HCBL Teams Take Field with Season Looming
The start to the 2013 season is just days away, and on Thursday teams began their preparation with practices taking place in all seven Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League communities.
Players descended on the east end of Long Island on Wednesday and Thursday from all over the country, settling in with their host families and meeting their new teammates. Teams will fill out even further when players return from NCAA Regionals, which take place this weekend in 16 locations nationwide.
Sunday’s tripleheader includes the beginning of Southampton’s defense of the 2012 HCBL title as its hosts Westhampton (5pm). Elsewhere, Shelter Island takes the ferry over to Sag Harbor for the first of seven meetings this summer (5pm), and North Fork visits Riverhead (5pm).
Also taking place Thursday was unique concussion baseline screening made available by the Brain Trauma Foundation (BTF). Throughout the day, players from Riverhead, Westhampton and North Fork were screened by a team of BTF representatives, taking examinations that will allow for comparative purposes should any HCBL player be affected by a head injury. Screening will commence for the remaining four teams on Saturday and Sunday.
