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The Ohio Valley Baseball League will take its swings once again this summer.
The league will remain at five teams. Long-time stalwarts Barton and Maynard are once again entered, with the Indians serving as the defending champions.
New teams this season include the Wheeling Pioneers and the re-birth of the Martins Ferry River Dogs. The Moundsville Expos also return. Shadyside and Weirton have decided to not field teams this year.
"I expect another summer of very exciting baseball," OVBL president Laney Simone Sr. said during a preseason organizational meeting at Abbey's Lounge on Wheeling Island. "The last two or three seasons have been very competitive. I expect the same this season."
Billy Timko returns as manager of Barton. The Braves will play their games on Henning Field inside Pramesa Park in Crescent.
David Vickers is at the Maynard helm once again and the Indians will have Firemen's Field inside the Community Park at their home field.
Rick Courts will be in his first full season as the Moundsville manager. The Expos will use John Marshall High School's Monarch Field as their home diamond.
Andy Sutak will serve as the Martins Ferry manager. The River Dogs will most likely play high atop the Purple City on the Martins Ferry High School diamond.
That issue will be addressed during Tuesday night's board of education meeting.
Tim Mattern is in his first season as the Wheeling manager. The Pioneers will play their home games at West Liberty University's Kovalick Field.
The season begins on Sunday, May 15 with Moundsville visiting Maynard and Barton hosting Wheeling. Martins Ferry makes its debut on Monday, May 16 at Moundsville.
Each team is scheduled to play a 20-game regular season, with the No. 4 and No. 5 teams playing a one-game playoff on July 8 to determine who plays the top seed in the tournament.
The best-of-3 semifinals will commence on July 10 and the best-of-5 championship series on July 17. All dates are subject to change due to inclement weather.
"I'm glad that both Martins Ferry and Wheeling are back in the league," Simone Sr. said. "They are both great baseball cities and should field competitive teams."
Regular season and tournament games on weekdays begin at 6 p.m., with Sunday contests starting at 1 p.m. Some Sunday times may be adjusted.