June 16, 2003

College Sports Television (CSTV, see www.und.com) begins its coverage of the Cape Cod Baseball League with today’s game between Chatham and Harwich. CSTV (DirectTV channel 610) is scheduled to telecast 13 games from the CCBL, the nation’s premier wooden-bat summer league for college players.

CSTV’s planned telecasts from the Cape include as many as seven games involving teams with Notre Dame players on their rosters, as three ND rising juniors – shortstop Matt Macri (Brewster Whitecaps) and righthanders Chris Niesel (Falmouth Commodores) and John Axford (Hyannis Mets) – are set to compete in the nation’s top summer league.

Those seven telecasts involving teams with ND players include the following: Hyannis at Chatham (July 4), Brewster at Orleans (July 7), Hyannis at Orleans (July 10), Harwich at Brewster (July 18), Chatham at Brewster (July 21), Bourne at Brewster (July 25) and the CCBL All-Star Game (Aug. 1, played at Falmouth).

The CSTV telecasts will introduce fans nationwide to the premier amateur baseball circuit, which has produced current Major League stars such as reigning Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito (who starred at USC during his college days), Mo Vaughn (Seton Hall), Nomar Garciaparra (Georgia Tech), Frank Thomas (Auburn) and Jeff Bagwell (Hartford). Telecasts will feature segments on the players’ activities off-the-field such as the jobs, many indigenous to the Cape, they take on while living with local host families. Jack Edwards will call the game action for CSTV.

“Our partnership will bring this unique brand of summer ball to a whole new audience,” said Chris Bevilacqua, co-founder and executive vice president, CSTV. “The top-notch competition and picturesque playing environment, coupled with vignettes about players’ experiences on the Cape in between games, will make for attractive viewing for not only baseball fans, but all sports fans.”

Other Major Leaguers who have excelled in the Cape Cod League are Darin Erstad (Nebraska) , Todd Helton (Tennessee), Rich Aurillia (St. John’s), Jeff Kent (California), Tino Martinez (Tampa) and Jason Varitek (Georgia Tech). Additional Cape Cod alumni include Thurman Munson (Kent State), Terry Steinbach (Minnesota), Chuck Knoblauch (Texas A&M), Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State), Buck Showalter (Mississippi State) and Albert Belle (LSU).

CSTV’s Cape Cod Baseball League Broadcast Schedule – all games 8:00 p.m. EDT

June 16 – Chatham at Harwich

June 20 – Wareham at Harwich

June 23 – Bourne at Harwich

June 27 – Yarmouth-Dennis at Chatham;

une 30 – Harwich at Chatham

July 4 – Hyannis at Chatham

July 7 – Brewster at Orleans

July 10 – Hyannis at Orleans

July 14 – Yarmouth-Dennis at Orleans

July 18 – Harwich at Brewster

July 21 – Chatham at Brewster

July 25 – Bourne at Brewster

Aug. 1 – Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game (Falmouth)

Cape Cod Baseball League Facts & Figures

* 183 Cape Cod Baseball League alumni appeared on Major League Baseball rostersin 2002

* Hall of Famers Carlton Fisk, Pie Traynor and Mickey Cochrane also are Cape Cod alumni

* The Wareham Gatemen won the 2002 Cape League and were the team to win back-to-back championships since Yarmouth Dennis achieved the same feat in 1989-90.