The North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League will begin their quest for their first NECBL Championship in 2010 on Friday, June 4 at Joe Wolfe Field. Some changes have been made to the league as well as to the SteepleCats schedule this season, including new family friendly game times, new NECBL teams, an international exhibition game against our neighbors to the north, and of course the return of the July 4th fireworks extravaganza. 

Beginning with a 3-game home stand, the SteepleCats will host the inaugural game for the Bristol Collegiate Baseball Club, one of the new teams, on Friday, June 4th. The SteepleCats will then host the western division champion from 2009, Vermont Mountaineers on June 5th, and the Keene Swamp Bats on June 6th (4:30 start time) before embarking on their first road trip of the season.

The SteepleCats will once again play a 42-game New England Collegiate Baseball League schedule (21 games at home and 21 games on the road). The SteepleCats will play six games against each of their five Western Division rivals (three home and three away) and two games against each of the six Eastern Division clubs (one home and one away).

The biggest change for SteepleCats fans will be the welcome change to game time to 6:30. The ½ hour earlier start time was made to accommodate the fans, their families, and their busy schedules. Two exceptions this season will occur on the first two Sunday’s of the season while school is still in session. The team’s two late-afternoon home games will begin at 4:30 pm on Sunday, June 6 against the Swamp Bats and on Sunday, June 13th against the Holyoke Blue Sox. 

Fans familiar to the NECBL will notice the absence of two teams and the addition of two new organizations this summer. Over the off-season, the Berkshire County rival Pittsfield American Defenders were sold and moved to Bristol, CT and is now the Bristol Collegiate Baseball Club. In the Eastern Division, the Manchester Silkworms were sold and moved to Laconia, N.H. and will now be known as the Laconia Muskrats.

It’s been since 2007 when the SteepleCats last hosted an international team. Then, the SteepleCats defeated Chinese Taipei 3 - 0 in front of 1,359 fans and the 1978 Drury High School state championship baseball team. On July 10 at 6:30, Team Canada will play the SteepleCats in one of their five exhibition games they’ll play in the NECBL before going on to more international competition. 

This year’s fireworks show will follow the SteepleCats home game against the Holyoke Blue Sox at 6:30 pm. on July 4th. The NECBL All-Star Game will take place in Newport, Rhode Island on Sunday, July 18th. The SteepleCats will end of their regular-season schedule with five of the last eight games away from Joe Wolfe Field concluding with a home game against the Danbury Westerners on Saturday, July 31. The SteepleCats will look to extend their consecutive play-off appearance streak nine years. 

New SteepleCats president David Bond, who became the team’s president in December, has been actively talking with team sponsors to schedule exciting promotional nights and give-aways this season. More information on specific promotional nights will be released as the season nears. The SteepleCats also are seeking additional members of the community who wish to join the organization and contribute to the organization in a variety of roles. Anyone interested in helping contribute to the SteepleCats success in any capacity may contact the SteepleCats directly at 413-663-7333 or dbond48@hotmail.com.

Although, adult tickets are only $5, consider the great savings by purchasing a season’s ticket and save 33% of the price of regular admission. An individual season ticket to 21 regular season home games is only $70. Family passes for 2 adults and 2 children is only $100 for all 21 regular season home games. Season tickets are available online at www.steeplecats.com and in Adams at Angelina's, Moulton's General Store, and Val’s Variety; in North Adams at Angelina's, Creations, Man’s World Styling Salon, Moulton’s Spectacle Shoppe, and Persnickety Toys; Williamstown at Desperado's; and Stamford, VT at Billmont’s Country Store.