Mayor John Delaney opened the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville to the public during a ceremony Friday before taking the field with the Delaney All-Stars for a softball game against local media personalities. The media won the game, 15-10. Delaney’s All-Stars took a 6-3 lead into the top of the seventh, only to see the Media All-Stars score 12 runs. The game wasn’t without controversy, however. In the bottom of the seventh, mayoral candidate Matt Carlucci hit what appeared to be a three-run homer (which would have made it 15-12). After a long discussion in which the umpires changed their minds several times, the ball was ruled foul.
Organizers estimated that 2,000-3,000 people turned out to watch the game and take tours of the new ball park. The tour was a comprehensive look at the park, which started at home plate and featured nine innings worth of stops. The Jacksonville Suns play their first home game in the new park this Friday night against the Huntsville Stars.