MAY 21, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A21
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Mavericks catcher Danny Alvarado, who is a senior at South Salem High School, gets introduced during Opening Day festivities.
Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes
Mavericks League kicks off inaugural season
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
After months of preparation, the
Mavericks League kicked off its inau-
gural season in front of over 1,000 fans
at Volcanoes Stadium on Thursday,
May 13.
The Opening Day game saw the
Portland Mavericks, in their fi rst con-
test in over four decades, defeat the
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes by a score of
4-2.
“I want the boys to recognize after
everything that has gone on is that
playing baseball is truly a privilege,”
Mavericks manager Alan Embree said.
“This is special and it's something I
want to be a part of.”
“It was a blast. I actually thought we
played really well, just got the short end
of the stick,” Volcanoes skipper Tony
Torcato added.
Regardless of the result, the evening
served as a celebration of semi-pro-
fessional baseball being played at
Volcanoes Stadium for the fi rst time in
nearly two years.
“It has been pure elation for us. It is
wonderful to actually see some base-
ball here, and good baseball at that,”
Mavericks League CEO Mickey Walker
said. “There were fans in the stands,
cold beer being served and baseball
being played. All-in-all, it was an abso-
lutely wonderful day.”
The Volcanoes got on the board fi rst
thanks to an RBI-single to left fi eld by
CJ Epperson. However, that would be
the only run the Volcanoes would get
off Mavericks starter Riley Newman as
the Salem-native threw fi ve innings for
the Mavericks and gave up just one run
on three hits while striking out six.
“(Newman) kept the hitters off -bal-
ance, which you got to give him credit
for. I also think we had some fi rst-game
jitters. I know we are a good hitting
team, I think we were a little too amped
up and tried to do too much at the
plate,” Torcato said.
See MAVS, page A22
Volcanoes catcher Xavier Ulrich rounds first base after sending a ball to the outfield.
Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes