Fall Season
Registration is complete. Opening day is Sept. 12.
Ward takes home three season awards, Little wins home run derby
Sam Ward was named the league's most valuable player for the 2021 spring/summer season Saturday at the ECABL annual awards picnic at Kafer Park.
Ward also was named the Cy Young award winner and the league's Sportsmanship award. Ward batted .500 in leading the Rockies to the ECABL 2021 title. He drove in 17 runs and stole 10 bases. He also picked up three wins, four saves and had a 0.36 ERA.
Team managers and board members voted for seven award winners this year. Bill Little and Parker Mills were named co-ECABL Batting Champion winners. Little batted .529, hit four home runs and drive in 18 runs. Mills batted .464, hit five home runs and drove in 21 runs. Ward finished third in the voting and Brandon Cherry finished fourth.
John Wheatley won the Rookie of the Year award. He finished the season with a .300 batting average and led the league with 15 stolen bases. Trippe Bonner finished second in the voting, and Gates Harrell and Stephen Sawyer tied for third.
Tanner Brown and Mason Head were named co-Gold Glove winners. Matt Weaver finished second in the voting, and Zach Deck and Nathan Johnson finished third.
Jayson Melendez was named the 35-and-Older outstanding player. Melendez batted .442, hit three home runs and led the league with 22 RBI. Melendez also led the league with four wins, and he had 31 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched.
Ward was the unanimous Cy Young award winner. He finished the season with three wins, a 0.36 ERA, four saves and a league-leading 41 strikeouts.
Ward won the Sportsmanship award. Sam Lee finished second in the voting. Kevin Bennert and Jacob Fink tied for third.
Little won the home run derby on Saturday. He crushed 13 home runs in the first round, followed by Melendez, who hit six, and J.P. Whitford, who hit two. Little hit three homers in the final round for the title. Melendez hit two and Whitford hit one.
League to hold end-of-season picnic, awards ceremony, home run derby, pitching contest with radar gun
A cookout, a home run derby and a 50-50 raffle will make up the third annual East Carolina Amateur Baseball League post-season picnic and awards ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at Kafer Park.
There will be limited bleacher seating, so people are encouraged to bring their own chairs. COVID-19 precautions should be taken. Social distancing and masks are encouraged.
Free hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, potato salad and drinks will be served starting at 3 p.m. to all league players and their accompanying family members.
League award winners will be recognized at 3:45 p.m., followed by the home run derby at 4 p.m. Anyone can enter the home run derby for $10. The fee guarantees the hitter 10 outs in the first round.
In the first round of the derby, the hitter gets 10 outs or five minutes to hit as many homers as possible. A hitter can buy up to five additional outs prior to beginning the at-bat. The top five hitters from the first round will move on to the second round.
The second round of the derby gives the hitter 10 outs or five minutes. The person with the most home runs wins.
A pitcher will be provided for the derby. However, hitters can choose their own pitcher (father, brother, grandfather, son, best friend, wife, etc.) to pitch to them.
Following the derby, there will be a new addition to the festivities. For $5, any pitcher can throw up to 20 pitches to be measured by a radar gun. How hard can you throw? Come and find out. No award will be given out -- just bragging rights.
The ECABL will be selling 50-50 raffle tickets at the Saturday event. Tickets are one for $2 and three for $5. The drawing for the raffle will be held at the event. You do not need to be in attendance to win.
Upcoming Events
Sept. 11
3-5 p.m.
Annual cookout/awards picnic
Sept. 12
Opening Day of Fall Season
Oct. 23
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ECABL board retreat (1st day)
Nov. 20
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ECABL board retreat (2nd day)
Getting Wiser...
These players are gaining another year of experience.Michael Valentin | Braves | Wednesday, Sept. 15
Josh Edwards | Orioles | Sunday, Sept. 19
Ryan Foreman | Yankees | Sunday, Sept. 19
Kevin Vanzandt | Orioles | Monday, Sept. 20
David Schifano | Cubs | Tuesday, Sept. 21
Doug Amerson | Braves | Tuesday, Sept. 21
Curtis Hall | Yankees | Saturday, Sept. 25
Giovanni Murillo | Taxi Squad | Tuesday, Sept. 28
Trippe Bonner | Cubs | Tuesday, Sept. 28
Fall season registration is complete; practices set for Thursday
The short, six-game fall season for the East Carolina Amateur Baseball League will begin Sunday, Sept. 12, and league-wide practices will be held today at 5:30 and next Thursday, Sept. 9 at 5:30 at Kafer Park.
Opening day for the fall will be Sept. 12, and games are scheduled for six consecutive weeks. Teams will be chosen by managers over the next week. Rosters should be finalized shortly after the practice on Sept. 9.
Players will pay the registration fee to their managers.
The ECABL is a wooden-bat league that is open to players 18 and older. The fall season will follow the spring/summer season rules.
Rockies win ECABL Championship
Ward's walk-off, RBI-single leads Rockies past Orioles, 5-4
Sam Ward singled in Kyle Dupas with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Rockies a 5-4 walk-off win and the 2021 ECABL championship.
Parker Mills hit a three-run homer to give the Orioles a third inning lead, but the Rockies came from behind for the win.
Championship Tournament
Sunday, Aug. 8
Tournament | Round 1
Red Sox, 8 Braves 4
Yankees 14, Cubs 4
Sunday, Aug. 15
Tournament | Round 2
Rockies 8, Red Sox 3
Orioles 6, Yankees 5
Sunday, Aug. 22
Finals
Rockies 5, Orioles 4
Championship Tournament | Round 1
Red Sox, Yankees advance to second round of ECABL championship tournament
Red Sox 8, Braves 4: The Red Sox scored five runs in the first inning and survived a late-inning come-back attempt to advance to the second round of the ECABL championship tournament.
Yankees 14, Cubs 4: Noah Caroon went 5-for-5, scored five runs and drove in three on four singles and a homer to lead the Yankees past the Cubs and into the second round of the ECABL championship tournament.
Rockies, Orioles to meet in ECABL title game Sunday
Rockies 8, Red Sox 3: Sam Ward drove in three runs and pitched three scoreless innings to help the Rockies to an 8-3 win over the Red Sox and into the ECABL championship game.
Orioles 6, Yankees 5: The Orioles scored four runs on six consecutive two-out hits to come from behind to beat the Yankees, 6-5, Sunday at Kafer Park and advance to the ECABL championship game.
Scott tosses two-hitter as Cubs finish regular season with win
Cubs 8, Red Sox 0: Will Scott tossed a two-hit shutout to lead the Cubs to a regular-season-ending 8-0 win over the Red Sox in a rain-shortened game.
Orioles vs Yankees: Cancelled due to weather
Braves vs Rockies: Cancelled due to weather
Week 14: Orioles, Rockies, Yankees cruise to wins as teams ready for final weekend of regular season
Orioles 14, Cubs 3: Hatteras Brooks pitched four innings and gave up two unearned runs, and Sam Lee, Stephen Sawyer and Parker Mills each homered to lead the Orioles over the Cubs.
Rockies 16, Red Sox 8: Avery Brunni gave up one unearned run in 4 2/3 innings or relief, and Gabe Pierre drove in three runs on two hits to lead the Rockies to a come-from-behind win.
Yankees 17, Braves 4: Micah Caroon held the Braves to four runs, and Curtis Hall had three hits to lead the Yankees over the Braves.
Week 13: Braves, Rockies, Orioles win as regular season nearing end
Braves 10, Cubs 6: Andre Perez tossed a complete game and the Braves scored seven runs in the first inning on their way to a 10-6 win over the Cubs Saturday at Kafer Park.
Rockies 20, Yankees 0: Sam Ward and Bill Little held the Yankees to one hit, while the Rockies' offense pounded out 23 hits and scored 20.
Orioles defeat Red Sox: The Red Sox forfeited the game.
Week 12: Big innings help Yankees, Red Sox win; Rockies win back-and-forth battle with Orioles
Yankees 4, Cubs 3: The Yankees scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a walk-off win over the Cubs.
Red Sox 6, Braves 4: The Red Sox used a four-run first inning as the rains came down on Kafer Park to beat the Braves 6-4 on Sunday.
Rockies 11, Orioles 9: Jordan Nobles' two-run homer in the top of the seventh broke a 9-9 tie and gave the Rockies an 11-9 win over the Orioles Sunday night at Kafer Park.
Week 8: Pipkin, Little, Mason hit homers; Braves, Rockies, Orioles win
Braves 17, Cubs 6: Patrick Pipkin hit a three-run homer, and Andre Perez returned from the injured list to pitch four strong innings as the Braves beat the Cubs, 17-6, Saturday at Kafer Park.
Rockies 6, Yankees 2: Bill Little homered, drove in two runs and held the Yankees to two hits over four innings as the Rockies topped the Yankees 6-2 Saturday at Kafer Park.
Orioles 20, Red Sox 6: Brandon Cherry went 4-for-5 and the Orioles used a dozen walks and a dozen hits to score 20 to easily beat the Red Sox, 20-6, Saturday at Kafer Park.
ECABL gives taste of baseball
The East Carolina Amateur Baseball League held a special game on Saturday, inviting any adult to play nine innings and get a taste of being a kid again.
Twenty-two people showed up and played in the game, which ran from 10 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m. About half of the players were ECABL-rostered players, and the other half were friends of players or people interested in playing baseball again after a long layoff.
Thanks go out to ECABL Commissioner Doug Amerson, who worked the field after Friday's rain and then again before the game on Saturday, and to Jack Wu and Stephen Billings for umpiring the game.
There were a lot of hits, a lot of scoring and some good plays, but it was an informal game for people to enjoy on the Independence Day weekend.
The ECABL resumes its normal schedule this Saturday and Sunday at Kafer Park.
Registration complete: Previously planned two July 3 games reduced to one game, open to all adult ages
The Eastern Carolina Amateur Baseball League had planned on two, age-division games on July 3, but because of low registration numbers, only one game will be played.
Instead of an 18-and-older game and a 35-and-older game, the two age groups will be merged into one game that will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 3 at Kafer Park.
The minimum pitching age will be 35 for the first five innings. Younger players who want to pitch can pitch in the final two innings.
Teams will be created at the event, primarily through a breakdown of positions, making sure each team has enough pitchers and catchers and a dispersal of position players. Players may rotate into different positions, depending on comfort at the position and eagerness to try something new.
The ECABL is an adult, wooden bat, amateur baseball league. Players 18 and older play in the league, with more than half the players older than 30 and at least 10 players in their 50s or 60s.
Registration for the game is complete.
At a glance
Any and all event updates will be posted to https://www.ecabl.net home page.
Personal equipment required, including glove and cleats. Required items will not be provided. ECABL will provide a shared bat, helmet and catchers gear, but it is highly encouraged to bring your own.
Wooden bats only. No aluminum bats allowed.
All players must register online and sign a liability release form prior to playing (included in the online registration).
Kafer Park is a public field. All rules and ordinances applicable apply.
Week 11: Red Sox walk-off against Yankees, Rockies and Orioles break out the bats
Red Sox 3, Yankees 2: Stephen Billings lead-off double and Neil Coffield's RBI-single gave the Red Sox a 3-2, walk-off win over the Yankees Sunday at Kafer Park.
Rockies 17, Cubs 6: The Rockies pounded out 19 hits in the game and scored nine runs in the sixth inning to beat the Cubs, 17-6, Sunday at Kafer Park.
Orioles 21, Braves 0: Parker Mills hit two home runs, and three other Orioles pounded homers as the Orioles slugged the Braves, 21-0, Sunday at Kafer Park.
Week 10: Cubs come from behind for first win of the season
Rockies 12, Braves 4: The Rockies scored 10 runs in the final two innings to come from behind to beat the Braves, 12-4.
Cubs 10, Red Sox 7: The Cubs scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on four hits, four walks and two batters hit by pitches to secure their first win of the season.
Orioles 5, Yankees 4: The Yankees jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning, but the Orioles scored four in the bottom half of the inning and won it in the bottom of the seventh in walk-off fashion.
Postponed games rescheduled
The games that were postponed on June 6 have been rescheduled for Saturday, June 26. Games that were postponed this past Sunday have been rescheduled for Saturday, July 10.
According to ECABL rules, postponed games will be played the Saturday following the postponement. However, this coming weekend is Father's Day, and the league's board decided playing both days would not be in the best interest of Dads.
Games also will not be played Saturday, July 3, because the league does not play during the July 4 weekend.
The league calendar has been updated, and the update also was posted on the league's Facebook page.
Week 7: Rockies, Yankees keep pace; Red Sox move into third place with win over Braves
Rockies 5, Orioles 2: Landon Vick struck out nine and gave up two earned runs, but needed Bill Little's help to get out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning as the Rockies beat the Orioles, 5-2, Sunday at Kafer Park.
Yankees 6, Cubs 2: Jayson Melendez struck out nine and gave up two unearned runs over six innings to give the Yankees a 6-2 win over the Cubs.
Red Sox 13, Braves 12: The Red Sox scored nine runs in the fifth inning and held on for a 13-12 win Sunday at Kafer Park.
Week 6: Yankees, Rockies win to stay on top of standings
Orioles 17, Braves 7: Brock Rouse drove in five runs with a homer, a double and a single, and Josh Edwards hit a three-run, first inning homer as the Orioles used two big innings to beat the Braves, 17-7, Sunday at Kafer Park.
Yankees 3, Red Sox 2: Jayson Melendez's walk-off single gave the Yankees a 3-2 win and kept them atop of the East Carolina Amateur Baseball League standings.
Rockies 4, Cubs 2: Sam Ward threw three shutout innings and Bill Little hit a two-run homer to lead the Rockies to a 4-2 over the Cubs Sunday at Kafer Park.
Former players Poff, Cannon remembered by ECABL
Former Cubs and Yankees player Mike Poff and former Cubs player Nick Cannon have passed away.
Poff died Dec. 15, 2020, succumbing to complications from cancer at the age of 35 in Houston, Texas.
Nick Cannon died April 26 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
For details, click here.
From the Commish:
I am so proud to be able to call you my brothers. We have this super league set up just so I can continue to make memories. I consider all of you my brothers and I want you to know that if you hurt, I hurt.
If you have a problem or any kind of issue, there are more than 100 players who want to help you -- whether it is a prayer or physical labor or financial help. We band of brothers want to know.
We lost two former players this past off-season, and we have set up a memorial page for them.
Visit it, remember them and keep their families in your thoughts and prayers. The page will remain part of our website because the players are part of our history.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve this league, even though there is a great deal of selfish reasons for doing so. Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there. See you next Sunday. -- Doug Amerson.
Whitford, Hernandez homer to lead team to win in "extra" ECABL game
J.P. Whitford and Tomas Hernandez each hit home runs Saturday to help their squad defeat the team captained by Commissioner Doug Amerson.
With no regular-season games scheduled for Sunday in honor of Mother's Day, the league put together an extra game on Saturday. Players 18 and older were divided up into two teams. The team captained by Whitford defeated the team captained by Amerson, 8-6.
Whitford, Rob Fravor, Hernandez and Hoffman pitched for the winning team. Amerson, Neil Coffield and Brandon Bowden pitched for the losing team.
Week 5 | Mills' pitching, Mason's hitting enough to help Orioles give Yankees first loss of season
Orioles 9, Yankees 8: Randy Mason hit s two-run double in the fifth inning and Parker Mills struck out six in four innings to lead the Orioles to a 9-8 win over the Yankees.
Rockies 13, Braves 11: Bill Little drove in four runs, and Sam Ward and Gage Spires each scored three to lead the Rockies over the Braves.
Red Sox 21, Cubs 19: The Red Sox took a 21-7 lead into the last inning, but needed Chris Perry to come on in relief to strike out the final batter with the bases loaded to preserve the win.
Week 4 | Mills hits two homers, drives in 10 to lead Orioles over Cubs
Yankees beat Braves, Rockies top Red Sox
Orioles 25, Cubs 2: Parker Mills went 4-for-5 with two home runs and 10 RBI to lead the Orioles to a 25-2 win over the Cubs Sunday at Kafer Park.
Yankees 13, Braves 2: Jayson Melendez and Micah Caroon each hit grand slams, as the Yankees coasted to a 13-2 win Sunday to stay undefeated this season.
Rockies 13, Red Sox 6: Kyle Dupas and Sean Garbarino each hit homers, and Taylor Ellis and Brandon Bowden each drove in three runs to lead the Rockies over the Red Sox.
Week 3 | Yankees score 9 runs in the 7th for 9-8 win over Rockies
Yankees 9, Rockies 8: Ryan Forman's one-out double started a scoring barrage that plated nine Yankees and lead to a 9-8 comeback win over the Rockies. Foreman also tossed five innings and gave up no earned runs in picking up the victory.
Braves 7, Cubs 6: Jesse Small hit a solo homer in the sixth and Gates Harrell hit a two-run shot in the seventh to lead the Braves to a 7-6 come-from-behind win over the Cubs.
Orioles 8, Red Sox 3: Josh Edwards gave up three runs in the first two innings but settle down to hold the Red Sox scoreless the rest of the way.
Week 2 | Garbarino lead Rockies, Red Sox down Braves, Yankees shutout Cubs
Red Sox 8, Braves 4: Randy Lopez scored three runs and drove in one run, and Mike Zier and Dom Byrnes combined to hold the Braves to four runs as the Red Sox beat the Braves, 8-4, Sunday at Kafer Park.
Rockies 17, Orioles 4: Sean Garbarino hit a three run homer in the fifth inning and the Orioles committed six errors as the Rockies slugged the Orioles, 17-4, Sunday at Kafer Park.
Yankees 18, Cubs 0: Jayson Melendez drove in three runs and Chris Griffin drove in two to help Teddy Cardenas pick up his first win of the season as the Yankees shutout the Cubs, 18-0.
Week 1 | Rockies win debut, Braves and Orioles play to rain-shortened tie, Yankees win postponed game
Rockies 10, Cubs 0: William Little tossed four shutout innings and went 2-for-3, and Landon Vick and Brandon Bowden each went 2-for-4 to lead the Rockies over the Cubs, 10-0, Sunday, March, 28, at Kafer Park.
Braves 7, Orioles 7: Sam Lee walked and homered to give the Orioles a commanding 6-1 lead, but the Braves battled with timely hitting as the two teams finished 7-7 midway through the final inning.
Yankees 22, Red Sox 4: The Yankees scored 22 runs on 15 hits and 16 walks to coast to a 22-4 win over the Red Sox Saturday, April 10, at Kafer Park.
Player Profiles
We hope to add a little detail to the game summaries posted on the website this season and to start doing a few new things. To do that, we will need more information. We've set up a player profile page on the league's website, ecabl.net. We would like for each player to fill out the profile form.
What will we do with the information? Nothing other than what is stated here. We will use it for game summaries and previews that are on the website and on Facebook. We will use it for player profiles that we will put together on the website. We also hope to create baseball cards for all the players in the league. Creating the cards depends on the response of players to fill out the information, the ability to get photos during the season and other variables.
We will be taking team pictures before Sunday's games. On that day and during the season, we will be taking head shots and action photos.
To fill out your profile information, click here.
Team Photos
Team photos will be taken before each game during Week 2 of the regular season, Sunday, April 11. Players should plan on arriving to their games an hour before game time so that photos can be taken before you start warming up.
2021 ECABL season begins Sunday with three games slated
The 2021 spring/summer East Carolina Amateur Baseball League season-opener will be Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Rockies host the Cubs. It will be the Rockies debut in the ECABL.
The Braves will host the Orioles at 4 p.m., and the Red Sox will host the Yankees at 7 p.m.
All games this season will be held on Sundays. If a game is postponed due to weather or some other reason, it will be rescheduled for the following Saturday.
The complete season schedule has been posted on the website calendar.
Previews of each game will be posted on this website each Wednesday. Since there have been no games played this season, the current previews are a little sparse in details. They will evolve as the season progresses, and we gather stats and other details. Current Week 1 preview can be found here.
Game results will be posted on this site and the league's Facebook page immediately following the games. Game Summaries and statistics should be posted the day of the games, but no later than the following morning.
League sets date for payment of league fees
The due date for all league fees to be eligible for opening day is Friday, March 26.
Players must have submitted payment via Google Pay or have money to the league's treasurer by this date to be eligible to play March 28. No money will be accepted on game day unless you are a designated taxi player.
Board approves schedule, calendar to be updated
The East Carolina Amateur Baseball League on Wednesday approved the game schedule for the 2021 spring/summer season.
The season-opener for each team will be Sunday, March 28. Each team will play 15 regular-season games, and the season will conclude with a single-elimination tournament. All games will be held on Sundays. Any games rained out will be played the following Saturday.
The complete schedule should be posted on the website later this week.
Final pre-season, 35-and-older game this Sunday
The third and final pre-season 35-and-older game will be held Sunday, March 21 at 1 p.m. at Kafer Park.
The game, which will begin at 1 p.m., will be free and is open to all players 35 and older, including those not affiliated with the ECABL.
The first two pre-season games were held the past two Sundays. Teams were created at the event, primarily through a breakdown of positions, making sure each team had enough pitchers and catchers and a dispersal of position players. Players rotated into different positions, depending on comfort at the position and eagerness to try something new.
The ECABL is an adult, wooden bat amateur baseball league. Players 18 and older play in the league, with more than half the players over 30 and at least 10 players in their 50s or 60s.
Registration for the final pre-season game will close on Friday or when capacity is reached. Click here to register.
Additional Info
Any and all event updates will be posted to https://www.ecabl.net home page.
Personal equipment required, including glove and cleats. Required items will not be provided. ECABL will provide a shared bat, helmet and catchers gear, but it is highly encouraged to bring your own.
Wooden bats only. No aluminum bats allowed.
All players must register online and sign a liability release form prior to playing (included in the online registration).
Kafer Park is a public field. All rules and ordinances applicable apply.
ECABL readies for second 35-and-older game this Sunday
The second 35-and-older game will be held Sunday, March 14, at 1 p.m. at Kafer Park.
The game, which will begin at 1 p.m., will be free and is open to all players 35 and older, including those not affiliated with the ECABL.
The first game was held this past Sunday, and 22 players participated. Teams were created at the event, primarily through a breakdown of positions, making sure each team had enough pitchers and catchers and a dispersal of position players. Players rotated into different positions, depending on comfort at the position and eagerness to try something new.
The ECABL is an adult, wooden bat amateur baseball league. Players 18 and older play in the league, with more than half the players over 30 and at least 10 players in their 50s or 60s.
Before the ECABL season starts on March 28, the league will have two more games 35-and-older games that are free for ECABL players and players not affiliated with the league. Registration will close the Friday before each game or when capacity is reached. Click here to register.
Registration begins for 35-and-older games; three games open to public
The Eastern Carolina Amateur Baseball League is hosting three, 35-and-older preseason games on March 7, March 14, and March 21 at Kafer Park in New Bern.
The games, which will begin at 1 p.m., will be free and are open to all players 35 and older, including those not affiliated with the ECABL.
Whether you're looking to test out rusty skills, get loose ahead of the upcoming ECABL spring/summer season, or just want to get out for a nice afternoon at the ballpark, come out to show your support for adult baseball in eastern North Carolina. Spectators welcome!
Register for one, two or all three games on our registration page. Registration will close the Friday before each game or when capacity is reached. Click here to register.
New player, pre-draft workout set for Saturday
A pre-draft workout for all new players to the East Carolina Amateur Baseball League will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Kafer Park. The event was scheduled for last Saturday, but rain flooded the field and delayed the workout.
Players should come prepared to throw, hit and field. Managers will watch and use the information to help form competitive teams for the upcoming season, which begins March 28. Following the workout, the ECABL board will meet and a draft for all new players will be held.
Managers will then call all players and inform them of their team and other team-related information to prepare for the season.
Players yet to register will also be able to register at the event. Existing ECABL players may also attend to shake off the rust.
To register beforehand, if you have not already, click here. For more information, or to contact ECABL, click here.