“We’re providing a great entertainment piece for the citizens,” said King General Manager Ginger Fulton. “It’s really a community effort to provide this for Springfield.”
Gavin Murphy returns for his third season as head coach. He guided the Kings to their first-ever playoff appearance in 2021.
“He’s grown into the job a little bit,” Fulton said. “He took it over as a pretty young guy, and now he’s a seasoned pro. We love him and the kids love playing for him. He’s really a bright spot on our coaching staff and we’ve been blessed to have him.”
Murphy is joined on the coaching staff by longtime assistant coach Mark Lucas. Former Kings player Jared Hatch joins the coaching staff this season, taking over for another Kings alum Jon Erhard.
The Prospect League expanded to 17 teams this season, including two new teams — the Jackson (Tenn.) Rockabillys and the Thrillville Thrillbillies from Marion, Ill. The Kings are members of the Eastern Conference’s Ohio River Valley Division, which includes Johnstown, Chillicothe and the Lafayette (Ind.) Aviators.
Champion City will host two fireworks nights this season on June 10 and July 28. All tickets are $12.
The Kings will also host Dueling Pianos night sponsored by NCF Savings Bank on June 22.
The Kings are seeking their first trip to the playoffs since winning the Ohio River Valley Division in 2021. They’ll have a new group of players this season, including Shawnee grad Luke Myers (Indiana Tech) and Troy Christian grad Lucas Day (Oakland University).
“The idea is for them to come here, get better and move on, whether that be in the college ranks or a more challenging summer conference,” Fulton said.
After Wednesday’s season opener, Champion City travels to Chillicothe on Thursday. They’ll return to Springfield for home dates against the Paints on Friday and Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for children ages 6-12, seniors and military members. Children 6 and under are free. Tickets are available before the game or at the MacRay Co., 100 West North St., Suite B, in Springfield.
For a complete schedule and more information, log on to ChampionCityKings.com.
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