55+ Sunshine Classic Thunder
Back Row L to R: Robert Sikorski, Dean Kent, Mitch Beaman, Russ Holske, Bruce Scott, Bob Bennett
Front Row: Steve Wiegel, Ken Pruitt, Brandon Blucher, Keith White, Steve DePriest

Sunshine Classic
The 55+ Carolina Thunder participated in the 2025 Roy Hobbs Sunshine Classic.
Although the results weren't what they hoped for they hope to return next year with a full squad.

2024 Roy Hobbs World Series B Division Champions

Back row L to R: Greg Ferrie, Bruce Scott, Rob Nevin, Todd Rehanek, Mark Medlock, Brian Timmes, Robert Sikorski
Front Row: Steve Wiegel, Jimmy Pyrtle, Lewis Whitt, Greg Allen, Allen Rising, Sammy Flowers, Dale Albrecht, Russ Holske

2024 USAB World Series

Front Row L to R: Keith White (coach), Steve Wiegel, Sammy Flowers, Allen Rising, Mark Medlock, Russ Holske, Greg Allen(mgr)
Back Row L to R: Bob Bennett, Dean Kent, Robert Sikorski, Mike Burke, Rob Nevin, Brian Timmes
Not Pictured: Charlie Hines, Jimmy Pyrtle, Keith Williams
The 53+ Carolina Thunder participated in the USAB World Series in Myrtle Beach SC Sept 12-15
The Thunders final record was 3-3 after losing in the semi-finals 6-5.

2024

Back Row L to R: Rob Isbell, Steve Grochmal, Terry Ward, Todd Rehanek, Mark Simpson, Jim Lucky, Leonard Schlude, Gary Lanier, Greg Allen
Front Row L to R: Kenny Smith, Steve Dekelbaum, Dale Albrecht, Joe Carlson, Ron Defidio, Willie Washington, Dan Hashey, Tim Hess
not pictured: Eddie Fuller
The 60+ Thunder lost in the championship game of the "Elite" division in the 2024 Blue Ridge Spring Dinger.

2023 Roy Hobbs World Series
The Carolina Thunder had another successful Roy Hobbs World Series in 2023.

The 53+ guys went 4-3 winning the first round of the playoffs before falling 3-2 in the quarter finals.

The 60+ team took a 3-2 record into the playoffs before losing a close 5-3 game.
Another good bunch of guys that had a great time on very nice fields and warm weather! 

60+ Thunder

 Back Row L to R: Rob Isbell, Dave Dimartino, Norm Gabriel, Mark Simpson, Dale Albrecht, Dennis Wright, Jim Lucky, Terry Ward, Kenny Smith, Wayne Santome
Front Row: Greg Allen, Gary Lanier, Dan Hashey, Tom Nickol, Tim Stapp, Eric Bardon, Tim Hess.

Batboy: Sam Dimartino

            53+ Thunder         

Back Row L to R: Greg Ferri, Neil Benton, Jay Truesdale, Tim Buckley, Todd Rehanek, Steve Grochmal, Rob Nevin, Jason Bush
Front Row: Steve Wiegel, Dan Hashey, Allen Rising, Sammy Flowers, Dale Albrecht, Mike Burke, Greg Allen not pictured: Lewis Whitt           
                                 
                                       

    2023 Blue Ridge Spring Dinger

The Carolina Thunder will sent 2 60+ teams to the 2023 Blue Ridge Spring Dinger
The first group finished with a very respectable 3-2 record for a 2nd place finish and the 2nd group finished 4-1 anf also finished 2nd due to a tie breaker loss. Very fun week of baseball with a lot of 60+ Thunder players!

Back Row L to R: Pete Garcia, Todd Rehanek, John Jannazo, Jim Boudreau, Gary Lanier, Steve Dekaulbaum, Ron Delfidio, Tim Stapp

Front Row L to R: Dale Albrecht, Joe Carlson, Greg Allen, Wayne Santome, Mark Radcliff, Eric Bardon, Fil Martinez (not pictured: Kenny Smith)

Back Row L to R: Dale Albrecht, Dave Dimartino, Mark Simpson, Leonard Schlude, Todd Rehanek, Rob Isbell, Jim Lucky

Front Row L to R: Tim Hess, Randy Bills, Greg Allen, Willie Washington, Kenny Smith, Mark Radcliff (not pictured: Terry Ward)
        

2022 Blue Ridge Spring Dinger

Back Row L to R: Jim Boudreau, Kenny Smith, Mark Reinearth, Norm Gabriel, Todd Rehanek, Wayne Santome
Front Row: Jim Lucky, Greg Allen, Mark Radcliff, Timm Hess, Joe Carlson Not Pictured: Willie Washington

The 60+ Carolina Thunder made their first trip to the Blue Ridge Spring Dinger in Asheville NC and had a great time! This will hopefully be a yearly opportunity for the 60+ guys to get on the field against some great competition and a very nice facility.

 

 

2021Roy Hobbs World Series
45+


The 2021 45+ Thunder had a solid year going 3-2 in pool play before running into a hot hitting Orlando team and getting knocked out of the 2A division
53+

Back Row left to right: Jeff Trueman, Louie Longo, Bob Bennett, Neil Benton, Todd Rehanek, Dave Dimartino. Steve Grochmal, Dale Albrecht

Front Row: Arnie Lingwall, Dan Hashey, Sammy Flowers, Greg Allen, Allen Rising, Keith White, Lewis Whitt
The 2021 53+ Thunder had a similiar tournament to the 45+ guys. They went 3-2 in pool play before falling in the first round. Very good all around week for the Thunder.
60+

Back Row Left to Right: Jim Boudreau, John Jannazo, Gary Lanier, Terry Ward, Don Dawson, Norm Gabriel, Wayne Santome, Wayne Bissette, Front Row: Greg Allen, Tim Stapp, Eric Bardon, Tim Hess, Kenny Smith, Tim Whitehead

The 60+ Thunder played their actual first Roy Hobbs World Series in that division. It was an up and down week scoring over 20 runs in 2 pool games ending the pool games at 2-3 before losing in the 2A bracket. Injuries plaqued the Thunder in the end!
   

2020 Roy Hobbs World Series

The 2020 Roy Hobbs World Series was one to remember for sure!

The 45+ guys kicked the series off with a great week losing in the AA semi-finals by a run in the 9th to the eventual division champions.

Mike Burke was the 45+ MVP for the week.

The 53+ Thunder backed it up with a similiar pool record before losing to the eventual AA division champions in the quarter finals.

David DiMartino was the 53+ Thunder MVP for the week.

The innaugural 60+ Thunder team went into the tournament with a well played opening game before the week took a turn for the ages!

A tropical storm brushed the Florida coast delaying play and then before the Thunder could return to the field, the same storm came back as a hurricane!

Some of the Thunder players decided not to stick around with the 2nd storm but the majority hung in and got some games played although the decision was made that there would be no championships, just games to be played for fun.

The under manned Thunder played good basic defense and hit well at times. This was one to remember for a while!

 Back row left to right: Jeff Trueman, Jason Mass, Jay Truesdale, Nevin Brewer, Dean Kent, Howard Yarborough, Josh Hartin Front Row: Joe Reinhardt, Dale Albrecht, Chris Walker, Kenny Smith, Greg Allen, Mike Zuccarro

2019 Roy Hobbs World Series
The 2019 Thunder had another great 2 weeks in Ft Myers! The 45+ Thunder went a little short handed and had many new faces this year. The Thunder went into the playoffs as the #16 seed and defeated the #1 seed before falling to the eventual division champions. Plenty of ball was played for a small group that played well throughout the week. 

The 53+ team had one of their tougher weeks on the field. After run ruling the first game in pool play, the Thunder struggled the rest of the week mainly throwing strikes. After going into the playoffs the Thunder finished the week off with a loss and a win.

 

 

 

2018 Roy Hobbs World Series

The Carolina Thunder had another great trip down to Ft Myers for the 2018 Roy Hobbs World Series. The 45+ Thunder went as the defending AA Champions playing as an automatic berth into the AAA division. After a winning record in pool play the Thunder fell to the eventual AAA division runner-ups Chicago Knights.

Shortstop Ed Lewis was the 45+ Thunder MVP.

Back Row L to R: Dan Southerland, Mike Burke, Dan Hashey, Neil Benton, Dean Kent, Mitch Beaman, Arnie Lingwall, Kenny Smith

Front Row: Steve Wiegel, Ed Lewis, Rudy Taylor, Sammy Flowers, Dale Albrecht, Allen Rising, Norm Gabriel, Joe Reinhardt, Greg Allen

In the 53+ division the Thunder also went into elimination play with a winning record and won their first round matchshutting out the Minnesota Bandits before also falling in the quarter finals to the division runner-ups Baltimore Thunder.

Center fielder Mark Flores was the Thunder 53+ MVP.

Back Row L to R: Gary Wright, Joe Carlson, Wayne Santome, Rob Isbell, Dave Dimartino, Mark Reinearth, Gary Lanier, Mark Simpson, Keith White, Thurston Watkins, unknown, unknown, Dale Albrecht Front Row: Andy Dwyer, Mark Flores, Greg Allen, Randy Bills, Tripp Knox, Terry Ward, Dave Halley, Norm Gabriel

 

2018 Beach Battle Classic
 

The Carolina Thunder won both the 45+ B & 53+ A divisions in the 2018 Beach Battle Classic! 
Arnie Lingwall was 45+ MVP while Norm Gabriel was selected 53+ MVP.

sicC

Back Row L to R: Dan Southerland, Joe Reinhardt, Neil Benton, Arnie Lingwall, Ed Lewis, Steve Vaughan, Rudy Taylor, Dean Kent, Brian Doyle Kneeling L to R: Chris Walker, Allen Rising, Matt Abbott, Sammy Flowers.

 

 

Arnie Lingwall Beach Battle Classic M53+ Carolina Thunder wins 2018 Beach BatClassi

Back Row L to R: Wayne Santome, Don Kilgore, Gary Wright, Tim Paschal, Robert Isbell, Thurston Watkins, Tripp Knox, David Dimartino, Andy Dwyer, Mark Reinarth, Terry Ward, Gary Lanier, Joe Carlson, Norm Gabriel.   Kneeling: Randy Bills, Keith White

 

 

53+ Beach Battle Classic MVP

Norm Ga

 

 

 

45+ Thunder Are The 2017 AA Roy Hobbs World Series Champions!!

Back Row L to R: Dan Southerland, Larry Miller, Mitch Beaman, Jack Myers, Leonard Schlude, Dean Kent, Arnie Lingwall, Neil Benton, Kenny Smith

Front Row L to R: Dale Albrecht, Mike Burke, Dan Hashey, Allen Rising, Joe Reinhardt, Sammy Flowers, Greg Allen, Norm Gabriel, Steve Wiegel

 

 

53+ Thunder Falls In Quarter Finals

The 53+ Thunder had a great week at the World Series. After winning rd 1 of the playoffs the Thunder fell 8-6 to the eventual champions.

Back Row L to R: Tripp Knox, Robert Isbell, Gary Lanier, Mark Simpson, Leonard Schlude, Don Dawson, David Dimartino, Wayne Santome, Mike Burnside

Front Row L to R: Joe Carlson, Andy Dwyer, Randy Bills, Greg Allen, Steve Goodman, Alan Paull, Norm Gabriel, Dale Albrecht

 

 

 

 

2017 Beach Battle Classic

The 2017 Beach battle Classic was another successful weekend for the 45+ Thunder (Eagle Island Pirates & Crush).

After a rough start to the weekend the Pirates bounced back to win 2 in a row and then fell to the Crush which is made up of many other Thunder players who started off hot with 2 wins. The Crush then lost a great final game by a run. Excellent representation by all the Thunder players

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back Row L to R: Kenny Smith,Larry Miller,Kendall Buckner,Joe Carlson,Mitch Beaman,Neil Benton,Dean Kent,Arnie Lingwall Front Row L to R: Mike Burke,Steve Wiegel,Greg Allen,Keith White,Sammy Flowers,Dan Hashey,Allen Rising,Dale Albrecht

 

 

 

45+ Thunder Has Excellent Showing In The 2016 World Series

The 2016 Carolina Thunder 45+ team had a very succesful week at the Roy Hobbs World Series. The 45+ Thunder started the week off with a 4-0 record before losing the last pool game. In elimination play the Thunder faced the same team from Tennessee that knocked them out of last years World series and fell once again in a close one. The Thunder finished the week at 4-2.

 

Back Row L to R: Wayne Santome, Mike Burnside, Terry Ward, Gary Lanier, Robert Isbell, Joe Carlson, Paul Dzierzynski 

Front Row L to R: Alan Paull, David Cameron, Dale Albrecht, Randy Bills, Tim Whitehead, Trip Knox, Greg Allen

 

 

The 53+ Carolina Thunders first year in the Roy Hobbs World Series was a big success. After starting the week off 3-0 the Thunder slipped to lose the next 2 before grabbing another win in the playoffs then fell to the eventual division champions.

The Thunder looks to improve in their 2nd year at the World Series in 2017.

 

 

The 2017 Beach Battle Classic will be up next for the Thunder!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back Row L to R: Larry Miller, Neil Benton, Kendall Buckner, Dean Kent, Leonard Schlude, Thomas Brickhouse, Wayne Santome, Gary Lanier, Tim Whitehead, Mitch Beaman

Front Row L to R: Joe Carlson, Allen Rising, Terry Ward, Dan Hashey, Sammy Flowers, Dale Albrecht, Kenny Smith, Andy Dwyer, Greg Allen

 

 

Thunder Has An Excellent 2015 World Series

 

The Carolina Thunder had a very fun and successful 2015 World Series! The Thunder went 4-1 in pool play before playing in the AAA division during eliminations. The Thunder won game one  6-0 against the NW Indiana Dogs before falling to the Tennessee Dirtbags in the 2nd game of the day 4-2. 

 

 

2014 Roy Hobbs World Series

The Carolina Thunder finished the 2014 Roy

Hobbs World Series in Ft. Myers Florida in 3rd place. Excellent week of baseball and fun! Can't wait until next year.

                  Back row L to R: Terry Ward, Wayne Santome, Leonard Schlude, Dean Kent, Kendall Buckner, Thomas Brickhouse, Gary Lanier, Randy Bills Front Row: Steve Brown, Joe Carlson, Sammy Flowers, Greg Allen, Allen Rising, Dale Albrecht, Dan Hashey, Andy Dwyer.