Douglas to play Coral Springs at Marlins Park on Wednesday

The Stoneman Douglas baseball team will get an opportunity to play in South Florida’s Major League Baseball stadium next week.

Douglas will play a district game against Coral Springs, which is the home team on the schedule, on Wednesday at Marlins Park.

“Derek Jeter reached out to the Douglas baseball team, school and administration and just said that he really wanted to do something for the kids,” Broward County Athletic Association commissioner Shawn Cerra said. “We decided that it would be cool if the kids got to play a game [at Marlins Park]. It was really all his idea.”

The two teams will get picked up by bus at their respective schools, take a tour of the stadium, use the Marlins Park clubhouses to get dressed, take batting practice on the field and play at 6:30 p.m., according to Cerra. He said admission and parking will be free, and his understanding is a few concession stands will be open.

Larry Friedman, the president of the Broward Baseball Umpire Association, says the association, which has about 80 umpires, opened it up for any of the officials who wanted to work the game. Approximately 30 of them have volunteered and will be rotating throughout so all get in. The home-plate umpire will remain in place throughout for a consistent strike zone.

“This is our way of supporting Douglas High School along with Broward County high school baseball,” Friedman said.

The Marlins have made multiple efforts to support Douglas since the Feb. 14 shooting that took 17 lives and injured 17 more.

The Eagles’ baseball and softball teams were invited to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, the Marlins’ spring training home, last month. On Opening Day at Marlins Park on Thursday, members of the Marlins and Cubs, including alum Anthony Rizzo, honored Douglas with their pregame attire.

Douglas and Coral Springs meet again with the Eagles hosting at the school on April 19. Marlins center fielder Lewis Brinson is a Coral Springs alum.

Douglas is currently unbeaten in District 11-9A at 3-0 and 7-4 overall.