The birds are singing, the snow has melted and buds are starting to awaken from their winter slumber.

The dirt on the infields is freshly raked. The diamonds, after lying dormant for months, are nicely lined with fresh chalk. The ping of bats echoes through the hills.

It’s time to play ball. Baseball, that is.

Vicksburg has become one of the state’s best baseball towns. Just two years ago, both Porters Chapel and St. Aloysius took home championships, and Vicksburg High School made it to the championship series at Trustmark Park in 2008.

High expectations are the rule for all four programs.

St. Aloysius, despite losing coach Clint Wilkerson to Hinds Community College and graduating the core of its team, enters the season as two-time defending Class 1A champions. The good news for first-year coach Jacan Warren is that the group coming up for the Flashes is talented and young, allowing him to put his stamp on his team. The bad news is the youth. With so many upperclassmen playing big roles, precious few of the youngsters have any varsity experience.

Vicksburg will have a new coach, Cody Zumbro, who was one of the driving forces in Clinton’s rise as a powerhouse. His first team at Vicksburg will be one of the more talented around, with most of last year’s pitching rotation, Cody Waddell and Cameron Cooksey and a heavy-hitting starting lineup led by outfielder Lamar Anthony returning. If the Gators find a third pitcher to fill out their rotation and shore up last year’s leaky defense, they’re going to be very tough to beat. The Gators might even have enough talent to make it to Trustmark Park.

Warren Central won’t be resting on its laurels after winning the Division 4-6A championship. Third-year coach Josh Abraham will see to that. While the Vikings lost their top run producer, leadoff man and top pitcher, optimism runs high at the Viking baseball complex thanks to a talented senior class and a junior class that will be counted on heavily to fill in the gaps. The pitching staff is led by a Hinds signee, Blake Jobe, and the lineup boasts hard-hitting shortstop Beau Wallace and pitcher/third baseman Carlos Gonzalez, who also are headed to Hinds. Add a new leadoff hitter to the mix and the Vikings have a good chance to repeat as division champions and possibly more, like a trip to Trustmark Park. With two of the state’s best young baseball coaches, the Vicksburg-Warren Central rivalry looks like one of the state’s best for years to come.

Porters Chapel returns its two top pitchers, Montana McDaniel and Matthew Warren, and will get big contributions out of such transfers as Sam Staggs and Kawayne Gaston. Second-year coach Jerry Bourne returns most of his starting infield and a young outfield that endured a rough start to finish strong toward the end of last season. The Eagles were just one win away from the big prize after a surprise championship run in 2009 and anything less will be a disappointment.

This season promises to be one of the best yet. If one or more of the county’s teams brings home a title, Vicksburg might have to change its nickname from the River City to Titletown.

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Steve Wilson is sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. You can follow him on Twitter at vpsportseditor. He can be reached at 601-636-4545, ext. 142 or at swilson@vicksburgpost.com.