TAMPA, FL — Infielder Kevin Smith, a native of East Greenbush, was in the New York Yankees’ starting lineup last Sunday in a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Smith played shortstop and batted seventh, going 0 for 2. The game was also Juan Soto’s debut in pinstripes.
Smith is currently signed to a minor league deal with the Bronx Bombers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Springs varsity wrestler Taylor Beaury finished 3rd in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s championships last weekend after persevering through a challenging season.
“Taylor’s entire season could be made into a movie,” said Coach Jake Zanetti. “I am very proud of him and the young man/wrestler he showed us he is capable of being.”
Beaury suffered a fractured jaw earlier in the year but went on an undefeated streak after returning to action. He was also plagued by a lingering shoulder injury and was involved in a car accident. At the state championship, he came back from a tough first round loss to end up placing third.
“He did an amazing job to earn himself a Top-3 finish, beating the guys he lost to earlier in the tournament,” Zanetti said. “The sky is the limit for Taylor and this was a great thing for him and the Saratoga wrestling program.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Softball League is back, offering both men’s and coed games. Registration is on Thursday, March 28 between 6 and 9 p.m. at the End Zone Sports Pub at 32 Ballston Avenue in Saratoga Springs.
The entrance fee is $825 per team, payable via check, Venmo, or PayPal. The fee covers all softballs, scorebooks, lineup cards, field fees, and other league expenses. Umpire fees are an additional $28 per game.
The league begins at the end of April. For more information, visit leaguelineup.com/saratogacoed or email saratogasoftballleague@gmail.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Hospital is providing a free flexibility and strength assessment for community members by skilled, licensed therapists from the Regional Therapy Center to determine readiness for running season.
Therapists will provide participants with a personalized foot and stride analysis for optimal running, as well as tips on exercises, and guidance on the best running sneaker. Fleet Feet running footwear experts will also be on hand to show the latest and greatest running footwear.
The event will take place at the Saratoga Regional YMCA Malta Branch on Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. until Noon.
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Athletic Hall of Fame committee has selected the following inductees into the Class of 2024:
Tyler Barnes (Class of 2018)
Wayne Evans Jr. (Class of 1998)
Jordan Hipwell (Class of 2017)
Mark Lawrence (Class of 1990)
Donald Monaco (Class of 1961)
Tom Talbot (Class of 1968)
1978 Varsity Football Team
A ceremony to honor the inductees will be held on Saturday, April 27 at 1 p.m. in the Ballston Spa High School auditorium. Tickets are available to the public for $10 and may be purchased at the door.
BALLSTON SPA — 4-H is offering a beginner shooting sports course for boys and girls 12 and older on Tuesday evenings beginning March 5. All participants must be enrolled in 4-H. Instruction will take place at 556 Middleline Road in Ballston Spa.
Youngsters can learn the basics of air pistol, muzzleloader, rifle and shotgun, archery, hunting and wildlife. The course will focus on safety, ethics, and personal responsibility. A $50 course fee will cover the cost of ammunition and supplies.
To register, visit pub.cce.cornell.edu/event_registration/main/events_landing.cfm?event=SC4HShootingSportsSpring2024_241.
Any questions can be sent to Leland at glb76@cornell.edu.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — While Josh Allen and Tommy Devito are licking their wounds during the NFL offseason, a new football league will debut in New York State.
Saratoga Springs High School is participating in a girls’ flag football program that will begin this spring and include 12 other teams from the Suburban Council. “Last year, Troy High School was the only team in the area that had a formal girls’ flag football team,” said Saratoga Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton. “What started just a few years ago with a conversation, now has led to a full-fledged opportunity for girls to participate in flag football.”
The league’s ten-game season will feature five home and five away games. The season will end with a league championship similar to a sectional championship. The winner of the league title will then have an opportunity to capture a state championship. The state title game, hosted by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), will be on June 2 at SUNY Cortland.
As of press time, regular season schedules and coaching positions for the Saratoga team were still being determined. At the end of last year, 65 Saratoga girls had already signed up to participate.
“There’s not a lot of cost to getting this started,” Dr. Patton said, “but the nice thing is that it has all been provided by the [New York] Giants or through USA Football.” The Giants donated $30,000 to help launch the league. The funds will be split between participating schools. USA Football is also donating equipment such as flags and balls.
“I think there’s a lot of interest and momentum moving forward with the girls’ flag football program,” Dr. Patton said, “not only at the local level, but state and national level and Olympic level.”
In October 2023, USA Football announced that flag football will make its debut in the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles. Scott Hallenbeck, CEO of USA Football, said in a statement that flag football’s inclusion in the Olympics was “an acknowledgment of the sport’s tremendous international growth and appeal as a fast, exciting and competitive sport.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Skidmore baseball team is getting a new turf field that will accommodate more fans and “enhance the team and spectator experience,” the college announced last week.
Construction will soon begin on the $3.4 million project, which is being financed primarily by donors. The new field will be on Daniels Road, northwest of the school’s main campus, and will be ready in time for the spring 2025 season.
“Castle Diamond has been a wonderful home for our baseball team for many years, but between the expected aging of a well-loved facility, costs and challenges associated with renovating the current site, and the growth of both our program and Division III sports overall, it’s time for a move,” said Gail Cummings-Danson, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of athletics, in a statement.
“Our current field has a lot of history, a lot of memories,” said Ron Plourde, head baseball coach. “At the same time, it’s also brought a lot of challenges, and we’re grateful Skidmore and our fans see the value of this move for our program and Skidmore Athletics overall.”
OAKLAND, CA — Another Skidmore baseball alum has made it to the major leagues. Mike McFerran, an assistant coach and pitching coach for Skidmore College from 2017 to 2020, has been hired by the Oakland Athletics, the team announced last week.
“Mike is a phenomenal coach and an even better human being,” said Skidmore’s head baseball coach Ron Plourde. “He’s one of the brightest coaches that I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
McFerran has joined the A’s player development staff as the pitching performance coach. Prior to his new role in Oakland, McFerran was the pitching lab coordinator and director of player development at Wake Forest University.
