SCHERZER, LEGOS, AND FATHER’S DAY: BISONS PREPARE FOR BUSY WEEKEND
A promotion-filled weekend at Sahlen Field begins with a three-time Cy Young Award winner suiting up for the Buffalo Bisons tonight.
As was mentioned on Wednesday’s episode of The Scoreboard, Max Scherzer is set to make his return to live pitching by joining the Buffalo Bisons on a rehab stint. As Bisons play-by-play Voice Pat Malacaro says, the younger pitchers on the staff will gain valuable knowledge from the two-time World Series Champion, similar to how former NL Most Valuable Player Joey Votto aided a young Bisons group last season.
“[Votto] was able to, in the pregame meeting that they would have, talk about different scenarios that he faced, and different ways he dealt with them,” said Malacaro. “That’s something a lot of young pitchers will like to do in a small window with Max Scherzer.”
Tonight’s game will be the first time that the 40-year-old Scherzer pitches in a live game since March 29, and is expected to be on a pitch limit. Fans who are headed to Sahlen Field to see the future Hall of Famer should recognize that the goal tonight is not for Scherzer to throw a perfect game, but rather test how throwing to live batters feels, while working through his right thumb inflammation injury.
“If he gives up a couple of runs, so be it,” said Malacaro. “It’s more about making sure everything feels good on the mound, that the pitches come out of the hand crisply, and that once the start is over, there’s no inflammation in the thumb.”
With the nature of Scherzer’s injury, it is unknown whether this will be his only start for the Bisons on this rehab stint, or if tonight will be fans’ only chance to see him play in Buffalo this season. Malacaro said that the only people who know if this will be a one-and-done situation are Scherzer and the medical staff.
In a similar scenario, Scherzer, who has been injury-riddled the past few seasons, pitched against the Bisons while on rehab assignment in September 2022, with the Syracuse Mets. In that ten-inning game. The Bisons won, 2-1, despite Scherzer striking out seven batters in his 3 ⅔ innings pitched.
Along with seeing a future Hall of Famer, tonight’s Bisons game is loaded with promotions, including the Resurgence Brewing Happy Hour, starting at 4:30 p.m. As ‘Friendship Bracelet Night,’ fans can bring, make, and trade friendship bracelets pregame with fellow music fans, in an homage to the tradition within Taylor Swift’s fanbase. Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford will be in attendance, taking to the mound before Scherzer, to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Finally, the night will conclude with a postgame firework display, all at Sahlen Field.
Saturday evening, the team is hosting a LEGO NINJAGO building event for fans, free of charge, beginning at 5:30 p.m. For Father’s Day on Sunday, the ballpark will open at 11:30 a.m., when the first 2,000 fans will receive a baseball, and are encouraged to stay after the game to play catch in the outfield.
Once again, this season, for fans North of the Border, the Buffalo Bisons run an “At Par” promotion for Canadian fans looking to come down for a ballgame. For any game this season, including tonight’s, Canadian fans can get their tickets “at par” with the American dollar, with a 30% off discount on the Bisons website here.
Gates open for the pregame Happy Hour at 4:30 p.m. this evening, with first pitch between the Bisons and the Clippers set for 6:35 p.m.
BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND
Four softball teams and two baseball teams from local High Schools have made their way downstate for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Catholic High School State Semifinals, each seeking two wins this weekend to return as State Champions.
Softball *All games to be played at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park - Binghamton, NY*
Class AAA: Lancaster takes on defending State Champs Corning-Painted Post (Section IV) in the semifinals Friday June 13 at 2:30 p.m. The winner advances to the state title game to face the victor of Shenendehowa (Section 2) and Massapequa (Section VIII) on Saturday June 14 at 12:30 p.m.
Lancaster seeks their first State Championship in program history. The Legends have never appeared in the State Championship game since the tournament began in 1985.
Class AA: Orchard Park battles with the 2024 State Champs Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (Section 2) today at 4:00 p.m. In the other AA Semifinal, Horseheads (Section VI) takes on Clarkstown South (Section I). The winners play for the State Title on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
OP is in the hunt for their second State Championship in program history, after winning Class AA in 2015. The Quakers have finished as the State Runner-Up twice (1994, 2016).
Class A: Williamsville South duels with Ichabod Crane (Section 2) this morning at 11:30 a.m. for the right to play in the State Championship against the winner of Section VI’s Maine-Endwell and Section XI’s Miller Place. The Class A Final will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Will South has won four State Championships (2000, ‘04, ‘06, ‘14) since the Billies fell in the Class B Title Game in 1997. The last Williamsville Central School District softball program to win a State Championship was Williamsville East in 2019.
Class D: Forestville is tasked with Hamitlon (Section III) in the Semifinal today at 1:00 p.m. Tomorrow, the victor will face the winner of Crown Point (Section VII) and Argyle (Section 2) at 11:00 a.m.
Forestville has never appeared in the State Championship.
Baseball
Class C: Gowanda takes on Deposit-Hancock (Section IV), Class D State Champs in 2022 and 2018, in the semifinal tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Union Endicott High School. The winner will play in the State Title Game tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. at SUNY Binghamton, against the winner of Saratoga Central (Section 2) and Burke Catholic (Section IX).
The Panthers of Gowanda have never appeared in the State Championship since the baseball State Tournament began in 1981. The last baseball team from Section VI to bring a State Championship back to Western New York was the 2023 Depew Wildcats, who won the Class B crown. The last time a Class C State Championship was won by a WNY team was 2009, when Frewsburg won.
Catholic High School State Championship: The Canisius Crusaders, who won the Georgetown Cup as Champions of the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association, head to New York City for their State Tournament. St. John's University is the site of the Catholic State Championship Semifinals, where the Crusaders face the Kellenberg Firebirds. First pitch this afternoon is at 4:00 p.m. The winner advances to the State Championship tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. against the winner of Iona Prep and Archbishop Molloy.
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