Pony League World Series set to begin Friday

The 2022 Pony League World Series begins Friday with two games and two fun contests for the players.

Home run hitting and fastest runner contests will be held 11 a.m. Two games and opening ceremonies will be held in the evening beginning at 5:30 p.m.

A full field of 10 teams, including three international teams, have come to Washington County.

The international teams returning are London; Monterrey, Mexico; and New Taipei City, Taiwan. Also entered are Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; Hagerstown, Md.; San Jose, Calif.; Bay County, Mich.; Palmview, Texas; Johnstown and Washington.

This is the 70th World Series and the 38th consecutive year that it’s been held at Lew Hays Field. The tournament began in 1952 but was held at 11 other sites around the country before returning to Washington.

This year, AT&T SportsNet plans to air six games live and three on tape delay. The championship game on Aug. 17 will be aired live on the CW.

All the games, with a partnership with Major League Baseball, will be live streamed.

World Series chairman Nathan Voytek hopes event more games in the future will be broadcast live. The problem is AT&T is contracted to air Pirates games.

The World Series is sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Washington County Tourism.

The 5:30 p.m. game features Hagerstown and Bay County. The 8 p.m. game has Chinese Taipei and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

On Saturday, San Jose battles Monterrey at 1 p.m., Washington County plays London at 3:30 p.m. and the final game at 6 p.m. has Johnstown meeting the winner of Hagerstown and Bay County.

Palmview plays its first game at noon Sunday against the winner of San Jose and Monterrey.