From today's Bulletin:

"The Eastern Connecticut Conference baseball tournament will have one home this spring: Dodd Stadium.

According to ECC baseball chairman, Peter Vincent, the league’s principals approved a plan that will allow the quarterfinals to be played on the same day, May 25. To accomplish that, the first game is set to begin at 11 a.m., followed by games at 1:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The semifinals will follow at 4 and 7 p.m. on May 26 with the championship game set for 7 p.m. on May 27.

“The way the bylaws read is that the schools least impacted by the early dismissal will play the first game in the morning,” Vincent said.

That means if St. Bernard makes the tournament, it will play in the first game since it will have dismissed for the year by that time.

“We will check with the schools involved and whomever is OK with the early dismissal will play in the first game,” Vincent said.

The Ledyard athletic director said the coaches brought up the proposal to hold the entire tournament at Dodd Stadium, and its current inhabitants, the Connecticut Tigers, were happy to oblige.

“It’s great for the league and the kids and everybody. All eight teams get the opportunity to play at a great facility,” Vincent said.

Will it help the tournament’s image?

Baseball league tournaments, unlike soccer, volleyball, basketball and tournaments, don’t hold much importance for players and coaches. That’s because of pitching. League coaches are hesitant to use their top aces because the state tournament begins the following Monday and pitchers need rest.

One way the conference is trying to remedy that is by not scheduling league-generated games the week of the tournament. Rainouts, of course, could alter that.

“There may be more available arms now,” Vincent said of the scheduling decision. “Realistically, though, if a team is chasing a (state) championship, things probably won’t change much, but it might for a team just chasing a title.”"

Nice to see, again, the Tigers being supportive to area. This goodwill needs to be returned.