The River City Pirates completed their first Summer Season on Sunday, July 31, 2016. To say the season ended sadly and mildly with a loss to the 4th place and playoff bound Reds 7-2 does not cover the yo yo up and down 2016 season.

 

The Pirates lost in dramatic fashion against the defending champs and 2016 regular season champs Mudcats on opening day 9-8 on a walk off double after scoring 4 runs in the top of the 9th and having 2 outs with no one on base in bottom of 9th before the Cats rallied for the win set the stage for the entire 2016 Summer Season.  The Pirates offense struggled the defense was shaky but good pitching kept the Pirates in games but the offense and errors were poor as the Pirates started the season just 1-5. 

 

The Pirates beat the Reds 5-4 to win their 2nd game of the season and momentum was sky high as the Pirates ripped off 6 straight wins to improve to 7-5 with the 6 game winning streak beside being the longest in CTBL 2016 also included win against 5 of the 6 now playing playoff teams. Wins over the Reds, Rangers, Mudcats, Zephyrs and Peacemakers kept the Pirates in contention till the last weekend of the season.  After the 6 game winning streak put the Pirates in control of their own destiny players not showing up consistently mired the entire 2nd half of the season as the Pirates never had their best batting order nor their best defense on the field and at the plate the entire season! 

 

The Bucs dropped 6 of their last 8 games including a walk off loss to the Legions 3-2. The two walkoff losses if they had turned into wins the Pirates would have finished 11-9 and in the playoffs next weekend! The Pirates lost to the Legions by 1, 2 and 3 runs in a 0-3 sweep to eliminate them from the playoffs last Saturday. The Pirates had the lead all 3 games but could not close out the scrappy Legions any of the 3 straight contest. Two decisive losses to the Titans and Reds sealed their fate in the end.

 

Leo Carter, Jon Hart and latecomer Tim Juergins pitched well the entire season but too many walks and unearned runs combined with a very weak bottom half of the order and the lack of clutch hitting sealed the wooden plank for the Pirates Summer Season.   The team's future is cloudy right now as they seek to find players who can show up ready to play more consistently.  Hats off to Chuy Gomez, Jon Hart, Alvardo Espinoza, Jay Reed and Rashad Shelton who all had all star consideration type seasons!!!!!

 

The Pirates finished the season at 9-11. A 1-5 start then a 6-0 record then a 2-6 finish easily shows the yo you effect this summer they had. 1 game short of a playoff berth.  So close but yet so far away! 

 

 

The River City Pirates finished the Fall Ball season (6-3).  Their semi-final defeat to the 6th seeded Patriots ended their fall ball campaign. The Pirates pitching was again above average allowing just 1 earned run in the 8 inning contest, but a team record 10 errors were their downfall combined with just 4 singles in the damp Saturday afternoon contest at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown. The 2nd seeded Pirates played their poorest game of the fall season and it came at the semi-final round of the single elimination playoff. The Pirates routed the Patriots early in the season and may have come in a little over confident and that's why we still play the games on the field not on paper! The Pirates walked the plank Saturday ending their inaural season at 6 wins and 3 losses and a 2nd place regular season finish and a semi finalist this season!

 

 

 

The River City Pirates CTBL inaugural season in Fall Ball 2015 consist of players from several summer league teams. Players from the Gigantas, Titans, Mudcats, and now defunct Athletics team are the foundation of the bright and prideful Yellow Gold Jersied, Black Brimmed Yellow Gold Capped River City Pirates.

 

The team leaders decided a fresh start from the Yellow or Forest Green Colored Athletics was needed this fall. The team mascot was chosen over the White or Sky Sox and their red white and blue colored uniforms. The Pirates wear white pants with black undershirts. belt, and socks. One player is already wearing his yellow socks!

 

Since the league and team are based out of Austin, Texas, the final official name of the River City Pirates was chosen as many newcomers to this growing area and city are not familiar with the towns popular UNOFFICIAL nickname of River City.

 

The city of Austin has always had the Colorado River run through it. However, it wasn’t until the 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man(with its “River City” based on Mason City, Iowa) that the term “River City” became widely known and used by American cities. Austin acquired the ‘River City” nickname by at least 1973, as evidenced by a print citation for the “River City Inn.” Several Austin businesses still use the ‘River City” nickname, although the nickname hasn’t been officially promoted by Austin tourist materials. 

 

The final "First Name" was chosen over the Third Coast Pirates (TCP) and the Gulf Coast Pirates (GCP) as any of the 3 first names compliments the official team name and mascot and hence welcome to the River City Pirates (RCP) home page and brief history.

The River City Pirates played seven (7) regular season fall ball games in 2015. They played each team once and winning one, losing one then reelled off 4 straight wins before ending the regular season witha  tough mistake prone loss. The Pirates will play in a single elimination playoff format and will have to win 3 games in a row to earn their inauguaral season first title. A loss in any of the 3 rounds and the team will start building for the spring of 2016.