The next time Carter Swann is at an Angels game he can say, “I played on that field and I pitched on that mound.”
Swann did both Monday, starting at first base for El Modena’s baseball team before pitching two innings at Angel Stadium, where the Vanguards played Brea Olinda in a nonleague game.
For several years now Angel Stadium has opened its gates to high school baseball teams that are invited to play there while the Angels are in Arizona for spring training or when the Angels are on the road as they were Monday. Three high school games were played at the stadium Monday, starting with El Modena-Brea at 12:30 p.m.
With each game allotted a two-hour window so the field can be prepared for the following game, the El Modena-Brea game ended in an 8-8 tie.
El Modena coach Josh Kliner wanted to give as many players as possible the chance to play Monday so 20 Vanguards played in the contest.
Swann pitched three no-hit, scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Swann, a senior for the Vanguards who are 13-10-1 overall. He is a regular at Angels games, attending around 15 games a year
“When you walk out on that field,” he said, “it’s even more beautiful than when you see it from the stands.”
The El Modena-Brea game was scheduled for Angel Stadium in February but rain was forced the game to be canceled. Angel Stadium personnel notified the school last week that the game could be played Monday.
El Modena was available to play, but Brea had a game scheduled against Crean Lutheran, which offered to move the Crean Lutheran-Brea game to Saturday so that Brea could play at Angel Stadium.
Angel Stadium must pay employees when games are played there, so there is a rental fee of $9,000 that a school must pay. The Angels provide to high school teams ticket vouchers that schools can sell for $20 each to make up the cost.
The memories of playing there? Priceless.
“That mound,” Swann said, “I’ve never…
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