Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. Attends Alexandria Aces Doubleheader

by Drew Hansen

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. stopped by Frank Mann Field in Four Mile Run Park on Sunday to watch his son play the Alexandria Aces in a doubleheader.

The Aces extended their win streak to six games by taking both games against Youse’s Orioles, winning the first 5-3 and taking the second contest. 1-0.

The win streak is the longest the six-year history of the franchise, which plays in a summer collegiate league named after Ripken.

“The mood and the atmosphere around this club right now is just fantastic,” said Pat Malone, a co-founder of the Aces.

Aces designated hitter Nick Collins, who plays collegiate ball at Georgetown, went 3-for-3 in the first game. At the end of the day, his batting average was a league-best .366.

Right-hander Brian O’Neill pitched seven scoreless innings to lead the Aces to victory in the second game.

Ryan Ripken, the Hall of Famer’s son who plays first base for Youse’s Orioles, was 1-for-3 with a single and a run scored in the first game.

The Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League is a premier collegiate wooden bat summer league with 12 community-supported teams based in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The league draws talent from top Division I, II, and III baseball programs nationwide.

For more information on the Aces and the Cal Ripken League, check out the Alexandria club’s schedule and the league’s website.