The Junction City Brigade and Puerto Rico summer collegiate baseball teams  got their ballgame under way Wednesday night at Rathert Field, but the arrival of lightning and rain halted play with two outs in the top of the first inning. At the time the team from Puerto Rico had jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

Players and coaches from the Brigade went to work on the field to try and make it playable as soon as the rain let up, but after a second round of lightning and showers at about 8:15 p.m. the game was cancelled. It will not be made up. Fans attending the game were offered a free ticket for another Brigade game.

Brigade coach Seth Wheeler noted the indications before the contest were that it looked like the weather would hold off. “Then in the top of the first, the first rain comes, and puts it where we have to do a lot of work to get ready to go again. And then right when it’s to the point we’re comfortable playing the second rain hits, and that did us in. ”

There was a lengthy conference between the coaches and umpires before the game was called off. Wheeler noted at that time the field was close to being playable, but certain parts were still wet. “I can’t get anybody hurt or else coaches giving me a call angry. The biggest thing for us is not getting anybody hurt, and we decided it that it wasn’t worth the risk.”

The Brigade are scheduled to host the Liberty Monarchs in a doubleheader Friday night at five and seven p.m. at Rathert Field.