2013 Season in Review: The IronPigs Begin Their Story
8/15/2013by Aaron Wovkanech

2013 Season in Review: The IronPigs Begin Their Story

Record: 1-13
Finish: 4th place, 38+ Division
Manager: Fred Royer (1-12), Aaron Wovkanech (0-1)
First Win: June 2, 2013 — 16-15 vs. Badger Empire, 11 innings
Home: Memorial Field, Manchester, N.H.

 

Inaugural Season Historical Review

The 2013 season marked the beginning of the Granite State IronPigs franchise. Playing their inaugural season in Manchester—the Queen City—the IronPigs entered a four-team 38+ league under manager Fred Royer.

The season ended with a 1-13 record and a fourth-place finish, but the inaugural campaign produced the first players, first statistics and, most importantly, the first victory in franchise history.

 

A Win for the History Books

The defining moment of the season came June 2 against Badger Empire.

 

The IronPigs trailed 15-8 entering the bottom of the ninth, but Granite State IronPigs erupted for seven runs to tie the game and force extra innings. After a scoreless 10th, the IronPigs put the winning run in position in the 11th, and Ken Lumb delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly, bringing home the winning run for a dramatic 16-15 victory.

 

It was the first win in franchise history.

 

Before the dramatic comeback, Aaron Wovkanech started the game and pitched strong seven innings, allowing five runs—just two earned—while striking out six, helping keep the IronPigs within striking distance. His performance kept the IronPigs within striking distance and ultimately set the stage for the historic comeback.

 

The victory became the first chapter in IronPigs history—a game that featured both a strong pitching performance and one of the most dramatic comebacks of the inaugural season.

Offense

The IronPigs hit .223 as a team, collecting 98 hits, 54 runs and 46 RBIs while stealing 35 bases. The club also posted a .335 on-base percentage.

 

Paul LeCain was the team's top offensive performer, leading Granite State with 16 hits, 10 runs and 10 stolen bases while batting .381. His .447 on-base percentage and .875 OPS were also team bests among players with significant playing time. LeCain's biggest performance came during the June 2 comeback, when he went 5-for-6.

 

Frank Trinidad provided another strong offensive season, hitting .300 with nine hits, three doubles, seven RBIs and eight stolen bases. He also drew seven walks and finished with a .421 OBP.

 

Aaron Wovkanech appeared in all 14 games and hit .278, finishing with 10 hits, eight runs, five RBIs and seven walks.

 

One of the team's most notable plate-discipline performances came from Scott Belville, who drew a team-high 15 walks and finished with a .489 OBP.

 

Offensive Leaders

  • Paul LeCain: .381 AVG, 16 H, 10 R, 5 RBI, 10 SB
  • Frank Trinidad: .300 AVG, 9 H, 7 R, 7 RBI, 8 SB
  • Aaron Wovkanech: .278 AVG, 10 H, 8 R, 5 RBI, 5 SB

Pitching

The IronPigs pitching staff worked 109 innings during the season, with the workload spread across several players as the inaugural club searched for consistency on the mound.

 

Pete Soens was the staff workhorse, making a team-high eight starts and throwing 44⅓ innings. He completed two games and struck out 21 batters. His most memorable outing came June 16 against Bedford, when he threw a complete game in a 5-2 loss.

 

Aaron Wovkanech led the IronPigs in strikeouts with 23, doing so in just 28 innings. His 7.39 strikeouts per nine innings were the best mark among the team's primary pitchers. His seven-inning performance in the June 2 victory was also one of the team's best pitching outings of the season.

 

Keith Laventure provided 12⅔ innings and eight strikeouts, while Eddie Reynoso contributed 11 innings during the season.

 

Pitching Leaders

  • Pete Soens: 44⅓ IP, 8 GS, 2 CG, 21 K
  • Aaron Wovkanech: 28 IP, 23 K, 7.39 K/9
  • Keith Laventure: 12⅔ IP, 8 K, 6.75 K/9

Memorable Moments

The June 2 comeback victory was unquestionably the highlight, as the IronPigs erased a seven-run ninth-inning deficit before winning in the 11th. Wovkanech's seven-inning, six-strikeout performance helped keep the game within reach, while LeCain went 5-for-6 and Lumb delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly.

 

Soens' complete-game effort against Bedford Braves on June 16 was another standout pitching performance.

 

The final game of the season, August 11 against Manchester Eagles, also provided a memorable finish. With only nine players available, the IronPigs built a 6-2 lead before ultimately falling 9-6. Wovkanech went 3-for-4 with three

RBIs and made his managerial debut with Royer unavailable.

GSBL Awards

Despite the team's fourth-place finish, several IronPigs were recognized with Granite State Baseball League honors following the inaugural season.

  • GSBL All-Stars: Paul LeCain, Ron Lotti
  • GSBL IronMan: Aaron Wovkanech, Rick Berry
  • GSBL Sportsman of the Year: Fred Royer (co-winner)

The awards provided an early recognition of the individual contributions that helped establish the IronPigs during their first season.

The Beginning

The 2013 IronPigs finished 1-13 and in fourth place, but the inaugural season established the foundation of the franchise.

 

Paul LeCain emerged as the club's leading offensive performer. Frank Trinidad provided a combination of hitting and speed. Aaron Wovkanech became a two-way contributor and led the pitching staff in strikeouts. Pete Soens shouldered the bulk of the pitching workload. Ken Lumb delivered the first walk-off victory.

 

The inaugural club also produced its first GSBL All-Stars, IronMan recipients and a Sportsman of the Year, with Fred Royer becoming the first IronPigs manager to receive league-wide recognition.

 

The numbers on the final standings told one story. The first victory told another.