Thursday 13 August: Doubleheader: Bluefield 2, at Princeton 0 (Game One); at Princeton 3, Bluefield 1 (Game Two)

The Princeton Rays clinched the 2009 Mercer Cup championship over the Bluefield Orioles tonight, but it didn't come easy and it didn't come without a hullabaloo.

Princeton's offensive struggles continued in the first game, as first-round draft pick Matt Hobgood and Andrew Huebner combined to shut out the P-Rays on two hits.


In the second game, Princeton was able to break through, snapping a 1-1 tie with two runs in a controversial 5th inning.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Brian Bryles hit a ground ball to Orioles 2B Gary Helmick. Helmick threw to SS Javier Santana to force out Ty Morrison at second, and it appeared Bryles beat the relay throw to first.

Dan Rhault scored from third and Princeton had a 2-1 lead, and it appeared Kyle Spraker had scored as well, hustling to the plate all the way from second to put the P-Rays ahead 3-1.

(Notice my use of the word "appeared?")

However, base umpire Mike Cafaro made a somewhat dubious interference call on Morrison, which meant he was out and Bryles was automatically out at first. Double play.

Several "discussions" followed between the P-Rays coaches and the umpiring crew. The interference call stood. Rhault's run stood as well, although Spraker was ordered back to third.

This all went on in full view of Appalachian League President Lee Landers, who was in attendance tonight.

But, perhaps in a case of poetic justice, Princeton scored its third run when the next batter, Ryan Wiegand, hit a pop-up to shallow center. The sure-handed Santana appeared to have it measured, but Helmick bumped into him and the ball fell to the ground. Spraker scored on the error to make the score 3-1.

Princeton starter Joey Callender benefited from the late, if somewhat unusual, run support to record the first complete-game victory of his brief professional pitching career.


Here's the Game One boxscore:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2009_08_13_blurok_prirok_1&t=g_box&did=milb

And the recap:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2009_08_13_blurok_prirok_1


Here's the boxscore for Game Two:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2009_08_13_blurok_prirok_2&t=g_box&did=milb

And the recap for same:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2009_08_13_blurok_prirok_2



Princeton and Bluefield meet again tomorrow night, Friday 14 August, in the second game of the "Mercer County Nights of Hope Baseball Series" to benefit the American Cancer Society.

The "Nights of Hope" game is at Princeton was originally scheduled for July 30, but was rained out.

Here's a link to a page on the P-Rays website with more information:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2009_08_13_blurok_prirok_2

Don't miss out on the silent auction.



We'll bring you Friday's game on Classic Rock 102 The River (WMTD 102.3 FM) and at theriver102.com. The P-Rays Pre-Game Show starts at 6:30 pm EDT, with game time at 7:00 at Hunnicutt Field.