July has been a busy month for me business wise, so I have not been too active on the summer collegiate and amateur baseball league scene. I still follow along on social media sites like Instagram, X, and YouTube as well as league websites, when I have a moment. July is just about over, as is some of our nation’s most competitive summer collegiate baseball leagues. Here are some highlights that caught my attention over the past few weeks:
New leadership announced for the 2026 Old North State League’s New Bern Southpaws. According to the ONSL media page, “A new chapter has begun for the New Bern Southpaws. James Lynch, a data analytics veteran and lifelong baseball enthusiast, has officially taken ownership of the team, bringing with him a deep passion for the game and a strong vision for growth, on and off the field.” Best wishes to Lynch and the entire New Bern Southpaws organization.
And speaking of the ONSL, they handed out some end of the year awards on their IG page, like this one for Pitcher of the Year, Lexington Flying Pigs’ Ty Brachbill.
According to a media advisory via the Futures Collegiate League, “The next generation of big-league hitters will be swinging for the fences in front of fans and professional scouts at UMass Lowell next year, as the Futures Collegiate Baseball League and the university announce plans to bring a team to LeLacheur Park in May 2026.” This is big news in the city of Lowell, MA who was once home to the very popular Lowell Spinners, a Boston Red Sox affiliate team for many years. Great to see baseball heading back to Lowell next year!!!
Every kid in youth baseball dreams of this, and the Peninsula Pilot’s Carlos Peña got to do it in a game. Home run robbery, one of the best catches I saw all summer. What a talent!!!
Congrats to the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s Newport Gulls, crowned the 2025 Southern Division champs…again! Great tradition of summer baseball there in Newport, RI. Man oh man have I missed going to baseball games at Cardines in the summer!
Perhaps, this is why…
The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League is wrapping up with a championship series featuring the North Fork Ospreys vs. the South Shore Clippers. Game 1 – the Clippers clipped the Ospreys 11-6 at Cochran Park. Game 2 is scheduled for tonight at William Floyd High School, and could decide the winner of the 2025 Hamptons League. Good luck to all the players, coaches, and families participating.
I am still planning on getting up to Richmond this summer to see any of the NABA Richmond teams compete. I have so much enjoyed their IG posts, game recaps, and creativity this summer baseball season. Like this one featuring games scheduled for tonight:
This month, I had my first experiences with the Region Collegiate Baseball League, which operates in the NW Indiana area. I visited several baseball parks, attended a game at Legacy Fields, and read up on this up and coming summer baseball league destination for collegiate baseball players. Here are a few photos from my time in and around the RCBL:
I mean, who would not want to go to a Madison Mallards home game??? Their entertainment off the field is rivaled by very few in the SCABL network of leagues and organizations. Here is a list of the incredible exciting and fun times to be had as the Mallards wrap up another successful summer baseball season at the Duck Pond.
This Orleans Firebird of the Cape Cod Baseball League could be the number one pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. He is UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, get to know that name, you will be hearing it a lot in the next 12 months or so.
Seriously, you cannot have a summer collegiate baseball league run without interns. Interns call the games, interns take care of concessions, interns organize community outings, interns drive the bus that is summer collegiate baseball. Here’s to all the interns, earning that precious work experience, in every league in every city in the US this summer!!!
Finally, for yours and my viewing delight, here is the George Donnelly Sunset League on YouTube, featuring Scorpions vs. Town Dock. Enjoy the game everyone!
Hey, summer ain’t over yet. There are still games to be played, championships to be decided, high fives to be handed out, and plenty of awesome memories to be had. Head out to your local SCABL today, tonight, this week and don’t miss out on some great baseball action on the field and entertainment galore in and around the stadium. I’ll be heading out to as many games as I can and will update you on IG and this blog page when I can. Be safe out there everyone!
The Baseball Storyteller 