7/23/11- Orange Summer Baseball Team Advances to CCSSL Playoffs
Orange and Holly Springs squared off in a tie-breaking game to determine who would make the playoffs. Holly
Springs, Raleigh Independent and Orange finished in a three-way tie for second in the Northwest Division. All three
teams finished with 8-4 records. Holly Spring defeated Raleigh Ind. 9-2 in the first game and then had to face Orange
in the near 100 degree temperatures. Orange received the second game by a draw.
The
Panthers claimed the number two slot from the Northwest Division for the summer league playoffs. It took a
seventh inning three-run rally against Holly Springs for the Panthers to advance. Holly Springs jumped out
to 4-1 lead after the top of the fifth powered by a 2-run homer by Brian Hudgepath. Orange scored one run in the second
on a solo homerun by Joe Vance. In the bottom of the 5th Brennan Kirby led off with a single. Collin
Pope doubled down leftfield line to move Kirby to third. Kirby scored a ground out by Jon Evans.
Behind 4-2 in the seventh Joe Vance led off with a single. Brandon Wood followed with
a single to left. Courtesy Joe Piscitelli advanced to second. Kirby then reached on a fielder's choice as
his bunt was fielded by the pitcher to force-out Piscitelli at third. Collin Pope walked to load the bases. Jon
Evans followed with a single to score Wood. Kirby scored and Pope advance to third on a fielder's choice by Cory Moyer.
Moyer took second uncontested. Keon Holt was intentionally walked and Nick Debo hit a hard shot up the middle for
the walk-off game winning hit.
Nat Baptist started on the mound for the Panthers
and went 3 1/3 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, 3 walks and 1 strikeout. Baptist was injured by a batted ball
from Hawks leadoff hitter Ryan Byrd. Cory Moyer came in to relieve Baptist pitching 1 2/3 allowing 2 runs
on 2 hits and strikingout 1. Jon Evans was the winning pitcher going the final two innings giving up no runs and no
hits with one strikeout.
Panther hitters: Jon Evans 2-4 2 RBI, Joe Vance
2-2 HR RBI, Collin Pope 1-2 2B, Brennan Kirby 1-3 2R, Nick Debo 1-4 GW RBI, Brandon Wood 1-3, Keon Holt 1-3
Orange finished the summer regular season 13-6.
7/21/11- The Summer Panthers defeated Holly Springs Wednesday night 11-1. Kirk McKee
pitched a 5-inning complete game allowing only the one run on three hits. McKee struck-out 4 and walked 4. Orange
jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first inning, as the first five batters had hits scoring 3 runs. A walk and two
ground balls yielded two more runs. Collin Pope delivered the final blow in the inning with a 2-run homer to leftfield.
Nick Debo was 3-3 with a double and a RBI. Collin Pope 1-2, homerun, 2 RBI. Brandon Wood was 1-3 2 RBI.
Keon Holt was 1-2 with a RBI. Cory Moyer 1-3, RBI. Kirk McKee 1-2, RBI. Jon Evans 1-2.
Orange ended the CCSSL regular season 12-6 and 8-4 in the Northwest Division. Orange, Holly Springs and Raleigh
Independent all tied for second place in the NW Division and will have play-in games for the #2 playoff spot. Games
will be at Orange on Thursday July 21. Holly Springs v. Raleigh Ind. at 5:00 and Orange v. the winner at around 7:30.
7/19/11- Holly Springs defeated the Panthers 13-5 Monday night. Henry Ricca pitched
five solid innings but Orange could not hold back the bats of the Hawks. Kirk Mckee had 3 hits with a double.
Joe Vance was 2-3 with an RBI. Nick Debo was 2-3 with a double and Cory Moyer was 2-4.
7/17/11- The summer Panthers won three games last week and stayed in contention for a
playoff spot in the CCSSL postseason tournament. Orange took a 3-2 win at Chapel Hill on Tuesday. Nate Baptist pitched four
innings allowing two runs in the first inning and then settled in striking out 4, allowing 4 hits but walking
5. Brennan Kirby earned the win pitching three innings of relief with no runs or hits allowed. Jon Evans
was 3-4 with 2 steals. Joe Vance and Cory Moyer also had a hit each. With the scored tied 2-2 after seven
innings Chapel Hill decided not to continue the game, giving Orange the win.
On Wednesday the Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge 17-2. Kirk McKee started on the mound going 4 innings allowing
2 runs on 5 hits. McKee struck out 6 and walked 4. Henry Ricca pitched three innings allowing only one hit and
striking out one. Cory Moyer was 2-3 with 2 stolen bases. Keon Holt went 1 for 1 with 2 RBI. Brad
Debo was 2-2 with a double and 3 RBI. Carley Swiggett was 2-2. Jordan Toney was 1-1 with a RBI. Andrew Toney was 1-1
with a RBI. Kirk McKee 1-2 with a double. Nick Debo and Collin Pope also had hits.
Thursday Orange came from behind to defeat Chapel Hill 12-11 in an amazing
7th inning rally. Down 11-6 in the seventh, the Panthers scored 5 times to tie the game and won in the 8th.
The big blow was delivered by catcher Joe Vance. With 2 outs and 2 strikes Vance hit a 3-run homerun to tie
the score at 11. Vance finiished the evening 3-3 with 2 doubles and the homerun and 4 RBI. In the bottom of the
8th Nick Debo led off with a single. After a flyout Debo stole second then Kirk McKee walked. Both runners
advanced on a passed ball to set up Brandon Wood for game-winning hit. Wood hit a sharp groundball through a drawn in
infield for the game-winning RBI. The Panthers used five pitchers in the game. Jordan Toney started and pitched
a 1-2-3 first striking out 2. Toney ran into trouble in the 2nd giving up 4 runs. Matthew Crabtree came in relief
allowing 3 runs. Brennan Kirby followed Crabtree and got the Panthers out of a jam. Orange allowed 8 walks
and committed 7 errors early in the game as Chapel Hill jumped out to a 5-run lead. Jon Evans pitched two innings
striking-out 5. Cory Moyer earned the win pitching the 8th, despite loading the bases on 2 hits and a walk.
Moyer struck-out the side. The Panthers are 11-5 and 7-3 in the Northwest Divison. Orange
ends the regular season with an important two-game series with Holly Springs on Monday and Wednesday for a playoff spot.
7/9/11- Panthers went 1-1 in the Fifth Annual Woodbat Tournament this past weekend. The
Panthers fell to Smithfield 6-5 in game one, which was completed Saturday. Storms passed over Hillsborough Friday evening
suspending play until Saturday afternoon. Cory Moyer was 2-4 and Nick Debo was 1-4 with 3 RBI to lead Orange.
Jon Evans, Brandon Wood, Kirk McKee, Andrew Toney and Joe Vance also had hits.
In
the second game Orange defeated Bunn 2-1 as Kirk McKee pitched four solid innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits. McKee struck-out
2. Jon Evans earned the save with 3 innings of relief. Evans allowed one hit and struck 3. Offensively Evans
led the Panthers by going 3-3 and scoring one run. Nick Debo was 1-2 with a RBI. Brennan Kirby went 1-2 and drove
in what proved to be the winning run in the second inning. Joe Vance and Brad Debo also collected hits for the Panthers.
Orange has an 8-5 record on the summer.
Congratulations to all of the teams who participated
in what proved to be a very competitve weekend.
7/7/11- Orange defeated Cary 14-1 Thursday. Nate Baptist pitched 4 innings for the win.
Baptist struckout 8 and allowed one run on two hits. The Panthers banged out 15 hits led by Keon Holt's 3 for 3, 3 RBI
performance. Jon Evans was 2-2 with a RBI. Kirk McKee was 2-2 with a double and 2 RBI. Nick Debo was 2-2
with a double and 2 RBI. Brandon Wood, Henry Ricca, Joe Vance and Cory Moyer also had hits. Orange raised it record
to 7-4 and 5-3 in the Northwest Division.
7/5/11- The Orange Senior summer baseball team defeated Cary 7-4 Tuesday night at Orange. Henry
Ricca picked up the win in relief pitching the fourth and fifth innings following starter Kirk McKee. Jordan Toney
and Matthew Crabtree each pitched a scoreless inning of reiief. Kirk McKee, Brennan Kirby and Keon Holt led the
Panthers at the plate. McKee went 4-4 with a triple and a RBI. Holt was 3-3 with a double. Kirby was 2-3
with 3 RBI. Orange now moves to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the Northwest Division of the CCSSL.
The Junior team defeated Cary 10-2. The Junior team is 5-4-1 on the season.
7/1/11 - Orange and Apex split a doubleheader Thursday night with Orange winning the first
game 4-3 but dropping the second game 9-6. Henry Ricca started game one on the mound for the Panthers and pitched 4
solid innings. Jordan Toney pitched 3 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win as Orange won in the bottom of
the seventh inning. Brandon Wood hit a groundball to score Nick Debo from third to win the game. Keon Holt, Brennan
Kirby, Brandon Wood had 2 hits each. Wood also added a triple.
In game two Orange pitchers issued 9 walks and fell behind 9 to 4 after 5 innings. On offense
Ornge was led by Keon Holt who was 2-3 with a homerun and 2 RBI. Jon Evans and Nick Debo was also 2-3. Joe Vance,
Brad Debo, Brandon Wood, Cory Moyer, Brennan Kirby and Collin Pope also had hits for the Panthers.
6/27/11- Orange defeated Raleigh Independent 9-8 in 9 innings on Monday. Jon Evans
pitched two innings in releif for the win. Henry Ricca, Colin Pope and Andrew Toney also pitched well. The Panthers
pounded out 14 hits led by Andrew Toney (3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI); Keon Holt (3-4, 2B, RBI); Nick Debo (2-5, 2B, RBI); Jon
Evans (3-5, RBI) and Brandon Wood (2-4, 2 RBI). Joe Vance knocked in the winning run with a sacrifice fly to right
field in the bottom of the ninth. The Panthers are now 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the Northwest Division.
6/16/11- Orange Senior summer team lost an extra inninng
game at Knightdale 3-2 Thursday night. The Panthers had good outings from six different pitchers allowing
only 3 runs on six hits. Jon Evans led the Panther offense going 2-4 with a homerun.
6/21/11- Raleigh Independent held off Orange 7-6 Monday night. Nate Baptist,
Kirk McKee and Jon Evans pitched well for the Panthers. Several Panthers had multiple hits. Nick Debo was 3-4
with a homerun. Keon Holt and Andrew Toney each went 2-4 with doubles and 2 RBI. Kirk McKee was 2-3 with 2 doubles.
Down 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh Orange rallied for 5 runs and fell just short of tying the score. Orange is now
1-2 in the Northwest Division and 3-2 overall on the summer. The Senior team will travel to Knightdale on Thursday.
The Junior team will play at Carrboro at 6:00.
The Junior team tied Raleigh
Independent on Monday and defeated Carrboro on Tuesday.
6/16/11- Orange defeated Northwest Guilford Thursday evening 7-3. The Panthers played
four days this week and finished 3-1. Andrew Toney pitched four good innings while striking out 8 and allowing 2 runs
on 4 hits and 2 walks. Jon Evans pitched three innings in relief allowing one run on two hits, one walk and struck out
4. Toney also helped his cause by going 2 for 3 with a single, triple and 2 RBI. Nick Debo went 2-3 with a double
a 2 RBI as well. The Panthers will be back in action on Monday June 20 at OHS.
The JR Panthers picked up their first win of the summer by defeating Northwest Guilford.
The JR Panthers are 1-2.
6/15/11- Panthers win close one at Southern Alamance 7-6. Jon Evans led
the offense with a triple, homerun and 4 RBI. Andrew Toney added a 2-run homer. Henry Ricca pitched 4+ strong
innings and Colin Pope picked up the win in relief. Brennan Kirby pitched the 7th inning fro the save. Orange
is 2-1 on the summer season.
6/14/11- Panthers dropped their
first division game to Northwest Guilford 16-8. Orange used five pitchers, allowing 14 hits and 9 walks.
Jon Evans, Nick Debo, Keon Holt and Joe Piscitelli had two hit apiece.
6/13/11 - Orange came from behind to defeat East Chapel Hill 15-11 in the summer league season
opener.