Telegraph photo by TOM KING Merrimack NHCBL player Cody Pfeifer takes third ahead of the throw to Merrimack NEIBL team infielder Ryan Somers during a recent scrimmage. The Nashua and Merrimack NHCBL teams are set to open this week, and in fact meet on Wednesday.

NASHUA – Are you ready for some baseball?

There are several teams around the state that are – 11, as a matter of fact that make up the New Hampshire COVID Baseball League (NHCBL).

The league, made up of primarily former Senior Legion teams – the state and national Legion season was cancelled – along with a couple of AAU-type teams. It begins its 20-game schedule today.

The two primary local teams, the Nashua Defenders and Merrimack, square off in their season opener against each other but not until Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Bishop Guertin High School’s Elliott Field, Nashua’s home site.

Harvey Woods Field on the campus of the long-since closed Daniel Webster College will be the site of the opener today for one of two AAU-type teams, the New Hampshire Prospects Red, as they take on the Seacoast Pirates Navy at 5:30 p.m.

The Prospects have a Red and White team, and along with Merrimack they will use Woods Field, but the Prospect teams also will play some home games at Derryfield School in Manchester.

Nashua, with several on the roster from last year’s state champion Senior Legion team, looks to be strong. Two key pitchers are Hollis Brookline grad Henri Boudreau and Nashua’s Zach Finkelstein (McGill University) while one of last year’s heroes, Varun Lingadal, is back to offer relief. Catcher Will Brooks of Nashua and the University of Toronto, who like Finkelstein wouldn’t have been eligible for Legion (two college seasons), will be a key behind the plate.

On the offensive side, former Souhegan standout Daniel Trzepacz will likely be a key. The team is coached by Legion manger and NHCBL founder Tim Lunn.

Merrimack had a young Senior Legion team last year and looks to be that way again. Merrimack lost an experienced pitcher, Ayden Curren, to injury in a scrimmage this past Friday, so the search is on for a third starter to go with Nick Wilson (Souhegan) and Keegan Burke.

“Will just have to find one,” Merrimack coach Mike Henzley said, adding Burke’s brother Colin will come out of the pen.

The pitchers will often be throwing to catcher Ben Flanders, while the infield appears strong with Ryan Juliano, Keegan Burke among others. The power bat of Mike Lyna, plus some help from Flanders and Corey Pfeifer could key the offense.

“We were young last year, and we’ll be young again, Henzley said. “But that’s OK.”

Besides Nashua, Merrimack, and the two NH Prospects teams, the others are the Seacoast Pirates Navy, Seacoast Pirates Silver, Upper Valley, Laconia, Exeter, Dover and Concord.

Here are the schedules for the Nashua Defenders and Merrimack:

NASHUA

JUNE – Wednesday, June 24, vs. Merrimack, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, June 26 at Seacoast Pirates Silver, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 27 vs. NHP Red, 10 a.m.; Sunday, June 28 vs. Concord, 11 a.m.; Monday, June 29 vs. Dover, 5:30 p.m.

JULY – Wednesday, July 1 at NHP Red, 5:30 p.m.; Monday, July 6 at Laconia, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, July 8 vs. Exter, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 8 at Merrimack, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, July 10 at NHP White, 5:30 p.m.; Monday, July 13 at Exeter, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 15 at Seacoast Navy, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, July 17 vs. Laconia, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday July 18 at Upper Valley, 1:30 p.m.

Monday, July 20 at Dover, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 22 at Concord, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday July 25 vs. Upper Valley, 5:30 p.m.; Monday July 27 vs. Seacoast Silver, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 29 vs. NHP White, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, July 31, vs. Seacoast Navy, 5:30 p.m.

MERRIMACK

JUNE – Wednesday, June 24 at Nashua, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, June 26 vs. NHP Red, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27 vs. Dover, 10 a.m.; Monday June 29 vs. Concord, 5:30 p.m.

JULY – Wednesday, July 1 vs. Exeter, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 4 at NHP White, 10 a.m.; Monday, July 6 vs. Seacoast Silver, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 8 vs. Nashua, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, July 10 at Upper Valley, 5:30 p.m.; Monday, July 13 at Seacoast Navy, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 15 at Dover, 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, July 16 vs. Seacoast Navy, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday July 18 at Laconia, 10 a.m.

Monday, July 20 at NHP Red, 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday July 22 vs. Upper Valley, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, July 24 at Seacoast Silver, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday July 25 at Concord, 10 a.m.; Monday, July 27 vs. Laconia, 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, July 30 at Exeter, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, July 31 vs. NHP White, 5:30 p.m.

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