BELOIT, WI (WTVO/WQRF)–Professional baseball returns to the Stateline Friday evening. The Beloit Sky Carp will play their season opener at ABC Supply Stadium.
The Sky Carp will host the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at 6:35 p.m. The Sky Carp held a practice at the ballpark Thursday afternoon limbering up. This will be their second full season in their new satdium.
Last year the franchise set all sorts of attendance arks. Team President Zach Brockman says fan enthusiasm hasn’t cooled off at all.
“I would say from a momentum standpoint, we couldn’t be more excited. You know, fans have responded well, the team is great. We had a team dinner with our season ticket holders last night. Fun stuff.”
The Sky Carp have a new manager this season. Billy Gardner Jr. takes over. His father was a long-time Major League Baseball player. He also managed the Minnesota Twins.
Gardner Jr. has managed teams in minor league baseball for 24 years for several organizations. Last season he managed Idaho Falls in the Independent Pioneer League. He says the transition to the Marlins’ organization with the Sky Carp has gone well.
“You know I’m new. I’m the fresh face, you know, kind of a clean slate with the players getting to know everybody. We’ve got a really good staff. The players have been outstanding. I think the scouting department has done a number one, a very good job of acquiring talent, but also getting really good kids.”
Baseball is only one reason to attend a Sky Carp game. Another is the food. The Sky Carp have added some tasty new items to their menu: shrimp tacos, cheesesteak nachos, pork quesadillas, jumbo hot dogs, a burndt ends sandwich and smoked jalapeno and cheddar brats.
