Senior baseball and softball players from Michigan and Ohio schools are competing in the Toledo Mud Hens Home Run Showdown Tuesday and Wednesday in Fifth Third Field.
The seniors were nominated by their athletic directors, principals, or coaches to participate in the competition. With the help of LT Smith, youth sports coordinator, Taylor Vandenbroek, promotions coordinator, and Troy Hammersmith, director of events and fan entertainment, the Showdown is making its return after 18 years.
“With everything that I was able to dig up from 2008, it was more of a friendly competition,” Smith said. “We know that in 2026, education is such a big focus, and we want to help set these players up for success beyond just their senior year of high school.”
For the baseball and softball Showdowns, athletes must bring their own pitcher, catcher, and bat. Each player will have 90 seconds or 40 pitches, earning points based on where each ball lands. Hitters can score up to three points by landing balls in one of three designated field zones, while targets are worth five points each. A home run earns the maximum of seven points.
If the batter hits four home runs or more, they will receive a 30 second bonus round. The top three leaders on each night will advance to a championship round. The winner of the hitting competitions earns a $1,000 scholarship toward their college education, with the senior who sells the most tickets earning $500 for their high school athletic program.
Josh Drain, Liberty Center High School baseball coach, said he looks forward to watching his nominee from the team, Kaden Kreinbrink, have fun on the field.
“This was actually my first year being the head coach and we have put a lot on Kaden and relied on him to be the leader,” Drain said. “He just really stepped up into that role and I don't think there was a situation too big for him, no moment too big for him that he couldn’t succeed.”
Baseball players participate in the challenge following Tuesday evening’s Mud Hens game and softball players after Wednesday’s Hens game. The Showdown is free to attend for those with a Mud Hens game ticket.
“The main goal is to showcase the local hitters around the Toledo area and their talents,” Smith said. “Then also offering that incentive for communities to really rally around each other and build up some of that school pride, come out to a Mud Hens game, and support their hitter.”
Competitors come from high schools including Perrysburg, Swanton, St. John’s Jesuit, Bedford, Liberty Center, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, St. Francis de Sales, Findlay, McComb, Northview, Clay, Notre Dame Academy, Whitmer, and Maumee.
Chad Savage, Northview softball head coach, said the Showdown is a wonderful opportunity for high schools in the community. Kaitlyn Eckel is the softball player to represent Northview in the Showdown and committed to Indiana Tech to play softball.
“Kaitlyn drove in runs, she got on base, and she set the table for other girls to drive her in as well,” Savage said. “Hitting is all about being confident and she really spends a lot of time hitting … then she takes that into game situations.”
Like Savage, David Hall, head coach of the Perrysburg baseball team, is passionate about his career and was “very glad” to hear the Showdown was coming back. Brayden Heitmeyer, the Perrysburg hitter participating in the Showdown, is committed to Albany University to kick for the football team.
“He is an excellent student and fantastic young man,” Hall said. “My favorite part about coaching is being around young men who are willing to work hard and play baseball the right way.”