Butler County Area Baseball League announced it will open its season next week, making it the first organized youth league in the county to get underway since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consisting of players ages 15 to 19 — the community league allows high school-age players to continue playing ball in the summer.

Managers of each of the 10 BCABL teams held a Zoom meeting Sunday night to iron out details for the upcoming season.

“We will observe social distancing and take the necessary safety measures,” BCABL president Larry Stelitano said. “We're just excited to get back to playing baseball.”

Dugout areas will be expanded so everyone can be at least 6 feet apart. No handshakes or high-fives will be permitted.

“Instead of shaking hands after each game, we will line the two teams up along their respective foul lines and tip our caps to each other,” Stelitano said. “Sportsmanship will still be observed.”

The league will finalize its schedule at a meeting Sunday. Its 13-game regular season schedule — reduced from its usual 18-game slate — might begin as early as Monday.

BCABL teams are Center Township, Cranberry, East Butler, Freeport, Karns City, Butler Township, Saxonburg, Pine Richland, West Sunbury and Mars.

Butler Township is the defending league champion.

“We will be learning and adjusting as we go,” Butler Township manager Tyler Friel said, adding how facilities are different. “The social distancing we're able to practice at our field at Highfield Park may not work when we play at West Sunbury, for example. We'll cooperate together and make it work.”

See story on Page 7.