Play ball!

The first pitch of the 2022 baseball season was thrown recently, and although it's not a whole new ball game, it is a whole new league that the Pen-Mar WV League teams find themselves in.

The Pen-Mar League voted unanimously at its last meeting to apply for membership to the Fayette County Baseball League in nearby Fayette County, Pa., for this year. That league accepted the membership request of the Pen-Mar League's Cumberland Orioles and Oakland Oaks, and the expanded seven-team Fayette County League opened its season last week.

The Orioles and Oaks will be full members of the Fayette County League, and will also be playing non-league games against other teams, including the Martinsburg Blue Sox of the Blue Ridge League.

The other teams in the Fayette County League, which plays single games on weekday evenings with the possibility of some doubleheaders, are M&R Transit, Mill Run Millers, Carmichaels Copperheads, Mitch's Bonds and ARH Industries.

This year's move was necessary because the Pen-Mar WV League was down to two teams, Cumberland and Oakland.

"The Pen-Mar WV League has never been down to just two teams and that is what the Cumberland Orioles and Oakland Oaks found themselves in this year," said Pen-Mar WV League President Terry Helbig. "The last two years they played games against teams from the Blue Ridge League. This year only the Martinsburg Blue Sox remained in the Blue Ridge League."

The Pen-Mar WV League is not a stranger to the Fayette County League, as the two leagues used to play all-star games against each other, at Garrett College or Hopwood, Pa. Fayette County League President Ryan Encapera worked to get Oakland and Cumberland into their league this year. They were down to five teams.

"With this new arrangement with seven teams, a total of 18 regular-season games will be played. Oakland and Cumberland will add exhibition games against Martinsburg and others," Helbig said.

Cumberland and Oakland, except for the games against each other, will be playing the Fayette County League teams at neutral sites within the Uniontown, Pa., area of Fayette County.

In early season games, Cumberland beat Oakland 10-2. Oakland then defeated Mitch's Bail Bonds 7-0 and Mill Run 8-1, and lost to Mill Run 4-0.

"We are looking forward to an exciting summer of competitive baseball," Helbig said. "We are very appreciative to be part of Fayette County baseball."

The top four teams in the Fayette County League's regular season advance to best-of-three semifinal and championship series in the postseason. After the Fayette County postseason, the Pen-Mar League will hold a championship series between Cumberland and Oakland for its championship and berth in the Maryland Semi-Pro Baseball championship tournament. A Pen-Mar team, should it finish among the top four teams in the Fayette County League, would have the chance to be Fayette County and Pen-Mar WV league champions.

The Pen-Mar WV League will reassess its future following this season, with the hopes of adding additional local teams from the Cumberland, Md., tri-state area. 

For more information, results and league standings, visit leaguelineup.com/Fayettecountybaseballpa