From local sources

SAUGET, Ill. —  The Frontier League announced Wednesday it is officially delaying the scheduled May 14 start of the 2020 league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The league, which is the largest independent baseball league in North America, will continue to monitor the situation, and hopes to announce a start date for the season at a later date.

“The safety of our fans, players and team employees is our highest priority at this time,” league commissioner Bill Lee said. “We are committed to doing everything in our power to play baseball in 2020, and will continue to track the pandemic as well as federal, state and local social distancing requirements in all of our markets.”

The Frontier League has also announced the delay of the league’s annual tryout camp and draft, which was scheduled for April 27-28 in Avon, Ohio.

“Our board of directors is meeting weekly to monitor and discuss the situation, and we will provide updates as the pandemic progresses,” Lee said. “We ask all of our fans, players and staff members to follow the recommendations of federal, state and their local health officials in hopes of slowing the spread of this virus.”

Debuting in 1993, the Frontier League is the largest and longest-running of the modern independent leagues, and features teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The Evansville Otters are one of the 14 teams in the league.