MARA RAW DOGS WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Behind strong pitching, a smothering defense, and a breakout hitting performance, the MARA Raw Dogs 11 U All Star team from here in Matthews, won the Western North Carolina Cal Ripken State Championship on Monday night in Hickory.   The Raw Dogs defeated a strong Surry North team 5-3 to complete an undefeated run through the State Tournament.   With this win, the Raw Dogs will move on to Mobile, AL to play in the Cal Ripken Southeast Regional's starting July 22nd and running through the 26th.

Coached by Bob Murrer, the Raw Dogs have won the Area and now State tournaments, losing only one game in 13 tries.  The Raw Dogs’ pitching has been very strong, giving up only 32 total runs, an average of only 2.9 runs per game.  The pitching staff features  Hunter Capreol and Andrew Durden, Nick Murrer, Tate Pennington,  Andrew Norton and Tristan Shea.  In the state semifinals and finals, the team gave up a combined three runs.  Hunter Capreol has been especially strong, giving up only four runs in five games in the state, including a two-hit shutout in the state semifinals against Bunker Hill.

Defensively, the Raw Dogs have been fun to watch, with speed and tenacity, and have taken away several sure runs with great plays and baseball IQ. The team is led defensively by Nick Murrer, Andrew Norton, and Andrew Durden in the Infield, and Ken Alexander, Reilly Norman, Tate Pennington, Ryan Wille, and Max Schmidt in the outfield.  Cameron Bare mans first base, and Tristan Shea has been a great stopper behind the plate.   

Offensively, after a relatively mild opening in the area in which the team had only one home run (Norton), the Raw Dogs broke out the big sticks in the state.  Six players “went yard”, including Durden (3), Pennington (2), Shea (2), Capreol, Alexander, and Norman.   The team averaged twelve runs a game in the state tournament, with timely, big hits and some aggressive base running.   Also of note with some timely hits were Nick Murrer, Cameron Bare, and Ryan Wille, but everyone on the team has contributed offensively, with aggressive base running (Chase Revier has stolen five bases despite a torn ligament in his throwing hand) and keeping constant pressure on the defense. 

The Raw Dogs now head to Alabama in search of a Southeast Regional Championship

The MARA Raw Dogs:

Ken Alexander
Cameron Bare
Hunter Capreol
Andrew Durden
Nick Murrer
Reilly Norman
Andrew Norton
Tate Pennington
Chase Revier
Max Schmidt
Tristan Shea
Ryan Wille

Coaches:

Bob Murrer          Manager
Bob Capreol         Assistant Coach
Chuck Norton      Assistant Coach