Palaces to host high school games

Every year, a few area baseball teams schedule games for one of the many minor league facilities that dot the District 3 landscape.

In the Mid-Penn Conference, the norm is for teams to make the trek to City Island for a game at Metro Bank Park, which is being renovated for the start of the Harrisburg Senators season.

Despite the improvements to City Island, arguably the area's most fierce high school baseball rivalry has moved to another county. West Shore School District foes Red Land and Cedar Cliff will not play one of their two Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division games at Metro Bank Park this year but rather, they'll travel down I-83 South for a game at Sovereign Bank Stadium, home to the independent York Revolution of the Atlantic League, on May 7 at 6:30 p.m.

The teams will first meet April 21 at Cedar Cliff with first pitch scheduled for 4:15 p.m.

Red Land is the three-time defending Commonwealth Division champion and defeated Cedar Cliff, 5-4, at Metro Bank Park last spring. The Colts won the other game in Lewisberry, 8-2.

Below is a schedule of the area teams who will play at either Metro Bank Park or Sovereign Bank Stadium this year.

Metro Bank Park

Friday, April 23 – East Pennsboro vs. Susquenita, 6:30

Comment: A Colonial Division game between an East Penn squad hoping to build on last year and a Susquenita team that should be in the thick of the division race.

Saturday, April 24 – York Suburban vs. Northern, 6

Comment: Polar Bears are the defending Mid-Penn Colonial Division and conference tournament champion but have higher expectations than last year's 3-AAA first-round loss.

Tuesday, April 27 – Trinity vs. Boiling Springs, 7

Comment: It's the second straight year for these two on City Island. Because of rain last year, the Capital Division rivals played a Saturday doubleheader - the first game at Trinity's Wass Park in the morning; the second at Metro Bank Park in the afternoon.

Sovereign Bank Stadium

Friday, April 30 – Northern vs. Biglerville, 6

Comment: Polar Bears have another prime time game on a big stage but, unfortunately, neither opponent will offer much resistance to what should be a powerful Northern squad.

Friday, May 7 – Cedar Cliff vs. Red Land, 6:30

Comment: What else needs to be said? The only way a game between these two could be more heated and anticipated would be a 3-AAAA playoff game. Keep your fingers crossed.