College summer league coming to Groton next year...

From today's New London Day:

"Renovated high school field to host 21 games

Groton - The New England Collegiate Baseball League is bringing a team to the area, and an anonymous donor is contributing about $500,000 to turn Fitch High School's baseball diamond into a small stadium.

"There's certainly no downside we can see," said Superintendent of Schools Paul Kadri.

The team is currently based in Bristol and will be made up of college freshmen, sophomores and juniors who hope to draw the attention of scouts for Major League Baseball teams.

Games will start next summer, providing local residents the opportunity to see action similar to games played in the well-known Cape Cod Baseball League. There will be 21 home games played at Fitch.

Kadri said plans are under way to improve and expand the current baseball field, adding lights, stands, a press box, fences and improved dugouts. Basic components of the field need to be in place by mid-May, Kadri said.

The New England Collegiate Baseball League plays an eight-week season that starts in June - when the Fitch baseball season will have ended - and runs through playoffs in August. The league was founded in 1993 and has teams from all six New England states.

Kadri said that in addition to being a new source of summer entertainment, the league will provide opportunities for youth baseball clinics and appearances by the team's still-undetermined mascot.

Elementary school students are being asked to come up with ideas for the team's name and mascot, Kadri said.

"They're going to be the Mystic somethings," Kadri said. "Matter of fact, we have a competition going on among the elementary schools - both here and in Stonington - to come up with team names, a mascot name, and maybe a drawing of the mascot."

The plan has been approved by the both the Groton Town Council and Board of Education. Architects are currently working on a plan for site improvements, Kadri said."