Getting through summer doldrums
bhughes@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5533
Rejoice! Summer is finally here. That's good news for going to the beach or hitting the links but bad news if you are a sports junkie who got hooked on the bevy of high school sports action the spring had to offer.
So what's a person do to? Glad you asked. There are plenty summer sports activities to keep you busy in the area.
•Beaufort Ospreys -- There is a buzz around the Ospreys this season with former major league pitcher and Ospreys alum Scott Mullen taking over as the senior team's head coach.
The Ospreys were 6-10 last year and missed the legion playoffs but started the season with a 5-4 win Tuesday over Goose Creek. Home runs by Ryan Smith and Zach Painter and adominant pitching performance from Chase Goude proved to be a winning combination.
Mullen is hoping that Tuesday's win will help draw big crowds to Beaufort High School's baseball stadium when the Ospreys have their home opener Tuesday against West Ashley.
•Sand Gnats and RiverDogs -- You want to see some professional baseball but don't want to make the four-plus hour road trip to Atlanta to see the Braves? Then take advantage of being close to two quality minor league teams.
The Savannah Sand Gnats, a New York Mets Class A affiliate, and the Charleston RiverDogs, a New York Yankees Class A affiliate, are both in easy driving range from Beaufort.
Box seats for the Sand Gnats cost $10 with reserved seats going for $8 and general admission seats for $7. The club also offers discounts for senior citizens and military personnel. Individual game tickets can be purchased online at www.sandgnats.com or by calling 912-351-9150.
The RiverDogs also charge $10 for box seats but have lower reserve seats for $7, upper reserve seats for $6 and general admission tickets for $5. Tickets are available online at www.riverdogs.com or by phone at 843-577-3647.
If you want to see both teams in action, the Sand Gnats and RiverDogs will play three weekend series against each other in June.
•Beaufort Broncos -- If you're counting down the days until high school or college football start, you can get a football fix when the semipro Beaufort Broncos begin their season in July.
After an up-and-down inaugural season in 2006, the Broncos showed a lot of improvement in their second season, winning the Carolina Division of the North American Football League 2's South Atlantic Region.
The Broncos start their season at the Port City Chargers of Wilmington, N.C., on July 12. Beaufort's first home game is July 19 against the Carolina Commanders of Charleston.
•Enjoy the outdoors -- The weather has been too nice not to enjoy the natural splendor of the Lowcountry. From kayaking to fishing, there are plenty of activities to keep the most frenetic outdoorsman busy.
Two professional kingfish tours will make stops in Beaufort with an FLW Kingfish Series event scheduled for July 26 and the SKA Beaufort Marine Institute's Kings for Kids tournament slated for Aug. 8 and 9.
For sailing enthusiasts, the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club will host the Lowcountry Regatta on June 22.
Those three events are just a small sampling of the outdoor fun you can have in Beaufort.
Have no fear, sports junkie, there are plenty of things to do in Beaufort and the surrounding area during the summer. And remember, it's only 86 days until high school football begins.