Yes Virginia (and everyone else starved for sports), there will be baseball in Ashland this summer, despite the fact that on May 10, the American Legion program cancelled the 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ashland and Natick will be joining the majority of the legions teams from District 6 this summer to form an independent league; the Massachusetts Independent Baseball League (MIBL).

The MIBL will be compromised of a total of 16 teams divided into two 8 team divisions. Each team will play their division rivals twice in addition to two cross over games from the other division. Teams will most likely be finding themselves playing four days a week with the season beginning on July 6 and eight teams will eventually qualify for the district playoffs in August in a double elimination tournament.

“It will basically be the same rules we always abide by but will not be sponsored by American Legion Post 77,” Ashland Coach Jake Obid said. “With the American Legion cancelling the season we were given permission to play baseball this summer, we just couldn’t use anything associated with the Post.”

Currently Obid has been working with Ashland High School baseball coach Matt Messer hoping to use the Clockers uniforms this season. However, if things don’t work out, one of the coaches from District 6 has struck up a deal with a store to get uniforms.

With the post not supporting them this summer, Obid is hoping that the team doesn’t need to spend any money out of their pockets, but if they have to they need to they will to get the kids back on the field after a lengthy stay away.

Currently Massachusetts is only in early phases of reopening so Obid has his athletes practicing in separate locations with two different groups. Phase 3 of Gov. Charlie Baker’s plan begins in July, which will allow teams to have their full squads on the field at the same time. In the meantime, Obid and his coaches are preparing to get the players some live batting practice.

“The returning players have been working out and ramping up their game to get ready for the season. We have not forced anyone to be there as of yet, but everyone is anxious to get onto the field and play baseball,” the Coach said. “With the high school season being cancelled these guys haven’t been on a baseball field since last summer. We need to get out their and get them looking at some live pitching.”

Obid will have 13 players returning from the Ashland American Legion Post 77 squad last summer that was the State runner-up and although not a typical season on the horizon the Ashland skipper is looking at it as if it were.

“Whatever the season is, we are treating it just like any other. We’re looking to take that next step and win a State Championship and get to North Carolina (Legion Championships),” Obid said. “Although their will be no trip south, we’re still here looking to play competitive baseball while making the best of the situation.”

While everyone was in the same boat, they needed some good news and getting to play baseball this summer is just what they needed.

“With the season cancelled, I felt really bad for these players, especially the seniors who will not be playing on the next level,” Obid said. “I’m only a couple of years removed from my career and if this happened to me, I’m not sure how I would have handled it.”

Luckily, Ashland will have a season and allow some of the players to properly close out their careers. According to the Coach, athletes like Dom Cavanaugh, who has been one of the best baseball players in the league over the last three seasons, will have his final season in an Ashland uniform.

“Although Dom is going to play football in college, we as coaches are glad that we could give him this last season playing baseball. It means a lot to us,” the Ashland skipper said.

Obid also mentioned that he will have freshman college players in Jackson Hornung, who was batting .600 on the collegiate level when his season was cut short, and Alex Amalfi, who was making big strides in his first year away from high school, returning to play for him once again this year.

In addition, Brandon Grove, Sam Charles, and Owen Radcliffe will all suit up again for Ashland before heading off to college in the fall.

“Being able to have this season will allow these kids to go into college with good preparation,” Obid said. “It will help them get ready, but I believe that all three of these guys would have still competed for a spot on their respective teams as freshman next year. Having some form of season is huge.”

While it may not be the season that they were hoping for in terms of trying to obtain that Legion Championship they were so close to last year, at least the players will be able to get onto the baseball diamond and play the game that they love; for some one last time in an Ashland uniform.