Lynchburg to host Showcase

By Ted Allen

Published: July 10, 2008

Twenty baseball games in two days at three sites.

Sound like a logistical nightmare? To American Legion coaches, players and even a few college scouts, it’s a perfect scenario for seeing some of the top talent in the area at one central location over one weekend.

All 11 teams in District 9 will be in town this weekend for the second of the season’s three District Showcases, two weeks after the first one held at Ferrum College and two weeks before the District 9 Tournament, also at Ferrum.

Lynchburg Post 16 is the official host of this weekend’s event, but Big Island Post 217 will host half of its games — five per day — at Forest Middle School.

Three games per day will be played at City Stadium, Post 16’s home field, with two others taking place at Liberty University’s Worthington Stadium. Action begins at 9 a.m. both days with approximate start times for ensuing games at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Post 16 coach Chris England said the weekend format, new from previous summers, serves as a way to promote the league.

“In the past, you haven’t been able to see some teams play but once or twice (before the district tournament),” England said. “With everybody at one location at one time …” that changes, as does the excitement level for players and spectators alike.

“It changes the atmosphere of the games,” England said. “The stadiums are a little more full, the intensity level goes up a notch or two.”

England tweaked the format used in the first district showcase to make it as even as possible by ensuring as many teams as possible play home games, early and late and on all three fields.

“Each team gets at least one game at the (City) Stadium,” said England, whose Post 16 team will play three of its four games there. “When you’re 17 or 18 years old, playing at a minor league field is a big deal.”

Teams will play three or four seven-inning games each, testing the depth of their benches and bullpens.

“It’s a full day,” England said. “When you pay three or four games in a weekend, it forces you to use all your arms.”

Big Island coach Kelley Russell plans to start Jefferson Forest graduate and Lynchburg College closer Jared Millner in Saturday’s 9 a.m. opener against Covington at FMS, Matt Morgan in Sunday’s 2 p.m. game against Danville at LU and Jake Tanner against Vinton at 7 at FMS, with Bobby Shelton, Ragan Rudisill, Josh Storm and Donnie McKinney available to close.

Russell said there is as much parity in the district this year as ever.

“It’s real competitive,” he said. “Everybody in the league is pretty decent. You play seven innings and every inning is competitive. That’s a good thing.”

Big Island currently is third in the standings at 10-5, 3-1 in district play, behind only New River, which Lynchburg meets on Saturday at 7 p.m., and Martinsville, which Post 16 faces at 4:30 Sunday. Lynchburg, which opens play Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against Vinton at LU, is closer to the middle of the pack at 2-1 in district play.

The District Showcase contests are the only ones that count toward the District 9 standings, which will determine seedings for the July 24-28 District Tournament at Ferrum. Only the winner of that event qualifies for the state tournament, set for Aug. 4-9 in Stuarts Draft.

The third district showcase will take place next weekend at Radford University and Calfee Park in Pulaski.