The first game is Wednesday, June 4, when the defending league champion Leesburg Lightning, coached by former MLB all-star and Cy Young winner Frank Viola, will face the Sanford River Rats at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m.
All teams will start their 44-game regular season June 5. The season includes the return of the U.S. Military All-Stars tournament (July 2 – 11), FCSL All-Star game July 20, and the FCSL championship game at the Tampa Bay Rays’ home turf, Tropicana Field, on August 6.
The FCSL has added new teams and locations for the 2008 season, including returning teams, Sanford (Sanford Memorial Stadium), Leesburg (Pat Thomas Stadium) and the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (Rollins College) and newcomers, the Belleview Bulldogs (Ocala Rotary Sportsplex), the Clermont Mavericks (East Ridge HS) and the Orlando Suns (Tinker Field).
Coaches and players are recruited from across the country, many coming from top collegiate baseball programs, including the University of Miami, Florida State University, University of Florida, Rice University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Georgia, University of Mississippi, University of Central Florida, Stetson University and more.
“Each year we continue to see more top-level talent in our players, and continued support and fans in the communities,” said Sara Whiting, FCSL president. “We’re expecting this season to be our best yet.”
Admission to all FCSL games is free, and every game includes raffles, on-field events, giveaways, trivia and more family-friendly activities.
For more information about FCSL, including the full 2008 schedule, player rosters, stadium information and more, visit the FCSL Web site, www.floridaleague.com, or call 321-206-9174.
About Florida Collegiate Summer League
The Florida Collegiate Summer League is a Wood Bat Baseball League with six teams currently in Central Florida. FCSL was founded in November 2003 to provide a place in Florida for college players to play pure wood bat baseball against top-level competition, in a festive community environment. FCSL is one of eight leagues affiliated with the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (NACSB) - an alliance of college summer wood bat leagues which operate following NCAA legislation.
FCSL is partially financially funded by Major League Baseball (MLB). As a non-profit, 501c3 corporation, FCSL mostly depends on donations from individuals, businesses and foundations in the teams’ communities. Admission to all FCSL games is free.