By Ed Townsend
BINGHAMTON — Taking the field in their full uniforms with the Minor League Class AA Binghamton Mets (B-Mets) was the highlight of the evening on Friday, Aug. 12 as the Sullivan County Thunderheads 17/18 & under boys’ summer travel baseball team met their counterparts on the diamond at NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton.
Attending the B-Mets’ game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels were 36 Sullivan County residents, which included 10 regular lineup players from the Catskill Hudson Bank-sponsored Thunderheads team along with their General Manager Ed Townsend, Third Base Coach Frank Exner and First Base Coach Paul Exner.
Prior to the playing of the national anthem, the NYSEG Stadium public address announcer acknowledged and welcomed the Thunderheads and proceeded with the two teams lineups.
“For the Mets, second baseman Jon Malo and Matt McPhillips for the Thunderheads,” the announcer said. “For the Mets, center fielder Matt den Dekker and Cody Exner for the Thunderheads, for the Mets, left fielder Brahiam Maldonado and Christian Reynolds for the Thunderheads, for the Mets, first baseman Allan Dykstra and Andrew Exner for the Thunderheads, for the Mets, catching Dusty Ryan and John Anzano for the Thunderheads, for the Mets, third baseman Eric Campbell and Alex Brown for the Thunderheads, for the Mets, right fielder Raul Reyes and Josh Carter for the Thunderheads, for the Mets, shortstop Niuman Romero and Rodney Jester for the Thunderheads and pitching for the Mets, Robert Carson and Andrew Cross, and Brad Dreher for the Thunderheads.”
A number of picture opportunities took place for the Thunderheads while sharing the spotlight with the B-Mets players, mascot and staff.
A special highlight of the evening was when the public address announcer acknowledged that Thunderheads pitcher Brad Dreher was also a member of the Livingston Manor Central School Wildcats varsity baseball team that won the New York State Class D Championship on June 12 at NYSEG Stadium.
The Sullivan County contingent enjoyed many of the traditional baseball park refreshments including hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, popcorn and soda during the B-Mets’ 6-2 loss. The night out at a ballgame was topped off with a great fireworks display at the end of the game.
General Manager Ed Townsend and Coaches Frank Exner and Paul Exner acknowledged that the trip to the B-Mets game was a thank you to the players and their families for the 2011 season and their hard work, cooperation and participation in league play with the New York Elite Baseball Program, which is affiliated with the Continental Amateur Baseball Association.
Coaches Frank Exner and Paul Exner acknowledged that the Thunderheads type of summer traveling league baseball “leads to great experience, player growth, and produces better baseball skills for local high school junior varsity and varsity baseball players next spring.”