By Staff
LEAN BACK AND FIRE Clarkdale's Lauren Robinson gets set to throw the ball to first base during the Lady Bulldogs' softball practice on Friday.PHOTOS BY KYLE CARTER / THE MERIDIAN STAR
By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Aug. 3, 2003
Football players aren't the only athletes getting ready for the fall season of sports.
Slow-pitch softball practice official got going this week as local teams started full practices on Monday.
West Lauderdale, the defending MHSAA Class 3A champions, open up area action when they host Union on Friday. The Lady Knights travel to Union the following day.
Southeast Lauderdale and Clarkdale will both be hosting multi-game classics on Saturday. Northeast is playing at Southeast's event, while Meridian opens its season at Enterprise on Aug. 11.
The teams have been battling the heat this past week, but have also been working during the offseason to get ready for the season.
The other local teams have also been working during the summer to get ready for the slow-pitch season, which starts on Saturday for most teams.
The heat has been a factor with practice times at this point in the year. Teams such as Southeast and Northeast have been practicing in the morning while some teams such as Clarkdale have been working later in the day to try to avoid the heat.
Meridian High has been practicing twice each day to get ready for the year, but had to spread the practices to avoid the heat.
It has been hot early in the day and the heat has laster until late on many days so many teams have had to just work through the heat.
The season is quickly closing in on the local teams, but the players seem to be excited about the upcoming season.