HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt Senior Dodgers are back for their second season of fun, friendship, and baseball.
On June 5, the Dodgers open their Highway 3 Baseball League campaign with two home games in Bruno. Their opponent is the Porcupine Plain Pirates, a new team. This brings the number of squads in the league up to six in its second season.
When asked what the team is looking forward to about the season, Dodgers player/organizer Carter Tarnowski said, “having fun with a bunch of buddies and winning some games.”
Humboldt returns the majority of its roster from its inaugural season and have added a few newcomers. Tarnowski said many of the Dodgers played minor ball together.
“It makes it more fun because we all seem to get along pretty well,” he said.
It is obviously early on, but Tarnowski thinks the Dodgers’ batting and pitching will be strengths again. As well as the June 5 contests in Bruno, the Dodgers will host two home games in Marysburg on July 9.
Last season the club swept a doubleheader against the Prince Albert Royals to wrap up its regular season with a 4-4 record. In the postseason, the Dodgers lost 2-1 in a best of three series to the Tisdale Rangers. The Rangers went on to fall to the Birch Hills Brewers in the first Highway 3 Baseball League finals.
Co-founder Adam Morrison is pleased to see the league grow. Of adding Porcupine Plain, he said it “goes to show the want for the return of more senior baseball in the northeast.” As well as the teams previously mentioned, the Pasquia (Arborfield and Carrot River) Angels are back for a second season.
In its first campaign, Morrison said the league was astounded by its community support – which he noted has continued.
“Regular season games consistently saw over triple digit crowd numbers a game and when it came to playoffs it just seemed like the parks were jam packed with people wanting to support local ball players playing for their towns,” he said.
As well, Morrison expressed appreciation for the local businesses who support the league’s teams. He said the “sponsorships or advertisements meant so much to help get these ball teams on their feet. The crowds and sponsors are what will keep this league thriving for a long time.”
