County League to begin play Sunday
The scholastic baseball teams may be winding down their seasons with a few of still active in the playoffs, but now the Fayette County Baseball League is ready to move into the picture. Competition will begin in the 9-team FCBL on Sunday with four games.
Carmichaels will open defense of its title in a road game with backyard rival Waynesburg, starting at 1 p.m. at Madison Field in Waynesburg.
The Copperheads finished 24-4 in regular season play last year, ahead of Bud Murphy’s (24-5).
In other openers, California travels to Fayette City to play the Red Dawgs at 1 p.m., at Fayette City Park, while Potter’s Clubhouse will meet the Wanna B Heroes at the Carmichaels Field at 2 p.m., and Mill Run travels to Mario’s for a doubleheader, also at 2 p.m., at the Leckrone Field.
Bud Murphy’s will play its first game at 6 p.m. Monday, resuming a strong rivalry with the Red Dawgs at the Breakneck Field.
The balance of the week includes:
Tuesday – California at Wanna B Heroes, Red Dawgs at Mario’s (Leckrone), 6 p.m.
Wednesday – Play picks up right where last season left off, as long-time rivals Carmichaels and Bud Murphy’s collide at the Breakneck Field at 6 p.m. Also on Wednesday, Mill Run travels to Hopwood to take on Potter’s.
Thursday – Potter’s at California, California High School Field, 6 p.m.
Friday – Waynesburg at Mario’s, to be played at the Redstone Field at 6 p.m.
The league will be divided into three divisions. The teams and their managers include:
Division One – Bud Murphy’s, Tom Sankovich; Redd Dawgs, Dan Palm; and California, Ryan Encapera, in his first year as a County League manager.
Division Two – Mill Run, Ray Orndorff; Carmichaels, Dickie Krause; and Potter’s Clubhouse, Dan Kupets.
Division Three – Mario’s, Lou Pasquale; Waynesburg Mudpuppies, Scott Tedrow; and Wanna B Heroes, Jeff Denham.
Home Field sites for the teams will include: Bud Murphy’s Cokers, Breakneck; Mill Run, Mill Run Park; Redd Dawgs, Fayette City Park; Wanna B Heroes, Carmichaels, with Mapletown High Field as alternate; California Tribe, California High School Field; Carmichaels, Carmichaels High School Field; Mario’s, Leckrone, with Redstone as alternate site; Potter’s, Schiffbauer Field, Hopwood; and Waynesburg Mudpuppies, Madison Field, Waynesburg.
All weekday games will start at 6 p.m., with Sunday games at 1 p.m., or in the latter case, alternate times as agreed upon by the two teams.
League President Dan Kupets has compiled a league booklet, including the entire season schedule. Anyone wanting to obtain a copy should contact him at 325 Miller Farm Road, Uniontown, 15401, or call 724-259-2630.