First-ever “Baseball Day Arizona” is Saturday
This Saturday is the inaugural “Baseball Day Arizona,” an all-day celebration of baseball and softball – two sports that have deep roots and play a meaningful role in the Grand Canyon State 365 days a year.
Whether it’s at the professional, collegiate or youth level, both sports bring the entire state together on any given day, from south of Tucson to the Four Corners and all points in between. Now, on Saturday, April 13, FOX Sports Arizona and the Arizona Diamondbacks will partner on a first-of-its-kind celebration of Arizona’s pastime.
#BaseballDayAZ ?????? pic.twitter.com/5F4bYWaWzC
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) February 9, 2019
FOX Sports Arizona will have 24 hours of programming for the event starting at 12 a.m., highlighted by three-game telecasts featuring high school baseball, NCAA softball and Major League Baseball and live shows from the Chase Field Plaza on the Game 7 Grill stage.
9:30 am – Baseball Day Arizona pregame show (Todd Walsh & Brandon Webb)
10 am – Corona del Sol vs Desert Vista high school baseball at Chase Field
12 pm – Baseball Day Arizona (Walsh & Webb)
1 pm – University of Arizona at Grand Canyon University softball
3 pm- Baseball Day Arizona (Walsh, Mark Grace, Webb, Jody Jackson)
4:30 pm – D-backs Live (Jackson, Grace, Kate Longworth)
5 pm – San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks
After the game – Baseball Day Arizona recap (Jackson & Grace)
Beginning at 10 a.m. at Chase Field, a pair of traditional Arizona high school baseball powers start the tripleheader when the Corona del Sol Aztecs face the Desert Vista Thunder. D-backs television play-by-play announcer Steve Berthiaume will do the play-by-play and D-backs legend Luis Gonzalez is the analyst.
After that game, FOX Sports Arizona takes viewers to Grand Canyon University where the Lopes softball team hosts the 8th-ranked University of Arizona at 1 p.m. Handling the play-by-play announcing duties will be Barry Buetel and two-time UA softball All-American Kenzie Fowler is the analyst. Kate Longworth is the reporter.
Finally, at 5 p.m. the action shifts back to Chase Field when the D-backs play the Padres. Steve Berthiaume handles play-by-play for a second game this day, working alongside Bob Brenly with Kate Longworth handling game reporting duties.
Brandon Webb on the state of Arizona: “We have a baseball mecca.”#BaseballDayAZ is one week from Saturday! https://t.co/I91xPAIntQ
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 4, 2019
In addition to the three games, FOX Sports Arizona will offer studio programming from its set on the Chase Field Plaza outside Game 7 Grill. Hosted throughout the day and night by Todd Walsh, Jody Jackson, Kate Longworth, Mark Grace and Brandon Webb, it starts there at 9:30 a.m. Numerous guests will stop by the set during the day and there will be features showcasing baseball and softball around the state of Arizona.
Here are some of the highlights planned for “Baseball Day Arizona” coverage:
- Torey Lovullo wears a microphone during the game + softball & high school coaches interviewed during the games
- Archie Bradley does the voice-over for a special “This Is Home” video featuring music of Dierks Bentley
- Little League reports from South Mountain Little League, Arcadia Little League, Cactus Yards and Daley Park in Tempe for softball
- Phantom Cam (5,000 frames per second) used in both the high school game and D-backs/Padres game
- Two generations of Arizona baseball throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the D-backs & Padres game when Brandon Webb and his son take the field
- Dan Majerle throws out the first pitch for UA/GCU game and is an in-game guest
86-year-old Billie Harris, a Softball Hall of Famer from Tucson sings the national anthem before UA/GCU softball and is a guest in the booth - Debut of FOX Sports Arizona’s new Digital Host Paxton Elrod, who will be sharing the social media angle of the day.
FOX Sports Arizona and the D-backs also invite fans to share their baseball and softball experience on social media. Whether it’s a video or photo, use the hashtag #BaseballDayAZ when posting on Instagram or Twitter and there’s a chance it will end up on FOX Sports Arizona at some point during the coverage.
All the coverage will also be streamed on the free FOX Sports Go app, making it easier for fans to keep up with what’s happening even when they are out watching their favorite team play in person that day.
FOX Sports Arizona televises the most regional sports action in the state and is the exclusive cable television home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Coyotes, Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Interscholastic Association championship events and New Mexico State University. FOX Sports Arizona is currently seen in 2.5 million households in Arizona & New Mexico and can also be seen across the country via home satellite services. For even more coverage of the local sports scene, check out FSAZ’s social network platforms on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or log onto FOXSportsArizona.com.
