baseball

Colton Yasses tossed a five-inning no-hitter today to help lead Oakfield-Alabama to a 13-0 victory.

He struck out 14 of the 15 batters he faced. 

Yasses was also 2-4 at the plate, scoring two runs.

Kaden Cusmano also had two hits. He also knocked in three runs and scored a run. 

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

The Oakfield-Alabama Hornets shut out Attica in baseball on Thursday for a 6-0 victory.

The Hornets notched 14 hits with catcher Aiden Warner going for 4-4. Colton Yasses was 2-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Bodie Hyde also had two hits.

Hyde tossed a complete game (seven innings) shutout, striking out 13 batters and giving up only two hits. He walked to batters.

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

Le Roy Little League opened its 70th season on Saturday.

Board President Jeremy Warner said Le Roy is the last league in GLOW still affiliated with Little League based in Williamsport, Pa.

Photos by Ed Henry.

 

Notre Dame beat Oakfield-Alabama in high school baseball at Dwyer Stadium today, 8-4.

The winning pitcher was Ryan Fitzpatrick, who worked all seven innings giving up five hits and one earned run while striking out 11.

For the Irish, Colin McCulley, Gavin Schrader, and Fitzpatrick all had two hits each and Fitzpatrick knocked in three runs while scoring twice.

For the Hornets, Bodie Hyde and Gaige Armbrewster each had two hits.  Hyde drove in four runs. He was also the starting pitcher and took the loss.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here,

Little League opening day in Le Roy commenced with a parade for players and coaches down Main Street.

We'll have more coverage of opening day later.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The Batavia Muckdogs’ selection as the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce “Entrepreneurial Business of the Year” is the icing on the cake, says team owner Robbie Nichols, who was the catalyst and driving force behind the rejuvenation of summer baseball at Dwyer Stadium in 2021.

Speaking on behalf of co-owner and wife, Nellie; son-in-law/general manager Marc Witt, and his staff, Nichols said he is “really thrilled that the county recognized our hard work and hard effort that we put into this season.”

“And we are just thrilled with the season -- the way the sponsors, the season ticket holders, and all the fans took to us – and we’re so extremely pleased with the way the year turned out. Getting an honor like this is just the cherry on top.”

It was January 2021 when Nichols, a longtime professional hockey player in the American Hockey League and hockey/baseball owner in Elmira, approached the Batavia City Council with the idea of fielding a team in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. Negotiations between the two entities were fruitful, and baseball was back in Batavia after a one-year hiatus.

Attendance increased significantly from 2019 – Nichols said the per-game average exceeded 1,700 with more than 500 season tickets sold. Fans enjoyed the numerous promotions, which included the KMS dance crew, kids running the bases, and in-game host “Kin Dog" (Batavian John Kindig).

Outside of baseball, Nichols attracted dance competitions and clinics, PRIDE Festival, Challenger Baseball, GLOW Academy Youth Baseball and Battle of Badges, high school baseball, Alzheimer’s Walk, Muckdogs Monster Mash, among other events, to the stadium at the intersection of Bank and Denio streets.

Furthermore, the Muckdogs’ players always were available for community appearances and marched in the City’s Memorial Day Parade.

Nichols said he appreciates the way the fans responded to the team.

“It was just a fun season,” he said, “and it’s even crazier as we approach this season. Games already are close to being sold out for next year (2022). We’ll do even better this year. That’s what we're so excited about.”

When it was mentioned that the word “entrepreneurial” was in the title of the Chamber award, Nichols acknowledged that it fits him to a T.

“I think people have always said that (about me). If you look at my background, I guess that would be a pretty accurate word,” he said. “I was signed by the Detroit Red Wings and I was playing in the American Hockey League and I had a hockey card business on the side. And I made more money (with that) than I did for my NHL contract.”

He recalled that he made and sold T-shirts when his team was going to the championship game.

“People are leaving the doors and I'm out on the ice, selling T-shirts as people are walking out. We won the championship. So, I’ve always had that entrepreneur … trying to make it make a buck with a side hustle,” he said.

Nichols also mentioned “a rumor” that a show called The Flint Tropics was based on his seven years managing the Flint (Mich.) Generals.

“They said that they copied all of the crazy things that I did as far as promotions; a lot of stuff they did in that movie was stuff that I did on the ice,” he said. We will do any promotion – and we’ve got some crazy ones coming up this year.”

Although his permanent address is in Elmira, the 57-year-old Nichols said that Batavia has come his second home – literally.

“My wife and I have bought a home in Batavia now – right around the corner from the ballpark,” he said. “We’re really honored the way the City of Batavia has treated us. We can’t ask for better folks; they’re just like family.”

In his nomination of the Batavia Muckdogs for the award, lifelong Batavian Tom Turnbull said the city and county have been enriched because of Robbie and Nellie Nichols’ hard work and community spirit.

“While the Batavia Muckdogs may not seem like a new business due to the continuation of the name (from the former New York-Penn League), the new Batavia Muckdogs … are not only an incredible local business success story but have enhanced the quality of life for the residents of Genesee County,” Turnbull wrote.

Top photo: Robbie and Nellie Nichols on opening day 2021. Photo by Jim Burns.

Game photos below by Philip Casper

This is the first of four articles highlighting the 50th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards. The annual dinner is Saturday at Batavia Downs, with hor d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner, call the Genesee County Chamber at (585) 343-7440.

 

Press release:

The Batavia Muckdogs and CAN-USA Sports Ownership are back for their second season in the PGCBL and are incredibly excited to announce plans for the upcoming summer!

The 2022 PGCBL schedule has been released with Opening Day in Elmira on June 3rd and the home opener at Dwyer Stadium the following night with postgame fireworks. 

In addition to playing teams in the West Divison, the Muckdogs will incorporate new opponents from the East division like the Oneonta Outlaws and Watertown Rapids. Batavia will have exhibition games with the Cortland Crush of the NYCBL and the Capital City Reds from Ottawa, Ontario. 

In the coming weeks, be on the lookout for our 2022 promotional schedule that already includes Batavia Blue Devils Night on Saturday, June 18th, and STOP DWI night on Thursday, July 14th. Be sure to check out our social media pages for more updates and call the office if you are interested in booking a night at Dwyer Stadium.

We would also like to announce the signing of eight players to the 2022 roster. Six players are returners from last season, including head coach Joe “Skip” Martinez. They include ace starting pitcher Julian Pichardo, catcher Brice Mortillaro, slugger Abner Benitez, first basemen Daniel Burroway, sidearmer AJ Winger, and dual pitcher/shortstop Trey Bacon.  

Batavia has also signed two local high school products to play this upcoming season. Gavin Schrader is an outfield/pitching prospect at Notre Dame High School who committed to play at Niagara University after his senior season. Batavia High School catcher Vincent Grazioplene will also join the Muckdogs as he prepares to play collegiately at Erie Community College.

“As an organization, we are so thankful to bring back fan favorites from a year ago. They feel like they have unfinished business the way last year ended and wanted to build off such a successful rookie season in the league,” Martinez said. “To also have a new crop of local guys this summer was important for us to do for a tight-knit community like Batavia. Gavin and Vincent will be huge additions to the roster, and I hope the fans will rally around them like how they did for Jerry Reinhart and Tyler Prospero.”

Lastly, CAN-USA Sports & Dwyer Stadium will be hosting multiple events throughout the spring and fall months. All varsity baseball games for Batavia and Notre Dame High Schools will be exclusively hosted at Dwyer Stadium. Following the PGCBL season, Dwyer will host the Western New York Alzheimer’s Association annual walk for the second year on October 1st. The Batavia Muckdogs will host another Trick or Treat day on Saturday, October 22nd. 

Dwyer will also be the host to two concerts for the first time! Margaritaville will come to Dwyer Stadium on Saturday, August 20th as a Parrothead Jimmy Buffett Cover Band will play at the stadium with live music, drinks, food, & fun!  Before the school year starts, Zac Brown Tribute Band (ZBTB) will play Dwyer Stadium as one of their end-of-summer shows on September 3rd.

The season is only a few months away, and make sure to get in on all of the action for the best season in Batavia baseball history!

The collegiate-player version of the Batavia Muckdogs finished out its inaugural season in a way that was rare when professional ballplayers passed through town -- with a stadium full of fans excited to see a team they embraced in 2021 because the team embraced this city.

"It’s been great," said Tom Turnbull, a regular Dwyer Stadium visitor, and local community leader. "You can see the spirit, the vibe, the college kind of rah-rah that the players have and it’s carried over into the stands. People are just happy to have the Muckdogs back. It’s just been a wonderful year. They’ve been a part of the community and when you go to a concession stand and the owner is working the cash register, you know they’re invested in the city. It’s been fantastic."

For a Thursday evening, the stands were packed and there was a palatable excitement in the air.

"We’re thrilled, my wife and I pleasantly surprised," said owner Robbie Nichols during a conversation at a table where fans were bidding on player jerseys. "You can sea from the crowd tonight the support we’ve recieved. We had a short season to put it together. You’ll see next season, this place will be packed every night."

The reason for the success, Nichols noted, is the team -- not just Nichols and management staff, but coaches and players -- have gotten involved in the community over the past couple of months, in a way the pro players of the previous era never did.

Community is what is also about Nichols said.

"We always say, my wife and I are the holders of the keys but this is a community team," Nichols said. "You see people over there in line, talking, having a beer, people bringing their grandkids to the game, and that’s what it’s all about.  It’s America’s game. It’s about bringing your family to the ballpark and Batavia answered the bell and this crowd is amazing."

Community is a big reason Nichols announced before last night's game that he's offering Coach Joey Martinez and two-year extension on his contract.

"It’s community first," Nichols said. "Wins and losses are important but it’s how we are out in the community, attending events and doing things. I think our team did a great job this year and we want to continue that. That’s what I want to continue. I like working out in the community helping everybody we can especially special olympics, challenger division baseball, the parades we did, reading to people, the veterans, all the stuff we did, that’s what I’m most excited about."

The players enjoyed the year, too.  Players who have more college eligibility after this season have said they want to come back to Batavia next year.  That will go a long way building a stronger baseball organization.  Martinez only had a short time after the Muckdogs joined the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League to recruit players and few potential players knew anything about Batavia. After this season, Nichols noted, that will change. He said this year's players will go back to their schools and tell the best players on their teams, "you want to go to Batavia."

“I think the team is really going to improve next year," Nichols said.

This year, the Muckdogs finished just out of the running for a playoff spot with a final record of 22-19, one game behind Geneva for the coveted second playoff spot of the Western Division. If not for a rainout and some rescheduling confusion with Geneva, maybe the Muckdogs would have had a better shot at the playoffs, but last night's loss to Niagara wouldn't have helped matters.

Starter Julian Pichardo, who has been the ace of the staff this season, got hurt by three first inning errors and gave up a couple of solid base hits allowing Niagara to score three first-inning runs.  Pichardo battled through 3 1/3 innings giving up four hits, three runs (only one earned), and striking out two.  He finishes with a 4-2 record and a 2.46 ERA.

Abner Benitez had a big night at the plate going 3-5 and driving in five runs.  He finishes the year with a .282 BA and 27 RBIs.

"Next year going to have win early and win often (to make the playoffs)," Nichols said.

Photos by Philip Casper. Top photo: Dewey wishing there was more Muckdogs’ baseball in Batavia this year.

Young fans at Dwyer catching some up close pregame action while the players warm up.

Charlie Szykowny & Julian Pichardo

Coach Jose ’Skip’ Martinez after being offered a 2-year contract extension by Robbie Nichols

Charlie Szykowny 

Dancing on the dugout with Dewey

Blair Frederick charging towards first after a successful bunt

Blair Frederick crossing home plate 

Daniel Burroway

Julian Pichardo thanks the fans as he walks off the field for the last time in 2021

The Batavia Twins became the 10U baseball champions yesterday beating the Batavia Mets 7-2.

The Twins were 3-2 going into the sixth inning and then added on four more runs to seal the deal. 

"Congratulations to both teams on a great season!" said Twins Assistant Coach John Caleb.

Photo and info submitted by John Caleb.

Nathan Hinkley, a senior at Keystone College, spun a gem and the Batavia offense scored runs in bunches leading an early exit from Dwyer Stadium for the first-place Jamestown Tarp Skunks.

The Skunks got skunked 12-0.

Hinkley (2-5) pitched all seven innings of the truncated game while giving up only three hits and issuing only two walks.  

Cameron Conley, playing second base, raised his season average to .270 with three hits.He also knocked in four runs and scored twice while also drawing a walk.

Jerry Reinhart was 2-2 with an RBI and run scored. 

Shortstop Charlie Szykowny has been on a tear recently. He was 2-4 with an RBI and scored two runs. He's now hitting .331.

The Muckdogs are now 21-18 on the season and are in second place, a half-game ahead of the Geneva Red Wings in the battle for a playoff spot. The team has two games left. They play Jamestown (27-14) again on Wednesday in Jamestown and Niagara at home at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday to close out the regular season.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Batavia hitters unloaded on Newark pitchers Thursday evening in an offensive onslaught that included a grand slam home run by shortstop Charlie Szykowny (top and bottom photos).

Szykowny went 2-2 raising his season average to .311. The big blast was Szykowny's first HR of the season. 

Batavia native Jerry Reinhart was 2-3, scoring twice.

The Muckdogs won 11-1 lifting the team's recored to 19-17. Batavia is in third place, a half-game behind the Geneva Red Wings with six games to go in the regular season. 

Blair Frederick was the winning pitcher, going five and a third innings, giving up only two hits, walking one and whiffing eight.

The Muckdogs' final home games of the regular season are tonight at 7 against Jamestown, Sunday at 4:05 p.m. also against Jamestown, and Thursday, 7:05 p.m., against Niagara Power. Jamestown is in first place in the Western Division with a record of 26-12.

Photos by Philip Casper.

David Chua throwing out the first pitch.

Blair Frederick

Daniel Burroway 

Jerry Reinhart with a head-first slide into second base after a line drive into right field.

Reinhart scores.

UPDATE 11:58 a.m.: Griffin Dellapenna, the Muckdogs' broadcaster, says the Muckdogs won 10-10.

Yesterday's Batavia Muckdogs game against Elmira ended in confusion and we still don't really know what happened.

Fans left the game thinking the Pioneers forfeited but the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League lists the game as suspended and is not listing the game as a win for the Muckdogs in the Western Division standings.

By all appearance in the bottom of the ninth, the Muckdogs won on a walk-off check swing. Yeah, that sounds crazy, but that’s what happened. To quote the Dwyer Stadium announcer “I think we just won 10-10 folks."

The tone was set for the crazy ending in the bottom of the first inning where Batavia scored two runs off a wild pitch, one that appeared to hit the batter in the foot. Elmira Pioneers felt this should have been a dead ball and the batter should have taken first base; the umpire ruled it a wild pitch and the two runs scored. From this point forward the relationship between the Pioneers and the umpires was, well, contentious. An inning later, the Elmira coach was ejected during a vigorous discussion with an umpire.

After five innings Batavia led 8-0 and Elmira started to climb back into the game. The game was delayed 30 minutes for a lightning strike in the area and for kids to pick up candy dropped on the field by a helicopter. (The helicopter was one of the less crazy events of the game.) At the end of nine innings, the score was knotted at 10 apiece.

In the top of the 10th, the Pioneer pitcher took umbrage with an umpire's ruling that the batter had a checked swing, denying the pitcher a strike call. This happened again on the next pitch and the pitcher, rather colorfully, expressed his disgust with the call as he approached the umpire and was held back by his catcher. The pitcher was ejected from the game. 

Elmira called in a new pitcher from their bullpen and he started to warm up, after a couple of warm-up pitches, the home plate umpire signaled the pitcher he had three more warm-up pitches left before play needed to resume. Yet again, there was another upset Elmira pitcher. He protested in a somewhat impolite way and the umpire responded by signaling he now had only two warm-up pitches remaining.

At this point, the Elmira pitcher used some of the same colorful language to express his dissatisfaction that the previously ejected pitcher did, simultaneously half of the Elmira dugout came onto the field to express their feelings about allowing the pitcher to warm up as did most of the infield. It was at this point the umpire ejected the entire Elmira Pioneers team.  

One would think that would make the final score 10-10, a Batavia win.

Apparently, the league doesn't see it that way and as of this writing, we don't know why.

Once that impromptu craziness was over, it was time for the scheduled craziness to begin, the Battle of the Badges, an exhibition game between Batavia PD and the City of Batavia Fire Department. 

The BPD did try their best including sending a few young children over to the CBFD to tell them “A cat is stuck in a tree, can you come and help?” to distract the firemen. But this tactic did not seem to work. 

After three innings, heavy rain forced the players from the field while the CBFD held a commanding lead over the BPD, 7-0. Three innings is below the five-inning minimum for an official game but we're giving the win to CBFD. But maybe we'll get overruled. That seems to be the way of the night.

There was no official word on the cat in the tree. 

 

On STOP-DWI night at Dwyer Stadium on Thursday, Batavia fans were treated to an entertaining game that ended on a walk-off single by Charlie Szykowny.

Szykowny, primarily a shortstop with a strong arm who is hitting .292 on the season, was also the winning pitcher after giving up four runs in his single frame of work.

The University of Wisconsin-Stout senior had three hits and drove in two runs to lead the Muckdogs' offense to a 7-6 win over Jamestown.

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Muckdogs are over .500 for the first time this season, sitting at 17-16 in third place in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League's Western Division.  

Batavia native Jerry Reinhart, a senior at University of Akron, had one hit and scored twice. 

Abner Benitez tripled as a pinch hitter, driving in two runs and raising his season average to .292.

Starter Julian Pichardo, who came into the game with a 4-1 record, didn't figure in the decision after six innings of work in which he gave up two runs, four hits, and fanned six.

The next home game is Saturday at 7 p.m. vs. Newark.

Photos by Philip Casper.

Dr. Ross Fanara fires in a strike for the first pitch, on his birthday.

Julian Pichardo

Jerry Reinhart

Jerry Reinhart

Jerry Reinhart scores game's first run.

Deputy Andrew Mullen and K-9 "Frankie."

Charlie Szykowny

From BPD:

The Batavia Muckdogs are proud to host the inaugural "Battle of the Badges" game between our local Police and Fire departments in Batavia.

The game will take place this Sunday, July 18th, on Give716 Day at the ballpark -- Western New York's community-wide day of giving.

Batavia will host the Elmira Pioneers for a 4:05 p.m. start, with the "Battle of the Badges" game following the completion of the Muckdogs vs. Pioneers game.

Tickets will be required for the police vs. fire matchup, and admission will be counted toward both games that occur on Sunday. Tickets range from $9-11, and a dollar is added if purchased the day of. For tickets, call (585) 524-2260.

Submitted photos and press release:

Join Genesee County STOP-DWI and the Genesee County Youth Bureau for a night of family fun as they team up to host the STOP-DWI Night at the Ballpark on Thursday, July 15, gates open at 6 p.m.

The Batavia Muckdogs will take on the Jamestown Tarp Skunks.    

The first 100 youths will receive a T-shirt or Muck Bucks for purchases in the ballpark. An additional 500 giveaways and prizes will be given throughout the night.

The grand prize of a youth bike from Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle.

Fun and interactive educational booths and displays will be available for families and children to visit.

Help us cheer on Detective Matthew Wojtaszczyk (inset photo, right) as he throws the first pitch of the game. Having served with the Batavia Police Department since 2014, Detective Wojtaszczyk has provided extraordinary service to this community in his efforts to help educate the public on the effects of impaired driving and to help protect our streets from the dangers of impaired drivers.

While assigned to patrol division, he was very active in DWI enforcement, and awarded the Genesee County STOP-DWI “Top Cop Award” in 2016. In 2017, Detective Wojtaszczyk became a drug recognition expert (DRE), tasked with assisting fellow officers who are investigating individuals suspected of driving while impaired.

Detective Wojtaszczyk remains active in community outreach events, including the STOP-DWI Night at the Ballpark.

Event sponsors and contributors: GCASA, Gerace Realty, Kiwanis Club of Batavia, Marchese Computers, Police Benevolent Association, United States Gypsum Co., Batavia Lions Club, The Original Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Western New York Association of Chiefs of Police, Polish Falcons, Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, and Walmart.

Join us for a great night at the ballpark and remember impaired driving is completely preventable. All it takes is a little planning.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7:05 p.m.

Top photo, from left: Le Roy Police Chief Greg Kellogg; Genesee County Undersheriff Bradley Mazur; Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron; Chelsea Green, with the Genesee County Youth Bureau; Tammi Ferringer, STOP-DWI coordinator; Chelsea Elliott, with the Genesee County Youth Bureau; John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle; Officer Felicia DeGroot, of the Batavia Police Department; and Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch.

The Muckdogs battled at home on Tuesday night but in the end just couldn't put up enough runs to beat Geneva, dropping the final game of a homestand 3-2.

The team is in Niagara tonight and will play Elmira at home tomorrow.  

The losing pitcher Tuesday was George Osborne, a junior at Alcorn State University. Osborne, with an ERA of 2.34, put in six solid innings, fanning 10, but picked up his first loss (no wins) in three starts.  

Tyler Prospero, from Batavia, struck out two in a scoreless inning of work.

Cameron Conley, who will be attending Pepperdine University, raised his average to .281 with two hits. Conley has appeared in nine games, getting a hit in all but two of those games.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene Photography.

Press release: 

After a commanding 4-0 victory on Saturday, June 3rd, in front of a large crowd against the Niagara Power, the Muckdogs went into a two-game stretch against opponents in the NYCBL. Batavia hosted the Mansfield Destroyers for the second time this season, as they lost 13-3 in a crossover matchup back on June 7th.

On Sunday, Batavia struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first after a Blair Frederick RBI triple and Trevor Dean crossing home after an error by Mansfield catcher Blake Murray. Caden Walton and Frederick would both score due to a two-RBI single off the bat of third baseman Ethan Sarmiento to create a four-run lead.

Nathan Hinkley would allow his first runs on the contest in the fifth as Bryce Porter would drive in two runs to make it a 4-2 ball game. The Destroyers would tack on eight runs in the sixth inning, putting Batavia down six runs erasing their early lead.

As always, the Muckdogs like to make things interesting down the stretch, responding with two runs of their own after Mansfield added one more in the eighth and three more in the ninth. Down 11-9, Mansfield’s closer Matt Kahn shut the door getting the last three outs to secure the win.

Shifting into Monday’s action with the Syracuse Salt Cats, both teams agreed that the friendly matchup would just be seven innings due to both teams running low on pitching. Kyle O’Neill got the nod for Batavia as the Felician University right-hander tossed three scoreless innings while striking out six.

Batavia lost 1-0.

Trey Bacon entered the game in relief and allowed the only to run in the fourth as right fielder Carter Huffman hit a sacrifice fly to score Matt Rinaldi. Abner Benitez would have two of Batavia’s four hits in the game, as there were only a combined seven hits for both teams.

Even though Batavia dropped two straight, neither game will count toward their regular-season records or to their individual stats. Tuesday’s game against the Geneva Red Wings will count as it is the final night of the USA Homestand at Dwyer Stadium. Batavia currently sits at 12-14 and is tied with the Red Wings (13-15) as they are seven games back for the first place Jamestown Tarp Skunks in the West Division.

The Muckdogs will then travel to Sal Maglie Stadium in Niagara Falls in a matchup with the Power before facing the Elmira Pioneers three days in a row from Thursday to Saturday. Elmira has lost five straight games and is just one game over .500, meaning if Batavia wins against Geneva and takes two out of three against the Pios, they could be in second place.

First pitch for Tuesday night’s game is scheduled for 7:05 o'clock at Dwyer Stadium. It can be viewed on YouTube Live by subscribing to “BataviaMuckdogBaseball.” Make sure to follow our Twitter @BataviaMuckdogs, Instagram @Batavia_Muckdogs, and like our Facebook Page, “BataviaMuckdogBaseball.”

Top photo: Syracuse infielders Michael DeStefano and Eddy Garcia tracking a pop-up over the infield in the second inning.

Photos by Howard Owens.