PORT ANGELES – West Coast League baseball has been scrapped for the summer.

But the owner of the Port Angeles Lefties franchise in that league is pitching his own idea to keep collegiate level baseball alive this summer.

Matt Acker wants to start a mini-league in Port Angeles. He’d bring in enough players to field four to six teams. They’d play daily beginning the second week in July.

There would be no fans in the stands for the first few weeks. But Acker says if the reopening phases move as planned, Civic Field could be back open for fans to come see games for about a month of the season.

“You know Oregon is shutting down all stadium sports right now, and not being able to enter into Canada makes it really difficult. So I’ve been trying to think of some alternative ideas obviously that benefits of community and benefits the game of baseball. I think all baseball operators and coaches have been trying to think of things and I think I have something that’s unique to our area.”

Acker says there are plenty of quality players looking for an opportunity to play. He plans to house the players in local hotel facilities instead of local homes.

“Locked down to the hotel for the first two weeks and just playing baseball and not roaming around. But hopefully, everything gets lifted and we’re in the Phase 4 and life is good and we could have a month of doubleheader baseball games, maybe even more, six days a week in town with really high level baseball.”

Players would also shoulder some of the financial burden through fees to play in the league.

Acker says there is a need for sports “product” to view and he thinks the PA league might even get some larger media coverage.

“Theoretically, we could have number one through ten top plays. I was joking with somebody today. But I mean have you watched the local sports broadcast right now? I mean they’re doing backyard highlights.”

All the games would be streamed with video online and the league would play all season without fans if re-opening plans don’t pan out.

Acker is still working through the final details with local health officials. He says, so far, his poll of community members has been overwhelmingly supportive.