Big Bend baseball underway

CHIPLEY — The Big Bend Baseball League began action for 2010 Saturday and Sunday at the Chipley High School baseball field as the expansion Washington County Bruins hosted action for all eight teams.

The Bruins came from behind to beat the Bay County Brewers 6-5 in a game shortened by darkness. The Destin Dawgs beat the Jackson County Jays in the other Sunday game 7-1, while the Liberty County Diamond Dawgs beat the Chattahoochee Red Birds 22-12 and the Calhoun County Horsemen beat the Gulf Coast Drive 8-5.

The completely amateur league is in its second season. Commissioner Morell Bailey said the league was started by Harold Bailey of the Chattahoochee team when it was too difficult to continue in the Alabama-Florida League due to travel.

“Last year we had six teams and this year Washington County and Destin joined the league,” Morrell Bailey said.

Teams can have up to 25 players and rosters are finalized in June. Players have a wide variety of backgrounds, from high school, to college to professional. Bailey said that ex-major leaguers Tim Davis and Tim Young play in the league

Jake Woods of Malone and the Jackson County Jays played high school ball there and played a bit at Chipola College. “A buddy of mine told me about this three years ago and I started with Chattahoochee,” he said. “This is my second year.

“It passes time on a Sunday afternoon and its great for those of us that play that still enjoy the game.”

Players can use wood or aluminum bats and there is a designated hitter. Teams are allowed up to six college players and college players keep their eligibility as the league is strictly amateur.