FODOR FIELD in downtown Martins Ferry will be bustling with little leaguers in the next few weeks after Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement of regulations for the sport on Friday.

MARTINS FERRY — Tom Regis had feared the worst. As president of the Martins Ferry Civics Little League Association, he was hoping Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine would have a different opinion Friday on the summer staple than neighboring W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice outlined for the Mountain State a day before.

Regis, along with thousands of little leaguers, coaches and parents around the Buckeye State, breathed a huge sigh of relief when DeWine’s plan didn’t limit the amount of individuals allowed at a field.

“I was concerned, really concerned. I didn’t know what (Gov.) DeWine was going to say, but I was hoping it wasn’t the same as West Virginia,” Regis admitted late Friday afternoon via telephone. “I couldn’t imagine dropping a 6-year-old off and not being able to stay and watch them play.”

In West Virginia, Justice set a limit of no more than 25 individuals to a field. That doesn’t leave much room for spectators after you figure 10 players per team, two coaches per team and an umpire.

“It’s very doable. That shouldn’t be a problem for us at Fodor Field,” Regis noted, “but we will have to be a little more creative with the games played at Hillendale.”

Regis was speaking only about the baseball side of things. He said the Ohio Valley Junior Sports League, which consists of Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, Bellaire, Shadyside and Moundsville, has a meeting set for 4 p.m. on Sunday.

“More information will be released at that time, such as a potential opening day,” Regis added. “A realistic opening day, in my opinion, could be June 9 or 10.”

He said teams would more than likely need 10-14 days to practice and get their pitcher’s up to speed, especially at the mustang, bronco and pony league levels of competition.

The Martins Ferry Civics has children ages 4 through 14 participating in baseball and softball.

Some of the highlights of DeWine’s mandatory guidelines include:

— all participants, spectators, umpires and employees must adhere to the 6-foot physical distancing while at the facility;

— no team water coolers and drinking stations will be shared;

— daily symptom assessments must be conducted by coaches and players. If someone experiences the symptoms, they must stay at home;

— coaches must wear face coverings at all times;

— athletes must wear face coverings at all times when not actively participating in the field of play;

— no equipment is to be shared by players;

— coaches and players are asked to refrain from high fives, handshake lines and other types of physical contact with teammates, opposing players and coaches, umpires and fans;

— no spitting or eating seeds, chewing gum or other similar products will be permitted;

— spectators are not permitted to enter player areas such as the field of play of bench areas and must stay at least 6-foot away from the backstop.