NCBA Baseball Kicks Off Today

Four college club baseball teams are coming to Martinsville-Henry County May 2nd-4th to vie for the District III Championship at Hooker Field. The winner will move on to the NCBA Division II World Series. Teams that have secured a place in the National Club Baseball Association's (NCBA) double-elimination tournament are The College of William & Mary, University of South Carolina-Union, University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Old Dominion University. 

Hooker Field will open to the public at 3 p.m. on Friday and the first game will begin at 4 p.m. between USC-Union and UNC-Wilmington. A second game will be played at 7 p.m. between William and Mary and Old Dominion. The public is invited to attend the games and root for their favorite teams. Three more games will be held on Saturday at 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Sunday, a game will be played at 9 a.m. and if needed, another one will be played at 12 p.m.

Admission is $5 each day or tournament passes may be purchased for $12 on Friday or $8 on Saturday; children five and under are free with a paying adult. The Martinsville Community Recreation Association will sell concessions and all proceeds from ticket sales and concessions will benefit Hooker Field. The Martinsville Mustangs will sell beer and Mustangs souvenirs during the tournament. Fans will not be allowed to bring outside food or beverages into the stadium. 

This is the third consecutive year that the NCBA's District III conference has chosen Martinsville and Hooker Field for their tournament. According to Christian Smith, VP of Division II Baseball Operations and Mid-Atlantic Conference Coordinator, "Martinsville has been the perfect location for our District III Tournament and our Mid Atlantic Regional Tournament. Not only does Martinsville offer a top notch playing facility, but they also go above and beyond our expectations each and every year. It is our hope to bring these events back year after year because I know we won't find a better set-up, that is for sure." 

Players in each tournament are required to stay at the NCBA's host hotel, the Quality-Dutch Inn, and they will be dining at area restaurants while visiting our community. The NCBA tournaments held last spring brought in family and friends of the teams from as far away as New Jersey, Tennessee, South Carolina, Williamsburg, Richmond, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and South Boston, just to name a few. 

"We are glad to partner with the NCBA and the City of Martinsville to bring the Mid-Atlantic tournament to our area again" said Jennifer Doss, Director of Tourism for the Martinsville-Henry County EDC's Tourism & Film Division. "We are very appreciative of the volunteers with the Martinsville Community Recreation Association and Martinsville Parks & Recreation that staff the event each year and hope that residents will come out to watch the games this weekend." 

Martinsville Parks & Recreation Director Zach Morris added, "We are excited for the opportunity to showcase regional talent while providing great entertainment for the community."

Another NCBA Tournament for the Mid-Atlantic Division I will be held on the following weekend, May 9th-11th. Both East Carolina University and James Madison University have made it into the Division I tournament. 

Additional information on the tournaments and area information can be found online at www.VisitMartinsville.com or by calling 276.632.8006.