There will be some local baseball for fans in Western Massachusetts this summer.
The Futures Collegiate Baseball League announced on Monday that it would be moving forward with plans for an abbreviated 2020 season. The league, which operates out of Weymouth, will play a 39-game schedule featuring six teams.
The regular season is set to begin games on July 2, and the league will run through Aug. 19.
“After welcoming its 2-millionth fan in history last summer, the Futures League looks to maintain its momentum as the most popular summer collegiate league in New England,” league commissioner Joe Paolucci said in a statement. “Our team owners and operators put a tremendous amount of work into positioning our ballparks to open as safely as possible in order to provide fans with our unique brand of baseball and entertainment. We’re excited to get going.”
The 2020 campaign will mark the 10th season in Futures League history. The Westfield Starfires are one of six clubs that will compete, joining the likes of four-time champion Worcester Bravehearts, Brockton Rox, North Shore (Lynn) Navigators, New Britain (Conn.) Bees, and Nashua (N.H.) Silver Knights. The Pittsfield Suns, members of the FCBL in 2019, will not operate in 2020.
The Starfires play home games at Bullens Field in Westfield, and fans will be allowed to attend games in the league this summer. Westfield’s schedule begins with two games on the road, including the opener at New Britain on July 3, before playing a home opener against Worcester on July 8.
The overall schedule will begin with three days of games (July 2, 3 and 5) at both New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Conn., and Holman Stadium in Nashua, N.H., prior to Massachusetts’ Phase 3 of reopening, likely set for July 6.
Immediately following the regular season, the top two teams in the standings will play a best-of-three series to decide the league champion. The league will not use the two-half, 56-game structure that was originally announced last October.
All teams have a minimum of 18 home games during the summer. The first-of-its-kind “Home Run Derby Wins It” tiebreaker will return for its fourth year in 2020. Any games tied after one extra inning will be decided with a shootout-style home run derby. The team that hits the most home runs during a three-minute round wins the game. A two-minute round and, if still necessary, a one-minute round would follow in the event of a tie or ties.
For information or to view schedules, visit thefuturesleague.com