7/31 - Giants Say So-Long to Excellent 2018 Season
The Gaithersburg Giants wish to thank their host families, fans, parents, volunteers, coaches, and everyone else who supported the team during the 2018 season.
Paraphrasing what Giants intern Jake Shulman said, "The Giants have a lot to celebrate. By securing the third seed in the playoffs, the Giants matched their best finish ever in CRCBL play. Five Giants’ players earned All-Star nominations and one was chosen as an alternate. Two Giants played for the CRCBL Sunbelt Classic team. Saul Garza also finished the season on the league leaderboard for Home Runs and RBIs. Six Giants were named to the 2018 All-League team.
Though it may not have ended as hoped, Giants’ fans and players should remember the 2018 season proudly. Go Giants!"
Photo of the Day 7/22/18
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Game photos by Eye on the Ball have been posted on www.eyeonball.com Click HERE to go directly to the Giants photo page.
2018 Team photos and player portraits now available!
Giants Named to 2018 CRCBL All-League Teams
The Gaithersburg Giants are pleased to announce that six 2018 Giants players were named to the 2018 Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League All-League Teams.
To the Second Team:
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Catcher - Saul Garza - Louisiana State University
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SS - Andreas Machado - University of Maryland Baltimore County
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P - Alex Klitsas - Texas State University
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Closer - Noah Walker - Texas State University
To the Honorable Mention Team
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Out - Ryan Brown - University of Maryland Baltimore County
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Inf - Scout Knotts - Shippensburg University
Ripken Collegiate Baseball Players Collect 9,499 Pounds for Manna Food Center
Gaithersburg Giants Win Challenge for First Time as League Sets Record
On Saturday June 30, nearly one hundred college baseball players who have come from across the country to play summer baseball in Montgomery County collected 9,499 pounds of food at twelve Giant Food stores across Montgomery County for the Manna Food Center. The Gaithersburg Giants upset the perennial champion Rockville Express to win the Ninth Annual Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League's Feed the Hungry Challenge by collecting an individual team record 3,205 pounds of food. Players from the Bethesda Big Train, Rockville Express, and Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts also collected food on Saturday. Despite wilting heat, the league total was the highest in the nine years of the challenge as three of the four teams recorded dramatic increases over previous years. In the nine years of the competition, the college players have collected 53,171 pounds of food — nearly 27 tons of food for Montgomery County's neighbors in need. Thanks to the Manna Food Center, Giant Food, and Text Design for supporting this community service program of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League.
Jackie DeCarlo, Manna Executive Director, said "Once again the Cal Ripken League teams came together for the local community in an impressive effort. The Manna team thanks all who made the collection of nearly five tons of food possible. It is especially valuable to get this food now to restock our shelves for the summer.” Ripken League Co-Founder Bruce Adams, who initiated the Feed the Hungry Challenge in 2010, said: “Seeing these college ballplayers who have come here from all across the country pitch in to serve our Montgomery County neighbors in need — especially in this incredible heat — reminds us of the good there is in the world when we all work together.”
Giants Sent Five to Cal Ripken League 2018 All-Star Classic, Two to Sunbelt Classic
This year's CRCBL All-Star Game took place on WEDNESDAY, July 11, at Bethesda's Shirley Povich Field (home of the Big Train). Gates opened at 4:15 p.m. Game play started around 7:00. Admission will be charged.
Again this year, the Giants played for the North All-Star team (Giants, Redbirds, Dodgers, Thunderbolts, Express).
This year's Sunbelt Classic will be played July 16th and 17th at Wingate University in South Carolina. The Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League is sending 25 players chosen from across the league.
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Ryan Brown #3 |
Jaret Bennett #15 |
Alex Klitsas #45 |
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Andres Machado #44 |
Saul Garza #30 |
Noah Walker #10 |
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Sam Bertleson #9 |
Gaithersburg Giants Name Five-Year Anniversary Team
This year, as part of Gaithersburg’s five-year anniversary celebration, 19 former Giants have been selected to the Five-Year Anniversary Team. The eight pitchers and eleven position players chosen represented the Giants in a big way both at and away from Criswell Automotive Field at Kelley Park. From leading the team and the CRCBL in home runs, to posting some of the lowest earned run averages in the league, these players had tremendous seasons while wearing the navy and gray. From now on, these players will live on in Gaithersburg Giants' lore.
The Five-Year Anniversary Team
Celebrating the Best of Gaithersburg Giants Baseball – Jake Shulman
Five years ago, the Gaithersburg Giants played their inaugural season in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League. Since finishing third in the CRCBL that summer 2013 season, the Giants have built this well-regarded program into a premier destination for collegiate players searching for a competitive, enriching summer baseball experience. In honor of the Giants five-year anniversary, we would like to look back on the names that have helped build this franchise into what it has become today.
Read the rest of the story by clicking on the News tab above.
Looking for Game Recaps or Live Web Broadcasts?
Read all about it in Giants' intern Jake Schulman's excellent game recaps! Click on the Results tab above (in the main menu).
Jake, who hails from Rockville, MD, was a 2016 graduate of Wootton HS, and is currently a Junior International Relations major at Tulane University. The movie he "lives by" is Cool Runnings.
Hear the game direct from the Giants' broadcast booth by clicking the small green microphone symbol on the homepage. There is a media strip with the green microphone symbol, a dark blue Facebook symbol, and a light blue Twitter symbol.
News Flash! Giants in the 2018 MLB Draft
2018 Giants
Giovanni DiGiacomo, OF, in the 29th round, 864th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
2016 Giants
Matt Pita, OF, in the 12th round, 367th overall, by the New York Yankees
Jake Slaughter, IF, in the 18th round, 548th overall, by the Chicago Cubs
2015 Giants
Colin Morse, P, in the 26th round, 791st overall, by the Washington Nationals
2014 Giants
Robbie Metz, IF, in the 25th round, 756th overall, by the Colorado Rockies
To learn more click the News tab above in the main menu.
2018 Gaithersburg Giants Player Highlights
Adam Spurlin #6, IF, Elon University
Spurlin came to the Giants after playing two seasons of college ball. Hailing from Ty Ty, GA, Spurlin graduated from Tift County High School before going to play for Augusta State University. At Tift County, Spurlin lettered both in baseball and basketball but made a name for himself primarily as an infielder for the TCHS baseball team. As a senior in 2016, Spurlin hit .360 and was named to the Georgia Dugout Club All-State team, and won the Wendy’s Heisman Award, Tift County Baseball Best Offense Award, Tift County Baseball Best Defense Award, and the Vince Dooley Award. Spurlin was also unanimously named a Region 1-6A First Team Infielder and was crowned Mr. Tift County High School in 2016. In 29 games with Augusta State in 2017, Spurlin had five extra-base hits, scored nine runs, and drove in nine runs. After his freshman season, Spurlin transferred to Florence Darlington Tech
(junior college), where he hit .280 in 41 games for the Stingers this year. Spurlin’s sophomore campaign also included 5 home runs, 26 RBIs, and 20 runs scored. Last fall, Spurlin announced that he had signed with Elon to play out the final two years of his college eligibility with the Phoenix (his career at Elon will begin next year).
Matt Whelan #2, RHP, University of Texas
As one of four Longhorns on the Giants 2018 roster, Whelan came to the Giants bringing experience pitching against some of the top programs in the country (including LSU, Stanford, and Arkansas). Another Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll recipient last fall, Whelan looks to shine this summer on the mound for the Giants. In three letter-winning seasons at James E. Taylor High School in Houston, Whelan earned a First-Team All-District honor as a junior and a unanimous First-Team All-District selection as a senior. He also earned Academic All-State Elite, National Merit Finalist, and AP Scholar with Distinction honors while at Taylor. On the mound, Whelan shined just as bright as he did in the classroom, posting a 1.70 ERA as a junior and a 1.30 ERA as a senior. As a freshman for the ‘Horns, Whelan has pitched 19.2 innings, posting a 1-0 record with a 5.03 ERA mostly out of the bullpen. In a then career long 3-inning appearance at #6-ranked Arkansas, Whelan struck out 7 Razorbacks while walking just 1.
Grant Young #34, LHP, University of San Francisco
Young joined Haydn King and Nick Yovetich as one of three Dons to play their summer ball with the Giants this year. A freshman at USF, Young boasts some high-quality experience out of the bullpen, a role he could use to his advantage with the Giants. At Acalanes High School in Lafayette, California, Young made a name for himself as a premier left-handed pitcher. In his senior season, Young led Acalanes (also nicknamed the Dons) to a 26-2 record and the Division III CIF NCS Championship. In this stellar campaign, Young posted a personal 11-1 record with a 1.01 ERA. Young also played three letter-winning years of football for the Dons. In 13 (mostly relief) appearances for the USF Dons this season, Young went 1-0 with a 6.64 ERA, striking out 21 batters in 20.1 innings pitched. In perhaps his most impressive appearance this season, Young entered the game against Hawaii on February 25 with the bases loaded. With two outs in the inning, Young struck out the Hawaii hitter to strand the bases loaded, preventing Hawaii from capitalizing on a significant scoring opportunity.
Gaithersburg Giants Stand Tall in Goodwill Visit to Cuba
A team representing the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League (CRCBL) traveled to Cuba August 2-6, 2016 to play a Goodwill Mission Series with three of the top teams in the Cuban National Series.
The Ripken League players represented a great cross section from the league's teams including four Gaithersburg Giants: Nick Pantos #18 Pitcher, Trey Martinez #10 Catcher, Trey Bridis #3 Outfield, and Matthew Pita #33 Outfield.
Manager Brady Anderson, who played for the Baltimore Orioles in Cuba in 1999, explained the purpose of the games to Cuban television: "Because of the passion both countries have for baseball, we believe baseball has the potential for bringing the Cuban and American people together."
The Ripken League team won one game and narrowly lost two. According to Manager Anderson: "We played competitive games against three of Cuba’s top teams. The coaches and I are really proud of how well our guys represented the USA." B.J. Surhoff, who also played on the 1999 Orioles team in Cuba, and Ripken League co-founder Dean Albany joined Anderson on the coaching staff.
Please enjoy this photo coverage of the Giants players in Cuba from Cal Ripken League photographer Brenda Dunham of Eye on the Ball. Photos available on www.eyeonball.com
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