Category: Empire Media

RICKY SCHAFER BREAKS EPBL WINS RECORD

PLATTSBURGH, NY –  Ricky Schafer breaks Empire Leagues single season wins record with the Old Orchard Beach Surge taking down the first place New York Bucks by a score of 11-1.

The Surge starter went the distance earning his 7th win of the season. The complete game was also a leagues single season best.  In the 7 innings tossed, Schafer  allowed 7 hits and just 1 earned run with 1 walk and 5 batters struck out.

The Surge are still hanging on in the Empire Leagues playoff race and this win was exactly what the team needed to get themselves going. Schafer improves to (7-1) in the season  with a 2.44 ERA  4 complete games and 43 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.

The Surge helped  their starting pitcher with 11 runs of support on 13 hits. Tony Holton went off with a 4 for 5  performance scoring a run driving in 2 runs and 2 of the hits being doubles.

John Tierney, Daniel Dominguez, Quinn Tiernan and Cole Easley all had 2 hits of their own.

The Surge  improve to  (15-19) and are only a half game out of the Wild Card Playoffs. The two teams will face off again tomorrow at 12:00pm.

Article by Empire Media

 

EPBL YORDANY SALVA SELECTED BY PUERTO RICO NATIONAL TEAM

TAMPA, FL – 2017 Champion of the Empire Professional Baseball League and catcher for the Plattsburgh RedBirds Yordany Salva has been selected by the Puerto Rico National Team.

Salva, played   in 29 games with the RedBirds  hitting for a  .244 batting  average and  driving in 13 runs. Salva was previously with the Kansas City Royals and was sent to the Empire League to develop and get more reps.

He  now joins the Elite Group of Players moved on to play at higher levels of professional baseball.

Salva is   currently participating in the Central American Olympic games in Colombia representing the Island of Puerto Rico in which former big league player and future hall of famer Juan Gonzalez is the manager.

The Central American games will conclude on the 30th of June and Salva will have an opportunity to win an Olympic Games Gold Medal.

Article by Empire Media

EPBL MITCHELL HILLERT SELECTED BY IRELAND NATIONAL TEAM

TAMPA, FL – Empire Leagues Left handed pitcher Mitchell Hillert has been selected by the Irish National Team to represent Ireland.

Hillert, is a two year Empire League player who started his career as a  rookie in the Empire Leagues 2017 season with the Puerto Rico Islanders pitching nearly 50 innings and striking out 37 batters posting a (4-3) record.

He would sign once again out of camp in 2018 with the New Hampshire Wild.  Hillert pitched 27 innings striking out 20 batters before departing to Ireland for his first selection in the World Level of competition.

Im exited and beyond happy to represent Ireland and my family from Kildare. – Mitch Hillert

Hillert joins an elite group of Empire League Players who have moved on to play at elite level of professional baseball.

Article by Empire Media

WENDELL FLORANUS BREAKS EMPIRE LEAGUE SINGLE SEASON STRIKEOUT RECORD

OLD ORCHARD BEACH, ME – The Old Orchard Beach Surge (14-17) were outplayed by the Puerto Rico Islanders (20-11), falling 9-0 in Empire Professional Baseball League play Saturday afternoon.
The Islanders scored 4 times in the top of the 3rd and never looked back. A few singles by third baseman Angel Perez and center fielder Markus Guzman followed were followed by a sacrifice fly from first baseman Kyle Schade.
Puerto Rico plated 3 more in the 4th thanks to an RBI single by Perez after a leadoff double by designated hitter Evan Hirschbaum. Shortstop Nick Landell homered to leadoff the 5th and extend the score to 8-0.
The lone extra base hit for the Surge was a double hit by second baseman John Tierney Jr. in the bottom of the 8th. Designated hitter Quinn Tiernan smoked two singles up the middle, going 2-3 on the day. Left fielder Cole Easely got on base 3 times in an 0-2 game, getting hit twice and hitting into a fielder’s choice.
Islanders starting pitcher Wendell Floranus earned the win by pitching 7 shutout innings, giving up 4 hits, walking one and striking out 10. The story here is not only the Islanders win, but Floranus 7th strikeout of the game  was the story of the game as it set the Empire Leagues single season strikeout record. The Strikeout happened in the 6th inning to Surge Outfielder Tony Holton.
There is no telling is anyone will ever catch Wendell unless he moves on, but he leads by 13 strikeouts and the season still has another half to play.
“The guy is just good. He averages 11 strikeouts a game. There’s a reason the Netherlands World Baseball Classic has this guy on the roster facing guys like Shohei Otani. He just turned 23. This guy should be in the Big Leagues” – VP of Baseball Jerry Gonzalez
The Surge play tomorrow morning at 11:00 A.M. in the finale of a 6-game series against the Puerto Rico Islanders.
Article By Empire Media

JJ BISSELL WINS 2018 HOME RUN DERBY AND IS SENT UP TO NORMAL CORNBELTERS OF THE FRONTIER LEAGUE

OLD ORCHARD BEACH, ME –  The Puerto Rico Islanders first baseman and league leader in Home Runs, Jacob Bissell, defeated New York Bucks Simon Palenchar in the final round to win the 2018 Empire League All Star Game Home Run Derby.

Bissell,   will now join the team as their regular first baseman.

Bissell is leading the league with 4 Home Runs and  is currently in 4th place in RBIs with 24 in  104 plate appearances. He was a key player in the game versus the Puerto Rico National Team and will now have his second chance in the Frontier League.

The Islanders, who are currently in 2nd place in the standings, will look to replace Bissell to begin the second half of the season which will begin on Tuesday night to decide who will make the 2018 EPBL Playoffs.

Article by Empire Media