Co-ed hardball hits the diamond

ARLINGTON — The city of Arlington’s recreation department has hosted the Arlington Aces hardball league for the past several years, and each summer it grows just a little bit more.

The 21-and-older club is co-ed and hosts games at Evans Field every Wednesday at 6 p.m., from July 25 to Aug. 29.

“We are just an adult baseball league, we play for fun,” said Carsten Mullin, one of the founders. The league now has four teams — Gray, Green, Blue and Red, with 12-14 players on a team. The players ages range from 21-49, and some players come from as far away as Everett or Camano Island to play in the league. Many of the players started out in Little League and some played high-school, college and even semi-professional baseball.

“This will be our third season,” said Mullin. “It’s just something I loved doing but there wasn’t an opportunity in Arlington. There was a league in Seattle but there were a lot of games and a lot of traveling. That’s when I thought of using Evans Field.”

The league began with only three teams, but then as interest grew and more people started coming to games, they added a fourth team.

“It just became more popular by word of mouth,” said Ross Mullin, Carsten Mullin’s brother who is also a player. “There are a lot of brothers who play together and even a couple father and son players.”

Each game runs about five or six innings, so they usually play two short games each night.

“The umpires are from our local little league and they are great, they have a really great attitude,” said Carsten Mullin. “Action Sports helps us out a lot too, with supplies and equipment and even our uniforms.”

The group recently switched over to using wooden bats exclusively. “It’s kind of like being in the Major League with the wooden bats,” joked Mullin, who noted that the teams get their bats from Loren Wood in Arlington, who owns the company Wild Woody Bats.

The entire summer season costs $75 per player, and players sign up through the Arlington Recreation Department. For more information on recreational sports leagues, contact Recreation Director Sarah Lopez at 360-403-3448.

 

Contact Arlington Times Reporter Lauren Salcedo at lsalcedo@arlingtontimes.com or 360-659-1300, Ext. 5054.

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