SACO — A little over a year ago, local baseball and softball players received an early Christmas gift when Hitters Count Training Facility opened in the OA Sports Center in Saco.

Owners Jason Lariviere and Scott Hamilton — along with general manager Marcus Crowell — opened the baseball and softball training facility last December after searching for a space for several years. The facility, which covers 7,500 square feet, offers cage rentals, private instruction and member- ship programs.

Lariviere, who also runs the Southern Maine River Rats travel baseball program, credits Crowell with making the facility a success from the beginning.

“He pretty much runs the place and he’s the reason why it runs,” Lariviere said of Crowell, who jumped at the opportunity to work with the Hitters Count team. “I didn’t have to convince him, actually. Marcus was a coach for us for years before so we knew him. I think we casually mentioned it and he was excited. He’s a unique individual where he can give lessons, he can run the facility, so it was the right choice.”

While the main attraction at Hitters Count are the batting cages, the facility also offers instruction for baseball and softball pitch- ers, catchers and they can use the space for infield work.

“It’s not a huge space to do a lot of infield work, but you can do a lot of skill work … groundballs, hit, hand work. (Marcus is) pretty creative with the space,” said Lariviere.

Hitters Count is a perfect space for base- ball and softball players to get their work
in during the harsh Maine winters, but it also provides a facility during the summer months for players to get away from the heat.

“Even in the summer time this place cre- ates a controlled environment,” Crowell said. “So even when it’s hot and humid outside and uncomfortable to go out and train, here you can come in and still get your hitting in, your throwing in, fielding in. It works out well.”

LOCAL PROGRAMS TAKE ADVANTAGE

Several high school and little league pro- grams have begun using Hitters Count to help their players and teams become more successful.

Biddeford High School baseball, Thornton Academy baseball and softball, Massabesic softball, Sanford baseball and Saco Little League baseball and softball are among the programs that are currently taking advantage of Hitters Count.

“The coaches love it, parents love it, kids love it … the next closest facility is (in Scarborough) so for anybody south of Scarborough this was kind of an early Christmas gift last December,” said Crowell.

Teams can simply rent cage space or they can take advantage of Crowell or any of Hitters Count’s talented instructors.

“A lot of those team sessions I’ll actually run and act as an instructor. So they rent X amount of cages, they come in and we come out with a plan and kind of build off of that plan,” said Crowell.

SOfTBALL LEGEND COMiNG TO HiTTERS COUNT

Probably the most well-known softball player of all-time will be coming to Saco on January 21 when Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch brings her clinic to Hitters Count.

“There’s been a lot of buzz. She’s one of the biggest names in softball and it’s inter- esting you have both players and parents that consider Jennie Finch their idol,” said Crowell.

There will be two clinics on Jan. 21 with the first running from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and the second from 12:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. Go to www.hitterscounttrainingfacility.com for more information.

Lariviere is thrilled to be able to bring Finch to Saco.

“It’s just a good way to expose the facil- ity. I mean how many times is Jennie Finch around here … she’s the biggest icon in softball,” said Lariviere.

‘ONE-STOP SHOP’

Hitters Count has become the latest excellent addition to the OA Sports Center, which also features the Michael Phelps Skill Center, Parisi Speed School and TGK Basketball.

“Here’s the thing about this place, and this is what makes it unique, most indoor facilities are in a warehouse in an industrial park,” said Lariviere. “You don’t really find too many that have this much to offer, right off the highway, you’ve got a food place, you’ve got OA Parisi Speed School which has been huge for us, you’ve got a big arena that offers basketball, volleyball, you’ve got gymnastics there.”

As a parent and coach, Crowell is thrilled to have a place like OA in the area.

“It’s unbelievable because my son takes advantage of training both at Parisi Speed School, so he’s next door, and he can come over here and do his hitting, whether

he’s working with me or just do some tee work. He can also go next door and TGK Basketball is over there and he participates in that program. It’s become a one-stop shop,” said Crowell.

— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @ JournalTsports. 

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.