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ApL Princeton WhistlePigs

P-Rays last big 2005 homestand begins August 22

August 21, 2005 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release


Have you been following the exploits of your Princeton Devil Rays? We invite all of you to fill the stands at Princeton's Hunnicutt Field for six home games from August 22 through August 27 as your P-Rays are alive and well in their quest to finish in second place in the Appalachian League's Eastern Division. We need you to fill the stands and cheer on your P-Rays as this will be the team's last six home games of the 2005 season.

THROUGH GAMES OF AUGUST 21: The P-Rays are currently sitting in second place in the Appalachian League's Eastern Division with a 31-26 record. In third place and 2.5 games behind the P-Rays are the Pulaski Blue Jays with a 29-29 record. Also in the hunt and only 3.5 games behind the P-Rays are our cross-county neighbors, the Bluefield Orioles, with a record of 28-30. And starting Monday night, August 22 will be a BIG three-game series at Princeton's Hunnicutt Field between the Pulaski Blue Jays and your Princeton Devil Rays!! Game times Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights are at 7:00 p.m. with the gates opening at 6:00 p.m.

HOW DOES THE 2005 P-RAYS RATE? With nine games left to play in the 2005 season, the 31-26 P-Rays to date have a chance to become only the fifth team in Princeton's 18-year franchise history to play with better than a .500 record for the season. This feat was last accomplished by the 1998 squad, which logged a regular season record of 38-30. Barring no more rainouts, the P-Rays will play 66 games this year and will need a total of 34 wins to assure finishing over .500. The last time the P-Rays won at least 34 games in a season was in 2000, when they finished 34-34.

NEW NAME IN THE RECORD BOOK: Congratulations to P-Rays' relief pitcher Robert Findlay, who recorded his 15th save of the season on the just completed road trip. This is a new Princeton franchise record for saves in a season, erasing the former mark of 14, which was set in 1998 by James Lira.

UPDATE-PRINCETON LEAGUE LEADERS: Through games of August 20, several Princeton players still were near the top in several league categories. As previously noted, the 15th save by Robert Findlay also places him in first place to date in the Appalachian League in this category. Outfielder Chris Cunningham is still resting in second place in the league in batting average at .339 and first in the league in on-base percentage at .451. With his dramatic ninth inning two-run homer on August 21, outfielder Ryan Royster moved into sole possession of fourth place in the league with ten homers. As a team, Princeton is still third in both batting average (.275) and earned run average (4.04).

WELCOME TO CHRIS' WORLD: The outstanding 2005 season enjoyed to date so far by P-Rays' outfielder Chris Cunningham, combined with a very solid season here last year, has enabled him to already appear among the Princeton pro baseball career franchise leaders (through games of August 21) in games played (5th), runs scored (2nd), hits (4th), doubles (5th), extra base hits (4th), and RBI's (2nd).

FORMER P-RAY NAMED ALL-STAR: Congratulations to former P-Ray pitcher Wade Davis (2004), who was recently named to play in the inaugural New York-Penn League All-Star Game on August 23 as a representative of the Hudson Valley Renegades. The game will be played in Brooklyn, New York at the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones.

SI's ALL-25-AND-UNDER TEAM: In the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated magazine (August 22, 2005), former 1999 P-Ray Carl Crawford was named to the magazine's all age 25-and-under "The Next Generation" baseball team.

2005 P-RAY MOST POPULAR PLAYER BALLOTING: Ballots for the "Most Popular Player" on the 2005 Princeton Devil Rays will be accepted through the end of the P-Rays' August 23 game. Only official ballots from the P-Rays' 2005 yearbook/program will be counted and the winner will be awarded the "MPP Trophy" (furnished courtesy of Trophies and More of Princeton) just prior to the P-Rays' last home game on Saturday, August 27. The winner is selected solely through fan balloting and don't forget to submit your ballots!

And now for the promotions that will be a bonus to this exciting six days of baseball....

All games at 7:00 p.m. except for August 26 game, which will be at 4:00 p.m.

Gates open one hour prior to game time

MONDAY, AUGUST 22: CONCORD UNIVERSITY "MAROON" NIGHT: The fans attending the Monday game are encouraged to wear maroon as the Mountain Lions join us while gearing up for another school year and their August 24 football opener at Tusculum College. All CU students and faculty will be admitted FREE to the August 22 game. There will be drawings from lucky numbers in the program for at least 20 Concord University all-sports passes for the 2005-06 academic year, courtesy of the CU athletic department!!

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23: BLUEFIELD COLLEGE NIGHT: The Rams of Bluefield College will be awarding surprises to the first 100 fans through the gate and there will be drawings for great Bluefield College prizes throughout the August 23 game.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24: PART FOUR (of four) OF THE CHARACTER COUNTS! MINI-POSTER SERIES: The first 500 fans through the gate will receive a FREE 5"x 7" mini-poster of P-Rays' infielder Ryan Bethel courtesy of this Mercer County Schools program.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25: WINTERPLACE NIGHT: Prizes such as Winterplace hats, lift tickets, and ski rentals will be given away. The big prize will be a ski weekend at this popular nearby ski resort. IT'S ALSO "TOYS FOR TOTS" NIGHT: Any fan donating a toy at the gate on this night to help brighten a child's 2005 Christmas will be admitted at half-price. This event is sponsored by the United States Marine League.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26: WENDY'S PRESENTS "BATTLE OF THE CATS DAY" (Special Friday 4:00 p.m. game): To commemorate the renewal of the Princeton-PikeView football rivalry, all Princeton and PikeView high school students will be admitted FREE to the August 26 game. The first 250 students from Princeton Senior High School and the first 250 students from PikeView High School will receive a FREE "Battle of the Cats" t-shirt (courtesy of Wendy's). Gates open at 3:00 p.m. The P-Rays encourage everyone to go next door to Hunnicutt Stadium at the conclusion of the baseball game and watch the 2005 (7:30 p.m. kickoff) football opener between Princeton and PikeView.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27: TROPHIES AND MORE "MOST POPULAR PLAYER" AWARD: This trophy will be awarded to the "most popular" P-Ray player for 2005 prior to the August 27 game and is sponsored by Trophies and More of Princeton. The winner is determined by season-long fan voting by using official ballots, which are available in all P-Rays' yearbook/programs.

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