PHOTO COURTESY WASHINGTON WILD THINGS

A team of ballplayers from the Emerald Isle is barnstorming through Washington, PA, this Saturday night — and you can enjoy a night at the ballpark while supporting the recovery of a beloved local establishment.

The Irish Wolfhounds, the only professional baseball club made up entirely of players with Irish citizenship or heritage, will take the field at EQT Park in Washington this Saturday evening. Proceeds from the game will benefit Riley’s Pour House, the Carnegie bar that is working on rebuilding after a devastating 2024 fire.

The loss of a favorite Irish pub and the rise of an all-Irish team were a “serendipitous” combination, says Tony Buccilli, the general manager of the Washington Wild Things.

“A lot of the people and the personalities that had a lot of good memories and stories [at Riley’s] … jumped on and helped amplify the support,” Buccilli says. “We’ll throw a good party in the way that they throw a party.”

The Wild Things will field a one-night-only roster, dubbed the Washington Whiskey Runners, to oppose the Wolfhounds. The Whiskey Runners lineup consists of former Wild Things players, local players and coaches and some former Major League players, including longtime big-league utility man Josh Wilson. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sportswriter Jason Mackey will also suit up for the team.

The Whiskey Runners will face stiff competition from the Irish Wolfhounds, Buccilli says, as the team aims not only to win games but demonstrate the level of competition on the Emerald Isle. “They don’t have a national team. They don’t get recognition on the global stage; this is a team that they put together with the heritage of Ireland … to potentially in the future be recognized and be on a global stage for the World Baseball Classic.”

The game, dubbed the Céad Mile Fáilte Matchup — that’s a Gaelic phrase meaning “a hundred thousand welcomes” — will feature themed entertainment and food offerings. Meanwhile, the original uniforms for the Washington Whiskey Runners have already become a hit.

“We’ve already got a lot of requests [from] people who want those jerseys.”

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Saturday, with pre-game festivities beforehand. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the box office, with all proceeds going to Riley’s Pour House.