Rivals may not play at Foundation Field again
School administrators will decide where Big Blue, Rams will play their annual contest.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
HAMILTON — The annual Badin-Hamilton high school baseball rivalry returns to Foundation Field for a second — and possibly final — year at 7 p.m. today, May 10.
Big Blue coach Dan Bowling and Rams coach Rick Kunkel have both made clear their desire to return the game to Stang Field and Alumni Field on a rotating basis, but ultimately the decision will be made by school administrators, said Craig Koger, Hamilton's superintendent of parks and recreation.
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"I've talked to Sally (Kocher, Badin's athletic director) and Mike (Dellapina, Hamilton's AD), and we've decided to wait until after this game is over to get together and work something out," Koger said.
One idea under consideration is a mid-season, four-team tournament with first-round games at Stang and Alumni, and the consolation and championship games at Foundation Field.
"Both teams have expressed an interest in returning to the home sites, but we'd like to play something like a quad tournament there, because it really is a great facility," Dellapina said.
Unlike all other regular-season games, which are free, tonight's contest will cost $5 for adults and $3 for children and students. One third of the proceeds will be donated to the Susan Maus Scholarship Fund, while the rest will go to Hamilton High, which is technically the home team.
"You hate to say 'no' to the Hamilton Community Foundation because they have done so much for both schools with donations and loans," Kunkel said. "But I personally would rather have it return to a home-and-away series."
Badin's Brett McKinney was the winning pitcher in the Rams' 2-1 triumph last year, and the junior right-hander will get the start again tonight. Hamilton, on the other hand, plans to use several pitchers throughout the game.
"I don't have anyone specific in mind yet," Bowling said Thursday evening. "The main thing we want to do is keep the pitch counts down heading into the tournament."
This will be the regular-season finale for Hamilton before opening Division I sectional play Wednesday. Badin, which has won 12 games in a row, has two regular-season games remaining — Monday against Wyoming and Thursday against Roger Bacon. The Rams open Division III tournament play Wednesday.
"I told the kids to consider this our first tournament game," Kunkel said. "This will get us ready to start playing good competition."
Likewise, Bowling is hoping the game will provide a kick-start for his squad, which has lost four of its last five games.
"I expect Badin to be pumped up and very competitive like they always are," Bowling said. "We've been struggling a little bit, so maybe this is exactly what we need."
Former Hamilton High and Cincinnati Reds player Mark Lewis will throw out the first pitch and have his jersey retired in a pregame ceremony starting at 6:40 p.m.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2193
or jmorrison@coxohio.com.
