VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – It has been 90 days since there was a local sporting event. Little did we realize when the horn sounded at the conclusion of the Valley City/West Fargo Sheyenne girls basketball game at the Scheels Center on March 6th, that was the last sporting event involving Valley City athletes.

Exactly one week later, the rest of the Class A Boys and Girls State basketball tournaments, the Class B Boys State basketball tournament and all spring sports and fine arts activities would be postponed. Two months after that, those events were canceled.

That changes today. The Valley City Senior Babe Ruth baseball team takes on Casselton tonight at 5pm in Casselton for a double-header

. With American Legion baseball shut down for the summer, towns needed to look to other alternatives for summer baseball for 16-18 year olds. The choices were Senior Babe Ruth or an Independent Team. Valley City, like a lot of towns did, chose the former.

First year head coach Chase Carpenter says with the lack of a spring season, the team will be starting from scratch.

Hitters will also be starting from square one. Timing will be a issue early on. Coach Carpenter says they took steps to help those hitters on Sunday.

With a good portion of last year’s team returning, optimism is high. Coach Carpenter says he wants to get off to a good start, but its how you are playing at the end of the season that matters.

Valley City’s home opener will be Friday at Charlie Brown Field when Wahpeton comes to town for a double-header. First pitch will be at 5:30. That game and Wednesday’s game will be heard on AM 1490/96.3 FM KOVC and newsdakota.com.

 

Full Chase Carpenter Interview: