Frederick Flying Dogs Semi-Pro Baseball Club

Dogs Advance to Semi-Finals

The Dog’s advanced to the Mid-Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball League on Monday after defeating the Maryland Outlaws in the first round. The Flying Dogs made short work of the Outlaws in game 1 of the 3 game series on Thursday 11-1 behind Matt Buchholz. Game two was resumed on Monday after a rainout in the second inning on Sunday afternoon. Flying Dog pitching dominated recording 18 strikeouts in the 7 inning game. Rob Moses picked up the win on the hill as the Dogs won 6-4.

In an anti-climactic end to the 2008 regular season the Flying Dogs clenched the top seed in the MMSPBL following forfeits from both the Sykesville Bulldogs and Carroll County Spartans. Both teams elected to save their pitching for the playoffs which were just around the corner. The Dogs wrapped up the regular season with a 23-5 league record, the best record in team history.

The semi-final round of playoffs will be a 3 game series beginning Tuesday. The Dogs will take on the 4 seeded Taylorsville Titans who where victims of the Flying Dogs 3 times this season. Matt Buchholz will take the hill in the opener at Husky Field on Tuesday at 6:00PM.

Flying Dogs Bite Birds, Regain Top Spot

The Dogs bats came to life over the weekend taking the first 3 games of the 4 game weekend series against six time Mid-Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball League champions the Westminster Falcons. The victories propelled the Dogs past the Falcons in the league standings and again in to first place in the MMSPBL where the Dogs sat for the majority of the season.

Matt Buchholz picked up the win in game 1 allowing only 1 hit and 1 run over six innings while tallying up 12 strikeouts. Offensively Chris Fulda homered twice and Buchholz and newcomer Steve Shriner each homered as the Flying Dogs forced the mercy rule in to effect after 6 innings.

In game 2 Chase Wolf settled in after a shaky 2nd inning for a complete game victory. After falling behind early, the Dogs exploded for 10 runs in the 4th inning off the Westminster starter. Five Flying Dogs doubled on the day including Rob Moses whose 2 run double in the 4th inning gave the Flying Dogs the lead. Buchholz had a homer and a double in the big inning.

On Sunday Rob Moses picked up the victory on the hill going 6 strong innings allowing only 2 runs on 3 Westminster hits in the 10-2 victory. The dogs scored 10 runs on 6 hits including doubles by Steve Canale and Abe Buckman. In game 2 on Sunday the Dogs fell behind early allowing 7 runs in the first inning, a deficit they could not overcome as they fell to the Falcons in the series finale 14-7.

Four Flying Dogs Combine for No-Hitter

Four Flying Dog pitchers combined to toss the 3rd no-hitter in Flying Dogs history on Tuesday evening. Rob Moses got the start pitching 2 solid innings and Dustin Knox, Ryan Morse and newcomer Steve Shriner each pitched an inning in the 5 inning contest. The Flying Dogs offense plated 20 runs on the day, pounding out 14 hits including a homerun by Kenny Govans, his 3rd on the season.

Schedule Set for Reno Powell Memorial Tournament

Pool play begins on Saturday at 11:00 am and continues through Sunday morning. The top team from each pool will move on to the semi final game on Sunday afternoon. The championship game will be played Monday at North Hagerstown High School.

5/24 Williamsport Fedlock Falcons 11:00

5/24 Williamsport Hagerstown Mudcats 4:00

5/25 Williamsport Virginia Orioles 10:30

Williamsport High School (field is on right, way before school)
5 South Clifton Drive
Williamsport, MD 21795

Streaking Dogs Win Number Seven

After the Carroll Cobras tied the game at 3 in the bottom of the sixth on a series of defensive miscues, the Flying Dogs quickly bit back with a run in the top of the 7th to again take the lead. One run was all they would need as Abe Buckman came in and slammed the door on the scrappy Cobras. Matt Buchholz started the game and pitched 5 strong innings in the no-decision, Rob Moses worked the 6th retiring the first 2 batters before a series of defensive miscues brought the Cobras back in to the game.

The Flying Dog offense continued its timely hitting. Kenny Govans led off the top of the seventh with a single and moved to third on a double off the bat of Chris Fulda. Govans eventually came around to score the winning run on a sac fly to right field from Matt Buchholz.

Next Game: Sunday May 18 1:00PM at Husky Field vs. Sykesville Bulldogs

Flying Dogs Remain Perfect

The Flying Dogs remain a perfect 6-0 after week four of the 2008 season after sweeping the Patriots in Sundays late night double header and walking to a 14-1 victory over the Carroll County Spartans on Tuesday evening. The teams pitching has been superb allowing only 4 runs total so far this season, the Flying Dogs have not allowed more than 1 run to any opponent they have faced.

Slugger Chris Fulda has paced the offence going 8-11 over the last 3 games including 4 doubles and 8 RBIs. The entire offence has been timely, leaving few runners on base unlike in 2007 when the Dogs frequently failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position.

The MMSPBL will break for Mothers Day weekend and then the Dogs will be back in action on Thursday 5/15 at home against the leagues only other undefeated team, the Carroll Cobras.

Flying Dogs to Compete in Hagerstowns Reno Powell Tournament

For the third straight year the Dogs will take part in the Hagerstown Braves Reno Powell Memorial Tournament on Memorial Day weekend. The field has grown to 16 teams this season including teams from Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The tournament will be a round robin format divided in to 4 pools of 4 teams, guaranteeing each team at least 3 games. This is a wooden bat tournament, games will be 7 innings and American League Baseball rules will apply. A 2 hour time limit applies during pool play.

The following teams will participate in the 2008 Reno Powell Memorial Tournament:

HAGERSTOWN BRAVES (Blue Ridge League)Hagerstown, Maryland
FREDERICK FLYING DOGS (Mid-Maryland League) Frederick, Maryland
HAGERSTOWN MUDCATS (Blue Ridge League) Hagerstown, Maryland
MIDDLETOWN BREWERS (East Shore Twilight League) Reading, Pennsylvania
FEDLOCK FALCONS (Industrial League) Vienna, Virginia
BUCK COUNTY REDS (Greater Philadelphia MABL) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
VIRGINIA ORIOLES (Charlottesville MABL)Charlottesville, Virginia
COOPER CLEANING (Baltimore Baseball League)Baltimore, Maryland
US NAVY BASEBALL TEAM (Hampton Roads NABA) Hampton, Virginia
WESTERN CHARLES (Coors Charles-St.Mary's League) Waldorf, Maryland
ST. JOHN'S LAMBROS (Pittsburgh Federation) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
CAROLINA ROCKIES (Greensboro Triad MSBL) Greensboro, North Carolina
VIRGINIA BISON (Charlottesville MABL) Somerset, Virginia
NORTHERN VIRGINIA KNIGHTS (NABA - DC) Virginia
DAUPHIN TWILIGHT (West Shore Twilight) Pennsylvania
HAGERSTOWN UNDER 22 BRAVES (Blue Ridge League)Hagerstown, Maryland

The Dogs will also participate in Hagerstown Independence Day Tournament in July.

Flying Dogs Rough Up Titans

The Flying Dogs continued their winning ways on Thursday, attacking the Taylorsville Titans in a 9-1 victory. Flying Dog pitching was again dominant and the bats are beginning to heat up. After striking out the side in the first inning, Flying Dog starter Spencer Cox was lifted with 2 outs in the second after feeling a pop and pain in his right elbow. Rookie Brandon Fandel took the hill to relieve Cox and pick up the win throwing 2 1/3 innings and allowing only 1 run. Sundays starter Rob Moses worked 2 uneventful innings in relief and Abe Buckman threw the final frame to put it away.

The Flying Dogs bats finally came to life on Thursday scoring 8 runs in the first 2 innings off the Titans starting pitcher Chewy Anthony. Six of those runs came in the second inning including a grand slam off the bat of clean up hitter Malcolm Smith. Smith also had a double in the game.

The win came just four days after the Flying Dogs Husky Field was vandalized in the rain storms last weekend. Several Flying Dogs pitched in to restore the infield to arguably better condition than it was in before the damage was done. “We were able to get the worst of the damage taken care of on the infield”, said Flying Dog manager Nick Collingham. “There are still ruts in the grass in right and center field, but at least we were able to get the field playable.”

Next up: Sunday May 4th, Husky Field @ Mount Airy Patriots. The doubleheader will begin at 1:00PM.

Flying Dogs off to 2-0 Start

The Flying Dogs have chalked up a 2-0 record over the first 2 weeks of play handing defeats to the Mount Airy Patriots and the Sykesville Bulldogs. Sundays double header was postponed due to rain. Matt Buchholz recorded the victory in both wins surrendering a combined 3 hits in 14 innings of work allowing no runs and retiring 26 batters by way of strikeout. Buchholz carried a perfect game in to the bottom of the sixth with 2 outs on Thursday evening before allowing his first base runner of the game on a bloop single in to right field. The Flying Dogs offence scored 6 runs on Thursday including a Chris Fulda homerun, his first on the season.

The Flying Dogs offense has been somewhat quiet in the first two weeks but they are looking to come alive this weekend when the 7 time MMSPBL champion Westminster Falcons come to town for a double dip. Rob Moses and Spencer Cox will take the mound for the Flying Dogs and newcomer Brandon Fandel will work from the bullpen.

Next Game: Sunday April 27 1:00PM @ Husky Field vs. Westminster Falcons

Preseason Game Scheduled for Sunday 4/6

The Frederick Flying Dogs will take on the Redwood Panther this Sunday at 10:00AM in a 9 inning preseason game at Husky Field. The Flying Dogs plan to get 2 – 3 innings inn for each other their starting pitchers and 1 inning for their relievers. This will provide a great opportunity for our hitters to get some looks at live pitching as the team prepares for opening day on April 17.