Weather helps make Freeport International Baseball Invitational

After the last of the fireworks lit up the sky over Freeport Borough on Saturday evening and the final cheesesteak sub and order of fresh cut fries were consumed at James E. Swartz Memorial Field, officials of the Freeport International Baseball Invitational quickly turned their thoughts to next summer’s weeklong event in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

“It was just a super week,” FIBI president Chuck Sarver said. “It all starts with us being blessed again with great weather. That often makes it or breaks it. We had nothing but good reports from the teams who were here. We already have the dates set for next year (July 26-30). Everything was positive. We want to take that and build to next year.”

In the coming weeks, FIBI officials will host a public meeting to wrap-up this year’s event and kick off planning for next year with discussions ranging from fundraising efforts to the continued goal of bringing in international players and teams.

“There was a lot of great baseball played this week and a lot of good talent on display,” FIBI vice president Dave Brestensky said.

“It’s about playing the game they love and having fun doing it.”

Brestensky said the camaraderie among the coaches was great as they came together Monday to work through changes to the schedule and maximize playing opportunities at the five area fields.

“They were fantastic,” Brestensky said. “They wanted nothing but the best for their players and to make sure they got as many games scheduled as possible. Each team might not have had a ton of pitching by the end of the week, but that didn’t matter. Maybe a left fielder would come in and pitch, just because they love to play the game.”

In addition to Swartz Field, Highlands and Armstrong high schools, Freeport Community Park and Northmoreland Park hosted more than 50 games between 19 local and regional teams from Tuesday through Saturday.

“Over the years, it’s been great seeing the continued variety of teams,” said Freeport high school coach Ed Carr, who again was involved as a coach and mentor to Freeport teams this past week.

“You also see a lot of kids who are familiar faces from high school and also a lot of familiar high school coaches. For some kids, it’s the last time they will get to play with their friends and teammates. It was cool to see some new teams and new competition this year, too. It is good baseball being played all week.”

The week capped Saturday evening with an all-star game in front of a large crowd of community members from throughout the area.

Plum rising senior Johnny Ioannou had one of the biggest hits Saturday, a three-run homer that cleared the fence in left field.

“This is an awesome experience here tonight, and the atmosphere is crazy,” Ioannou said.

“This is the second time I played in (the Freeport International), and it was just so much fun. That’s what this is all about. To have the opportunity to play in the all-star game with some great guys in front of all these people, it’s extra special.”

One team featured players from Cleveland’s Lake Erie Warhawks, Beaver County Select, Erie’s Mercyhurst Prep, Plum and Kiski, while the other team had players from Plum, Freeport, the Armstrong Angels, Penn Hills Tribe and others.

The Warhawks and Beaver County Select were new to the Freeport International.

“We played eight games this week, and it was so much fun,” Warhawks catcher and rising junior Nathan Korduba said.

“It was really cool to come down here knowing that we were going to get to play a wide variety of teams in all different age groups and just play because we love the game and not for any prize or trophy. With the low-pressure feeling, you can talk to kids from other teams right in the middle of the game.”

As teams from outside the Pittsburgh region often do, Korduba and his Warhawks teammates branched out beyond the games of the week. One stop was to a Pirates game and another was to the Pittsburgh International Racing Complex to watch the Allegheny Regional Porsche Club of America time trials.

“That was a lot of fun and really interesting,” Korduba said of the time trials.

Korduba said his coach, Mike Perry, already has scheduled the Warhawks to return to the Freeport International next year.

A team from France hoped to come to the Freeport International this year, but covid logistical issues prevented it from traveling. It was the same situation with Puerto Rico. But Brestensky said he hopes those teams will make it next year under hopefully better travel conditions.

“We’re always talking with Israel, and Russia is another one we’ve always talked to,” he said.

“It just comes down to making it a reality.”

Baseball wasn’t the only thing that highlighted the week as more than 70 runners — 64 in the 5K race and 11 in the 10K — ran in the John “Cossy” Costantino Memorial on Saturday morning.

Freeport rising senior Jacob Schaeffer, a Sarver resident, won the 5K in a time of 17 minutes, 55.36 seconds, and Brendan Kearney, 38, captured the 10K in 44:46.

Sarver was second in the 10K (48:48.89).

There was an international presence in the two races, with runners representing both Israel and the Czech Republic.

“I announced before the prizes were given out that we might not have had international baseball, but we sure had international races,” Sarver said.