Atlantic League All-Star Game is coming back to So. Md.
Blue Crabs and Regency Furniture Stadium to host annual event for second time in franchise’s history
All eyes will be on Southern Maryland next summer as the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs were picked to host the next Atlantic League All-Star Game.
The contest is scheduled for July 15, 2020 at the Blue Crabs’ home of Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf.
It marks the second time that the franchise will host the game, previously hosting the 2013 event.
“It is truly an honor for the Blue Crabs and the Southern Maryland community to be hosting this event,” Blue Crabs general manager Courtney Knichel said in a Saturday news release announcing that Southern Maryland would host the All-Star Game. “The All-Star Game and its festivities will be an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our region and Crustacean Nation.”
The release, which mentioned the game as the “Showcase at the Shore”, added that the game would be just one of the many events that will take place during the week of the game.
“The Blue Crabs are extremely proud of this opportunity to host the game,” Knichel continued in the news release. “Planning has already begun and the front office is working tirelessly with our partners, community members and the supporters of Crustacean Nation to make this a chance for our region as well as surrounding communities to experience all that Regency Furniture Stadium has to offer.”
The 2013 contest, which started on Wednesday, July 10 and ended at 12:21 a.m. the next morning, featured former major leaguer Roger Clemens throwing out the first pitch, as his son, Koby, playing for Sugar Land at the time, was among the all-stars as the starting catcher for the Freedom Division.
A heavy downpour right before the action started resulted in a near 2 1/2-hour rain delay. Then after a 1-1 tie through nine innings, a homer-off was used to determine the winner.
Freedom cleanup batter Corey Smith (Somerset) cranked the only long ball during the homer-off to win the All-Star Game for his side in the first frame of the deciding format, which saw each player representing their team get three outs during their turn to hit balls out of the park. Blue Crabs slugger Cyle Hankerd was blanked during his first frame of the homer-off as Liberty’s representative in the format, effectively ending the game.
The result of the homer-off made Freedom the winning team for a third straight year.
Southern Maryland pitcher Daryl Thompson, a La Plata High School graduate was the only Liberty Division pitcher to throw two innings, retiring all six batters he faced. The Blue Crabs are now currently a member of the Freedom Division.
“It’s going to be fun,” Thompson said after Sunday’s 6-5 come-from-behind win over Long Island. “Last time we had it was in 2013 and that was actually the first time I ever made an All-Star team in my career and it’s crazy because the past three years I’ve been an All-Star and to have it next year hosting it I think it will be really fun. I think the Blue Crabs, the organization, they’ll do a really good job of hosting it and I think it’s going to be a little different than before, but it’s going to be fun, for sure.”
Tickets and other information for the game and events will be announced at a later date.
“Southern Maryland is one of the paramount organizations in the Atlantic League and we are extremely excited for the Blue Crabs to host the 2020 AllStar Game,” said Rick White, President of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, in the news release. “It’s a great place for the players, coaches, staff and fans to come to enjoy one of the best experiences in professional baseball.”