Announcements

Announcement History:   8/26/2009 - 4/25/2010

4/25/2010 – Sawnee Thunder Takes First Round 11 - 5 – The Sawnee Mountain Thunder prevailed over the Norcross Blue Devils in a Thursday night tournament start at All Tournament Players Park in Marietta.

The Blue Devils started strong with Jacob Gassert and Jesse Vaughan going back to back with solo home runs in the first inning to go up 2-1 on the Thunder.

Jesse pounded Thunder pitching again in the 2nd inning with a 2 RBI rip down the left field line to lead Sawnee 5-3 after 2 innings played.

Despite a solid pitching start by Jacob Gassert lasting into the 3rd innings, Sawnee batters kept chipping away, scoring in every inning, pulling away to an 11-5 lead when the short 1 hour and 30 minute game time limit was reached after 5 innings.

The Blue Devils travel back to All Tournament Players Park for a 2:15 PM Saturday continuation of play against the Roswell Rockets in the Cooperstown Challenge Tournament.

4/25/2010 – Norcross Hit Train Flattens Eagles 12 - 2 – Still smarting from back to back losses at home, the Norcross Blue Devil train pulled into Collins Hill Park looking for road kill.

Facing the GGBL League leading Eagles, Zack Walch started on the mound and mystified Eagle batters mixing up his lefty pitches holding the Eagles to just 2 runs for 3 innings. Zack got stronger the longer he pitched, striking out all 3 batters he faced in the 3rd inning.

Drew Aspinwall had an RBI in the first inning followed by a 3rd inning Jesse Vaughan bases loaded 2 RBI shot to put the Eagles on notice Norcross had come for a bird shoot.

Reprising the classic Norcross 4th inning hit train, the Blue Devils got rolling exploding for 8 runs, dominating Eagle pitching. Alan Carter got it going with an RBI, while Jake Gassert and Drew Aspinwall each added another. Chris McNulty and Mikey Olson were both driving the ball hard, each having 2 RBI doubles in the inning to go up 11-2 on the green birds.

Reliever Griffin Ramsey cruised with the 9 run lead through the bottom of 4th inning aided by an Andrew Thunhorst to Drew Aspinwall double play. In all, Griffin completed 2 shutout innings facing just 3 batters in the final 5th inning before time forced the “home cookin” umps to call “ball game”.

The Blue Devils travel to All Tournament Players Park for a Thursday 8 PM game in the Cooperstown Challenge Tournament against the Sawnee Mountain Thunder.

4/25/2010 – Buford Wolves Slip By Norcross 4 - 3 – Following a pre game feast highlighted by the Furry family culinary master Matt’s gifted grilling and Deanna’s butter and cream rich Chessman cookie topped banana pudding, Alan Carter started on the mound for Norcross in the 2nd game of the afternoon.

Powered by Jang Rea’s Raman noodle chicken salad, Alan pitching 3 strong innings allowing only one run to the big Wolf team.

After falling behind early by one run, Norcross tied the game a 1 run apiece before the inning ended as the 3rd Norcross base runner of the day was picked off base with no Coach Stewart “BAAAAAAAK” resonating off the neighboring office buildings!

Wolf scores were scarce thanks to catcher and 2nd baseman Griffin Ramsey who was designated the “Pro Sun Tan Company” defensive player of the game. Catcher Griff gunned down a would be 3rd base stealer in the 2nd inning and later made a leaping line drive grab at 2nd base to keep the game score tied at 2 - 2 after 4th innings played.

Despite dominating defense, the Blue Devil batters managed only 3 runs in 6 innings and Norcross fell a run short to Buford for the second loss on the disappointing but delicious afternoon.

The Blue Devils travel to Collins Hill for a Monday evening 8 PM start against the GGBL League leading Eagles.

4/25/2010 – Falcons Fly Over Devils 8 - 6 – Starting pitcher Jacob Gassert held the Dacula Blue Falcons to just 1 run for 2 innings, striking out the final batter in the 2nd inning with bases loaded to keep the score tied at 1-1.

Norcross fell back 4-1 to the Falcons after 4 innings when the Blue Devils exploded for a 5 run 5th inning. After Griffin Ramsey came home on a balk pitch, Brendan Fury ripped a 2 RBI single to tie the game at 4 runs apiece. Hotter than a stolen tamale on Beaver Ruin Road, Jake Gassert stepped up to the plate and smoked his 3rd home run in the past 2 weeks to put the Blue Devils up 6 - 4 over the fluttering Falcons.

Despite the 2 run lead, Norcross stumbled in the final inning allowing Dacula to peck out 4 runs. The Blue Devils could not overcome the 8 – 6 deficit and ended the game down 2 runs after 6 innings.

4/23/2010 – Devil Bats Thunder Over Lightning 12 - 8 – Starting a late 9:15 PM second game, Brendan Fury pitched 2 innings as Blue Devils bats banged 4 runs in the 1st, another in the 2nd, 2 more in the 3rd, and exploded for 5 runs in the 4th inning to rule the Lightning in the 2nd game of the evening's double header.

Norcross defense perked up in the 2nd game when Brendan picked off a base runner behind him at 2nd base. Center fielder Zack Walch was a lightning rod drawing in 4 bolt strikes, and Chris McNulty would make 2 highlight plays at 1st base including a snow cone catch even the black eyed bandit couldn’t believe.

Mikey Olson stayed hot at the plate with 3 RBIs in the game. Sam Grosswald, Drew Aspinwall, and Chris McNulty each drove 2 runs across the plate as Norcross batters were seeing Lightning pitches clearly.

The Blue Devils host North County rival Buford Saturday in a 3 PM start back at Pinckneyville Park.

4/23/2010 – South Gwinnett Strikes Devils 7 - 4 – Resuming play down 2 runs in the 3rd inning of a rained out game that began on March 28, Norcross battled the South Gwinnett Lightning at home field Pinckneyville Park on a warm Friday evening.

Zack Walch started on the mound in the first game of the doubleheader evening holding the hard hitting Lightning to 4 runs over 2 innings. The Blue Devils scored 2 in the bottom of the 3rd on a Drew Aspinwall 2RBI infield bloop to pull within a run of the Lightning.

Mikey Olson came on the mound in the final 5th inning shutting out the South Gwinnett sluggers but Norcross failed to score in the bottom of the inning and was struck down by the Lightning, short 3 runs.

4/18/2010 – Panthers Come Back Nips Devils 8 - 5 – Norcross traveled the Indian Trail to Mountain Park Park to take on their friendly rival Parkview Panthers on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

With fans from as far away as Mobile, Alabama in attendance, hot hitting Jacob Gassert led off the game with a home run over the left field fence for his second dinger in the last three games. Wiley Drew Aspinwall, not to be outdone, walked and then circled the bases on a passed ball and three overthrows to put the Blue Devils up 2-0 after just 2 batters.

Norcross struck again in the 3rd when Jesse Vaughan drove a high fly ball to the center field fence bringing in 2 base runners to put the Blue Devils up 4-1 after 3 at bats.

Starting on the mound for Norcross, Alan Carter hurled 2 strong innings holding the Panthers to just 1 run before needing help in the 3rd from Sam Grosswald who came on in relief to throw 2 pitches and retire the last orange batter.

With the game score tied at 4-4 in the top of the 4th in what was to be the final partial inning, Brendan Fury pushed an RBI double down the first base line to score Alan Carter and put the Blue Devils up by a run, 5-4.

The Panthers clawed back in the bottom of the 4th scoring 4 runs to go up 8-5 when the Lilburn based officiating crew (which had arrived at the game 20 minutes late) became punctual with their synchronized watches. With timepieces reading exactly 7 PM, the umps called “ball game” to end a scrappy fight between the neighboring rivals after just 3 ½ innings played.

The Blue Devils continue GGBL action Friday with a 2 game double header home matchup against the South Gwinnett Lightning at Pinckneyville Park starting 7:55 PM.

4/17/2010 – Black Dogs Bite Devils 11 - 6 – The hard hitting North Gwinnett Bulldogs (Black) pounded the Norcross Blue Devils for 7 runs in the first inning of the Blue Devils third GGBL regular season game.

Playing at home Pinckneyville Park, Norcross outscored the black dogs for the next five innings but never recovered the margin.

Coming to the mound in the third inning, reliever Jacob Gassert pitched 2 shut out innings to give the Blue Devils a chance at catching the dogs while mom Gina represented the Gassert team supervising a gourmet grill of marinated chicken and burgers.

Norcross struggled at the plate for most of the evening except for the third inning. Chris McNulty, wearing enough eye black to star in his own minstrel show, fired a rocket over the right center fence with bases loaded to bring the Devils within 4 runs of the dogs.

The Blue Devils continue GGBL action at Parkview Sunday afternoon traveling to Mountain Park Park for a 5 PM matchup against the cross county rival.

4/12/2010 – Blue Devils Top Titans 6 - 5 – Returning from Spring break, the Norcross Blue Devils clashed with the Johns Creek Titans at historic Dan Watts Field on a warm Monday evening.

Coach Walch brought 7 pitchers to the mound in the 6 inning game to tame the Titan bats, allowing just 5 runs in the regulation contest. Not to be outdone, setting an all time franchise record, 3 Norcross batters went deep in the game over the 200 foot Dan Watts fence. Jacob Gassert and Drew Aspinwall had solo shot home runs while Mikey Olson lifted a high fly ball into the poison ivy for 2 RBIs in the 4th inning.

A 6-4-3 double play in the 5th inning followed by a well executed pickle run down in the top of the 6th kept Norcross within a run going into the bottom of the final inning.

With 2 outs and 2 runners on base, Casey …. er …. Jesse Vaughan came to the plate ripping a line drive to left field driving in Mikey Olson from 2nd base for the winning run.

Riding a 4 game winning streak, The Norcross Blue Devils will return to action Friday night at Pinckneyville Park facing the Norcross Gray team in exhibition action.

3/31/2010 – Blue Devils Snap Stix at Suwannee 11 - 8 – Batting around the order in the first inning, the Norcross Blue Devils piled up 7 runs on the surprised Suwannee Stix and never trailed in the 2 hour 4 inning game.

Fans traveled from as far away as Wilmington, North Carolina to watch grandson Nellie Stewart and other Norcross batters knock out the first Stix pitcher in the 1st inning highlighted by a Griffin Ramsey loaded bases clearing triple.

The Suwannee team rallied back scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the first before catcher Chris McNulty dove to catch a weak pop off a Stix bat, firing to first base to double a runner off the bag and end a troublesome inning.

Coach Walch brought 5 pitchers to the mound in the 4 inning game to keep the Stix bats under control. Jacob Gassert threw a 3 up and 3 down 2nd inning and Mikey Olson came on the mound to relieve in the 3rd with bases loaded and a go ahead run at the plate, getting 2 outs to retire the side.

Norcross players will travel to exotic beach locations for Spring Break, returning to action April 12 hosting the John’s Creek Titans at the newly renovated Dan Watts Field.

3/31/2010 - NCAA Pool Top 10 - Drew Aspinwall currently leads our 4th annual NCAA Tournament Pickem Pool. With Wins by Duke or West Virginia - it could become a two person race for the first place prize of $250. If Duke wins the tournament, our very own Nelson Stewart will take home top prize. If West Virginia, 7th Grade Marquette Fan Jessica Stelzel will take home the top prize. Either way, our team will benefit $125 towards our season ending Cooperstown tournament. Thanks to all who participated.

Here is the top 10:

Rank     Team Name          Score   Correct   Champion
  1         Drew Aspinwall         452       38       Kansas (148)
  2         Joe Provenzano         439       39       Kentucky (160)
  3         Lauren Olson            435       37       Syracuse (167)
  4         Rick Winters             432       38       Kansas (140)
  5         Nelson Stewart          429       37       Duke (3)
  6         George Thunhorst     428       37       Syracuse (160)
  7         Jessica (2)                426       37       West Virginia (152)
  8         Tom Cable               425       37       Kentucky (140)
  9         Kami Lang (1)           417       38       Kansas (156)
 10        Ian Stewart               413       36       Kentucky (130)

3/28/2010 - South Gwinnett game suspended with 1 out in the top of the 3rd inning and the Lightning leading the Blue Devils by a score of 3-1. So far in the game Sam Grosswald pitched the first two innings and Zack Walch came into the 3rd inning when the Thunder and Lightening interupted the game. The game will be resumed on April 23rd with 1hr remaining in the contest. The two teams will then play a second game that evening that was already previously scheduled.

3/28/2010 - Monday practice (5:30pm at Dan Watts) to feature Former Georgia Tech standout Jeremy Slayden. Jeremy played professionally where he was a 3 time All-Star in the Phillies Minor League system and will run the two hour practice for our team.

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3/27/2010 – Furry Foils Felines 6 - 3 – The Norcross Blue Devils traveled to nearby Duluth Saturday for a first of the season meeting with the reconstituted Wildcats. Starting pitcher Brendan Furry, backed by strong defense, faced the minimum 9 Duluth batters over 3 innings. Furry was untouchable, not giving up a hit or a walk leaving the purple team scoreless in front of their home crowd.

Playing on a windy cool afternoon at Shorty Howell Park, Norcross batters were hot early scoring 3 runs in the first inning off a Jesse Vaughan bases loaded double followed by a Zack Walch RBI to go up 4 – 0 on the Cats.

Blue Devil sluggers added 2 more in the third with a Mikey Olson RBI double to the right field fence and a Chris McNulty RBI stroke to the left center field fence that kept Wildcat outfielders’ backs to the home crowd showing their numbers chasing fast rolling Norcross shots.

Middle inning reliever Mikey Olson shut out the Cats in the 4th but allowed 3 runs in the 5th before right fielder Jacob Gassert fired a bullet to 2nd base Brendan Furry who caught a Duluth runner off first base to end the inning.

Alan Carter came to the mound in the closer role to finish off the felines in the 6 inning regulation contest.

Norcross returns to league action Sunday, March 28th with a 6 PM home field Pinckneyville Park match up against the South Gwinnett Lightning.

3/26/2010 - Tonights game @ Rehoboth will be rescheduled for a later date.

3/25/2010 - Saturday's Game vs. North Gwinnett will need to be rescheduled due to a confilct with their team. Instead, we will play Duluth at 1:45pm at Shortey Howell Park. Please review the schedule to see other changes with practices.

Practice tonight at 5:30pm at NHS - we will move indoors for BP in the event of rain. Monday practice is scheduled for 6:30pm at Dan Watts field.

3/20/2010 - Norcross Beats Lawrenceville in Nigh Cap -Norcross jumped out to an 8-0 lead over the Lawrenceville Black Nights in the second of two games played Saturday night. Sam Grosswald pitched two strong innings not allowing a run to the Lawrenceville team who surprised the Blue Devils last season by winning in Lawrenceville last March. Mikey Olson came in to pitch a 1-2-3 3rd inning. Jesse Vaughan closed the game for Norcrosss.

With the win, Norcross moves to one game over .500 and 1-1 in the GGBL. One final long weekend of baseball before the team is off for Spring Break. Games this week include Friday night (at Rehoboth), Saturday night (at North Gwinnett Black - GGBL), and Sunday night at home against the South Gwinnett Lightning (GGBL).

3/20/2010 - Norcross Drops GGBL Opener - Playing for the first time this season with all 12 players the Blue Devils were not able to stop the potent Grayson Rams offense as they lost at Pinckneyville Park by a score of 12-7. The Rams scored in every inning of the game. With the loss, Norcross drops to .500 for the season with a 5-5 record. Alan Carter started the game and went two innings. Andrew Thunhorst finished off the final 3 innings.

3/15/2010 - The Blue Devils continued their hot hitting by scoring 20 runs in the 3rd inning as they bested the Rehoboth Rays 22-4 on a cold and windy night in Norcross

Alan Carter started the game and gave up 2 runs in 2 innings and Jacob Gassert pitched the 3rd inning. For the second consecutive night, the opposition failed to record 3 outs in the 3rd inning before the time expired on long innings. The game was called after Sam Grosswald hit the only home run of the evening - a Grand Slam which prompted the time shortened end with only 1 out being recorded.

Norcross opens the GGBL season this weekend as they host a double-header against Grayson and Lawrenceville. A new game has been added to the schedule for Sunday evening at 6pm against the Suwanee Stix

3/14/2010 - Norcross error free in win over Northview. The 12U Blue Devils played error free on Sunday evening as they beat a very good Northview team 18-2 at Pinckneyvill Park. Playing short handed with only 9 players (several teamates out for Spring Break) the team responded to extra batting practice as every player had at least one hit in the game.

Jesse Vaughan started the game and gave up two hits including a long two run home run to the Northview cleanup hitte and went 1-2-3 in the second inning. Alan Carter came on in the second inning to record a 3 up 3 down inning.

Norcross is back in action on Monday evening against the Rehoboth Rays team at the newly renovated Dan Watts field at 7pm. The last meeting between these two teams was at the Buckhead Classic last year as Norcross escaped with a 2-0 victory.

3/11/2010 - You are invited to join the 4th Annual Norcross 12U Baseball on-line college hoops bracket group! Thats right - the fourth annual...

This years pool will benefit the Norcross 12U Blue Devils baseball team to help fund their trip to Cooperstown NY (home of the MLB Hall of Fame) the week of July 10th, 2010. Entry fee is $10 with 50% going toward the team and 50% going toward the pool for payouts. Feel free to fill out as many as 3 brackets and please forward this email to any friends who you think may want to participate.

To accept this invitation and join the group, click the link below (or cut and paste the link into your browser's address bar). You'll be asked to enter the group's password before you can join. The group password is included below.

http://norcross9u.mayhem.cbssports.com/e?ttag=BM10_EM_all_cspt_os_inlk_0001
The Group password is: norcross12U

Good Luck! - and Go Badgers!

3/11/2010 - We will be in the indoor facility at NHS from 6:30pm to 8:pm tonight. Rather than having a bunch of players standing around,we will have two groups for 45 minutes to concentrate mainly on hitting but also throwing from the mound.

As you know, we are starting our GGBL schedule on Saturday followed by a Sunday game vs. Northview (Trautwein and Mannion) and a Monday evening game vs. Rehoboth. All three games present formidable competition for the weekend.

Here is a schedule of players for each 45 minute session. Feel free to trade with someone if it is more convenient - but I would like to keep the same number (6) in each group.