2025 Raleigh Braves

Raleigh Braves Win 2025 Championship 32+ Division

The Raleigh Braves are the 32+ CNCMSBL champions, completing a remarkable 19-3 season that blended veteran leadership with emerging stars.

Managed by Tommy Himebaugh and Matt Horne. The Braves rolled through the spring with a 15-3 regular season record that secured first place and set the foundation for a dominant playoff run.

Anchored by veterans like Tim Amrhein, Mike Strickler, Shannon Martin, and Horne, the Braves combined consistency, timely hitting, and experience to stay at the top of the standings all year long.

The addition of new talent proved decisive. Dave Garcia (.400 AVG, .946 OPS), Jack
rennan (.423 AVG, .583 OBP), and Manny Pastrana (.319 AVG, 13 runs) all made immediate impacts, while Justin Mildenstein delivered on both sides of the ball. He drove in a team-leading 18 RBI with a .918 OPS and, in the final four playoff games, shut down the opponent’s running game by throwing out multiple would-be base stealers, shifting momentum at key moments.

Beyond individual highlights, the Braves’ dominance was evident in the numbers: players finished in the top-3 of 46 different statistical categories across the league leaderboards. They led the way in batting average, RBI, OPS, wins, ERA, stolen bases, and more — making it clear that this was not a team dependent on a few hot bats or arms, but a roster that set the standard in every phase of the game.

Ultimately, the championship run reflected balance and depth. Veterans reminded everyone why they’ve been staples of the roster, while newcomers symbolized the next wave of impact players. With contributions spread throughout the lineup, dominance across the stat sheet, and resilience in tight playoff battles, the Braves left little doubt they were the class of the league from opening day through the final out.

Raleigh Oaks

Raleigh Oaks Win Fourth Straight Title

Over the weekend of September 20th,  2025, the Raleigh Oaks and Raleigh Rattlers faced off in a Best-of-Three series to determine the Central North Carolina Men’s Senior Baseball League (18+) championship.

The Oaks took Game One by the score of 11-2 on the heels of a strong performance from Oaks starting pitcher Gunner Hagstrom, who limited the Rattlers’ offense to only 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 12 batters in a complete game effort. Top offensive contributions by Connor Fox (four runs scored) and Trey Whitley (3 for 4 with two extra base hits) stood out amongst an Oaks lineup where every batter reached base at least once.

Game two featured a “battle of aces” between the Oaks’ Logan Simmons and the Rattlers’ Sam Poindexter. The Rattlers were able to scratch across runs in the second, fourth, and sixth innings against pitching triple crown winner Simmons, which included a monster solo homerun off the bat of Nelson Maldonado. These runs, as well as a strong defensive effort that included two spectacular inning-ending double plays, allowed Poindexter to effectively shut down the Oaks’ bats, striking out three in a complete game shutout gem and helping keep the Rattlers’ championship hopes alive.

For Game Three, the Oaks turned to veteran pitcher Brian Rubin, who slammed the door on the Rattlers’ offense, needing only 61 pitches to complete six innings of no-hit ball. Meanwhile, the Oaks offense came alive, with every Oaks batter again reaching base at least once, including multiple RBIs by Harley Duncan, Trey Whitley, and Gunner Hagstrom. Finishing with a decisive 15-0 victory in only seven innings played, the Oaks secured their fourth straight league championship.

The Raleigh Oaks were established back in 2022 by Brett Moraes and are now led by manager Harley Duncan. This is the Oaks’ fourth year in the Central NC (18+) Men’s Senior Baseball League, compiling a total W/L/T record of 69-18-3 over that period.

Trouble with the curve

How to hit a curveball

You’re sitting dead red. It’s a hitter’s count, 2-0, and you’re ready to jump all over that fastball. The pitcher winds up, and for a split second, everything looks right. But then the bottom falls out. The ball dips, your front foot is already down, your bat sails through empty space, and you’re left staring back at the mound, wondering how you got fooled again.

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Man keeping score at a CNCMSBL baseball game

How to Keep Score in Baseball

How to Keep Score in Baseball: A Comprehensive Guide

Whether you’re playing in the 18+, 32+, 50+, or Classic Division, accurate scorekeeping is essential for maintaining clear, reliable statistics throughout the season. With hundreds of players competing each year, precise scoring helps enhance player experience, track performance accurately, and even resolve friendly debates on the field.

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Baseball Off-Season Conditioning

How to Stay in Shape Leading Up to the New Baseball Season: A Guide for Every Age Group

Baseball is a timeless game, loved by players of all ages. Whether you’re in your 20s or your 60s, staying in shape for the upcoming season is essential to make sure you play your best, stay injury-free, and enjoy the game to its fullest. Each age division in men’s adult baseball presents different fitness challenges and needs, and understanding how to stay fit for your specific group can make a world of difference. Here’s a guide on how to stay in shape for the upcoming season, tailored to the 18+, 32+, 50+, and Classic (60+) divisions.

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Red Sox Defeat Athletics for 32+ Division Crown

The CNCMSBL 32+ division has expanded to six teams this year and the race was tight. The newly expanded team, Athletics, managed by Ryan Bonner, did an excellent job and was favored to win it all but came up short in the championship game versus the Raleigh Red Sox. The entire championship series was held at historic Durham Athletic Park (the original home and filming location of ‘Bull Durham’).

The Red Sox have a long history in our league and came out on top with great pitching and timely hitting. Managed by Jason Angel with help from Jamie Lee and Chris Budnick, the Red Sox were able to return the franchise to the top after a several-year drought. Congratulations to Jason and the Red Sox!

Christian Lupo

Christian Lupo, Dedicated Baseball Survivor

Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications at the national MSBL website wrote up this story.

Christian Lupo is one tough, focused, stubborn, and truly amazing 56-year old baseball player.  His 16-year journey has been a long one, thanks to lung disease, surgical setbacks, conditioning predicaments, and the simple issue of handling everything mentally, as he yearned to continue the fight to feed his love of baseball.

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2023 All Star Games

What better way to celebrate Father’s Day than playing baseball!

The CNCMSBL decided to try something different this year for our annual all-star games. The suggestion to hold the game on the Saturday before Father’s Day instead of post-season was put in place and appears to have been a success.

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Kershaw Curveball

Throwing a Curveball

You’ve spent countless hours on the field, honing your skills and refining your game. Now it’s time to up the ante and master one of the most beguiling pitches in baseball: the curveball.

A well-executed curveball can be a game-changer, leaving even the most experienced hitters flailing at the plate. In this guide, we’ll delve into the intricate art of throwing a curveball, drawing from the wisdom of major league legends and offering insights on grip, mechanics, and technique. So, tighten your laces, dust off your cleats, and let’s get started on the path to curveball mastery.

To throw an effective curveball, there are five main elements you need to focus on.

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AI generated image showing a baseball player

AI in Baseball

How Major League Baseball is using artificial intelligence and machine learning to change the national pastime.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the world of Major League Baseball (MLB). You may have heard of ChatGPT (which is a language model) from OpenAI mentioned in the news lately, but there is much more to modern AI. From player performance analysis to in-game decision-making, AI is revolutionizing the way coaches, managers, and scouts approach the game. With advancements in data driven technology and data analytics, AI is providing deeper insights into player performance, pitch tracking, and fan engagement. In this article, we’ll explore the ways AI is shaping the future of MLB teams and the impact it’s having on the sport. We’ll also examine the potential implications of AI on baseball and what the future may hold for this ever-evolving technology. Unlike other trends, you don’t need to be a big market team in New York or Los Angeles to take advantage of this technology to help you reach the World Series, in fact there are now many high schools leveraging it.

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Kevin Youkilis of the Chicago White Sox

Avoiding Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke

It’s no shock that you get hot and sweaty playing baseball in North Carolina during the summer. As Kyle Davis wrote about feeling for baseball players playing the game during the heat, “…they do it while wearing like, full-length pants. In uniforms made out of polyester, and dark hats made of wool covering their heads. MLB players walk around in sweltering, unforgiving heat, basically wearing a heavy sun and warmth absorption costume. And they still run around and swing bats and throw baseballs just fine. They stand out in the middle of a grass and dirt field with literally nowhere else to go and no escape. They just have to stay there, flesh afire. It makes no effing sense!

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