By the time you read this article, the Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils should have been on their way home following their bid for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A State Championship.
Thursday afternoon, Williamsport City Officials determined that Bowman Field was unplayable and the state title game with Elk Lake has been postponed indefinitely. The officials at Bowman Field have determined that the field would be unplayable on Saturday as well.
In addition, and as a result of a Williamsport Crosscuts Class A Baseball Team home stand, that does not end until Thursday, June 19, Bowman Field will not be available to the PIAA until Friday, June 20. Therefore, PIAA is in the process of identifying another available site to host the 2003 PIAA Baseball Championships.
The Blue Devils will continue preparing and wait for a decision by the PIAA.
With Bowman Field being unplayable, the option of playing at Blair County Ballpark on Saturday is out of the question, because Elk Lake graduation will be held tomorrow.
“We had a postponement last year and played the championships on Tuesday,” said Mark Byers, assistant executive director of the PIAA. “We are working this morning on obtaining a place to play the championships. All the quality fields in Pennsylvania are under consideration.”
A glance of the Eastern League schedule for next week would give the nod to Harrisburg as the host site for the PIAA Baseball Championships.
“We are looking first to have all the games contested on the same day,” said Byers. “The option of playing one week from today at Bowman Field is not acceptable.”
Last year at the PIAA Championships, attendance was listed at 3,500 and in the past has been as high as 6,000.
“Stadiums have to be able to hold a good number of people to host the Championships,” said Byers. “We hope to have a site for the finals by the end of today and get the information to the schools who are participating.”
