Hearing the sound of metal bats connecting with the baseballs and softballs, watching the players swing and run with all of their might, hearing the umpire yell out calls, the smell of hot dogs and the anxiety that builds as a player attempts to steal base is what I look forward to from Chilton County baseball and softball this season.

Being a fan of the sports and having played when I was a child, I have an appreciation for a good ball game. Baseball season also means spring has arrived. I enjoy sitting on the bleachers in the warm weather enjoying a bag of sunflower seeds, watching each player step into the batters box with the aim of hitting a home run—or at least getting on base.

I enjoy watching the pitchers because they set the tone of the game. If a pitcher throws strikes, then the game gets interesting for the batters and for the team on the field. The batters become anxious to hit the ball and hope they don’t strike out, and the players on the field hope for three up, three down. But if a pitcher starts walking players, the game moves slowly.

Most Chilton County teams have already played their first game of the season. This will be my first baseball season here in Chilton County, and I look forward to covering the schools.

–Theadoris Morris is a staff writer for The Clanton Advertiser.