America's League

Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

League News

Cape Cod to host Division III Baseball Regional

05/14/2001 12:04 PM

Article By:

For immediate release:  14 May, 2001


ECAC TO HOST NCAA DIVISION III BASEBALL REGIONAL ON CAPE COD
Six-team New England regional to be held in Harwich May 17-20

CENTERVILLE, Massachusetts  --  For the first time since the inaugural season of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship twenty-five years ago, the regional event will be gracing the legendary baseball fields of Cape Cod.  Eastern College Athletic Conference commissioner Phil Buttafuoco announced today that the ECAC has been named the host for the 2001 NCAA Division III New England Baseball Regional Tournament.  This tournament will be held on Thursday, May 17, through Sunday, May 20, at Whitehouse Field in Harwich, Massachusetts.

    "The ECAC is honored to bring the first ever NCAA Championship competition to the Cape Cod area," said Buttafuoco.  "It is a tremendous opportunity for the student-athletes to experience some of the mystic that surrounds the Cape Cod Baseball League as well as play in front of a community that truly embraces the game of baseball.  The ECAC is excited to bring such an unique experience to the players and fans and hopes that this is the beginning of a new tradition."

    One of eight regional sites across the country, the tournament will feature six New England Division III institutions that have been selected to the tournament by way of winning their conference championship or as an at-large team.  Conferences receiving automatic bids into the championship include the Commonwealth Coast Conference, Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), Little East Conference (LEC), Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC), New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). The winner of the regional tournament advances to the Division III World Series, which will be held in Appleton, Wisconsin on May 25 - 29.

    Whitehouse Field is home to the local Cape League's Harwich Mariners.  The park features the Fay Vincent Sr. baseball scoreboard and message center, the largest scoreboard in New England south of Fenway Park.  The field is not a stranger to stardom as it served as a home to players such as Nomar Garciaparra, Mo Vaughn, Frank Thomas and Tino Martinez

    Along with the ECAC, the event has gathered a tremendous amount of community support.  Area organizations such as the Cape Cod Baseball League, Harwich Mariners, Cape Cod Technical Regional High School, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce have provided assistance in creating a prestigious tournament atmosphere.

    The games are scheduled for Noon, 3:30 and 7 p.m. on Thursday (May 17), Friday (May 18) and Saturday (May 19), and Noon and, if necessary, 3:30 p.m. Sunday (May 20).  Ticket prices are $3.00.  Children under 12 are admitted free.

    The tournament field will be announced by the NCAA on Monday, May 14.  Teams are expected to arrive on Cape Cod Wednesday, May 16 for practice.

    The ECAC's membership includes 312 Divisions I, II, and III colleges and universities from Maine to North Carolina.  The conference provides services to its constituents that include: administration of 103 championships and events in 34 men's and women's sports; assigning officials in 12 sports; coordinating awards; administration of affiliate organizations, conventions, meetings, marketing, officiating, playing leagues, public relations and special events.  The ECAC serves as the primary conference for selected members in the sports of men's and women's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's gymnastics, wrestling, fencing and rowing.

CONTACT: Lynn Hersey, Tournament Director
May 10, 2001 (508) 771-5060