WASHINGTON, Pa. — Cody Herald is back in the game.

The Butler graduate and former Butler BlueSox infielder-outfielder signed with the Frontier League’s Washington Wild Things Wednesday. He delivered a pinch-hit double in the ninth inning of the Wild Things’ 9-5 loss to the Lake Erie Crushers that night.

Herald, 22, was serving as first base coach for the BlueSox this season.

“My past two summers with the BlueSox (as a player), I always knew I’d be going back to school in the fall and would be playing ball again,” Herald said. “This year, knowing I wasn’t going back, it had started to get to me.

“I just wanted to play somewhere. It’s hard to tell yourself that you’re done. I couldn’t convince myself that I was done playing.”

Herald worked out for the Wild Things twice before this season, nearly a month ago. But he remained unsigned.

That didn’t mean he was unwanted.

“I told him I wanted to sign him. I just didn’t know when,” Wild Things manager Bob Bozzuto said. “Sometimes you have to wait. Injuries happen or some players aren’t having their normal year.”

Bozzuto, who is also the athletic director of North Allegheny High School, coached the North Allegheny Athletics summer league team one year when Herald was playing for them.

“I told Cody back then I thought he could be a professional player,” he said. “He really impressed me. I’ve had my eye on him ever since I went back to the Wild Things.”

Herald hit above .300 in each of his four years at Seton Hill University, including .306 this past spring with nine home runs.

One of his Seton Hill teammates, Brendan Constatino, is playing for Lake Erie in the 14-team Frontier League circuit.

“Brendan went through the same waiting process I did,” Herald said. “We had a few phone conversations through all of this. He told me to be patient, that it’s hard to get a spot on one of these teams.

“Eventually, he got signed and so did I.”

Now the trick is staying there.

The Wild Things, who are 24-32 and in last place in the East Division, have 37 games remaining in the regular season. Bozzuto said Herald will start some games in center field.

He may play left field, third base and DH as well.

“This is not a trial for him,” the manager said. “Cody is here now and he’ll be invited to spring training with us next year. Where he takes this is up to him.

“He’s a versatile player and he’s hungry. The guy is a bull and he plays the game hard. That’s what I look for in a player.”

Frontier League teams have 24-man rosters. They are generally made up of 12 pitchers, 12 position players.

“Nine guys play every day because we use the DH and you have to keep a back-up catcher out because of potential injury to the starting guy,” Bozzuto pointed out. “That doesn’t leave much of a bench.

“Versatility really counts in this league.”

That suits Herald just fine.

“I guess they’re figuring out how they’re going to use me,” Herald said. “I’ve been playing the outfield, but I’ll move into the infield, I’ll play catcher, none of that matters to me.

“I just want to play.”

No matter what happens from here, Herald delivered a hit in his first at-bat as a professional.

“Bob told me I’d be the third guy to bat in the ninth inning,” he said. “Usually, if I like the first pitch, I’m jumping on it. But this was the first time I’ve played since college. I wanted to make sure my timing was there.

“The count went to 3-1 and then their guy elevated a fastball. That hit felt pretty good. I’m just happy to be back playing the game that I love.

“I want to keep playing as long as I can,” he added.