Rockville Express Baseball

That's All Folks! Thanks for a great season!
Photo copyright 2011 Eye on the Ball.

10/3/11 - The Express wish to thank the fans, the players, the coaches, the wonderful host families, the great volunteers, and the generous sponsors for teaming up to make this a successful season.

The Express extends a special thank you to all of our host families for taking such good care of our players this season. If you would like to help us out next year, this is a great opportunity to become more involved in the local baseball community! Click HERE for more information.

Photos of the 6/5, 6/11, 6/17, 6/23, 6/29, 7/3, 7/6, 7/7, 7/15 games as well as the All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, Team photo and player portraits are available on Eye on the Ball at www.eyeonball.com Take a look!

Rockville Community Baseball and the Rockville Express
Welcome a New Manager for 2012 Season

Rockville Community Baseball and the Rockville Express are looking forward to welcoming new manager Rick Price starting with the 2012 season. Jim Kazunas, president/general manager of the Rockville Express is very excited that Coach Price (heavily involved for many years in local baseball at Montgomery College-Rockville and Gaithersburg Post 295) accepted, saying that Coach Price relates very well with the college players.

See the 8/16/11 Gazette article, Post 295 manager leaves for Rockville.

Three Former Rockville Express Pitchers Continue Their Red-Hot Professional Seasons

Justin De Fratus (Express 2006) made his Major League debut on 9/18/11 with the Philadelphia Phillies. From the stands, Justin's younger brother Chris caught Justin's first MLB throw as it was fouled off by the Cardinal's John Jay. Justin picked up his first MLB win vs the Braves on 9/28. The Phillies selected Justin de Fratus in the 11th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He went 6-3 with a 2.99 ERA and 15 saves in 17 opportunities this season spread between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Joe Smith Cleveland Indians, #38 (Express 2005) appearing in 71 games, pitching 67 innings this season, is one of the best setup men in Major League Baseball, finishing the season with an ERA of 2.01.

Charlie Cononie (Express 2009) after being drafted early this summer by the Tampa Bay Rays has started his professional career with 29.2 innings pitched and a 2.43 ERA for the Hudson Valley Renegades in the New York Penn League.

Three Former Rockville Express Pitchers Continue Their Red-Hot Professional Seasons
	Justin De Fratus (Express 2006) made his Major League debut on 9/18/11 with the Philadelphia Phillies. From the stands, Justin's younger brother Chris caught Justin's first MLB throw as it was fouled off by the Cardinal's John Jay. Justin picked up his first MLB win vs the Braves on 9/28. The Phillies selected Justin de Fratus in the 11th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He went 6-3 with a 2.99 ERA and 15 saves in 17 opportunities this season spread between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Congratulations to the Rockville Express Alumni tapped in the 2011 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft! Chad Smith (P, Express '07) by the Detroit Tigers in the 17th round, Adam Bryant (SS, Express '08) by the Minnesota Twins in the 9th round, and Charlie Cononie (RHP, Express '09) by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 24th round. See the other Express alums tapped by the majors - Express in the Pros

Rockville Community Baseball and the Rockville Express
Continue Capital Campaign for "Lights at Knights"

Rockville Community Baseball and the Rockville Express have made lots of progress in their major capital campaign for the installation of ballfield lights at their home field at Montgomery College Rockville (Knight's Field). The lighting equipment is up, but we still need your help to light them up! Please send your generous donation, made out to "Rockville Community Baseball, Inc." and mail to "RCB Inc., P.O. Box 10188, Rockville, MD 20849". Help make this important community project a reality!

See the 7/13/11 Gazette article, Rockville Express nearly ready to light up the field.

Rockville Community Baseball is now listed as a charity in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) catalog. Designation # 43069.

You can now use your credit card to make an online donation to Rockville Community Baseball and the Express, using safe and secure PayPal! You don't even need a PayPal account.

Help Rockville Community Baseball continue to bring
quality collegiate summer wooden-bat play to Rockville.
There's nothing like a summer evening game under the lights!
Make a donation now and help us make this happen!

The Express would welcome corporate sponsors, season sponsors, game sponsors, or banner sponsors! Please contact Brad Botwin at bb67chev@aol.com. See the PayPal donation button above to make an online donation!

Need help using PayPal? You don't need a PayPal account to use it! Please click HERE for a short procedure.

2011 Annual Dinner and Auction -- with Washington National's Jim Riggleman and C-SPAN Anchor Robb Harleston

Thanks to all that made the
Rockville Express 2011 Dinner and Auction
such a success! We hope to see you
back next year!

2011 Annual Dinner and Auction -- with Washington National's Jim Riggleman and C-SPAN Anchor Robb Harleston
Thanks to all that made the Rockville Express 2011 Dinner and Auction such a success! We hope to see you back next year!

Photos by John Mewshaw and Oriole Saah.

Here's Your 2011 Rockville Express!
Copyright 2011 Eye on the Ball

2011 Game Photos On Sale! - Cal Ripken Collegiate League photographer Brenda Dunham / Eye on the Ball is catching all the action for this seventh CRCBL season. Browse her collection at www.eyeonball.com and order your favorites!

Here's YOUR chance to sport Rockville Express gear. Hats, t-shirts, seat cushions, mini-bats, and Cal Ripken, Jr. baseballs are available. NEW! - the Express Online Store is now OPEN! See "Express Online Store" on the Main Menu.

ADA Access - If special accommodations are needed, please contact info@rockvilleexpress.org at least two weeks before the event