High School Baseball Opens Thursday
DAYTON, Ohio- Fifth Third Field and the Dayton Dragons will host high school baseball for the 10th straight season in 2015 with a doubleheader on Thursday, April 9th starting at 4:30 p.m. This spring, 35 high schools will play regular season games at the home of the Dragons.
High school baseball at Fifth Third Field also serves as a fundraiser for the participating schools. This year's series of games will raise approximately $30,000 for the schools to help with the cost of uniforms, equipment, and bus transportation.
All games are sponsored by MAC Athletics, Inc., experts in athletic facility planning, design, construction, and equipment acquisition. Go to macathletix.com for more information on their services.
The Versailles Tigers meet the Waynesville Spartans at 4:30 p.m. Versailles Head Coach Ryan Schlater, a former Division I catcher at Bowling Green State University, knows what the excitement of playing on a big stage is like.
"It's big time baseball for these guys," Schlater said. "It's all about them." Schlater's group features several big pieces, but the Tigers "are a blue-collar group that works its tail off every day."
Versailles dealt with several difficulties in the pre-season, rarely able to scrimmage or practice due to inclement weather and rain-outs. But in their opening game against Arcanum, the Tigers proved that their work ethic is not just an idea.
"We started off slow in the game down 4-2," Schlater said. "And these guys, like they do every day, fought back and worked hard to win the game 9-4."
With a handful of seniors on his squad, Schlater knows the tough test of a veteran group like Waynesville that finished 23-3 in Division 3 last season.
"They have some solid returning guys who were recognized as some of the best in the region," Schlater said.
The Spartans are ranked 6th in the 2015 Division 3 Preseason Top 25 Power Rankings and return senior infielders Troy Black and Bryce Linkous. Black hit .521 as a junior and is headed to Ohio University, while Linkous, a two sport athlete in baseball and football, scored a school-record 43 runs last season.
In the nightcap, the Cedarville Indians and the Northeastern Jets face-off at 7 p.m.
Head coach Chad Fyffe's Jets boasts a team anchored by pitching.
"Our strategy is centered around our pitching," Fyffe said. "We have a solid core of senior hurlers that will play a major role this season. We are not full of power in our lineup, so we try to find ways to manufacture runs."
Fyffe said one of those star seniors, Clayton Farquer, is projected to start Thursday against Cedarville. Farquer mans the hill, but also has a huge impact at the plate, batting .345 with 21 runs batted in last season.
Senior centerfielder and pitcher Mitchell McCorkle batted a whopping .494 with 12 doubles and 41 runs scored. Considering his production last season, there is no doubt that this senior must continue to deliver for Northeastern.
"He will be the key to our offense," Fyffe said. "He bats leadoff and is also our number one pitcher."
The Dayton Dragons have been hosting the Miami Valley's best baseball teams since 2006 and are proud to continue the tradition for a 10th year. A complete list of high school baseball games scheduled to be played at Fifth Third Field can be found at daytondragons.com.
All games are free to attend and the media are invited to cover them. Gates will open one hour prior to the first game played that day. High schools may provide their own PA announcers, cheer squads, and national anthem singers. Some even bring their own radio broadcasters to the ballpark. Participating high schools sell Dragons tickets to help raise money for their programs.
Below is the remaining schedule for 2015:
|
Day |
Date |
Time |
Home Team |
Away Team |
|
Sunday |
4/19 |
1:00 PM |
Greenon |
Russia |
|
Sunday |
4/19 |
4:00 PM |
National Trail |
Brookville |
|
Monday |
4/20 |
4:30 PM |
Tri-Village |
Northridge |
|
Monday |
4/20 |
7:00 PM |
Franklin-Monroe |
Arcanum |
|
Tuesday |
4/21 |
4:30 PM |
Fairborn |
West Carrolton |
|
Tuesday |
4/21 |
7:00 PM |
Princeton |
New Miami |
|
Wednesday |
4/22 |
4:30 PM |
Wayne |
Lebanon |
|
Wednesday |
4/22 |
7:00 PM |
Dixie |
Milton Union |
|
Tuesday |
4/28 |
4:30 PM |
Emanuel Christian |
Middletown Christian |
|
Tuesday |
4/28 |
7:00 PM |
Beavercreek |
Springfield |
|
Wednesday |
4/29 |
4:30 PM |
Springfield Shawnee |
Oakwood |
|
Wednesday |
4/29 |
7:00 PM |
Tippecanoe |
Springboro |
|
Friday |
5/1 |
4:30 PM |
Valley View |
Fort Loramie |
|
Friday |
5/1 |
7:00 PM |
Greenville |
Northmont |
|
Saturday |
5/2 |
1:00 PM |
Covington |
St. Henry |
|
Saturday |
5/2 |
4:00 PM |
Lehman Catholic |
Fairborn |
|
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More Information: The Dayton Dragons are the Midwest League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and play a 70-game home schedule at beautiful Fifth Third Field in downtown Dayton, easily accessible from Interstate 75. Individuals and groups seeking information about Dayton Dragons group tickets, lawn tickets, the season ticket wait list, sponsorship opportunities or booking a Dragons speaker are encouraged to contact the Dragons by calling (937) 228-2287, by email at [email protected], or on the web at daytondragons.com
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