It's a g'day for baseball as FIBI celebrates 30th anniversary with team from Australia

At this time of the year, Chuck Sarver is full of anxious anticipation and optimism.

The president of the Freeport International Baseball Invitational, which begins Monday evening at James E. Swartz Sr. Memorial Field in Freeport Borough, is ready to greet more than two dozen youth baseball teams to the area for the 30th annual week of matchups.

“We’re all really excited for this week,” Sarver said. “The final pieces are being put into place. Hopefully, we have good weather for the games.”

“For the love of the game” is the FIBI motto, and the mission for the current celebration, Sarver said, begins to take shape as soon as the previous event concludes.

“Last year was unique because the Sunday after it ended, I got an email from Darren King, who brought the original (Australian) team to Freeport,” Sarver said.

“I asked him to step up and get us a team with it being 30 years. He congratulated us on another successful event (in 2023), and he knew of a team that was coming to the U.S. to hopefully play in several tournaments. He said to Matt Cavill, the president of the organization, that he had to come to Freeport to play small-town baseball.”

The Australian 14-15 age-group team arrives in Pittsburgh on Saturday and plans to attend the Pirates-Phillies game on Sunday before settling in around Freeport on Monday.

The team is one of four to open up the week of games with a doubleheader Monday evening. A team from West Shamokin will face the Highlands JV at 5 p.m. at Swartz Field.

The nightcap will have Australia facing the Backyard Bucs.

More than two dozen teams from throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley and Western Pennsylvania, as well as three teams from an organization in Cleveland, will play multiple games throughout the week at the borough field as well as Armstrong High School, Agan Park in Springdale Township, Northmoreland Park, Freeport Community Park and Springdale High School.

Sarver said Freeport International officials hoped to have a Canadian team come to Freeport through the assistance of the Cleveland organization, but it did not pan out.

Three area teams — Springdale, a Backyard Bucs team and a fourth Titans team from Pittsburgh — were added in the past couple of days.

“Australia originally hoped to bring over two teams, but with the economics the way it has been, one team is better than none,” Sarver said. “We’re really excited to have them come over and play. They will probably have nine or 10 players, but everyone around here wants to play with them.

“They also asked if we had an American coach to help out because it sounds like there will be only one or two coaches.”

Jarrett Heilman, a Freeport product who now is a graduate student playing one season at Division I Wright State in Ohio, will help coach the Australian team.

Between Monday’s games at Swartz Field, the coaches of all 24 teams will gather to hash out the existing schedule with FIBI head scheduler Matt Fryer and make sure everything is set for when the main grouping of games begin Tuesday.

“There are always one or two guys who aren’t happy, but for the most part, any issues get worked out,” Sarver said. “Matt is always good with working with the coaches. We have openings where we have some flexibility. There are fields that aren’t available certain days, so we worked around that. Those are the kinds of things that can jump up and bite you.”

For the first time in 20 years, Mercyhurst is not scheduled to bring any teams. One of the teams made the American Legion playoffs.

“I told them that if they can come down in the middle of the week, we will make room for them,” Sarver said.

In addition to the games from Monday through Saturday, several FIBI staples return to bolster the week of activities.

The Sonny Westerman Old Timers Game will be Thursday evening at 8 at Swartz Field. The John “Cossy” Costantino 5K/10K race will be Saturday morning in and around Freeport Borough.

The week-ending all-star game and fireworks will be Saturday evening at 8 at Swartz Field.

Sarver said plans still are in the works to hold a ceremony honoring the life and memory of Dylan Tarbi, the Freeport Middle School student killed when he was hit while riding his bike in Buffalo Township in May.

Freeport International officials also plan to honor the memory of Freeport graduate Corey Comperatore, 50, who was shot and killed during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally last Saturday in Butler.

“We hope both families will be able to attend,” Sarver said. “We will have one before the Old Timers Game and the other before Saturday’s all-star game.”

Sarver said those hoping to sign up to volunteer in any way during the week are asked to email fibisecretary@gmail.com or fibisocialmedia@gmail.com.

For more information on the Freeport International Baseball Invitational, visit freeportinternationals.com. On the main page are links to the FIBI’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.