Wayland Men’s Home Run Derby

Friday, July 17th at 7pm

One Fence + Twelve Sluggers + One Champion = One Great Night + Two Great Causes

After years of talking about bringing the entire league together for one big event, it's finally here.

This Friday night, Wayland Mens Softball is hosting the first-ever Home Run Derby, and we want every player, every spouse, every kid, every parent, every friend to be there.

This isn't just a softball event. It's our league's first ever summer party.

We'll have:

  • A DJ, walk-up songs, and live announcers

  • A Home Run Derby Champion trophy

  • A temporary outfield fence

  • Kids chasing down fly balls in the outfield

  • Umpires making dramatic "Gone!"  calls

  • Grills, coolers, lawn games and plenty of hanging out

  • Ice cream truck, with ice cream and popsicles for kids donated by Wayland Dads

Whether you're swinging for the title or just bringing a lawn chair and cheering people on, this is going to be a great night for the entire WMS community.

Event Details

Friday, July 17  – Cochituate Field

  • The Derby begins promptly at 8:00 PM, but come early.  We'll have music going around 7:00 PM, kids playing catch, grills firing up, and teams hanging out before the first pitch.

  • Bring your family. Bring dinner. Bring a grill and a cooler. Bring lawn chairs. Bring cornhole. Bring your dog (bonus points if it's wearing your team jersey).  We are hoping for a big crowd, so please consider carpooling or walking.

  • Let's make Cochituate feel like a summer festival.

Home Runs for Charity

The Home Run Derby is also set to be WMS’s biggest fundraising event of the year.

Every team participating has selected one hitter and one charity.  50% of the money donated will go to the EJN Foundation.  The other 50% will go to the charity selected by the winning hitter's team.

To make fundraising even more fun, the top fundraising teams earn a competitive advantage:

  • Highest fundraising team: 3 extra outs (15 total)

  • Second: 2 extra outs (14 total)

  • Third: 1 extra out (13 total)

So there are really two championships on Friday night:

  • The Home Run Derby Champion

  • The Most Charitable Team Champion

Most teams have not sent in bids beyond the minimum commitment yet, so we expect the numbers below to increase. (Reach out to your captain and increase your charity contribution today!) But here’s a chart of hitters, charities and commitments to date: (scroll down for the roster)

  Derby Format

  • One hitter from each team

  • Each hitter brings their own pitcher (teammate, kid, parent, friend, whoever)

  • First Round: all 12 hitters

    • Hit until you record 12 outs (plus any earned bonus outs)

    • An out is any swing that doesn't result in a home run

  • Top four hitters advance to the Finals

    • Home run totals reset for the Finals

    • 12 outs per batter (no bonus outs in Finals)

    • Most home runs in the Finals wins 

Bring the Whole Family

This night is meant to be much bigger than softball.  Spouses, parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends are all welcome.  Kids are encouraged to shag balls in the outfield.  Come early, stay late.  Meet players and families from other teams. Let the kids run around. Enjoy a summer night together.

Two Huge Thank Yous

A special thank you to Lynch Landscaping for making one of the coolest parts of the night possible by providing the temporary outfield fence. It's going to completely transform the field and make this feel like a real Home Run Derby.  Thanks for being such an integral part of the community, Lynch!

And another huge thank you to Wayland Dads for bringing the ice cream truck so our youngest fans (and plenty of the older ones) have something sweet to enjoy during the festivities.  Wayland Dads not only organized getting the truck there, but the first 50 treats for kids of softball players are on them!  Thank you, Wayland Dads!

We couldn't do this without partners like these.

See everyone Friday!