Chenoweth and Ball State Quartet Ready To Lead Webster

Webster residents should prepare themselves for some summer fireworks.

No the town board has not approved additional pyrotechnic displays.  Rather, Coach Dave Brust’s Webster Yankees should provide plenty of firepower when the  New York Collegiate Baseball  season opens on Tuesday, June 9 ^th .

Ryan Chenoweth and Scott Brothers lead a foursome from the Ball State Cardinals that have three wins over the Big Ten without dropping a game to the major conference.

“We’re thinking of getting shirts that say Big Ten Champions,” joked Ball State assistant, Mike Stafford after the Cardinals stunned 23 ^rd ranked Ohio State, 20-8.

Both Chenoweth and Brothers factored prominently in the road win for the Cardinals.  Chenoweth lashed a pair of doubles driving in two runs while Brothers tossed a scoreless inning.

“Scott throws 87-90 miles per hour with a breaking ball,” added Stafford.  “He pitched a year in junior college at Gulf Coast, but he required Tommy John surgery.  He came and rehabbed for a season with us before getting back on the mound this year.”

Brothers has thrown thirteen and a third with eight strike outs and a record one and one.

Chenoweth will be making his second tour duty with the home nine.  Last season a foul tip at the plate caused a severe bone bruise and cut Chenoweth’s summer season after just eight games.

“That injury was weird,” said the junior outfielder when referring to the fact that his skin never discolored.  “It wasn’t until the beginning of fall sessions that my leg actually loosened up.”

“Ryan is a great defensive player,” said Stafford.  “He’s got a great arm.

Currently Chenoweth has 77 put outs with two assists from the outfield.  He finished last week with a home run as Cardinals topped Western Michigan 11-7.

Chenoweth is looking forward to another summer in the Empire State.

“It was fun out there.  Last year was the first time I had been in New York.  I liked it.”

When speaking of the NYCBL Chenoweth added: “It has a bunch of nice fields with good crowds.”

Two summers ago Chenoweth played for the Grand Lake Mariners of the Great Lakes Summer League.

Nate Koontz and Dominic Catanzarite will accompany Chenoweth and Brothers.

Koontz has a home run and seven RBI in his 18 appearances.

“Nate has great power,” added Stafford.  “We’re excited about his future.”

Catanzarite broke his leg during the fall season and took a medical red shirt for the campaign.

“He would have been on our roster had it not been for the injury,” said Stafford.

Currently the Cardinals hold second place in the Mid-American Conference’s West Division.  Ball State is 7-8 in conference play and 18-18 overall.

While in college Brust batted .290 with twenty-three round trippers and seventy-three runs batted in for the Cardinals.  Brust earned first-team All-Conference honors his second year when he batted .342, with fourteen homers.

Webster opens the 2009 NYCBL season at Webster Town Park on June 9th when 2007 league champion, Elmira Pioneers, come to town. 

The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat development league for professional baseball.  Major League Baseball funds a small portion of the league’s annual budget. The league gives college players who have not yet signed a professional contract the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level of play, gain experience with wood bats, and be evaluated by scouts.  Current major leaguers Brad Lidge, Tim Hudson, John McDonald, and Dallas Braden all spent time in the NYCBL.

Former Webster Yankees, Bryan Gardner and Pat Urckfitz currently play in the minor leagues.  Gardner pitches in the Cincinnati Reds system while Urckfitz comes out of the bullpen in the Houston Astros system.

Pickin’ Splinters