Salisbury's JD Polcari, pitching for the Nationals in the Clark-Griffith League, tossed a no-hitter against the McLean Raiders and came within two batters of a perfect game.

Polcari led the Nationals to a 6-1 victory over the Raiders in a seven inning contest. The lone run allowed by Polcari was unearned, after a Polcari throwing error allowed Raiders left fielder Davis Hewitt to reach third. Hewitt then came around to score on an RBI groundout.

"I was just trying to pitch like any other game," said Polcari. "I was trying to throw six solid innings, and keep my team in the game. But after two or three innings, [the innings] just started to roll along, and by the 5th or 6th inning, I knew I was going to complete the no-hitter or maybe a perfect game."

Hewitt's walk in the 6th inning broke up the perfect game, after Polcari had retired the first 15 batters. Polcari then made a throwing error on a potential double play ball, which allowed Hewitt to score. If Polcari hadn't made the error, he would have faced the minimum number of batters. Polcari came back out in the 7th and retired the side in order with three groundouts.

Polcari used pinpoint command of his fastball and curveball to keep the Raiders offense baffled the entire game.

"He hit his spots over and over again," said Nationals manager Billy Emerson. "He got ahead in counts with all of his pitchers, and kept a good-hitting team off-balance."

Emerson, who coached Polcari in high school, has now coached Polcari for two years on the Nationals. He said that Polcari is, "the type of guy who can dominate when he's on. I've seen these types of outings from him before. After he went through the order one time, I knew he hit a good shot at a perfect game."

Emerson said that Polcari's performance was probably the best that he has seen in his 5 years in the league.

"I've seen guys with more velocity, but I have not seen a pitcher do exactly what he wanted to every hitter, except the one he walked, for 7 innings at this level," said Emerson.

The Tri-City ValleyCats in the minor league baseball's New York Penn league completed the first no-hitter in franchise history against the Oneonta Tigers in a 10-0 ValleyCats victory. Starter Shane Wolf, and relievers David Miller and Ashton Mowdy held the Tigers hitless while striking out seven.

ValleyCats starter Shane Wolf, from Ithaca College, went three innings with three strikeouts. David Miller pitched four innings, notching the win. Ashton Mowdy capped off the no-hitter, pitching the final two hitless innings. Mowdy walked the based loaded in the bottom of the ninth, but settled down forcing designated hitter Wade Lamont to ground out to first sealing the no-hitter.

"It was an outstanding effort tonight by three of our guys," said ValleyCats manager Pete Rancont. "Shane Wolf goes out there and pitches three great innings in his first professional start, but you never think about a no-hitter. After Miller's fourth inning the team started thinking about it a little. Mowdy was great in his first outing against Lowell so we liked our chances. He got a little nervous walking a few men in the ninth inning, but pitching coach Don Alexander went out there and calmed him down and he got the job done."

Trinity (Conn.) senior Mike Regan picked up the win in the 2008 New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association's College All-Star Game played Saturday, June 14 at historic Fenway Park. The College Division's 6-3 victory over the University Division was the second straight win and the fourth in the last six games for team representing the junior circuit. The College team out-hit the University squad 7-5, built a 6-1 lead and held on to the victory.

Franklin Pierce senior RF Kevin Renaud hit a three-run home run into the Monster seats in the fifth inning that provided the difference in the College Division's victory.

Southern Connecticut junior CF Karl Derbacher led off the game with an opposite-field home run into the Monster seats for a 1-0 College Division lead. They expanded the margin to 3-0 with two runs in the second on an RBI single by Southern Connecticut senior DH Anthony Fiorillo and a run-scoring ground out by senior catcher Nick Lefeber from Middlebury.

Renaud's home run gave the College team a 6-0 lead in the fifth. It scored Fiorillo, who singled, and Derbacher, who reached by an error. The three runs were unearned. The University Division team mounted a comeback with three runs in the sixth. Sophomore Brian Baudinet from UMass singled, Dartmouth sophomore RF Nick Santomauro walked, Brown junior CF Steve Daniels singled home Baudinet and Dartmouth junior Michael Pagliarula hit a two-run single. The University Division team brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh with runners on second and third with one out, but did not score.

Renaud was the Player of the Game, while Vermont's Joe Serafin was the Pitcher of the Game with two innings pitched, no hits allowed and three strikeouts. Fiorillo was the lone batter to record multiple hits, finishing 2-for-2.

Prior to the game, the NEIBA presented its annual awards. Trinity (Conn.) was recognized as the in Division III team of the year with Bill Decker being named D-III Coach of the Year. The recently established Kevin Burr Assistant Coach Award was presented to longtime Tufts assistant Bob Clarke.

The NEIBA College All-Star Game, played by a team of Division I All-Stars against a squad made up of Division II and III All-Stars is in its 33rd year. The University Division leads the series with a 21-11-1 record, but the College Division team won last year's game with a 2-0 shutout.

Division III players who participated are:
Player, Year, School, Pos.
Neal Allar, Sr., Amherst, C
Chandler Barnard, Sr., Trinity, UT
Matt Delaney, Sr., Babson, 2B
Luke Enman, Sr., St. Joseph's (ME), SS
Matt Gardiner, Sr., Western Connecticut, C
Tim Kiely, Sr., Trinity, P
Nick Martinho, Sr., Suffolk, DH
Jamie Morin, Sr., Keene St., P
Nate Nelson, Sr., Worcester St., 1B
Steve Ragonese, Sr., Tufts, UT
Mike Regan, Sr., Trinity, P
Joe Rousseau, Sr., Keene St., 3B
Steve Smith, Sr., Bridgewater St., OF
Steve Tahmoush, Sr., Babson, OF
David Vincent, Sr., Curry, OF

Craig Vandersea has resigned as head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Bates, effective Aug. 31, the college announced Thursday. Vandersea will become assistant athletic director, head football coach and assistant baseball coach at St. Paul's School in Concord, N.H.

"For more than a decade, Craig has provided stalwart leadership to the Bates baseball program while also contributing quality support and guidance as an assistant football coach," said Bates Director of Athletics Kevin McHugh. "He has been a model colleague as well as a valued friend to many in the athletic department, and his service is greatly appreciated. We wish Craig and his family all the best as he pursues his new opportunity."

Vandersea joined the Bates athletic department as assistant football and baseball coach in 1998. He became the baseball team's 19th head coach for the 2000 season, and compiled a 92-175 record over nine years. The Bobcats went 14-21 in 2008, their highest victory total since 1993. Vandersea served in a variety of capacities on the Bates football coaching staff, most recently as the running backs coach.

"I want to thank Bates for giving an opportunity to a young coach 10 years ago. I've enjoyed working with the baseball and football programs and I've made a lot of friends at Bates," said Vandersea. "It's been my extremely good fortune to coach many great student-athletes here, and I wish the baseball and football programs the best."

A national search for Vandersea's replacement will begin immediately.

Four LeTourneau baseball players recently concluded what they will likely refer to as the trip of a lifetime.

Aaron Bearden, Ethan Cravalho, Ed Hurta and Ryan VanZandt embarked on a 5,000-mile, 13-day road trip on May 4 from Longview with hopes to raise $5,000 for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Tyler, Texas. The group visited 13 major league baseball stadiums, one minor league park, the Baseball Hall of Fame plus a number of historic landmarks.

It was featured on the Baseball Hall of Fame Web site and on mlb.com. They were asked to be a part of the nationally syndicated Big D and Bubba radio show throughout the trip.

Overall, the group fell short of their goal of raising $5,000, but did raise a respectable $2,000. In addition to visiting ball parks in Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Dallas and Durham, N.C., the group was able to visit the Statue of Liberty, Washington Memorial, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and they received a tour of the White House.

"It's extremely hard to pick out the best part of the trip," said Bearden, "because every day seemed to get better and better."

The trip started in Kansas City with Chicago and Detroit following. When the four players reached the East Coast they were joined by another teammate, Andrew Waller, who is from Connecticut. They received special tours from a number of the MLB teams and were featured on many of the stadiums' Jumbotrons. In addition, the group was able to walk on Wrigley Field, sat on top of the Green Monster in Fenway Park and was set up with tickets at a number of games from current Red Sox pitcher Clay Bucholz.

While many people talk about one day making a cross-country trip to visit their favorite places, Bearden, Cravalho, Hurta, VanZandt and Waller were able to accomplish their goal while raising money for a great cause.

Bearden summed it up best: "The fact that I was able to travel around the country with my best friends, living out a dream to see all those stadiums, and raise money to fight a disease like breast cancer, made the trip amazing, memorable and priceless."

Chez Angeloni, Johns Hopkins

Angeloni was named the Most Outstanding Player of the championship.

Pos.: Pitcher
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 190
Year: Junior
Hometown: Jenkintown, Pa.

Angeloni beat the No. 1 team in the country and handed Trinity (Conn.) its only loss of the season en route to going 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA. He allowed 19 hits in 18 innings and struck out 14 while walking just one.

The junior finished 9-0 on the season with a 4.32 ERA, striking out 53 and walking 14 in 73 innings.

Next: Chandler Barnard, Trinity

Johns Hopkins denied Trinity (Conn.) its attempt for the perfect season, but the Bantams (45-1) walked away with the championship anyway, ending the winner-take-all game with consecutive bases-loaded walks to win the 2008 Division III national championship 5-4.

"We met our final goal," said Trinity coach Bill Decker. "I just want to tip my hat to Johns Hopkins. We had two great ball games."

"We battled all day," said Johns Hopkins coach Bob Babb. "We lost to a very good team but it was a disappointing way to lose."

After a pair of singles and a stolen base gave Trinity runners on second and third, Chandler Barnard was intentionally walked to load the bases with Johns Hopkins leading 3-2.

"[Barnard] had given us trouble," said Babb. "He was a clutch player with the bat. I did not want him to beat us. I thought we had a chance to get the next guy"

But reliever Matt Wiegand walked Matt Sullivan to tie the game and senior Guy Gogliettino, who fouled off six 2-2 pitches, worked a walk for the game-winning RBI.

"I just went up there trying to make contarct and swing at strikes," said Gogliettino. "Bases loaded with two outs, I knew a walk was all we needed."

As in the previous two meetings, Trinity tallied the first runs on the board. In the second inning, Barnard singled up the middle and advanced to second on a pass ball. Matt Sullivan's triple would bring in one run and he would score on Tim Bourdon's sacrifice fly.

"At the end of the day we had two seniors in Matt Sullivan and [Gogliettino] step up big time. Sometimes it is difficult to sit and the difference is minimal between playing and not playing, but they were patient."

Johns Hopkins would get one run back in the third when Matt Benchener homered down the left field line. This would be all the scoring until the eight inning.

In the eighth inning, Nate Adelman started the rally by singling up the middle. Brian Youchak would reached on an error by Ryan Piacentini, with Adelman advancing to third. Youchak then stole second. Rob Pietroforte tripled down the right field line to put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3.

Trinity had the answer in the bottom of the inning. James Wood Singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Barnard's singled to center field and Wood was out on a strong throw by Pietroforte. Johns Hopkins pitcher, Ryan Kealy, overthrew the first baseman allowing Barnard to advance to second. Matt Stafford, pinch hitting for Bourdon, would deliver the tying run, setting up the dramatic ninth inning.

In the ninth, Johns Hopkins would take the lead on two singles by Margve and Solomon to get runners at the corners. Benchener would get the run home with a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-3.

Starting pitcher, Chez Angeloni of Johns Hopkins was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. He was joined by teammates 1B Matt Benchener, 3B Todd Emr, P Ryan Kealy, and OF Jon Solomon. Two members of the team were from the 2008 champions. The Trinity (Conn.) players on the team were P/DH Chandler Barnard and P Tim Kiely. The remainder of the team included Garrett Dorn from Linfield and a trio from UW-Whitewater, Joe Munn, OF Ben Prather, and 3B Kevin Zalnis.