The selected candidate must posses background in baseball in some capacity as either a high school baseball player or team manager.

Duties included with this position are as followed, but not limited to:

• Laundering of uniforms
• Statistical recording and maintenance
• Game and Practice Field Set up
• Attendance to every practice and game
• Equipment Inventory
• Other Duties as assigned

Anyone that is interested in applying for this position should email Coach Adam Thomas at adam.thomas@cv.edu.  The subject line should be titled BASEBALL MANAGER.  Include in your email the following information:

• Name
• Contact #
• High School
• A brief description of your baseball background
• Why you feel you would be a good fit for our program and for this position
• 2 References including name and contact #

Mike O’Neal

In the tourney opener, Wallace Dothan roared out to a 5-1 lead, but a relentless attack by the Pirate offense forced several errors and led to a 10-5 romp in favor of Chatt Valley.  Micheal O’Neal returned to form, striking out ten in six and a third innings in relief, and David Levy and Cody Walker hammered out three hits each.

Cody Walker

In game two, the Pirates would face the regular season champions from the ACCC Northern division, Wallace Hanceville.  The Lions were every bit as tough as advertised, but the Pirates gave them all they could handle in a 2-1 pitchers duel.  Clint Spratlin was masterful, going six innings and allowing no earned runs in the defeat.

Pat Olvaney

The Pirates could thank dominant relief pitching, clutch hitting and a little bit of divine intervention for their third round win over LB Wallace.  The Saints took a 5-1 lead over the Pirates going into the bottom of the eighth inning when the Pirates loaded the bases with two outs and the rain came in.  Prior to the rain delay, the Saints had seized all of the momentum in the game, but when the contest resumes after two hours, the Pirates turned the tide. 

Matt Vollenweider

Cody Walker worked a walk to score the first run of the comeback, and then Tim Massengale drove a two-out, full count fastball into right center to plate two more runs.  In the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates were down to their last strike when Martin Castro drove in Matt Nettles to send the game into extra innings.  Dustin Dunagan and Matt Vollenweider then combined for one of the most gutsy relief performances in CVCC baseball history, tossing a combined six and a third innings of scoreless relief.  Vollenweider was particularly effective, striking out nine in four and a third innings.  Their efforts set the stage for Patrick Olvaney to launch a massive, two run walk off homer in the bottom of the fourteenth inning to win the game. 

Tim Massengal

Unfortunately, the Pirates heroics against LBW would doom them against Central Alabama.  Chatt Valley was forced to use almost their entire pitching staff in the fourteen inning affair, and they had little left to use against nationally ranked Central Alabama in what would be the final game of their season.  The Pirates committed three critical errors on top of getting roughed up for thirteen hits that led to a 9-4 defeat.  Pirate hitters pounded out twelve hits of their own, but fell victim to bad luck hammering several potentially game changing balls directly to Trojan fielders.  Tim Massengale, Patrick Olvaney, and Matt Nettles led the way for the Pirates, but the loss ended another successful season for the baseball team. 

Matt Nettles

The Pirates finished the year with a 35-24 record and a second place finish in the ACCC Central Division, with a 5th place overall finish in the conference tourney.        

CVCC will open up the conference tournament at 10:00 am eastern on Saturday, May 12th against the #4 seed from the South in Enterprise State Community College.  The Boll Weevils finished 22-18 overall and 17-13 in divisional play.

To see the tournament seeding, as well as the entire tournament bracket, click here.  For tournament updates and information, go to the ACCC website.

Clint “Big Cat” Spratlin

Game 1 saw another dominant pitching effort by Clint “Big Cat” Spratlin, as he tossed 7 strong shutout innings, allowing 6 hits, with 6 K’s and 2 walks, earning his seventh win of the year, tying Dustin Dunagan for the team lead.  In a well pitched, well defensed affair, the Pirates struck in the 3rd inning, when Cody Walker lead off with a single and eventually scored when Jared Kahn reached on an error by the MMI shortstop.  The lead stuck at 1-0 until the 7th, when Tim Massengale tripled down the left field line and scored on the very next pitch, as Walker laced a line drive single up the middle through a drawn in Tiger infield. 

Tim Massengale

Clinging to a 2-0 lead, Mike O’Neal came on in the 8th to retire the first 2 Tiger hitters, while Daniel Szathmary relieved O’Neal and punched out the Tiger DH for the final out of the inning.  CV added one more insurance run in their half of the 8th, as Pat Olvaney smoked a 2 out single and later scored on Tim Massengale’s ground ball that the Marion third baseman threw into the 1st base bullpen.

Matt Vollenweider

Closer Matt Vollenweider came on to record his ACCC leading, 10th save of the year, in 1-2-3 fashion, while striking out 2 hitters.

Cody Walker

Game 2 provided plenty of excitement and a fitting ending to the 2012 regular season.  Zach Helewski took the mound for his final start at Howard Lake Field and tossed 5 innings of solid baseball, allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks.  MMI struck first in the night cap, as they went 1st and 2nd with none out in the top of the 4th inning.  After a pop up on a bunt attempt, another single loaded the bases with only one out.  Lu got the groundball he needed, unfortunately it was not hit hard enough to roll the double play, as the Tigers got on the board 1-0 with 2 outs.  The next batter hit a swinging bunt that Helewski was unable to field cleanly allowing the second run to score, but trying to end the inning, Helewski over threw 1st base allowing another run to plate, making it 3-0 Tigers. 

Trace McDaniel

The Pirates came right back in their half of the 4th, scoring 2 runs on a Tim Massengale RBI single and a Luke Ewing RBI walk.  Helewski settled down and tossed a 1-2-3 5th and then gave way to reliever, Will Thomas, who put up a zero in the 6th frame.  However, Thomas allowed back to back singles and a sac bunt to start the 7th.  On came Trace McDaniel, who pitched possibly the best inning of the week, escaping a bases loaded jam with a punchout and groundout to end the Tiger scoring threat.

Taylor Hinshaw

Down 3-2 in the final inning of the season at The Lake, sophomore Martin Castro laced a double in the right center field gap to lead off the inning.  Taylor Hinshaw had 2 failed bunt attempts and then ripped a double of his own to score Castro and tie the game.  Hinshaw’s double was the 33rd of his career, placing him atop the record book at CVCC.  A sac bunt by Pat Olvaney led to a dramatic walk off suicide squeeze bunt by third baseman Josh Sanders, that scored pinch runner, Dominique Smedley, just ahead of the throw to home, making the Pirates a 4-3 winner to close out the 2012 regular season.

Dustin Dunagan

In action earlier in the week, the Pirates ripped Wallace-Selma, 12-1 on Thursday in a mercy rule game.  CVCC was led by Dustin Dunagan, who tossed 6 innings of 6 hit baseball, earning his 7th win of the year.  The Pirates were led by Cody Walker, Taylor Hinshaw and Pat Olvaney, who all had 2 hit days.

Matt Nettles

Tuesday saw the Pirates drop a key decision to Southern Union in a 7-3 loss in Wadley.  Mike O’Neal got the start and pitched a great game until 3 free passes were his undoing in a 3-2 game in the 6th inning.  Jared Kahn paced the offense with 2 hits, while Matt Nettles added a 2 run triple.

CVCC ends the regular season at 33-22 and finished tied with Southern Union for second place in the ACCC Central Division with a 19-13 record.

Up next is the ACCC Tournament in Ozark, Alabama, beginning on Saturday, May 12th.  The Pirates will enter the tourney as the # 3 seed from the Central.  Game time and opponent are not yet available.

Pat Olvaney

With runs hard to come by against nationally ranked # 2 Central Alabama, Patrick Olvaney launched a bottom of the 7th, 2 out game tying homer, setting the stage for Dominique Smedley’s game winning, steal of home in extra innings to earn the Pirates a 3-2 win in game 2 after dropping game 1, 3-1.

Dominique Smedley

Zach Helewski took the mound in game 1 and took a hard luck loss, in which he pitched a gem in 7 innings of work.  He scattered 6 hits and struck out 5 and surrendered 2 runs after giving up two, 2 out free passes in the third with the Pirates clinging to a 1-0 lead.  With that being the only damage Helewski allowed, the Pirate offense simply could not muster any run support for the sophomore right hander.

Taylor Hinshaw

CVCC jumped on the board early, as Martin Castro and Dominique Smedley led of the bottom of the first inning with back to back singles.  David Levy’ sacrifice bunt gave way to an RBI ground out by Kendell Brinson.  Unfortunately, the Pirates never really threatened again, as CVCC only had one more baserunner advance to second base the remainder of the game.  Castro and Josh Sanders collected 4 of the Pirates 5 hits on the day, as the both had 2 hit games.

Clint Spratlin

Game 2 was much of the same for both teams – great pitching and great defense, and very little offense.  Clint “Big Cat” Spratlin got the start in game 2 and pitched a beauty of his own, tossing 6 1/3 of 3 hit baseball, surrendering only a single run in the 5th, tying the game at 1 all. 

Once again, the Pirates struck first, with a leadoff walk by Nick Jones in the fourth, that led to a 2 out RBI double by Taylor Hinshaw, 2 batters later.  The lead was short lived, as once again, a pair of 2 out free passes allowed CACC to turn the lineup over and a 2 out hit allowed the tying run to cross.

Dustin Dunagan

Dustin Dunagan came in relief of Big Cat in the top of 7 to retire the final 2 hitters.  The next half frame saw CVCC waste a golden opportunity for the walk off win, in which Hinshaw led off with a single, giving way to pinch runner, Dominique Smedley.  Smedley advanced to 2nd on a sac bunt, followed by a walk to Jared Kahn.  Unfortunately, Martin Castro bounced into a fielders choice for out 2, and Luke Ewing struck out to the end the inning and the game ending threat.

The Trojans took the lead and what looked like the game in the extra inning 8th, collecting 3 hits in the frame.  With a 2-1 lead and 2 outs, and their starter cruising and still in the game, Pat Olvaney absolutely crushed a 2 out fastball over the right field wall to knot the game at 2 apiece.

CACC once again threatened in their half of the 9th, but CVCC pulled a “strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out”, with Dunagan and catcher Neal Chambless to stiffle the threat.  This set the stage for the exciting finish in the Pirate half of the 9th.  Smedley led of the inning with a single and was advanced to 2nd on Chambless’ sac bunt.  Kahn then delivered what appeared to be the game winning hit, but the CACC shortstop made a great play keeping the ball on the infield, preventing Smedley from scoring.  With runners on the corner, the crowd witnessed arguably the most confusing play of the season.  Martin Castro hit a shallow fly ball to left, not deep enough to score the winning run, and the CACC left fielder, running in to catch it, dropped the ball.  Smedley stayed put at 3rd base, while Kahn, not knowing he dropped it, retreated to first.  The throw went home and then to second base to nail Kahn for the fielder’s choice and the 2nd out of the inning.

Once again, the Pirates looked to have spoiled a golden opportunity to win the game.  However, with 2 strikes on JD Perry, the Trojan pitcher bounced a curve ball that only scooted about 15 feet away from the catcher.  Without hesitation, Smedley broke from third base and stole home for the walk off win, securing the extra inning split.

The Pirates finally hit the 30 win plateau, marking the 10th consecutive year in which CVCC has won at least 30 games, as their record sits at 30-21 on the year and 16-12 in division play.  CVCC will travel to Southern Union on Tuesday for a 2:00 matchup that, for all intensive purposes, is a playoff game to decide 2nd place in the ACCC Central Division.

Coach Adam Thomas and Jared Kahn

Kahn, who is graduating with his Associates Degree this month with a perfect 4.00 GPA, was the star of the night at the ceremony as he was a winner in five categories:  Math, Most Outstanding Student-Athlete, Top 10 Graduating class, General Scholarship, and, of course, the most prestigious award, Most Outstanding Student. 

Jared Kahn and Dr. Glen Cannon, CVCC's President

Jared is from Atlanta, Georgia, and a graduate of Woodward Academy and is the son of Phillip and Fredericka Kahn.  He plans to pursue a career in medicine and is currently deciding between Georgia State University and Emory University as to where he will further both his academic and baseball career.

Dustin Dunagan

The Pirates did just that, as they rode the right arm of sophomore Dustin Dunagan to an 8-2 victory clinching their 10th consecutive appearance in the conference tourney.  Dunagan, battling sickness, an oblique injury, and an in-grown toe nail, tossed 7 dominant innings of 3 hit baseball, while striking out 5 and walking 3.  The Tigers of MMI threatened only once, as they score their only run of Dunagan in the 3rd inning.

Martin Castro

After falling behind 1-0, the Pirates answered right back in the top of the 4th and took the lead for good.  After an inning full of walks, the Pirates tied the game on Jared Kahn’s bases loaded walk.  Martin Castro, with 2 outs, worked the count full, and with all of the runners in motion, dropped a single in front of the left fielder that cleared the bases to put CVCC up 4-1.  Dunagan took over from there and held the Tigers at bay through 7.  

Taylor Hinshaw

CVCC jumped back on the board again in the 6th to virtually put the game away, plating 4 more runs, with RBI hits by Taylor Hinshaw and David Levy.  Mike O’Neal took over for Dunagan in the 8th and struck out the side and handed the game over to Matt Vollenweider to close out the 9th and clinch the Pirates tournament berth.

Zach Helewski

Saturday’s games were all about the pitching staffs, as CVCC won game 1, 2-1, on a walk off walk by Josh Sanders and dropped game 2, 4-1.  Starter Zach Helewski went the distance in the first game, as he tossed 9 beautiful innings of 6 hit baseball, surrendering 0 walks and 1 earned run.  After scoring a run in the bottom of the first, the Pirates did not threaten again until the 8th when they loaded the bases with none out, but, unfortunately were not able to push a run across.  After Helewski stifled a Patriot threat in their half of the 9th, the Pirates went to work.  A handful of walks and hit by pitches opened the door for a very anti-climatic but very much needed win, in which Josh Sanders took a 3-1 pitch for ball 4 to plate the final run in the 2-1 win.

Josh Sanders

Game 2 was much like the first in which the Pirate offense never got started.  An error filled 2nd inning gave Wallace a 3-0 lead in which CVCC just simply could not overcome.  The Pirates popped up in 16 of their 21 outs and where only able to push 1 run across.  Freshman Ben Taylor pitched solid in his conference start, but unfortunately, free passes and poor defense were his undoing.

The Pirates are now 29-20 on the year and 15-11 in ACCC Central Division play and are in second place with 6 games to go on the season.

Clint Spratlin

The Pirates sent Clint “Big Cat” Spratlin to the mound, and has been the case with opponents versus The Cat, hits were tough to come by.  Spratlin surrendered only 3 hits in the start, with the only run coming from a solo homer by Happy Gregg in the second.  Spratlin added 4 more strikouts to his total, as well.  After falling behind 1-0, CVCC answered right back on a Taylor Hinshaw RBI groundout in the bottom half of the second frame.  The Pirates took the lead for good in the 4th, when Pat Olvaney lead off with a single and was eventually driven in on a big 2 out hit by Luke Ewing to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

Mike O'Neal

Control problems and a high pitch count made for an early exit for Big Cat, as he handed the ball of to Mike O’Neal.  O’Neal rebounded after a tough day on Wednesday with a superb performance of 3 1/3 innings in which he surrendered only 1 run and scattered 3 hits.  The Pirate offense gave O’Neal some breathing room by pushing across another run in the 5th from another 2 out RBI hit off the bat of Kendell Brinson, scoring Marty Castro, who led the inning off with a walk.

Josh Sanders

CVCC scratched for another in the 7th, as Josh Sanders drove a single off of the 3rd base bag to score Castro and added one more insurance run in the 8th on a sacrifice fly by Jared Kahn to push the lead to 5-2.  Matt Vollenweider came in relief of O’Neal to notch his lead leading 9th save of the year.

Matt Vollenweider

The Pirates improve their record to 27-19 and 13-10 in ACCC Central Division Play.  The Pirates play host to Wallace State-Selma on Saturday, April 21st for a 1:00 eastern double header.

Josh Rogers

Rogers, a 6’1 195 lb right handed pitcher is a legitimate 90 mph arm and is the ace of the # 1 ranked team in 4A baseball.  Josh complements his overpowering fastball with a hard slider and shows very solid command of the change up.  With all but 3 pitchers departing from the 2012 CVCC pitching staff, Rogers will be in position, along with Coach Thomas’ other pitching recruits, to have an immediate impact for the 2013 edition of Pirate Baseball.

Neal Chambless

Neal Chambless is having a stellar sophomore year with the Pirates, as he is hitting .308 with 6 doubles and 14 RBI’s.  Chambless, a graduate of Harris County High School in Hamilton, Georgia, has been an absolute shutdown defensive workhorse behind the plate, as he has thrown out 14 of 21 attempted base stealers at an astonishing 67% caught stealing rate, while fielding .995 on the year, as he has committed only 1 error in 200 chances.  Neal will graduate this May with his Associates Degree at CVCC and currently holds a 3.48 GPA.

Sammy Altman

Sammy Altman is, without a doubt, a team favorite.  Although he has appeared in only 5 games for the Pirates, he is averaging a strikeout per inning and holds a 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio.  He is a coaches dream, as he is willing to assist the team and coaching staff in any way needed.  Sammy will also graduate this May with his Associates degree and holds a 3.31 GPA.