NEWS

The Braves won a league-best 35 games in all competitions last summer, took home the South Division pennant, and were six outs away from a championship in the deciding game vs. Strasburg.

2015 Record: 29-13 (1st in South Division, won pennant tiebreaker over Harrisonburg)
2015 Playoffs: Defeated Covington in three games in quarterfinals; defeated Waynesboro in three games in semifinals; lost to Strasburg in three games in finals

VBL Championships: 11 (1937, 1938, 1947, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1976, 1985, 1995, 1996, 1999)
Pennants: 22 (1937 (1st Half), 1937 (2nd Half), 1938 (1st Half), 1946 (1st Half), 1947 (2nd Half), 1954, 1957, 1964, 1976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 (South), 2015 (South))

Returning Players: The Braves have eight players returning from last year’s pennant-winning team.

Pitchers returning include Sam Vincenzo from St. Thomas Aquinas (2-0, 2.93 ERA last summer), Wake Forest’s Parker Johnson (3.85 ERA in 17 relief appearances), Concord’s Damon Frazier (2.63 ERA, 2 saves) and Florida Gulf Coast’s Garrison Vandeventer.

Returning position players include Florida International catcher Nick Mira, who hit .306 last summer, and Central Florida second baseman Ryan Crile (.277, 18 RBIs). Back to man the outfield in 2016 are Concord’s Andy Szamski (.279, 21 RBIs in Staunton last year) and the College of Central Florida’s Connor Crile.

Key Players/Outlook: Connor’s brother Ryan Crile has started at second base all season for the University of Central Florida, batting .276 with 25 RBIs and 31 runs scored. He is joined in the middle of the infield by Irving Lopez, who leads Florida International in batting (.328)

VMI catcher Peyton Maddux (.267, 11 HRs, 35 RBIs) took home a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honor this spring, and William & Mary’s Ryan Hall ranks second on the team in hitting (.332) while making just one error in the outfield. Szamski will also be a threat after hitting .358 with 38 RBIs and earning All-Mountain East honors this spring.

Leading the pitching staff will be FIU’s Nate Pearson (1.78 ERA and 29 K’s in 18 relief appearances) and Toledo’s Michael Jacob (3.32 ERA, 8 saves in a team-high 24 appearances).

Ballpark: The Braves play in Gypsy Hill Park, a 214-acre multi-use recreational area in downtown Staunton. The area includes multiple playing fields, a golf course, bandstand, pools, picnic areas and a skate park, among other amenities.

Head Coach: George Laase returns for his fourth season in charge at Staunton. He has a career record of 84-55 with the Braves and has posted a winning record in every VBL season so far.

Coach’s Comments: “It is an absolute honor to be able to put the Braves uniform on to represent our organization and the communities that support us. We have a great opportunity with so many returning players that contributed to one of the best seasons in recent memory last year, and that speaks volumes about our owners, Kay and Boyd Snyder, our GM Steve Cox, and the rest of our support staff along with our outstanding host family program. The players know what will be expected of them, as we will strive to carry on the winning tradition of Staunton Braves baseball.”