A Rite of Spring – The New BatKids Are Here

The Batkids Are Alright – We are happy to welcome the T-Bolts Batkids to another season of Thunderbolts Baseball. Sara Morris, Batkid Administrator extrodinare held a training session at Blair Stadium for the new and returning Batkids on Monday May 2oth. Batkids are a crucial part of the T-Bolts game day experience and we are happy to have such an enthusiastic group of kids helping us out. Thanks to Simon, Nick, Cooper, Colin, Xander, Bennett, Jonny, George, Julianne, Liam, Grant, Mitchell, and Ethan.

2011 T-Bolt Dan Gayeski Is Back with the Thunderbolts This Season

DeSales Junior Dan Gayeski tore a ligament in his elbow while pitching for the T-Bolts in 2011. Read Gary Sarnoff’s article about Dan’s road back to the top of his college league and return to the T-Bolts in 2013. Click The Comeback Kid to read the full story.

2005 T-Bolt Zach Clark Called Up To The Majors

The Orioles announced today that Zach Clark, a member of the 2005 Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts, has been called up from Norfolk and will be added as a member of the O’s bullpen staff. Congratulations Zack! Click Orioles.com to read the full story.

Returning T-Bolt Jake Taylor: More Than Just A Power Hitter

T-Bolts Sports Writer and Analyst Gary Sarnoff sat down recently to talk with returning T-Bolts First Baseman Jake Taylor. Read his full article by clicking T-Bolts Blog. See also Montgomery Gazette to read about Jake in the Montgomery Gazette.

Incoming T-Bolt Pitcher Mac Gill named UMBC Athlete of the Month

UMBC junior pitcher Mac Gill (Walter Johnson HS) was named the UMBC Athlete of the Month for March 2013, during which he posted a record of 2-0 and with an ERA of 2.70 in five starts. The junior right-hander worked a team-high 33.1 innings and threw his first career complete game on Mar. 23, defeating America East rival Albany 3-2.

 

 

T-Bolts New Head Coach Doug Remer Ready To Make His Mark – An Article By Gary Sarnoff

T-Bolts Sports Writer and Analyst Gary Sarnoff sat down recently to talk with new T-Bolts Head Coach Doug Remer. Read his full article by clicking HERE

Former T-Bolt Zach Clark Making A Strong Case For Himself In O’s Spring Training

Zach Clark (T-Bolts 2005) continues to impress the Orioles during the O’s spring training in Sarasota, Florida. This is his first big league camp and he is doing everything he can to make sure the team brings him north this spring. Here’s an article from mlb.com about his progress this spring: Zack Clark MLB.COM.

Blair Stadium Gets A Major Makeover

This Fall, the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Plannings hired Mid-Atlantic Turf to replace the infield and aprons at Blair Stadium.

Starting in mid November, the Mid-Atlantic removed all the turf and infield dirt, laser-graded the surface, installed new sod on the infield and aprons, and placed new infield dirt.

Work was completed in December, leaving plenty of time for the new sod to take root by March 1 and the start of the Blair High School baseball season.

Mid-Atlantic Turf is the company that installed the field at Blair Stadium when the Thunderbolts helped build the ball park in the early 2000′s.

2005 T-Bolt Zach Clark Added to Orioles’ 40 Man Roster – Appearing at Orioles Fanfest

Zach Clark (T-Bolts 2005) has been added to the Baltimore Orioles’ 40-man roster and will be appearing at this year’s Orioles Fanfest at the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday January 19th. Zach will take part in player autograph sessions, fan forums, and picture sessions.

Be sure to come out and welcome your former T-Bolts to the Orioles! The fanfest is held from 11-5 (10 am entrance for season ticket holders). There is free parking in lots B and C next to Camden Yards.

DOUG REMER NAMED T-BOLTS HEAD COACH FOR THE 2013 SEASON

The Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts are please to announce the hiring of Doug Remer as Head Coach for the 2013 season. We are certain many of you in the Silver Spring-Takoma area know Doug and his passion for baseball and we are excited to welcome him as a member of the T-Bolts family. Doug currently is the head varsity baseball coach at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring where he teaches Special Education and Mathematics. Doug is a former college standout at Savannah State University and previously served as junior varsity coach at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of Albert Einstein High School and is an instructor at both the Baseball Factory Youth Skills and Development Program and Diamond Skills Prospects Camp.

Doug holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from University of Maryland, College Park, and a Masters Degree in Transitional Special Education from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

In addition to coaching the T-Bolts next season, Doug will be heading up the T-Bolts summer baseball camps next season. He is a welcome addition to the Thunderbolts organization. Congratulations to Doug!

Three T-Bolts Honored As Members Of 2012 CRCBL All-League Team

T-Bolt relief pitcher Paul Beers (Towson) was named to the CRCBL  All-League First Team, while designated hitter Chris Bzozowski (Keystone) and Kurt Wertz, Jr. (Towson) were named Second Team CRCBL All-League. Congratulations to our outstanding T-Bolts players.

Two T-Bolts Honored  With Weekly CRCBL Awards!

Our own T-Bolts, Jake Taylor and Paul Beers, were honored this week by the Cal Ripken Collegiate  Baseball League.  T-Bolts First Baseman Jake Taylor (Radford) was named the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League Co-Players of the Week for the week of July 9 to Jul 15 along with the Brendan Hendriks (San Francisco) of the Bethesda Big Train.  Taylor walloped four home runs in one week as he closed the gap on League home run leader Hunter Renfroe (Big Train). He collected hits in his final four games of the week, including a four-hit, two home run effort against the Herndon Braves on July 14. Taylor also doubled once, scored five runs, and drove in eight for the T-Bolts. The powerful righty now has 11 home runs in 33 games for Silver Spring-Takoma. Taylor also highlighted the week by winning the 2012 Home Run Derby during the All Star Game festivities on July 11.

Paul Beers (Towson), the T-Bolts’ Top-Shelf Reliever, was named the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 9 to July 15. Beers pitched four innings of scoreless relief as his teammates clawed back to defeat the Southern Maryland Nationals, 4-3, in 12 innings on July 12. Beers entered the game in the ninth inning in a 3-3 tie and retired the first nine batters he faced — five on swinging strikeouts. After his team got him the lead in the top of the 12th, Beers allowed a lead-off double in the bottom half and then faced a man on third with one out after a sac bunt. He then induced a shallow fly ball and struck the final batter out to preserve the win. The double was the only hit he allowed and he did not walk a batter. The victory (his third of the season) lowered his ERA to 1.00. Beers has struck out 17 batters and walked just two through his first 18 innings of the 2012 season.

Congratulations Jake and Paul!

T-Bolts Tie Dye T-Shirt Night This Saturday July 21st At Blair Stadium! Rescheduled to July 25th

Do you miss the 60′s? Did you live through the 6o’s and now have a hard time remembering them at all? Well they’re back for one night at Blair Stadium this Saturday July 21st when the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts take on the Vienna River Dogs on T-Bolts Tie Dye T-Shirt Saturday Night. Your T-Bolts will be playing in special Tie dye jerseys fashioned by Interns Dylan Stinson and Claire Ettinger. Wear your own Tie dye T-shirt to the game and you will receive a free hot dog at the concession stand – dude, that’s totally free. We will be auctioning off one of the special edition T-Bolts Tie dye T-shirts during the game and playing songs by such great psychedelic 60′s groups as Strawberry Alarm Clock, the Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane. Don’t miss out on the grooviest night of the year, and be sure to wear your favorite tie dye shirt.  Special Bonus – anyone sporting a Woodstock Tie Dye T-shirt will get in free.

July 13, 2012 – Thanks to our Host Families!

Our T-Bolts Host Families were honored on Host Family Night July 13 in a pregame ceremony in which their respective players presented them with a signed T-Bolts souvenir ball.  A selected member of each family then threw out a first pitch to their T-Bolt. As a way of saying thanks, throughout the game, Host Families were allowed to eat for free at the T-Bolts concession stand.

Thanks to all our T-Bolts Host Families.

July 11, 2012 – T-Bolts Shine In CRCBL Mid-Summer Classic – Win Home Run Derby

Our Five T-Bolts CRCBL All Stars Chris Bzozowski (Keystone), Devon Davis (Montevallo), Jake Huxtable (Jacksonville), Jake Taylor (Radford), and Adam Spires (Newberry) each played a part in the National League CRCBL’s 9-3 victory over the American League on July 11th at Shirley Povich Field in Bethesda, Maryland.  T-Bolts Head Coach Josh Eachues managed the National League All Stars, sitting in for Big Train Head Coach Sal Colangelo.

Before the game, Bzozowski, Spires, and Taylor squared off against five other CRCBL players in the Home Run Derby, with Bzozowski hitting a whopping 18 home runs in first round and Taylor coming in second with 13.  Bzozowski and Taylor then moved to the second round, making it an all-Thunderbolts face off.  Bzozowski and Taylor both hit 9 home runs, thus requiring a third round.  Taylor edged ahead in the third round, hitting five home runs, while each of Bzozowski’s longest drives died just before the wall.

During the All Star game, Bzozowski was in the starting lineup for the Nationals as designated hitter. Davis entered the game in the third and pitched a scoreless inning.  Huxtable entered the game in the bottom of the sixth and hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored the go-ahead run, putting the Nationals ahead 4-3. Also in the sixth, Taylor replaced Bzozowski as designated hitter and laced an RBI single to make the score 7-3.  Huxtable remained in the game at shortstop and, in the seventh inning ,hit a single to left. Adam Spires entered the game at second base in the seventh and hit a single to third base in the eighth inning.

It was a great night of baseball at Shirley Povich Field. Congratulations to all our T-Bolts All Stars.

July 10, 2012 – Five T-Bolts Heading To CRCBL All Star Game

The CRCBL All Star Game will be held this Wednesday, July 11th at Povich Field in Bethesda.  Five T-Bolts will be representing the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts at the game: Chris Bzozowski (Keystone), Devon Davis (Montevallo), Jake Huxtable (Jacksonville), Jake Taylor (Radford), and Adam Spires (Newberry).  Taylor, Spires, and Bzozowski, who are among the league leaders in home runs, will square off  in the Home Run Derbywith five other players from around the league.

The Home Run Derby starts at 5 pm.  The All Star game starts at 7:30 pm.

Come out and cheer on your T-Bolts at Povich Field this Wednesday.  Congratulations to our All Stars!

July 7, 2012 – T-Bolts Win Manna Food Challenge.

Put the T-Bolts back in the win column – a win column that TRULY matters – as your Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts came out on top, collecting 1,863 pounds of food for Manna Food Center.  Rockville Express was second with 1,621 pounds and Bethesda Big Train came in third with 1,356 pounds.  All three teams are winners, actually, as together the CRCBL helped raise 4,840 pounds –  almost two and a half tons of food – for Manna.  The T-Bolts will receive the Manna  Food Challenge Trophy on Sunday when they visit the Bethesda Big Train at 7:30 pm.  Thanks to all our fans who helped out by purchasing food today for Manna at the Giant Food Stores on Arliss Avenue and East West Highway.

Thanks also to the following T-Bolts who helped make this possible: Peirce Marston, Paul Beers, Taylor Topping, Ben Carson, Hunter Boudreaux, Chris Harrison, Bobby Vitulano, Jake Huxtable, Devon Davis, Jake Taylor, Chris Bzozowski, and Sam Kmeic.  Thanks also to T-Bolts Board Members Dick O’Connor, Aaron Lowe, Peter Ettinger, Joe Gerbasi, and Pete Boyer.  Thanks also to Media Intern Dylan Stinson who videotaped the event.

On July 7, 2012, Help the T-Bolts Fight Hunger in Montgomery County. 

Come support the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts as they collect food to feed the homeless.  The T-Bolts will be collecting food on Saturday July 7 from 10 am to 2 pm at the following two Giant Food Stores:

Arliss Street Center Giant, 8750 Arliss St, Silver Spring

Blair Park Giant, 1280 East West Highway, Silver Spring

The T-Bolts will be in competition with the Rockville Express and the Bethesda Big Train to see which team can collect the most food for the Third Annual Manna  Food Center  - “Fighting Hunger and Feeding Hope in Montgomery County .”

Food donations will be weighed at Manna Saturday afternoon and the winning team will be awarded the coveted Manna Food Challenge Trophy that evening.

Click here for more information:  Manna Food Drive

June 27, 2012.  T-Bolts Camps Off To Roaring Good Start

The T-Bolts are already into the second week of their five-week baseball camp and the campers are having a blast.  Here’s the crew from week two, including T-Bolts Head Coach Josh Eachues and T-Bolts Players Zach Ell, James Mills, Adam Spires, and Taylor Topping.

Campers from week one received instruction from Coach Eachues and T-Bolts Players Hunter Boudreaux, Chris Harrison, and Devon Davis.

There are still three weeks remaining so be sure to sign up for T-Bolts Baseball Camp.

June 23, 2012. Former T-Bolts Head Coach Jason Walck Visits Blair Stadium

Former T-Bolts Head Coach Jason Walck paid a visit to the T-Bolts on June 23rd while in the area for a local family event.  Jason had planned to be our head coach this season, but the day before he was to arrive he received news that he was being promoted to Assistant Head Baseball Coach at University of South Carolina, Aiken. His new position required him to stay behind in Aiken to help run the summer baseball program at USC.  Josh Eachues, who was slated to be Jason’s assistant coach and is an assistant coach at USC, Aiken, stepped up and has done an excellent job managing the T-Bolts this season.

June 15, 2012.  Iron Man Cal Comes To Silver Spring.  Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., was in the stands on Friday June 15, 2012, to watch the the T-Bolts take on Youse’s Orioles (and Cal’s son Ryan Ripken) at Blair Stadium.  Mr. Ripken was a true gentleman, signing autographs for the fans who asked and posing for pictures after the game.

Here is a shot of the Ironman posing with T-Bolts Head Coach Josh Eachues and Orioles’ Head Coach Tim Norris.

Cal also was kind enough to pose for a picture with members of the T-Bolts’ intern staff.

Thanks Cal!

June 12, 2012.  Congratulations to 2011 T-Bolt Sal Intagliata and Stoney Brook University for advancing to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.  Stoney Brook takes on UCLA Friday June 15 at 5 pm.

June 4, 2012.  Congratulations to Matt Hillsinger, a Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolt in 2009, who was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 22 round (overall pick 679).  Matt played center field for Radford last season.

June 3, 2012.  Over 70 little leaguers attended the Third Annual T-Bolts Family Fun Day.  It was a beautiful day for baseball at Blair Stadium and a fun time was had by all.  Later in the day, six graduating seniors of Northwood High School’s varsity baseball team and two Blair High School varsity baseball alumni participated in the first annual T-Bolts/High School mixed squad scrimmage at Blair Stadium.  Members of the Northwood team were Carter Stinson, Andrew Soncrant, Matt Bryson, Neil Epstein, Jeremy Taitano, and Spencer Bodan.  The A Team defeated the B-Team 6-5 (five innings) with Head Coach Josh Eachues taking the mound during innings 3 and 4 for the A-Team.  For pictures of the event, check out our blog.

June 1, 2012.  The T-Bolts have arrived and are preparing for another great season of summer collegiate baseball.  The team held morning practice at Nolte Park the past two days and will be facing the Gaithersburg Giants 1:00 pm on Saturday June 2nd at Kelley Park.

Sunday June 4 is the 3rd Annual FAMILY FUN DAY from 3-5:30 pm.  Admission is free.

Also on Sunday will be a scrimmage with Thunderbolt players and Blair High School and Northwood High School graduating seniors, who will be playing in a mixed squad scrimmage starting at 6:30 pm.  Admission is free.

The T-Bolts play the Vienna River Dogs in a scrimmage at Vienna on Monday and are home Tuesday for a scrimmage against the Rockville Express, at Blair Stadium.  Game time 7 pm.  Admission is free.