7 players' season to continue

Augusta's baseball season ended Monday, but several GreenJackets haven't played their last ball of 2009.

Eliezer Zombrano and Ari Ronick will move on to the Double-A level to join the Connecticut Defenders, and five players -- Josh Mazzola, Ryan Verdugo, Francisco Peguero, Eric Surkamp and Johnny Monell -- will go to Advanced-A to help the San Jose Giants in their California League postseason run.

"We know San Jose is in the playoff race, so we're going up there to help however we can," said Verdugo, a left-handed reliever. "It's a different situation with different weather and a different coaching staff, but it's going to be a playoff atmosphere, so that's going to be fun."

The players bound for San Jose will join former GreenJackets manager Andy Skeels, now the manager for the Advanced-A club. The San Jose Giants entered Monday tied for the most wins (91) in all of minor league baseball. The team won both the first- and second-half titles in the California League and will get a first-round bye in the postseason. San Jose's best-of-five division series will begin Saturday.

Connecticut won the Eastern League Northern Division and entered Monday with an 82-59 record -- 10 1/2 games ahead of second-place New Britain.

ONE TEAM, ONE BAT : The GreenJackets brought a spring training tradition into action for Monday's final game of the regular season. Every player used the same bat.

"It made it the easiest day of the season for me," bat boy Will Cheney said.

The quirk worked to Augusta's favor. The team hit a season-high 10 doubles and scored six runs on 15 hits.

There was a backup plan set up. In the event of a broken bat, the team would use the bat of the player who broke it.

Juan Perez did just that on a double in the third inning, and the team started using his lumber. The GreenJackets produced three runs on seven hits, including five doubles, using Perez' bat.

PITCHING TRYOUT : Mike Loberg made limited appearances at first base and designated hitter this season. On Monday, he took a shot at pitching.

San Francisco Giants scout Lee Elder attended the game, and Loberg's outing, his second on the mound this season, didn't look good on paper. He surrendered three earned runs on three hits and retired only one batter before leaving with pain in his elbow.

"You feel bad for him, and I hope that the elbow thing isn't serious," GreenJackets manager Dave Machemer said. "But he still hit 93 on the gun."

RBI KING : First baseman Josh Mazzola , recently named a South Atlantic League All-Star, wrapped up the league's RBI title Monday. He entered the game with a seven-RBI lead over second place Ryan Lavarnway of Greenville. Mazzola doubled in a run in the fourth inning and added a game-deciding solo homer in the eighth to finish with 96 RBI for the season.

Reach Billy Byler at (706) 823-3216 or billy.byler@augustachronicle.com.