Lakeshore Baseball Club goes to bat for Marsh Field

By Dave Alexander | Muskegon Chronicle

January 30, 2010

MUSKEGON — In a move they are hailing as a home run, Muskegon city commissioners have reached an agreement with the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC to operate, maintain and improve Marsh Field.

Commissioners last week unanimously approved a three-year contract with an organization led by two local, longtime amateur baseball promoters. Money will not change hands between the club and city but both expect to benefit.The city will get a group passionate about promoting baseball and willing to restore some of the glory to historic Marsh Field at Laketon Avenue and Peck Street. The Lakeshore Baseball Club will get a baseball field and revenues generated from the facility from tickets, concessions and advertising.

Read more: Lakeshore Baseball Club goes to bat for Marsh Field

ChannelCats Announce 18U Team Roster

Competition and interest was very strong as area high school baseball players tried out for the 2010 Muskegon ChannelCats 18U team at Extra Innings.

Our goal for this season was to improve our travel team in all areas according to Len Piasecki Muskegon ChannelCats President & General Manager. I think we will be better this year based on the talent level of the players that we looked at this past month during our tryout camps stated Len Piasecki.

I just want to thank all the young players that came out to Extra Innings for our tryout camps. They really made it hard on us to come up with an active player roster for this years top ChannelCats team stated Cats Head Coach Brandon Bard. Pete Gawkowski Jr. and I look forward to working with this group of talented young players. We have already started our cold weather training program this month. Our hope is to improve over last years season record and I confident we can do that if we all work hard to improve our playing skills here at Extra Innings during the cold weather months states Bard.

Returning for the 2010 season are last years key players Jared Conkle GRCC and Jamie Potts Oakridge. They will be joined by Drew Brackett Spring Lake, Buddy Burns Oakridge, Trenton Felt Shelby, Drew Johnson Reeths Puffer, Cody Jonas Orchard View, Brandon Melchert Mason County Central, Hayden Moses Muskegon Comm. College, Gary Orgreen Reeths Puffer, Ian Picard Orchard View, Kyle Plummer Shelby, Andrew Ulfsax Mona Shores, Heath Wagenmaker Grand Haven, Ryan Wagenmaker Reeths Puffer and Kyle Wasserberger Spring Lake

Marsh Field and Lakeshore Baseball Club

City of Muskegon wants private group to maintain Marsh Field

By Dave Alexander | Muskegon Chronicle

November 20, 2009

The old field where Jesse Owens once dusted his toes and Satchel Paige trotted the bases is about to get a facelift.

Marsh Field, on the corner of Peck and Laketon, has hosted professional baseball stars, an Olympic track champion and high school games for nearly 100 years. But, it’s starting to show its age.

And officials from the cash-strapped city of Muskegon, which owns and cares for the field, think it might be time to forge a relationship for upkeep of the field with a private entity.

Enter the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC. The new organization, led by Pete Gawkowski and Len Piasecki, hopes to make improvements to the facility so that it can host local and out-of-town youth baseball activities from tournaments to summer camps.

“Marsh Field has been in a state of decline over the past 10 years,” said Gawkowski, a West Michigan Subway sandwich shop franchise owner and developer of Extra Innings — a Norton Shores indoor baseball training facility.

Marsh Field also has a walking path as part of the recreational facilities at the city park. A formal three-year agreement having the Lakeshore Baseball Club take over the operation and maintenance of Marsh Field is being put in final form by attorneys. The field would remain the home and practice field for the Muskegon High School Big Reds baseball team.

Read more: Marsh Field and Lakeshore Baseball Club

Muskegon ChannelCats Training Clinic & Team Tryouts

Greg Guzman Cats Head Training Instructor

Better baseball players are made in the off season. Come to our training clinic

on Saturday morning to learn from one of the best baseball coaches in West

Michigan. 2009 ChannelCat roster players the clinic is free. For new player prospects

there is a $10 participation fee. The clinic is for High School baseball players

age 15 to 18 years old.

2010 teams are forming for all ChannelCat teams.

We are looking for the best talented baseball players along the Lakeshore

Monday 7:00 - 9:00 PM December 28, 2009
Extra Innings Baseball & Softball Center
6850 Norton Pines Dr
Spring Lake, MI 49456

Call Len Piasecki 231.750.0331 or Greg Guzman 231.343.1231