On a glorious Sunday afternoon, two days removed from the season-long 100th anniversary celebration of baseball at Historic Bowman Field, it was a beehive of activity. Crosscutters players were getting to know one another between photo sessions and media interviews. Public Relations Director Gabe Sinicropi proudly showed off the diamond’s pristine condition, fans gathered for a Meet the Cutters opportunity, and Director of Concession Alex Swartz was penciling in the starting lineup of food and beverages available for fan consumption.
Two days later, the defending Draft League champion West Virginia Black Bears came calling, and baseball was back!
Before it all began, the senior member on the Cutters roster, Will Bartkoski, a 25-year-old 6’5 righthanded pitcher from Georgia State University, smiled as he surveyed his new summer home.
“It is really nice here. I’ve seen a little bit of the city and the river. The weather is a little bit nicer here for sure. It is not as humid and hot.”
The big fellow appeared in 23 games for Georgia State, compiling a 5-2 record with an ERA of 3.92. He led the Panthers in saves with four and held opponents to a team low .185 batting average.
“I think the Draft League is a good stepping-stone for my baseball future and hopefully pro ball. It is a good chance to get some scouts’ eyes on me and show them what I can do.
“We had a real good season at Georgia State. It started out rocky, but we turned it around and played good baseball leading up to the conference tournament. Unfortunately, South Alabama knocked us out. But personally, it was a really good season. I had the chance to pitch as a reliever, a closer, and then a starter at the end of the season.
“I’ve been told my role with the Crosscutters will be as a back-end reliever and closer. I’m glad to be here and am really looking forward to the season.”
The twinkle in Sinicropi’s eyes and smile on his face was evident as he spoke of the facility’s new lighting system and outfield fence.
“It will indeed be a lot brighter at Bowman Field this year, about two times brighter. The field is lit up great. With LEDs, there isn’t as much light pollution, so the light spreads out less. In fact, in the stands, some of the areas will be a little darker. The lights are a big upgrade for both the players and the fans watching the game.
“MLB had nothing to do with the new lights. We found that out late in the game in April. The city had an inspection done immediately, and it was deemed the lights needed to come down for safety reasons. This was a project that was not planned or mandated by MLB. It was done under duress in many ways. But these new lights are MLB standards for brightness.
“We also installed a padded outfield wall since last year, which we’ve never had here. It has always been an old, rickety wooden plank wall. The fence is in the exact same position as it had been, so the dimensions are the same as they have been.”
In the concourse, Swartz took time to unveil his concession offerings as he began his third season with the team. A Lewisburg native, he has been involved with food and beverage operations at various ballparks across the country since 2015.
“Prior to coming to Williamsport, I had been working in Durham, North Carolina. I had done an internship with the Cutters in 2013, and Gabe and I had kept in touch with one another. Gabe offered me a chance to come to Williamsport and work for the Crosscutters, and it is nice to be home.
“We offer a wide variety of food selections at the ballpark, but one of the biggest changes from last season is the addition of Chick-fil-A. They will operate a booth on the main concourse, and we are very excited to have them. We also have Gunzey’s, Lang Chocolates, a partnership with Bullfrog Brewery, along with a host of the traditional ballpark favorites.
“We’ve also scheduled food promotions throughout the season. Tuesdays are $2.50 Tuesdays, featuring hot dogs, bottles of water, candy, peanuts, etc. Wednesdays are Wing Wednesdays. Fans can get either a half-dozen or a dozen wings, which is the only day we have that offer. Thirsty Thursdays offer special prices on the 16-ounce beers we have throughout the ballpark.
“We have a staff of just under fifty employees that includes all the various support people needed to all phases of the concession operation. This includes the Diamond Wait staff who caters to the field-reserved seating areas. We do the best we can with our vendors to get people what they need.”
Asked about the star of his concession lineup, a veteran item topped the list.
“Even with the food variety we have available, you can never go wrong with a hot dog at a baseball game. They are the traditional ballpark food, and they remain our bestseller. Concessions are all about the choice of the fan, and we just really try to give them the best experience we can in the food and beverage world when they come to the ball game.”
Baseball at Bowman Field, 100 years old and going strong!
