Website Manager

www.MSUAonline.org

Maryland State Umpire Association

What/Why

Maryland State Umpire Association, Inc. is 501c(3) tax exempt.
We operate solely on membership dues and contributions from community donors as available.


We promote and serve volunteer Little League umpires' training & development.

We help umpires find local Little Leagues and contacts.

Our members strive to provide up-to-date skills at home, while they also strive to attend Little League clinics and Academy sessions.
We hope to assist them in attaining the skills necessary to achieve upper-level assignments in Little League International post-season tournaments.

We DO NOT act as game assigners or schedulers in any way.

Contact us at [email protected] for any information or interest in our organization.

Vision

The vision of our founding leadership is simple...

Improve the officiating of Little League Baseball and Softball across Maryland and Washington DC.

For almost 40 years, the success of our association can be seen in the extraordinary number of MSUA volunteer umpires selected for Little League International World Series and Regional Tournaments across all levels of baseball and softball.

MSUA Umpires routinely answer the call for District, Sectional, and State baseball and softball tournaments. We are extremely proud of our Umpires, all of whom share their dedication and commitment to Little League Baseball and Softball across the State of Maryland, the Little League East Region, and wherever we are called upon; consistent with the MSUA Charter.

The first MSUA Board of Directors was established in October 1994; Dick Powell (D4) as President, Bob Hooper (D7) as Vice President, Dick Dubois (D7) as Secretary, and Bob Sullivan (D5) as Treasurer. Dick Miller (D4) and Fenton Young (D8) were DA Representatives/Consultants.

Who (Staff)

Ryan Yamagata Ryan Yamagata - President
Ryan was elected President of MSUA in November 2025. He started umpiring in 2006.
Ryan came to Maryland District 2 from the San Diego, California area and joined MSUA in 2015.
He has attended several Little League umpire clinics and academies, earning his appointments to the following:
  • 2017 East Region Little League Softball in Bristol, CT
  • 2019 Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, MI
  • 2025 Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, NC
Ryan also serves MD-2 as Treasurer and ADA.
Jon Wagner Jon Wagner - Vice President
Jon was elected MSUA VP in November 2022. He has been a volunteer umpire in Maryland District 2 since 2008.
Jon has attended many Little League umpire clinics and academies, and has been assigned to the following:
  • 2023 East Region Senior League Softball in Worcester, MA
  • 2024 East Region Little League Softball tournament in Bristol, CT
  • 2025 East Region Senior League Baseball in Bangor, ME
Jon also serves as MD-2 UIC and ADA.
Brian Longest Brian Longest - Treasurer
Brian is our Treasurer and has been a volunteer umpire for over 15 years.
He has been to multiple Little League schools/clinics and umpired an East Region Junior Baseball Regional.
Brian is a MD-2 umpire and the Safety Officer & ADA for MD-2.
Blaine Young Blaine Young - Secretary
Blaine has been a MD-2 volunteer umpire for over 20 years. He has been to multiple Little League umpire academies and clinics.
Blaine was assigned to 2023 East Region Little League Baseball in Bristol, CT.
Blaine is also the Secretary for MD-2, UIC for Thurmont LL, and operates the MSUA & MD State Little League websites.
Matt Dawson Matt Dawson - MD-1 Director-At-Large
Matt umpires all levels of Baseball and Softball for Little League, High School, NCAA, and other organizations.
He umpired at the 2023 Little League East Region Baseball tournament in Bristol, CT and the 2024 Europe-Africa Junior-Senior Softball Regional in the Czech Republic.
Matt returned to Europe for the 2025 Europe-Africa Region: Little League Softball® - Kutno, Poland and the Junior/Senior League Softball® - Prague, Czech Republic.






Tony Russo Tony Russo - MD-2 Director-At-Large
Tony has been a volunteer Little League Umpire for over 35 years.
He has been selected for multiple Regionals (the only US umpire to umpire in a Japan LL regional) and selected for 2 World Series; JLWS 2011 and LLIWS 2014.
Tony currently umpires in Maryland District 2.
Lee Falk Lee Falk - MD-4 Director-At-Large
Lee started umpiring at the University of Maryland in 1975, then jumped into Little League umpiring in 1991.
He has attended Little League training clinics at Bristol, CT and Williamsport, PA.
His upper-level assignments have included:
  • 2007 East Region Senior League Baseball in West Deptford, NJ
  • 2009 East Region Big League Baseball in Dover, DE
  • 2012 East Region 9-11 Baseball in RI
  • 2013 East Region Little League Baseball in Bristol, CT
Lee currently umpires at Arbutis LL and is the UIC & Treasurer for MD-4.
Paul Lane Paul Lane - MD-5 Director-At-Large
Paul has been umpiring since 2005.  He became involved with MSUA in 2010.
He umpired and was instrumental in coordinating umpires for the first annual East Region 9-11 Softball tournament in 2025.
Paul is the UIC at North East Little League.
Dave Fisher Dave Fisher - MD-6 Director-At-Large
Dave has been umpiring since 1998. He's been a member of MSUA for 10+ years and instructed at several of our clinics.
Dave's home league is St. Michaels/Home Run Baker Little League and he's the UIC for MD-6.
Ralph Gough Ralph Gough - Membership Coordinator & MD-7 Director-At-Large
Ralph, a founding member of MSUA in 1995, has been umpiring Little League since 1985. He has attended training clinics in Bristol, CT and Williamsport, PA.
Ralph's upper-level umpire assignments include:
  • 1991 East Region Little League Baseball in Bristol, CT
  • 1995 Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, MI
  • 2007 Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, WA
  • 1999-2013 East Region Big League Softball in Waldorf, MD
Ralph currently serves as District 7 UIC & ADA.
Dan Spotts Dan Spotts - MD-8 Director-At-Large
Dan has been umpiring since 2005. He has represented MD-8 at MSUA since 2020.
He has umpired all Little League District and State levels; travel ball 8U-18+; American Legion; and D3 College levels.
Dan has attended training at LLHQ in Williamsport in 2024. He was assigned to 2025 East Region Junior Baseball in DuBois, PA.
Dan's home league is West Salisbury Little League.





Keith Ludwig - MD-6 - MSUA Training Committe
Keith has been umpiring since 2014.  He has attended training at East Region HQ in Bristol, CT.
Keith's upper level assignments include:
  • 2019 Little League Softball Eastern Regional
  • 2022 Senior League Softball in Lower Sussex, DE
  • 2023 Little League Softball in Greenville, NC
  • 2024 Little League Softball Eastern Regional (crew chief)
  • 2025 Junior League Softball in Kirkland, WA (crew chief)
Keith umpires at home primarily for Talbot County Softball in MD-6.
He was honored to umpire at the 2025 Maryland Class 3A Softball Championship (plate umpire).

Doug Fravel - MD-7 - MSUA Training Committe
Doug has been umpiring since 2001 and became involved with MSUA in 2010.
He has attended many clinics and academies at Williamsport, PA and Bristol, CT.
Doug's upper level assignments include:
  • 2017 East Region Senior Baseball at West Deptford, NJ
  • 2022 East Region Little League Baseball at Bristol, CT
  • 2023 Little League World Series Senior Baseball at Easley, South Carolina
Doug umpires for leagues in MD-7 and additionally around the state during tournament season.


Honorarium

Joe Smith - MSUA Past President
Joe Smith has been a dedicated volunteer to Little League Baseball and Softball, giving his time to LL for the past 30+ years.
He has been assigned to four regional and three World Series, including 2016 when he was selected for the LLWS in Williamsport, PA.
Joe's home league is Rising Sun Little League and he has previously served as the MD-5 UIC & MD State UIC.





Contact Us

Maryland State Umpire Association

Blaine Young, www.msuaonline.org, or https://leagues.bluesombrero.com/msuall
 Maryland  

Email Us: [email protected]
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