Despite having only five teams, the Butler County Area Baseball League doesn’t consider itself to be hanging on.

It’s merely biding time.

Butler Township, East Butler, Freeport, Pine Richland and Seneca Valley comprise the circuit this season as the league is carrying the fewest amount of teams it ever has.

“We believe there’s still a place for community baseball,” Butler Township manager Tyler Friel said. “I know the guys on our team, they all enjoy playing summer baseball with their buddies.

“I take the optimistic side and believe the league will get bigger again next year. Matt Baic (BCABL vice president and Anthony (Storti, league president) are doing a great job getting the word out on this league and what we’re all about.”

Baic is the manager of Seneca Valley, which came from behind to defeat Butler Township, 11-10, in last year’s BCABL championship game. Jay Wagner is managing East Butler, Joe Hotalski is managing Freeport and Jim Lucchino is skipper of Pine Richland.

Baic said Slippery Rock “needs a gap year” and plans to return to BCABL play in 2024. Saxonburg and Center Township are considering putting teams together next summer and Baic has been talking to Burrell’s baseball coach about putting a team in the league.

“There were nine teams in the league five years ago ... We’re down to almost half of that now,” Baic said. “Once we extended the age limit to 20 (last year), it changed the dynamic of the league.

“The average age is older now. We’re almost like a young college league now, very competitive.”

Hotalski mentioned the league primarily consists of players ages 18-20 now.

“All of the teams in the league now are planning on coming back next year and I think we’ll get some more,” he said. “There’s a lot of players this year at the age where they’re playing travel ball. A lot of those guys will probably be coming into this league next year.”

Friel said that most of his roster consists of “Butler guys who are either seniors or in college now who enjoy playing ball together during the summer.”

The restructured Tri-State Collegiate League and Rust Belt League now features three Butler-based teams in the BlueSox, Iron Bucks and East Butler Bulldogs. The Iron & Oil League is a small circuit consisting of high school players that plays at Pullman Park.

“We’re as flexible as possible with our players,” Friel said of the BCABL. “I can’t speak for the other leagues around, but we allow our players to play for other teams as well.

“The important thing is to keep guys playing baseball.”

Baic agreed.

“We recognize the need to share players to keep our roster sizes healthy,” he said.“Probably half of our players are college kids.”

Wagner stated that he has “a cause for concern over how small the league’s gotten. We do seem to be competing for players.

“At the same time, I’m certain all five current teams will be back and we’ll add at least one or two more. This is just one of those years,” Wagner added.

The BCABL had an 18-game regular season in recent years. The schedule this year features a 12-game season — three against each team — followed by a double-elimination tournament that begins July 12.