Published May 13, 2020

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

READING — The Reading Bulldogs baseball team, which includes three Lynnfield residents on the roster, has been in the Intercity League since 2010. In a normal season, the team would play 28 regular-season games starting in early June with three rounds of playoffs ending in late August.

However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this summer will look a little different.

On May 6, the league had a Board of Directors meeting on Zoom to discuss the 2020 schedule.

Back on April 28, Governor Charlie Baker extended the stay-at-home date until May 18.

“We are looking to play this summer,” said Bulldogs second-year manager Len Ferrari. “We have secured four or five fields so far.”

As discussed during the meeting, the directors are planning on playing a 16-game schedule starting early July.

“We also want to do a double-elimination playoff instead of our regular one,” added Ferrari.

The safety of the players, team officials, umpires, and fans are of the utmost importance to the Board according to what was posted on the league website.

With some of the other summer leagues already being canceled, Ferrari thinks that some great talent will be in the league for players looking to play.

The Bulldogs, who lost to the Andre Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs last summer, will also have a new home field as they will play a majority of their home games at the new Austin Prep field in town. That field has lights unlike Morton Field at Reading High where the team used to play.

Ferrari also pointed out that, in case some towns don’t have their fields available, some of the other fields the league has secured will be used.

The Intercity league is one of the top 18-and-over wood-bat leagues in the state and has been around since 1950. Several of their players have played at the minor-league level or at the Division 1 level in college.

This year, there will be nine teams as the Middlesex Expos will be making their debut.

The Lexington Blue Sox are the defending league champions.

On May 20, the Board of Directors will have another meeting to see where things stand at that point.

The three Bulldogs from Lynnfield, who were on the team last summer are Zac Talis, Kyle Hawes and Cooper Marengi. Talis was a designated hitter, Hawes was an outfielder while Marengi played first base.