LOUISVILLE, KY - The Louisville Bats have an exciting upcoming season that kicks off with an Open House on Saturday, March 23rd along with their first ever HBCU Classic happening that same day.
The Open House is free and begins at 11:30am. This will provide fans with a guided tour of the stadium, a chance to purchase team-used memorabilia and more.
"We're super excited to open up the doors and get everyone back out in the community to Louisville Slugger Field," says Vincent Zielen. Zielen is the Director of Marketing for the team.
After the Open House ends, the HBCU Classic will commence. This inaugural event will feature baseball teams from two competing historically black universities. The game will feature the Kentucky State University Thorobreds as they host the Morehouse College Maroon Tigers.
Simmons College of Kentucky, the only historically black college in Louisville, will also be featured in the classic alongside Kentucky State. These two universities represent themselves as the only HBCUs in the state of Kentucky.
Henry Snorton, President of Mission Vision Partner LLC and Alumnus of Kentucky State University, is elated for these universities to receive recognition on a high platform in the city. The Bats are expecting thousands of attendees this weekend consisting of Louisville Bats fans and alumni of the participating historically black colleges.
Snorton also refers to the game as a "fundraiser" for Kentucky State University after the university's baseball field was damaged during a severe windstorm in Frankfort. Some of the proceeds from the game will be used to support all of the HBCUs involved in the classic.
The first pitch will take place on Saturday at 1pm at Slugger Field.
The following week, fans can expect a Home Opener at Louisville Slugger Field on Friday, March 29th. To learn more about the upcoming games and events, visit batsbaseball.com.