UPDATED: Miners make playoffs
AUGUSTA. The Sussex County team wins the Atlantic Conference East Division title.
Augusta /
| 28 Aug 2025 | 09:19
The Sussex County Miners’ Hunter D'Amato reaches first base before the ball in the second inning of a game against the Brockton Rox on Saturday, Aug. 2. The Miners won, 9-3. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
The Miners’ Alec Sayre crosses home plate to score in the first inning, moving the team ahead of the Rox, 3-1.
Sussex County Miners pitcher Jackson Balzan on the mound. He pitched for eight innings, producing nine strikeouts.
The ball goes into foul territory after being hit by Miners batter Mahki Backstrom in the second inning. He scored one run in the game.
Miners batter Abdel Guadalupe is ready to hit in the game against the Brockton Rox. He was awarded one base on balls.
Sussex County Miners batter Hunter D'Amato raises his leg before the arrival of a pitched ball. He scored two runs during the game.
Miners runner Hunter D'Amato is tagged out at second base by Rox infielder J.R. DiSarcina in the second inning.
Miner Man carries the team flag.
Herbie the Miner and Miner Man perform in front of baseball fans.
Brockton Rox pitcher Michael Quigley throws the ball. He pitched for five innings.
The Brockton Rox meet on the pitchers mound.
The Sussex County Miners won the Atlantic Conference East Division and have qualified for the playoffs, which start next week.
It is the minor league baseball team’s first division title while playing in the Frontier League.
Sean Roby Jr. was selected as the 2025 All-Frontier League Team’s third baseman and Dom Johnson as a 2025 All-Frontier League Team outfielder.
The Miners are set to host games 2 and 3 (if necessary) in the first round of the playoffs. Game 2 will be at 7:05 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 at Skylands Stadium in Augusta.
As of Wednesday, Aug. 27, the Miners’ record was 53-39, five games ahead of the New York Boulders (48-43).
The team is playing a three-game series against the Quebec Capitales there this week before returning home for the last three games against the Boulders starting Friday, Aug. 29. The season ends Sunday, Aug. 31.
The Capitales led the Atlantic Conference North Division - and the Frontier League as a whole - with a 64-28 record as of Aug. 27. They were followed by the Tri-City ValleyCats (59-33).
The teams with the highest winning percentage in each division at the end of the season will qualify for the playoffs and receive the top two seeds in their conference regardless of final record.
The teams with the next two best records in each conference as determined by winning percentage also will qualify for the playoffs as wild-card teams.
The Miners took part in the playoffs in 2023, when they qualified for the wild-card game with a 55-40 record. They lost to the New Jersey Jackals.
The team’s record was 33-62 last year.
The final game of the season Sunday is a Fan Appreciation Night, with 27 prizes to be awarded during the game, which will be followed by fireworks.
Friday is Autism Acceptance Night, sponsored by Team Behavioral Consultants. To create a welcoming and sensory-friendly environment, the team has designated quiet spaces and the stadium volume will lowered. Fidget toys will be available.
On Saturday, there will be a Classic Car Show before the game. Car show registration begins at 2 p.m. and the show starts at 2:30 p.m.
Also planned is a jersey auction to benefit Blakely Boyle, a 4-year-old girl from Sparta battling T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, and Caden Flores, a 20-month-old boy from Wantage who recently was diagnosed with an extremely rare bone tumor in his jaw and faces extensive reconstructive surgery.
The game will be followed by fireworks.
