Annual Freeport International Baseball Invitational gets underway in Freeport

Under clear skies with a game-time temperature of 80 degrees, the Hawks 13-14 age team from France took to James E. Swartz Sr. Memorial Field in Freeport Borough on Monday evening for a game against the Backyard Bucs, a similar-age travel team with players from communities including Fox Chapel, Natrona Heights, Freeport, Oakmont and Moon Township.

The opening game of the 29th Freeport International Baseball Invitational brought a crowd excited for baseball and ushered in dozens of youth baseball games from Tuesday through Saturday at six fields throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley.

“We’re delighted to be able to play this exhibition game against France,” Backyard Bucs manager Rich Walsh said. “This is our second opportunity to play a team from a different country this summer. We played a team from Ontario, Canada, in the Cap Classic (in June).

“I am out here listening to the French players talk to each other on the field. I don’t speak French, but I pretty much know what they are saying, and I think the boys do, too. Baseball unifies us. It has an international language.”

The managers of the more than two dozen teams set to play games this week met Monday evening at Swartz Field to flesh out the week’s schedule. Several games were added, including a series of matchups at a second field at Northmoreland Park.

“We’re just trying to make sure we are meeting the needs of all of the teams, and we try to give them as many games as they want,” said Matt Fryer, scheduling secretary for the Freeport International.

“This week is all about this great game and the fun competition. (The schedule), in the long run, always works itself out.”

Games also will be played at Highlands and Armstrong high schools as well as Freeport Community Park.

“I have a bunch of 18-year-old kids who talked all summer about coming to Freeport,” said Mike Perry, manager for the Warhawks 18U team, one of three from the same organization near Cleveland who will play this week.

“They absolutely love this event and love the atmosphere. (FIBI president) Chuck (Sarver) and his people do such a great job every year of making all the teams feel welcome. For some of my kids, it is the last time they will play competitive baseball. This will mean a lot to them.”

Sarver said it is a great feeling to welcome this week’s games, a culmination of all of the hard work of so many volunteers and others throughout the year to make it a success.

“I am speechless,” Sarver said. “It’s unbelievable. We’re so happy to have the team from France here and also having so many teams who wanted to play them.”

France will play two games Tuesday at Swartz Field: at 2 p.m. against Burrell and at 8 p.m. against the Freeport Stingers.

The Stingers, managed by Nate Good, will play just the one game Tuesday evening as they have a tournament this weekend.

“I am really excited for the kids,” said Good, who played in the first Freeport International in 1992. “It is an experience they will never forget. Anytime it’s a baseball game, they’re all in and excited.”

Sarver’s grandson, Jackson Murdock, is a member of the Backyard Bucs. Sarver swelled with pride as he watched Jackson take the field Monday and recalled the three times his son, Shane, Jackson’s uncle, played in the Freeport International nearly two decades ago.

It is Jackson’s first Freeport International.

“Seeing Jackson out there is icing on the cake,” Sarver said.

Freeport International Baseball Invitational

Tuesday Schedule

(Subject to change)

James E Swartz Memorial Field, Freeport Borough

St. Joe’s vs. Mercyhurst Colt, 11 a.m.

Burrell vs. France (Hawks), 2 p.m.

Valley Players vs. NWO, 5 p.m.

France (Hawks) vs. Freeport Stingers, 8 p.m.

Highlands High School

Highlands JV vs. Mercyhurst Colt, 5 p.m.

Highlands Varsity vs. Mercyhurst Palomino, 8 p.m.

Armstrong High School

Barnyard Chickens vs. Warhawks 14U, 2 p.m.

AIA 16U vs. Warhawks 13U, 5 p.m.

Northmoreland Park #1

Warhawks 13U vs. Armstrong 15U, 2 p.m.

Mixed Nutrition vs. Warhawks 18U, 5 p.m.

Northmoreland Park #2

Mercyhurst Palomino vs. Springdale, 11 a.m.