Express set to roll for inaugural VBL season

STRASBURG -- Nothing that's happened in the past few days has been unexpected; none of it has come as an unwelcome surprise.

Schwartz named as Cards' skipper

FRONT ROYAL -- The Front Royal Cardinals have announced their new manager for the 2011 Valley Baseball League season.

Former VBL pitcher in MLB

PHILADELPHIA -- A former Woodstock River Bandit made his major league debut for the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

Bandits add new manager

WOODSTOCK -- Standing at Central High School on Thursday morning, Brent Haring was already back on a baseball diamond.

'Refreshing' changes

STRASBURG -- Jay Neal, general manager of the new Valley League Baseball team coming to Strasburg next season, wants to make sure his players are not left in the dark.

Jamieson's extra-inning single keeps Cardinals alive in playoffs

FRONT ROYAL -- Last Tuesday, it was a three-run homer by Sean Jamieson that provided the big blow in Front Royal's first-round Valley Baseball League series win over Waynesboro.

Offense propels Luray to victory, Game 3 set

Luray jumped ahead by two runs after a half inning of play, then used a grand slam by Nick Rickles in the eighth to defeat Winchester 10-4 on Sunday in an emotional second game of their Valley League semifinal matchup.

Moving on: Cox sparks Winchester to victory

WINCHESTER -- After swapping 8-4 wins over the last two days, Winchester and Harrisonburg squared off for a trip to the semifinals of the Valley League playoffs. Regardless of the results, however, it was the last game for Winchester's Evan Cox and Cory Spangenberg, who will be heading home today.

Haymarket ends Rebels' season

NEW MARKET -- After an up and down season, New Market saw its season prolonged for two hours Wednesday night only to come to a close quickly once play began in the second game of their Valley Baseball League first-round playoff series against the regular season champion Haymarket Senators.

Front Royal notches win in Game 1 of playoffs

WINCHESTER -- With the way he was pitching Tuesday night, Harrisonburg's Drew Granier didn't need a whole lot of support. He got it anyway.

Harrisonburg doubles up Winchester

FRONT ROYAL -- The Cardinals opened the Valley Baseball League postseason Tuesday night, beginning a series at home against the Waynesboro Generals, and Front Royal played one of its best games of the season to start the postseason with a win, outlasting the Generals, 6-2.

Winchester scores 20 in win

WINCHESTER -- Nathan Minnich crushed three home runs, including a third-inning grand slam, to lift Winchester to a convincing 20-6 win over Woodstock Monday in each team's last regular season Valley League game.

Rebels clinch playoff spot with win

NEW MARKET -- With eligibility for postseason play hanging in the balance, the New Market Rebels had to play first-place Haymarket in their next-to-last game of the regular season in a Sunday night Valley League contest.

Royals rally past Cardinals for key victory

FRONT ROYAL -- Cory Spangenburg has been able to spray hits throughout the season in the Valley Baseball League. In fact, the Winchester shortstop entered Sunday night's key late-season matchup with rival Front Royal with a league-best .400 batting average.

Garza hits winning double for Bandits

WOODSTOCK -- A group of kids gathered just outside of the Woodstock dugout, baseballs in hand. They were waiting for River Bandits third baseman Mike Garza to get back from the post-game huddle in left field. They wanted him to sign their baseballs.

Royals break loose against Rebs

NEW MARKET -- As he stood up to dust himself off, his left foot anchored on first base, Kevin Brashears couldn't help but grin. The Winchester Royals center fielder realized he had just gotten away with a call from the umpire. After leading off the top of the first with a single, Brashears had dangled a bit too far off the bag, and appeared to have been tagged for the game's first out.

Cardinals' late-inning bunt attack finishes off Braves

FRONT ROYAL -- With the way Front Royal had been hitting all game, the last thing Staunton probably expected in the eighth inning was to see the Cardinals drop a few bunts. And what a good time it was for Front Royal to catch the Braves off guard.

River Bandits earn home win

WOODSTOCK -- Woodstock got a spectacular game out of two newcomers to defeat New Market, 3-2, Tuesday, tightening the race for the final spot in next week's playoffs.

Ramirez, Rebels rally past Lumberjacks

NEW MARKET -- New Market's Francisco Ramirez, who had been 0-for-3 with a walk, got the key timely hit to lift the Rebels to a 6-5 victory over Covington in Valley League action on Sunday.

League-leading Senators top Rebs

NEW MARKET -- The Haymarket Senators rolled into Rebel Stadium and took the field by storm, connecting for 15 hits against eight different New Market pitchers as they cruised comfortably to a 13-4 victory Friday night.

Woodstock earns road victory

WINCHESTER -- With the Valley Baseball League's regular season slowly counting down, the Woodstock River Bandits need to make every game count if they hope to make a push for the eight-team playoffs.

Cardinals shut down Covington for victory

FRONT ROYAL -- Blake Ford had confidence that he could come out with a better pitching start than last time, and the tall right-hander had just as much trust that his defense would make plays behind him.

Big inning sinks Woodstock: Front Royal bats around in sixth to earn victory

WOODSTOCK -- The Front Royal Cardinals confirmed their turnaround from a seven-game losing streak with their second win in row, riding a five-run sixth inning to top the host Woodstock River Bandits, 6-3, in Wednesday night Valley League action.

Cardinals end skid against Winchester

FRONT ROYAL -- Entering the evening, the Front Royal Cardinals were determined to put together a win.

Rapids jump out early, hold on

FRONT ROYAL -- On the morning of July 7, players of the Front Royal Cardinals woke up to learn they had earned a share of the lead in the Valley Baseball League.

Eighth-inning rally sparks Winchester

WINCHESTER -- After blowing an early lead, Winchester trailed by a run with just six outs left Sunday in its Valley League game with Covington. The Royals fought back with six eighth-inning runs to defeat the Lumberjacks 12-7.

Haymarket rallies past Woodstock

WOODSTOCK --The 10th-place Woodstock River Bandits faced the first-place Haymarket Senators in Valley League action Sunday night.

New Market drops Wranglers at home

NEW MARKET -- Any doubts regarding the New Market Rebels' ability to follow up their 14-4 thrashing of the Winchester Royals on Thursday night were resoundingly dispelled as the Rebels lashed 11 hits and got a complete-game performance from pitcher Blaine Sims in topping the Luray Wranglers, 8-1, in Valley League action Friday night.

Insurrection: Surging Rebels take down front-running Royals

WINCHESTER -- Offensive production hasn't exactly been New Market's calling card this summer. But for one night, at least, the Rebels' bats came alive.

River Bandits closing in on playoff chase

WOODSTOCK -- With the Valley League season winding down, Woodstock entered its game Thursday with Rockbridge just two games out of a berth in the playoffs.