Third Baseman with 19 points and 3rd with Best Defensive Arm with 25 points.

Barons' shortstop, Alfredo Lopez received 3 honors. Lopez, from Compton Junior College, placed 4th in the category of All League Shortstop with 23 points, 6th in the category of Best Baserunner with 18 points, and 6th in the category of Best Defensive Shortstop with 20 points.

Barons' first baseman, George McDonald received 2 honors. McDonald, from Prarie View A&M, placed 5th in the category of ALL League First Baseman with 17 points and 4th as Best Defensive First Baseman with 36 points.

Lastly, Manager Geroge Hinshaw placed 5th among the coaches. He was selected 5th in the Coach of the Year category with 24 points.

Congratulations to all of the players! It was a GREAT season!

2009 Barons: TEAM AWARDS

2009-08-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

The coaches decided to give out team awards, awards were the players themselves voted (annonymosly) for who they believed deserved and best represented each award.

The awards were:

1. The Silver Slugger Award: JARRED FRIERSON

This is awarded to the best offensive player. Considerations taken into account when voting for the recipient includes batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and overall adjustments, in addition to coaches and manager's general impressions of a players overall offensive value.

2. Charlie Hustle Award: ALFREDO LOPEZ

This award is given to the player who left it all on the field everyday. Plays hard regardless of the score or the situation. Given to the player who exhibits a hard-nosed, tough-as-nails style of play, and is always hustling, going balls-out, taking extra bases, and getting dirty.

3. Cy Young Award: GEOFF BROUSSARD

This award is given to the best and most outstanding pitcher on the team.

4. Reliever of the Year Award: SHUHEI FUJIYA

This award is given to the pitcher that was able to come in and effectively and consistently shut down the opposing team in crucial situations.

5. Golden Glove Award: ALFREDO LOPEZ

This award is usually awarded to the player to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances.

6. Best Teammate Award: BRAULIO ARCHER AND FREDDY ANTUNA

This award is given to the person that is always upbeat, they never stop hustling, helps you when you need it and always has the proper tone at practice.

Barons Fall to Oaks 1-3 and 3-4

2009-07-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Thousand Oaks Conejo Oaks on Saturday July 25, 2009 at George Anderson Field on the campus of Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

GAME 1

Alfredo Lopez SS

Chris Lloyd CF

Jarred Frierson 2B

Conley Sampson DH

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Freddy Antuna LF

Keith Murakami 1B

Brett Mendoza C

Tony McClendon RF

J.R. Bromberg P

Starting pitcher- J.R. Bromberg (3-4) pitched 5 innings and gave up 3 runs on 8 hits. He finished his outing with 0 strikeouts and 6 walks. He got the loss, which gives him a record of 3-4.

Closing pitcher- Shuhei Fujiya (2-0) pitched the last inning of the game, allowing 0 runs on 0 hits, and recorded 2 strikeouts.

Jarred Frierson had an AMAZING game at the plate. He was 2 for 2 with 1 double, 1 stolen base, 1 RBI and was hit by the pitch once.

Freddy Antuna and Dimitri De La Fuente each contributed a double to the contest. They were both 1 for 3 in the game.

Barons 1 Oaks 3

GAME 2

Alfredo Lopez SS

Chris Lloyd CF

Jarred Frierson 2B

Andrew Allen DH

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Freddy Antuna LF

Keith Murakami 1B

Art Fernandez C

Tony McClendon RF

Braulio Archer P

Braulio Archer pitched 3 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits, 3 walks and 1 strikeout.

Jarrett Maloy pitched 3 innings allowing 0 runs on 4 hits, walked 0 and strikout 2.

Brian Foster pitched 2.2 inings aloing 2 runs on 4 hits, recorded 2 strikeouts and walked 1.

Joe Spizziri pitched .1 innings

Justin Baca pitched 2 innings allowing no hits, no runs and recording 0 walks and 1 strikout.

Tony McClendon pitched the last inning in the 12-inning marathon game. He allowed 1 run on 2 walks and 1 hit. He received the loss in the contest giving him a record of 0-1.

Andew Allen was 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs

Alfredo Lopez, Chris Lloyd, Jarred Frierson, Keith Murakami, George McDonald, Art Fernandez and Tony McClendon recoded 1 hit a piece in the 12 inning game.

Barons 3 Oaks 4

The Barons are currently ( 10 - 25 ) overall and ( 8 - 17 ) in the California Collegiate League.

The last games of the season are set for Tuesday July 28, 2009 and Wednesday July 29, 2009 both start times are 7:00pm vs the Thrashers.

Come join us on Wednesday….its FAN & PLAYER APPRECIATION DAY!!! The National Anthem will be sung by Barons’ right hand pitcher BRAULIO ARCHER. The Barons will also stick around after the games to talk to the kids in attendance as well as sign autographs. Fan booklets with player profiles and pictures will be provided to the fans in attendance!

Hope to see you all out there!

Barons Fall to the Oaks, 5-9

2009-07-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Conejo Oaks on Friday July 24, 2009 at George “Sparky” Anderson Field on the campus of Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

Chris Lloyd CF
Alfredo Lopez SS
Jarred Frierson 2B
George McDonald 1B

Andrew Allen DH
Martel London LF
Freddy Antuna 3B
Keith Murakami C
Jordan Hinshaw RF
Daxton Sanchez P

Starting pitcher- Daxton Sanchez (0-0) pitched 4.1 innings and gave up 7 runs on 5 hits; 6 were earned. He finished his outing with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks. He got the loss, which moves his record to 0-3.

Relieving Pitcher- Martin Rosenfeld (0-0) pitched 1 inning and gave up 1 run and 1 homerun on 3 hits and recorded 1 strikeout.

Closing pitcher- Justin Baca (1-1) closed out the game pitching 1 inning and gave up one run on two hits. One of those hits was a triple by Matt Scioscia that was originally scored as an error by the Barons’ right fielder.

Alfredo Lopez was 3 for 5 with 1 stolen base, 1 run scored and a 1 strikeout

Jarred Frierson had a great day at the plate going 4 for 5 with 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 run scored and 1 stolen base

George McDonald was 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs, and 1 run scored

Chris Lloyd, Andrew Allen, Martel London and Freddy Antuna each contributed 1 hit a piece.

The Final Score

Barons 5 Oaks 9

Overall (10-23) CCL (8-15)

The Barons will face the Oaks again tomorrow July 25, 2009 at 12:00 and 3:00pm.

The last home games of the season are set for Tuesday July 28, 2009 and Wednesday July 29, 2009 both start times are 7:00pm vs the Thrashers. Come join us on Wednesday….its FAN & PLAYER APPRECIATION DAY!!! The National Anthem will be sung by Barons’ right hand pitcher BRAULIO ARCHER. The Barons will also stick around after the games to talk to the kids in attendance as well as sign autographs. Fan booklets with player profiles and pictures will be provided to the fans in attendance!

Hope to see you all out there!

7 Shutout Innings not Enough for the Win

2009-07-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Santa Barbara Foresters on Thursday, July 23, 3009 at Uyesaka Stadium in Santa Barbara. The starting like up for the Barons consisted of

Chris Lloyd CF

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson 2B

George McDonald 1B

Ryan Thornton LF

Andrew Allen DH

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Brett Mendoza C

Jordan Hinshaw RF

Geoff Broussard P

Starting Pitcher- Geoff Broussard (0-3) pitched 7 innings and gave up 1 earned run on 4 hits. He finished his outing with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. Despite Broussard’s 7 shutout innings he got the no decision which keeps his record at 0-3.

Relieving Pitcher- Joe Spizzirri (1-2) pitched to four batters, gave up 4 runs on 2 hits. He got the loss which brings his record to 1-2.

Closing Pitcher- Brian Foster (1-1) closed out the game pitching 1 inning, allowing 2 runs on 1 hit, struck out 2 and walked 2.

George McDonald was 2 for 5 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI

Jarred Frierson was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 1 strikeout

Dimitri De La Fuente was 2 for 4 with 1 homerun to left center, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored

Andrew Allen was 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored

The Final Score

Barons 4 Foresters 7

The Barons are currently (10-22) overall and (9-14) in the California Collegiate League.

The last home games of the season are set for Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 and Wednesday, July 29, 2009, both games are set to start at 7:00pm vs. the Thrashers.

Join us on Wednesday.....its FAN AND PLAYER APPRECIATION DAY!!!!! The National Anthem will be sung by Barons’ right hand pitcher BROULIO ARCHER. The Barons will also stick around after the games to talk to the kids in attendance as well as sign autographs. Fan booklets with player profiles and pictures will be provided to the fans in attendance.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!

Barons Fall to Foresters in Game 2, 10-2

2009-07-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Santa Barbara Foresters on Wednesday July 22, 2009 at Uyesaka Stadium in Santa Barbara. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

Chris Lloyd CF

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson 2B

George McDonald 1B

Ryan Thornton LF

Conley Sampson DH

Freddy Antuna 3B

Brett Mendoza C

Ricky Stokes RF

Dayle Campbell P

Starting pitcher- Dayle Campbell (0-1) pitched 4 innings and gave up 8 runs (5 earned) on 10 hits. He finished his outing with 0 strikeouts and 1 walk. He got the loss, which brings his record to 0-1.

Relieving Pitcher- Jarrett Maloy (1-3) pitched 3 innings and gave up 1 run on 5 hits.

Relieving Pitcher- Justin Baca (0-1) pitched 1 inning and gave up 0 runs on 0 hits.

Closing pitcher- Braulio Archer (0-1) pitched 1 inning to closed out the game allowing 1 run on 2 hits.

Alfredo Lopez was 1 for 3

George McDonald was 2 for 4

Ryan Thornton was 1 for 4 with a double

Andrew Allen was 1 for 2

The final score was Barons 2 Santa Barbara Foresters 10

The Barons lone runs came in the bottom of the 9th inning when George McDonald singled to right field to lead off the inning. Ryan Thornton then hit a double to left center field, which advanced McDonald to third base.

The Barons are currently (10 - 21) overall and (8 - 13) in the California Collegiate League.

The last home games of the season are set for Tuesday July 28, 2009 and Wednesday July 29, 2009 both start times are 7:00pm vs the Thrashers.

Come join us on Wednesday….its FAN & PLAYER APPRECIATION DAY!!! The National Anthem will be sung by Barons’ right hand pitcher BRAULIO ARCHER. The Barons will also stick around after the games to talk to the kids in attendance as well as sign autographs. Fan booklets with player profiles and pictures will be provided to the fans in attendance!

Hope to see you all out there!

Barons Beat the Foresters in 10 innings

2009-07-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Santa Barbara Foresters on Sunday July 21, 2009 at Uyesaka Stadium in Santa Barbara. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

Chris Lloyd CF

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson 2B

George McDonald 1B

Ryan Thornton LF

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Andrew Allen DH

Brett Mendoza C

Jordan Hinshaw RF

Martin Rosenfeld P

Starting pitcher- Martin Rosenfeld (0-0) pitched 5 innings and gave up 4 runs on 3 hits; 4 were earned. He finished his outing with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks. He got the no decision which keeps his record at 3-3.

Relieving Pitcher- Shuhei Fujiya (2-0) pitched 4 amazing innings and gave up 0 runs on 0 hits and recorded 6 strikouts. He got the win which brings his record to 2-0

Closing pitcher- Brian Foster (1-1) closed out the game in extra innings which was the 10th, allowing 0 runs on 0 hits, struckout 1 and got the save.

Chris Lloyd was 2 for 5

Jarred Frierson was 1 for 4

Dimitri De La Fuente was 1 for 4

The Barons fell behind early and allowed 4 runs in the first three innings. They were down until the 4th inning due to two homeruns by the Foresters’ right fielder. In the top of the 4th, the leadoff batter Chris Lloyd hit a triple to left center to finally wake up the Barons’ bats. Alfredo Lopez grounded out to second base to score Lloyd. There was no more action by the Baron offense in that inning as they got on the board with a run. The Barons got back into the game in the 5th inning as Ryan Thornton singled to second base. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to center field by Dimitri De La Fuente. That run narrowed the gap to a score of 4-2 giving the much needed momentum back to the Barons. Brett Mendoza continued the inning by reaching base on a fielder’s choice while Andrew Allen advanced to second and De La Fuente advanced to third. Chris Lloyd grounded out to 1st scoring De La Fuente and Allen. There were two errors on the play tying the game at 4 a piece. This heated battle went into extra innings. The Barons luck decided to change in the top of the 10th inning. Chris Lloyd started of the Barons extra inning offense with a single to center field. Alfredo struck out looking which brought up Jarred Frierson. He singled to move Lloyd to second on an error by the second basemen. The pitcher recovered the ball and over threw the third basemen who then over threw the catcher. This circus of a play allowed both Lloyd and Frierson to score to put the Barons ahead 6-4 going into the bottom half of the 10th inning and the last chance for the Foresters to get back into the game. Brian Foster came in to close. He allowed no runs on no hits and had one strikeout to get the save. The final score had the Barons winning 6-4! The Barons get there record to 10-20 and have won 2 of there last 3 games!

The Barons are currently (10 - 20) overall and (8 - 12) in the California Collegiate League.

The Barons will face the Foresters again in game 2 of the 3 game series. The second game is scheduled to start at 5:00pm on Wednesday July 22nd, 2009.

The last home games of the season are set for Tuesday July 28, 2009 and Wednesday July 29, 2009 both start times are 7:00pm vs the Thrashers.

Hope to see you all out there!

Barons Lose Final Game vs. Packers, 0-4

2009-07-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Santa Maria Valley Packers on Sunday July 19, 2009 at Elks Field in Santa Maria. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

Chris Lloyd CF

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson 2B

George McDonald 1B

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Conley Sampson DH

Martel London LF

Brett Mendoza C

Ricky Stokes RF

J.R. Bromberg P

Starting pitcher- J.R. Bromberg (3-3) pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits; 1 was earned. He finished his outing with 7 strikeouts and 4 walks. He got the loss which evens out his record to 3-3.

Closing pitcher- Joe Spizzirri (1-1) finished the last two innings of the game, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, 1 homerun and struckout 2.

Alfredo Lopez was 1 for 4

Jarred Frierson was 1 for 3

Brett Mendoza was 1 for 3

The Barons are currently ( 9 - 20 ) overall and ( 7 - 12 ) in the California Collegiate League.

The Barons will be on the road again, this time, in Santa Barbara were they will take on the Santa Barbara Foresters in a 3 game series. The first game is scheduled to start at 5:00pm on Tuesday July 21st, 2009.

Tuesday July 21st, 2009 vs Santa Barbara Foresters 5:00pm

Wednesday July 22, 2009 vs Santa Barbara Foresters 5:00pm

Thursday July 23, 2009 vs Santa Barbara Foresters 5:00pm

The last home games of the season are set for Tuesday July 28, 2009 and Wednesday July 29, 2009 both start times are 7:00pm vs the Thrashers.

Hope to see you all out there!

Barons Beat the Packers in Game 2

2009-07-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Santa Maria Valley Packers on Saturday July 18, 2009 at Elks Field in Santa Maria. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

Chris Lloyd CF

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson 3B

George McDonald 1B

Josef Terry 2B

Conley Sampson DH

Tony McClendon LF

Brett Mendoza C

Ricky Stokes RF

Daxton Sanchez P

Starting pitcher- Daxton Sanchez (0-2) pitched 3.2 innings and gave up 6 runs on 6 hits; 5 were earned. He finished his outing with no strike outs and 2 walks. He got a no decision.

Relieving pitcher- Jarrett Maloy (1-3) came in relief for Sanchez and went 2.1 innings and allowed no runs on 2 hits and had 2 strikeouts. He was in the game when the Barons went ahead and got the win.

Closing pitcher- Brian Foster (1-0) S(1) finished the last three innings of the game, allowing no runs on no hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Foster got the save.

Chris Lloyd was 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored

Alfredo Lopez was 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored

Conley Sampson was 2 for 5 with 2 doubles and one run scored

The Barons struck early as Chris Lloyd led off reaching on a HBP. He then stole second and was in scoring position for Alfredo Lopez. Lopez hit a ground ball to the Packer SS who over threw the first basemen and allowed Lloyd to score. The Packers answered in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1 a piece. The Barons decided to step up there game in the 2nd inning as Conley Sampson woke up the sticks with a leadoff double to centerfield. He then advanced to third as Tony McClendon singled to SS. Brett Mendoza reached on a fielder’s choice and Sampson scored. Ricky stokes continued the inning when he doubled down the right field line to advance Mendoza to third. Chris Lloyd broke the inning open with a singe up the middle to score Mendoza and Stokes. Jarred Frierson hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Stokes to put the Barons up 5-1. The packers scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd and 3rd to close the gap at 5-3.

With the score tied at 6-6 in the top of the 8th inning, Tony McClendon reached on an error by the Packer 3rd basemen. With more help by the 3rd basemen, Mendoza reached. Stokes reached on a fielder’s choice and McClendon scored to put the Barons ahead once again. Lloyd singled to center field to drive in Mendoza. Alfredo Lopez singled to second to continue the inning and advance Lloyd to 2nd and stokes to 3rd. Jarred Frierson reached on yet another error by the Packers infield. Stokes scored on the play. Lloyd scored on a wild pitch. Freddie Antuna singled to break his slump and score Lopez and Frierson. The barons Finished the inning scoring 6 runs on hits and 4 errors. The Barons went on to win the game 13-6 and end a 5 game losing streak!!!

The Barons will take on the Santa Maria Valley Packers tomorrow, Sunday July 19th,2009 at 6:00pm at Elks Field in Santa Maria.

Barons Lose a Tough One to the Packers

2009-07-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Academy Barons took on the Santa Maria Valley Packers on Friday July 17, 2009 at Elks Field in Santa Maria. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of

Alfredo Lopez SS

Chris Lloyd CF

Jarred Frierson LF

Andrew Allen DH

Josef Terry 2B

George McDonald 1B

Freddy Antuna 3B

Brett Mendoza C

Martel London RF

Geoff Broussard P

Starting pitcher- Geoff Broussard (0-3) pitched 6 innings allowing 2 earned runs, 4 hits, 1 walks and striking out 5.

Relieving pitcher- Justin Baca pitched 1 inning allowing, 2 runs (1 earned), 3 walks and 2 hits.

Closing pitcher- Dimitri De La Fuente- (1-1) suffered the loss, pitching 1 inning giving up 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks and 1 hit batter

Chris Lloyd was 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 1 run scored

Jarred Frierson was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and 1 RBI

Josef Terry was 1 for 5 with a run scored

THE FINAL SCORE WAS

Packers 6 Barons 5

After the Packers got the lead in the bottom of the 1st inning, fundamental, textbook baseball got the Barons back in the game in the top of the 3rd inning. Brett Mendoza led off the inning with a walk, Martel London then moved him over to 2b on a chopper to the shortstop. Alfredo Lopez then moved Mendoza over to 3B on a groundball to the 2b, setting up the RBI opportunity for Chris Lloyd where, he capitalized on a single up the middle, just out of the reach of the Packers’ shortstop. Jarred Frierson then followed Lloyds’ single with a walk. With runners in scoring position Andrew Allen came up to the plate. He had an 18 pitch at bat that ended on a strikeout, putting an end to the Barons’ rally.

In the bottom of the 7th, Justin Baca came in the game to relieve Geoff Broussard. Baca gave up 2 walks and 1 hit to load up the bases. The next batted he faced hit a fly ball to Ricky Stokes in right field creating a double play opportunity when the runner at second crept off the base too far. With 2 outs in the inning, Baca walked another batter to load the bases again. Packers tied the game on a weak groundball to second base that turned into a throwing error, allowing for the runner on 3b to score.

In the top of the 8th, Terry lead off the inning with a single that squeaked by the Packers’ second baseman. McDonald then got hit by the pitch advancing Terry to second base. Vazquez struck out, and Mendoza fouled out. With 2 outs in the inning and 2 runners on base, Ricky Stokes stepped up to the plate. He hit a tough fly ball to right field that tipped off the Packers’ right fielder’s glove allowing for Terry and McDonald to score and putting Stokes at 3rd with his heads up, hustle base running. That concluded that scoring for the inning, but not before Lopez and Lloyd walked. Frierson ended the inning with a hard line drive to the center fielder.

** a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th inning ended the game**

~*The Barons will take on the Santa Maria Valley Packers tomorrow at 6:00pm at Elks Field in Santa Maria*~

Blues Shutout Barons, 4-0

2009-07-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Barons took on the SLO Blues on Thursday July 16th, 2009 at Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy at 6:30. The starting line up consisted of:

Alfredo Lopez SS

Chris Lloyd CF

Jarred Frierson LF

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Josef Terry 2B

Jordan Hinshaw RF

George McDonald 1B

Andrew Allen DH

Brett Mendoza C

JR Bromberg P

Starting pitcher- JR Bromberg (3-2) suffered the loss in the game, pitching 4.1 innings giving up 3 earned runs, 1 walk and striking out 3.

Joe Spizzirri came in relief for Bromberg and pitched 2.2 innings allowing 1 earned run, walked 1 and struck out 1.

Shuhei Fujiya came in to close out the game, pitched 2.0 innings allowed 1 earned run and recorded 1 strike out.

Chris Lloyd was 2 for 3

Tony McClendon was 1 for 1

George McDonald was 2 for 4

Andrew Allen was 1 for 2

Alfredo Lopez was 1 for 4

~* It was “Birthing a New Compton Day” and Compton Mayor, Eric Perrodin, was at hand to throw out the first pitch. Perrodin grew up in Compton, California. Soon after graduating from Cal Sate University, Dominguez Hills, he began working for the Compton Police Department. While serving as a police officer, he pursued a law degree at Loyola Law School. After 12 years with the department, Perrodin left to become a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County. *~

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The Barons hit the road tomorrow, Friday, July 17, 2009, en route to play CCL rivals Santa Maria Packers in a 3 game series.

Friday July 17, 2009 at 6:00pm

Saturday July 18, 2009 at 6:00pm

Sunday July 19, 2009 at 2:00pm

Rally in the 9th not Enough, Barons Fall to Blues 2-4

2009-07-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Barons took on the SLO Blues on Wednesday July 15th, 2009 at Major League Baseball's Urban Youth Academy at 6:30. The starting line up for the Barons consisted of:

Alfredo Lopez SS

Chis Lloyd CF

Jarred Frierson 3B

Dimitri De La Fuente DH

Josef Terry 2B

George McDonald 1B

Jordan Hinshaw RF

Keith Murakami C

Ricky Stokes LF

Jarrett Maloy P

-Jarrett Maloy (0-3) pitched 3 innings, faced 16 batters; allowing 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 hit batter and the loss.

-Brian Foster came in the 4th inning, in relief for Maloy, pitched 3 innings, he faced 11 batters, struck out 3, walked 2, gave up one hit and balked once.

-Martin Rosenfeld closed out the game pitching 3 innings, as well, faced 11 batters, struck out 4, walked 1 and gave up one hit..

There were 7 Baron hits in the game.

Alfredo Lopez was 2 for 4

Jarred Frierson was 2 for 4, with a run scored

Josef Terry, Jordan Hinshaw and Keith Murakami each contributed 1 hit for the Barons.

LATE NIGHT RALLY!

The Barons showed some late night fight in the 9th inning. Frierson singled to left field to lead off the inning. De La Fuente then got hit by the pitch, advancing Frierson to second. With runners on 1st and 2nd Terry singled to left field, scoring Frierson and advancing De La Fuente to second. Terry was caught sleeping at 1st base and got picked off by the catcher. McDonald then came up to bat and struck out swinging. With 2 outs the Barons were able to get one more run across the plate on Hinshaw's single up the middle. One more hit was added by Murakami, but the rally came to an end on a strike out by Stokes.

~* Come support the Barons as they fight for a split vs the SLO Blues, tomorrow, at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton. The first pitch is scheduled to take place at 6:30pm.*~

Barons Take on the SLO Blues in a 2 Game Series

2009-07-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Baron Fans!

Come join us as the Barons take on the San Luis Obispo Blues in a 2 game series. The first game of the twin bill is set for Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 6:30pm at the Urban Youth Academy . Join us as we honor Los Angeles Police Department and Compton Fire Department. Chief Cecil Rhombo of the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and Chief John Thompson of the Compton Fire Department are scheduled to throw out the first pitches of the game. All police officers and firefighters will receive one free raffle ticket upon entrance to the academy. The winners will receive tickets to a Los Angeles of Anaheim Baseball game.

Game 2 vs. the SLO Blues is schedules for Thursday July 16th, 2009 at 7:00pm at the Urban Youth Academy . On Thursday we will be celebrating "Birthing a New Compton Night." Compton Mayor, Eric Perrodin, is scheduled to throw out the first pitch of the game. All Compton residents will receive one free raffle ticket upon entrance to the academy.

American All-Stars defeat National All-Stars

2009-07-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

2009 California Collegiate League All-Star Game and Workout

July 13, 2009

The 2009 California Collegiate League workout and all-star game was held this year at Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California. The day started with a workout that allowed for selected players from the Academy Barons, SLO Rattlers, SLO Blues, Santa Maria Valley Packers, Santa Barbara Foresters, Southern California Black Sox and Conejo Oaks to showcase their individual talents in front of MLB scouts, University coaches and fans. The prospects were then assembled into two teams that consisted of American All-Stars and National All-Stars. The American All-Stars were composed of players from the Santa Barbara Foresters, SLO Blues and Conejo Oaks. The National All-Stars were players from the SLO Rattlers, Santa Maria Packers, So Cal Black Sox and Academy Barons. Fox Sports was on hand to produce television coverage of this event and is scheduled to be air on July 20 immediately following Fox’s live coverage of Angels baseball.

Pitching and spectacular defense dominated the game for the first 3 innings of play.

PITCHING

Geoff Broussard pitched 1 inning facing 5 batters; giving up 0 runs, 1 walk and recorded 1 strikeout.

Joe Spizzirri pitched to one batter getting him to ground out to 2B

Jarrett Maloy pitched to 3 batters giving up 1 unearned run, 1 walk and 1 hit batter.

Daxton Sanchez pitched 1 inning faced 6 batters, allowing 2 unearned runs and recording 1 strikeout.

Shuhei Fujiya pitched 1 inning, faced 9 batters, 6 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 strike out and 1 wild pitch.

HITTING

Jarred Frierson was 1 for 2 with 1 strikout, 1 walk and 1 run scored.

Ryan Thornton was 1 for 4 with 1 homerun, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs

Dimitri De La Fuente was 0 for 2

DEFENSE

Ryan Thornton and Dimitri De La Fuente had exceptional defensive days. Dimitri played 3B and showed off his amazing glove and cannon of an arm. Ryan played CF for the entire game and made 2 highlight reel, worthy, diving catches.

8 Barons to Represent MLB Academy in CCL All-Stars

2009-07-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

The CCL Scouts Day/All-Star Game is the annual mid-season showcase of the top prospects and performers in the league. Each CCL team is sending its top position players and pitchers to participate in a two-part event. First, players will be evaluated individually by professional scouts and college recruiters through a series of drills to exhibit their personal abilities. Second, the players will be assembled into two teams for participation in a televised nine-inning all-star game.

The Barons will send out 8 Barons and 3 coaches to represent the MLB Academy on Monday July 13, 2009 in the CCL All-Star Game.

1.Jarred Frierson -- 5'11 (190) Infielder who just completed his Jr year at UNLV; Hometown: in Los Angeles, CA

2.Dimitri De La Fuente-- 6'00 (200) Infielder who just completed his Fr year at Cypress JC; Hometown: West Covina, CA

3.Joe Spizzirri -- 6'3 (205) LHP who just completed his So year at University of Notre Dame Hometown; San Juan Capistrano, CA

4.Shuhei Fujiya -- 6'4 (190) RHP who just completed his Jr year at University of N Iowa; Hometown: Irvine, CA

5.Geoff Broussard -- 6'1 (180) RHP who just completed his Fr year at Cal Poly Pomona; Hometown: Alta Loma, CA

6.Daxton Sanchez -- 6'7 (215) RHP who just completed his So year at Bakersfield JC; Hometown: Bakerfield, CA

7.Ryan Thornton -- 6'1 (205) OF who just completed his Sr year at UNLV; Hometown: Vallejo, CA

8.Jarrett Maloy -- 6'2 (175) RHP who just completed his Jr year at Southern University; Hometown: Tallahassee, FL

Coach George Hinshaw

Coach Kelvin Delgado

Coach Vinny Lopez

Barons Drop Game 2 in Rawlings Cup vs. SB Foresters, 11-1

2009-07-11T13:47:00.001-07:00

2009 Rawlings Cup Tournament

July 10, 2009 vs. Santa Barbara Foresters at Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Barons took on the Santa Barbara Foresters on Friday July 10, 2009 at 5:00pm at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on the Campus of University of California, Santa Barbara. The starting lineup for the Academy Barons consisted of:

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson CF

Ryan Thornton LF

George McDonald C

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Andrew Allen 1B

Martel London DH

Ricky Vazquez 2B

Ricky Stokes RF

Geoff Broussard P

The Barons started off the game with a high energy that regrettably dwindled due to a long first inning, which resulted in a 2 run deficit. There was no answer from the barons in the runs category until the 4th inning when Alfredo Lopez scored on a balk. As the Foresters continued to rack up their stats offensively, the barons kept away with their constant struggles against the lefty on the mound. The game ended up not going the whole nine innings. The game was called due to “lack of light,” as the umpire put it. The Barons were due up in the bottom of the 7th. The situation was they had to score at least 1 run to keep from getting the ten run mercy rule called on them. The final score was Foresters 11, Barons 1. The Barons fall to a record of 8-15 an must win out this weekend to win the tournament and earn a berth in the NBC World Series in Kansas.

Friday July 10th, 2009, Santa Barbara, CA - The Academy Barons (8-15 Overall, 6-9 CCL) dropped game 2 of the Rawlings Cup to the Santa Barbara Foresters, 11-1.

The was scheduled for 5:00pm at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on the campus of University of California, Santa Barbara.

Starting pitcher Geoff Broussard (0-3) had a rough outing, giving up 9 hits, 5 earned runs, 5 strikeouts and 1 wild pitch in 4 innings pitched.

Offensively, the Barons only recorded 5 hits in this contest.

Alfredo Lopez went 2 for 3 recording 2 singles, 1 stolen base and he also scored the only run for the Barons in the game.

Jarred Frierson, Ricky Vazquez and Ricky Stokes added 1 for 3 performances at the plate.

The Barons' next game in the Rawlings Cup is tomorrow, Saturday, July 11th, 2009 at 11:00am against the San Luis Obispo Rattlers at Uyesaka Stadium on the campus of UCSB.

Barons Lose to Rattlers 11-3, Eliminated from Rawlings Cup Tournament

2009-07-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

2009 Rawlings Cup Tournament

July 11, 2009 vs. SLO Rattlers at Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Barons took on the SLO Rattlers on Saturday July 11, 2009 at11:00am at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on the Campus of University of California, Santa Barbara in an elimination game. The starting lineup for the Academy Barons consisted of:

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson 3B

Ryan Thornton LF

George McDonald 1B

Dimitri De La Fuente DH

Keith Murakami C

Martel London RF

Ricky Vazquez 2B

Ricky Stokes CF

Daxton Sanchez P

The Barons started off the game in an amazing fashion, considering the game they had just played the day before. They scored 2 runs in the top of the first, but the Rattlers responded back in the bottom of the 1st inning vs Daxton Sanchez. Dax faced 16 batters in 3 innings giving up 5 runs, 4 being earned. He also had 1 walk and 1 wild pitch. The Barons put up a couple zeros on the scoreboard, until the top of the 4th inning when they scored the last run they would score in the tournament, but by then, the Rattlers had already scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 3rd.. The Rattlers continued to score runs, they scored 1 in the 4th, 3 in the 5th and 2 in the 6th. The final score was 11 to 3, thus impeding the Barons to continue to compete for a berth in the NBC World Series through the Rawlings Cup Tournament.

July 11th, 2009, Santa Barbara, CA - The Academy Barons (8-17, 11- 6-9 CCL) were eliminated from Rawlings Cup play by CCL Rival the SLO Rattlers, 11-3.

Starting Pitcher Daxton Sanchez (0-2) pitched 3 innings, allowing 5 runs, on 7 hit, and walking 1 to suffer the loss.

RHP Dimitri De La Fuente (1-0) pitched 1.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits, 1 walk, hit batter and wild pitch.

RHP Justin Baca (0-1) pitched 1.1 innings, allowin 2 runs on 2 hits and 1 walk.

RHP Shuhei Fujiya (1-0) pitched 1 inning with no hits and no runs, recording 1 strikeout and 1 hit batter.

RHP Brian Foster (1-0) pitched 1 innings with 1 hit and no runs scored against him.

Offensively, the Barons only had only 4 hits and 3 runs scored. Alfredo Lopez, Ryan Thornton, Ricky Vazquez and Keith Murakami each contributed one hit. The 3 runs were scored by Jarred Frierson, Ryan Thornton, and Ricky Vazquez.

Barons win Rawlings Cup Opener vs. The East LA Dodgers, 6-5

2009-07-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

2009 Rawlings Cup Tournament

July 9, 2009 vs. East LA Dodgers at Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Barons took on the East LA Dodgers on Thursday July 9, 2009 at 2:00pm at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on the Campus of University of California, Santa Barbara. The starting lineup for the Academy Barons consisted of:

Alfredo Lopez SS

Jarred Frierson CF

Ryan Thornton LF

George McDonald C

Dimitri De La Fuente 3B

Andrew Allen 1B

Keith Murakami DH

Ricky Vazquez 2B

Ricky Stokes RF

Jarrett Maloy P

On the Mound:

Maloy pitched 3 innings; faced 14 batters, giving up 5 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk and recording 4 strikeouts. Spizzirri came in to relieve Maloy in the 4th inning. Spizzirri pitched a total of 4 innings; faced 13 batters, gave up 0 runs, 1 walk and recorded 6 strikeouts. Bromberg then came in for 1.2 innings; faced 6 batters, gave up 2 runs, only one being earned. Bromberg recorded 1 walk and 2 hit batters. Anthony Moctezuma came in in the 9th inning to finish off the game. He earned his first save of the seasons giving Bromberg the win, making him 3-1 this season.

Scoring innings:

In the bottom of the Barons’ 3rd , Ricky Stokes singled to right field. Alfredo Lopez then laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Stokes to second. Jarred Frierson then grounded out to the pitcher; Stokes advanced to third on the play. Ryan Thornton then came up and hit a homerun to left center. George McDonald ended the inning with a hard groundball to the shortstop.

In the bottom of the Barons’ 5th, Lopez singled to right field to start off the inning. Lopez then reached 2B on a Balk by the pitcher. Frierson then singles to right field, which advanced Lopez to 3B. Frierson then stole 3B. With runners in scoring position Thornton struckout swinging . Mc Donald then lined out to 3B. With 2 outs, De La Fuente singled up the middle, just out of reach of the pitcher, which scored Lopez and moved Frierson to 3B. Allen flied out to cf to end the inning.

In the bottom of the Barons’ 8th, London hit a double to right field. Vazquez then laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on a fielder’s choice when the Dodgers attempted to get the lead runner out at 3rd. London beat the throw. With runners in scoring position Stokes walked, advancing Vazquez to 2B. Lopez then singled and advanced to 2B on a throw to 3B that got Stokes out. Vazquez and London both scored on Lopez’s single. Frierson then grounded out to 2B, he advanced Lopez to 3B. Thornton then grounded out to 3B to end the inning.

Thursday July 9th, 2009, Santa Barbara, CA - The Academy Barons (8-14 Overall, 6-9 CCL) won Rawlings Cup opener vs The East LA Dodgers, 6-5.

The was scheduled for 2:00pm at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on the campus of University of California, Santa Barbara.

Starting pitcher-------Jarrett Maloy (0-2) gave up 5 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks and 1 strikeouts 3 innings pitched.

Relief pitcher---------Joe Spizzirri (1-1) gave up 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched.

Winning pitcher-----JR Bromberg (3-1) gave up 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 2 hit batters in 1.2 innings pitched

Save-------------------Anthony Moctezuma (0-1) (1)

Offensively, the Barons recorded 11 hits in this contest.

Alfredo Lopez went 3 for 3 recording 3 singles and 2 runs scored.

Jarred Frierson was 2 for 5 with 1 double and a stolen base.

Dimitri De La Fuente went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs and 1 double.

Ryan Thornton hit a homerun and 2 RBIs.

Martel London was 1 for 2 with a double and 1run scored.

Ricky Vazquez was 1 for 3 with a double and 1 run scored.

Ricky Stokes was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Ryan Thornton, Player of the Week

2009-05-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior Ryan Thornton, who delivered a pair of game-winning hits with two outs in the ninth inning, was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, the league announced today. This is the first weekly honor in Thornton's career, and he was joined on this week's honor list by Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State, who was named the Pitcher of the Week.

Thornton, a Vallejo, Calif., native, hit .375 (9-for-24) from the plate, with two home runs, one double, seven RBI and seven runs scored as UNLV went 3-2 last week, including a 2-1 record at second-place New Mexico in league play.

In the opener of a two-game series against Cal State Northridge, Thornton went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a double, two RBI and three runs scored in UNLV's 13-8 win. In game two vs. the Matadors, he went 2-for-4 with one RBI in an 8-2 loss.

Thornton went 1-for-4 with one run scored in an 8-4 loss in the first game of the series against Lobos, but the designated hitter was just warming up. In game two he stepped to the plate in the top of the ninth with the score knotted at six apiece and drilled a two-run single to propel the Rebels to an 8-6 win. He concluded the series with a 2-for-7, two RBI and two run scored effort, including hitting the game-winning, two-run home run with two outs in the top of the 10th inning in UNLV's 13-11 win.

The Stokes Brothers

2009-03-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Stokes brothers, Ricky and Mykal. Ricky was forced to miss Tuesday’s game with an ankle injury. A sophomore, Ricky is a fullback-sized right fielder with an impressive arm and an emerging power bat. Ricky Stokes first caught the eye of local scouts during a scout ball game in October, which pitted OCC against an Angel Elite Squad filled with So Cal high schoolers who figure to populate the first three rounds of the 2009 draft. He blasted a long wood-bat home run early in the contest, showing off his power potential.

Ricky’s younger brother Mykal is a freshman, drafted last year by the Yankees in the 41st round. Tall, lithe and athletic, Mykal is faintly reminiscent of a young Carlos Beltran in build and playing style, gliding to fly balls with his excellent speed and then casually snapping up even the trickiest drives. Mykal has a decent arm, but he will need to adopt a higher arm slot on his throws and eliminate a flipping action. At bat, Mykal flashes quickness and bat speed. However, from a hitting mechanics standpoint, he is a ways away from being pro ball ready. Mykal’s obvious hitting talent may take some time to develop.

The Stokes brothers are similar to the Upton brothers in the sole sense that they possess completely different frames: Ricky has a strong and mature build, while Mykal is wiry and projectable. Ricky’s game is based on power; Mykal’s on speed, defense and line drives.

The Stokes brothers, beyond parentage, do share one characteristic: Local scouts and college recruiters will track them closely in 2009, based on their abilities and due to the fact the Southern California JC and college draft classes are fairly thin on top notch outfielders.

BASEBALL AMERICA- Complete Article

Great Weekend Performances by the Barons

2009-03-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Great weekends by Barons…..

Jarred Frierson-UNLV- Friday March 6th, 2009, Jarred had a great day against the Butler Bulldogs turning in a 3 for 4 performance with 1 run scored and 1 RBI. Frierson’s night included a triple to left field in the 3rd, a doubled to right field in the 6th, and a single up the middle in the 7th. The Rebels defeated the Bulldogs 9-2.

Saturday March 7th, 2009, Jarred continued his success at the plate. He went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored in the 24-5 win over Butler University.

Ryan Thornton-UNLV- Saturday March 7th, 2009, Ryan added homerun number 2 to his resume for the 2009 season. Thornton went 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. The Rebels defeated the Bulldogs 24-5 with the help of Thornton’s great day at the plate.

Khris Davis -CSUF- Sunday March 8th, 2009, Khris gave Fullerton a 3-0 lead when he hit his fifth homerun of the year against the University of Southern Mississippi. He went 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs in the Titan’s victory over the Eagles 11-3.

"Swinging for the Fence"

2009-03-02T21:36:00.000-08:00

Ryan Thornton- UNLV

2008 California Collegiate League’s “Most Exciting Player” and the Academy Barons’ left fielder put on a spectacular show for the fans at Earl E. Wilson Baseball Stadium at Roger Barnson Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ryan Thornton, UNLV senior, hit for the cycle in the concluding game of a 4-game sweep against Saint Peter’s College. Thornton went 4 for 5, had 5 RBIs, scored 3 times and had 1 stolen base. He led off the game with a walk, hit a 335+ ft solo-homerun over left field fence in the 2nd, a triple to centerfield in the 4th, a double to center field in the 7th, and concluded the night with an infield single to 3B in the 8th.

On Saturday, February 28th, 2009, Ryan Thornton became the sixth player overall to hit for the cycle in a Rebel Uniform. This feat has been accomplished only eight times in program history. Thornton’s cycle was the first cycle by a Rebel since May 16th, 1999, when Tony DeMarco did it against Fresno State.

Khris Davis- CSUF

Barons’ outfielder, Khris Davis, had a stellar performance on March 1st, 2009. Davis, Titan’s junior right fielder, went 4 for 4, hammered 3 homeruns, drove in 6 runs and scored 3 times helping the Titans propel to a 9-3 victory against the visiting Cardinals from Stanford, at Goodwin Field on the campus of Cal State University, Fullerton. Davis provided the highlights of the game when he became the first Titan since Aaron Rifkin in the 2001 Super Regionals to collect 3 home runs in a game.