The Butler Blue Sox and Butler Iron Bucks are back in action this summer — and they’ll have company.

The former Tri-State Collegiate League has been reduced to four teams, consisting of the Iron Bucks, Creekside Crocodiles (Youngstown), Cummings Motors (Altoona) and DuBois Bucks. That circuit will play opposite of the new Rust Belt League, which will house the BlueSox, 3B Barons, Meadville Mustangs and East Butler Bulldogs.

While the BlueSox and Iron Bucks will continue to play their home games at Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park, the Bulldogs will play their home games at Speed-O Field in East Butler.

Dan Helgert and Shawn Manning return as managers of the BlueSox and Iron Bucks, respectively. Craig Folk will run the East Butler team, which is controlled by Pullman’s Stadium Authority.

“This has become a community-wide league,” Pullman Park director Dean Selfridge said. “We’re looking for young fans, old fans, everybody to come out and enjoy baseball.

“Most of the players will be from around here. Having three local teams to support will be fun.”

The 26-game regular season begins June 2. All eight teams will compete in a postseason tournament, with the first-place team in each league playing the fourth-place team of the same league in single-elimination. The winners meet in another single-elimination game to determine the respective league champions.

The Tri-State Collegiate League champ then plays the Rust Belt League champ in a best-of-3 series to determine the overall champion.

“What I’m looking forward to are the rivalries,” Helgert said. “When the BlueSox and Iron Bucks played each other last year, Pullman Park was packed. Now we’re adding a third local team, bring Speed-O field into the mix ... It should be something else.”

Manning pointed out that nearly 70 players will comprise the rosters of the three Butler-based teams.

“That’s what this is all about,” Manning said. “This gives kids in the area a chance to play competitive summer baseball at home. All of the other teams are relatively close by, so travel won’t be bad.

“I like the way this is set up.”

The league mainly consists of Division II and III college players. Players who are graduating from high school this spring are eligible to play in the league, leading into their college careers.

Helgert said the BlueSox had a number of younger players last season.

“We had a bunch of guys entering their freshman year in college or just completing it,” he said. “We still finished second in the playoffs. Most of our guys are back now and with collegiate playing experience. I’m expecting to have a very good team.”

Manning described the new league as “a different animal. This is a unique set-up with a lot of hungry ballplayers.”

Rosters figure to fluctuate from time to time to accommodate pitching. All three Butler teams will have rosters of roughly 20 to 25 players.