SP-F High Baseball Field Not Ready for Season Start

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High baseball team – defending Union County Tournament champions - may not play a home game until May because of construction that is presently being done on the varsity field.

According to seventh-year head coach Tom Baylock, the infield was dug up in February so that drains could be put in.

"It's something that needed to be done, although the timing is not the best right now," said Baylock, who has guided Scotch Plains to its last two UCT crowns, including its third in 2004, which was during his first year at the helm.

The Raiders are practicing at Park Middle School and will host their first scrimmage there Friday at 4 p.m. against Somerset County foe Hillsborough.

Baylock hoped that the work that is being done could have taken place sooner so that the field would have been ready for the first day of practice, which was March 5.

"The field never had drainage," he said.

The coach explained that all the dirt around home plate and down the first base and third base lines was dug up to two feet.

"They're putting drains in to connect to a bunch of catch basins outside the fencing," Baylock said. "The drains have to be put in and then some stone and top soil and some sand and clay. Hopefully, by Friday or Saturday, the drains will be finished and then they can start with some other stuff. All the rain we just had didn't help."

Scotch Plains - which went 22-5 last year, captured its fourth UCT crown and first since 2004 and reached the North 2, Group 3 final – is scheduled to open the season at home against Plainfield on April 1.

That is one of eight home dates the Raiders have in April and one of four against Union County Conference-Watchung Division foes. Scotch Plains is one of seven teams situated in the UCC's Watchung Division this year, which is the first baseball season of the newly-formed conference.

"I'll have to sit down with our athletic director (Rob Harmer) and figure out what we'll do with our schedule," Baylock said. "All of our conference home games in April may be switched to away games and then we'll play those teams at home in May. Hopefully, by the end of April the field will be ready. That would mean we would be home, basically, for all of May."

The four scheduled conference home games in April that will most likely be switched to away games are Plainfield April 1, Westfield April 16, Union April 22 and Rahway April 27 – all 4 p.m. starts.

If that turns out to be the case, then Scotch Plains will be scheduled to host Plainfield April 30 (provided the field is ready by then), Westfield on May 7, Union on May 11 and Rahway on May 13.

Baylock said that non-conference April home games against J.P. Stevens of North Edison on April 3, Piscataway on April 6, Roselle Catholic on April 14 and Roselle on April 20 will be played at Park Middle School.

On Saturday, April 10, Scotch Plains will be one of eight teams involved in the first Autism Awareness Showcase at North Brunswick's back-to-back baseball fields at Community Park.

There are four Union County vs. Middlesex County matchups scheduled, with Roselle Park facing Spotswood and Plainfield vs. North Brunswick at 3 p.m., followed by Scotch Plains vs. Edison and Elizabeth against Monroe at 6 p.m.

In order to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, the Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community.

Baylock said that second-year Dunellen head coach Leo Danik is running the event.

Scotch Plains will play the following weekend in one of nine games scheduled at the second annual Dads Club Invitational at Roselle Park. Baylock is a 1992 Roselle Park graduate.

The Raiders are set to play Bloomfield at 11 a.m. in the first of three games on tap for the final day of the three-day event, which is Sunday, April 18.

Here's a look at the Union County Conference alignment for baseball this season:

Watchung Division (7 teams): Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Westfield, Union, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Linden, Rahway.

Mountain Division (8): Gov. Livingston, Cranford, Johnson, Summit, Roselle Catholic, Roselle, Hillside, Union Catholic.

Valley Division (7): Roselle Park, Brearley, New Providence, Dayton, Oratory Prep, St. Mary's of Elizabeth, St. Patrick.

Here's a look at home scrimmages for Scotch Plains at Park Middle School:

Friday, March 19: vs. Hillsborough, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, March 23: vs. Somerville, 4 p.m.

Wednesday, March 24: vs. Belleville, 4 p.m.

Monday, March 29: vs. Roselle Park, 4 p.m.