Above: Colt .45's Future Home is being dismantled in Vacaville and relocated to Simpson University in Redding for the 2009 season.
The Redding Colt 45's are a summer Collegiate baseball team dedicated to giving our players jobs and a place to hone their game and display their talents. Also for the Fans to see good, solid, fundamental baseball that benefits our community and youth with an example of how to play the game and the wholesome entertainment that can come with it.
Colt .45's News
Redding beat the Crabs 8-6 in the first game of a Wednesday doubleheader at Tiger Field.
Humboldt came back and won the nightcap 9-0 behind a five-hit shutout effort from 2007 Pleasant Valley High School graduate Thomas Whitsett in front of crowd of close to 300.
The split of the pair of seven-inning games kept the season series even 3-3 between the two teams.
Redding (27-16) made sure that it got at least one game early on. The Colt .45s shelled Crabs starter David Luna, who pitches for San Jose State, from the start in the first game.
After Humboldt scored a run against Richard Barrett in the top of the first inning, Redding hung four runs in the bottom of the frame on five hits. For good measure, three more runs on another five hits were added in the second inning.
Dustin Brooks, the Colt .45s' rightfielder, drove in another run with his third single of the game in the bottom of the third inning to make it 8-1. Luna left after that inning, getting knocked around for 12 hits.
Relief pitcher Travis McCraken came in and tossed three scoreless innings for the Crabs (38-10), but Redding owned a big cushion with its ace on the mound.
But Barrett struggled, walking four and striking out one through 5 1/3 innings.
"You can't have a good day all the time," Barrett said. "The Crabs are real good. When you throw a bad pitch, they make you pay for it."
Gordon Johnson, left, plays while other members of the Crabgrass Band sing to fans during the seventh inning stretch Wednesday at Tiger Field.
Photo by Greg Barnette
Redding Colt .45s second baseman Nate Trujillo reaches for a ball in the opening game of Redding's doubleheader with the Humboldt Crabs on Wednesday at Tiger Field. The teams split the twin bill and the season series.
Redding Colt .45s pitcher Richard Barrett throws a pitch. Barrett got the win in the first game, a 8-6 victory for the Colt .45s, to improve to 7-1 on the season.
He got into trouble in the fifth inning by allowing a leadoff single to Crabs left fielder Nick Melino, then gave up a long single to Jeff Giacomini with Melino advancing to third. Tom Pavesi's second sacrifice fly of the game scored Melino cut the lead to 8-2. After a walk to Brad Morgan, Barrett then hung a 2-1 pitch to Brandon Hayes and the Oregon State player belted a three-run shot over the right field fence to cut the gap to 8-5.
"It was a changeup and I hung it inside," Barrett said. "He was able to extend and got all of it."
He got into more trouble in the sixth inning, allowing another run, but Colt .45s closer Corey Richardson threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to nail down his seventh save of the season.
Despite getting charged with six runs, five earned, Barrett improved to 7-1 on the season.
He got help from his offense as Brooks was 3-for-4 with two RBI, Tony Bongiovanni went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Kyle Gutchewsky, Ryan Cadaret and Scott Kalush all had two hits apiece. Redding had 14 hits for the game.
"I was seeing the ball real well all day," Bongiovanni said. "Our offense started out real well."
Unfortunately, Whitsett was a north state star in the second game. He constantly got Colt .45s to pop out and needed 83 pitches in seven innings to get his shutout, striking out three and walking one.
"Whitsett had his stuff tonight," Crabs manager Matt Nutter said. "He kept them off balance all night."
Whitsett got the early run support in game two as Redding starter Kyle Masteller struggled to keep the ball down in the zone. Instead, he was slapped for five runs over four innings.
Staked to a 5-0 lead early, Whitsett made it stand.
"Getting that lead, I was able to throw strikes and put the ball in play," Whitsett said. "When you pitch to contact, good things usually happen."
The Crabs then tacked on four runs against reliever Devon Kreyenhagen in the sixth inning.
"We came out a little flat," Nutter said. "We got behind early, but came back in the second game. That's the mark of a good team."
The Crabs win in the second game also puts them at 15-5 in West Coast League Tri State, while Redding remains second at 12-9. Mathematically, all Humboldt needs to do is win one of four home games with the Southern Oregon River Dawgs this weekend to claim the inaugural league title outright.
Redding Colt. 45 shortstop Kurt Lee selected to play in the prestigious Cape Cod League.
Redding native Kurt Lee (Enterprise HS/Shasta College) who is bound for University of Iowa will travel this week to the east coast to play in the Cape Cod League for the Baron Braves. Kurt has been a terror on the base paths for the .45's this summer swiping 20 bags and hitting .297 primarly in the 2 spot of the order. We wish him well.
.45's sweep 3 game series @ Carson City, NV against the Nevada Bighorns in WCL-Tri State action over the weekend.
Redding improves to 9-7 in WCL-Tri State and 22-13 overall. RHP Richard Barrett (Concordia University-Irvine) improved his record to 5-1 and a stellar 1.81 ERA. RHP Kyle Masteller (San Francisco State University) improved his record to 2-1 and a staff leading ERA of 1.60. LHP Dayne Quist (UC Davis) picked up his second win of the summer (2-2) pitching a complete game.
Opener closed: Redding pitchers seal deal as .45s top Crabs
Neil Tarpey/The Times-Standard
Posted: 07/11/2009 01:27:11 AM PDT
Andrew Swenson slides in safely for a stolen base.
ARCATA -- The Humboldt Crabs have featured a flair for endgame dramatics this season.
But on Friday, the visiting Redding Colt .45s used stellar pitching for a 4-1 victory in the first of their four-game WCL Tri-State League series with the Crabs.
The Crabs entered the game with a robust .308 team batting average, but managed a total of three singles and mustered just one unearned run against three Redding pitchers.
Redding starter Richard Barrett allowed two hits and struck out eight in seven impressive innings, and kept the explosive Crabs offense from lighting up the ballyard.
”He's been our ace all year and he stepped up for us tonight,” said Redding manager Ryan Watson.
The right-hander displayed good movement on his off-speed pitches and fired four-seam fastballs that Humboldt hitters chased up in the zone. In addition to his eight Ks, Barrett induced eight ground-outs and five fly balls.
By the end of the sixth inning, the typically potent Crabs attack produced just three baserunners -- Jeff Giacomini's single in the second, and walks to Brandon Hayes and Nick Leid.
”It was a good start for him (Barrett),” said Crabs manager Matt Nutter. “They just didn't hit the ball well tonight.”
Crabs southpaw John Austin threw eight solid innings but suffered his first loss of the summer.
While Barrett looked dominant, his mates scored solo runs in second and third innings, both times after the Colt .45 leadoff batter reached base.
In the top of the second, Dustin Brooks singled to center, scampered to third on the first of two doubles by Ryan Cadaret, and scored on Andrew Swenson's single.
Then in the third, Alex Lyons singled to right, moved over to second on Kurt Lee's sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on Tony Bongiovanni's infield hit. With runners at the corners, Brooks beat the throw to first when the Crabs attempted a 6-4-3 doubleplay, which brought in Lyons from third for the 2-0 lead.
Humboldt got on the board after the seventh-inning stretch when, with one out, Tommy “Thundercat” Pavesi raced to second on Jake Gill's errant throw from third.
After a walk to Logan Lotti, Nick Leid rapped a single to left that knocked in Pavesi.
With two Crabs aboard, Barrett rose to the challenge, fanning J.J. Ethel and Isaac Vivas to end the threat.
Things heated up when Redding reliever Zach Biehl struck out Giacomini to end the eighth, and then gestured to the Crabs' cleanup man as he walked off the mound.
Cooler heads prevailed --momentarily -- until Humboldt reliever Tyler Graham plunked Brooks with the first pitch of the ninth inning.
The home plate umpire immediately ejected Graham, and then Nutter, who came on the field to stick up for his reliever.
Chris DeBoo came on and Gill greeted him with a RBI-double and two batters later, Swenson delivered his second RBI-single.
Corey Richardson came on in the ninth for Redding and, after walking two, earned the save when he got a 5-4-3 DP to end the game.
Chase Blackwood lights up Gulf South Conferance Championships. The catcher from Taft, CA has found his groove since battling back from injuries. Blackwood has collected 8 hits, 5 of those being HR's, he now has 21 HR's on the season. The Blazer's are now 41-18 and will play the winner of #1 Southern Arkansas vs. #10 Delta State.
Drew Hedman (Pomona-Pitzer University) 1B was name SCIAC Player of the Year today. The Redding native (Shasta HS) had an incredible season for the #1 NCAA D3 team in the country. Drew hit an incredible .500 80 hits in 160 at bats, 3rd in the nation, 23 HR's (1st in the nation), 79 RBI's (1st in the nation). We are the sure that the awards will keep coming in for the firstbaseman. We wish Drew Hedman the best and look forward to having him at firstbase for the .45's this summer.
Kyle Gutchewsky SS (New Mexico Highlands University) The Las Vegas native went 2 for 3 with a homerun and 2 RBI's in the Cowboys final season game against Metro State. Gutchewsky finished the regular season hitting .337 with 20 doubles, 4 homeruns, and 41 RBI's.
Chase Blackwood (Valdosta State University) was voted 2nd team All-Gulf South Conferance catcher for the second season in a row. Blackwood help lead the Blazers to a 38-18 record with 16 HR's and 43 RBI's.
Alex Lyons (Cameron University) received 2nd team All-Lone Star Conferance honors as an Outfielder this season. Lyons help the #6 ranked Aggies to 40+ wins this season. The junior OF hit .355, scored 63 runs, 10 doubles, 4 triples, 8 HR's, and 44 RBI's. The Orem, UT native will be back in Redding this summer roaming the OF and hitting in the leadoff spot.
Kurt Lee(Shasta JC) and Jake Gill(Butte JC) earn 1st team All-Golden Valley Conferance honors. Kurt Lee (SS) was a unanimous pick leading Shasta College in hitting with a .391 avg and stealing 17 bases. Jake Gill (3B) led Butte College in HR's with 5 while collecting 12 doubles and swiping 16 bags.
Redshirt freshman Tony Bongiovanni had the best game of his young Aggie career as he led the team with four hits in five at-bats, two doubles and two RBIs. The left-handed hitting Bongiovanni is currently hitting .303 and leads UC Davis in HR's with 3. He will be starring in the outfield for the .45's this summer.
Hometown product Drew Hedman is having an incredible season at Pomona-Pitzer. The left-handed firstbaseman has helped lead the Sagehens to a 31-3 record and a national ranking. Hedman, a second-team DIII All-American last season is putting up numbers this season that should make him a unanimous first team selection. The Shasta High School grad is hitting .533 heading into the last 2 weeks of the season. He leads the country in HR's with 21, RBI's 70 and Slugging % 1.126. We are excited to have Drew coming back to the .45's this summer.
Ryan Watson has been named as the Manager for the 2009 season. Ryan is an assistant coach at Taft JC. He played his collegiate career at Chico State and stayed on to coach there before moving on to Butte JC. He will be assisted by Dennis Brugman who is also the director of player personel. The .45's are looking forward to a great summer season!
Sun Aug 2/09 1:30pm:
