It was a hot and humid summer night at the Vicksburg High School softball field as cross-town rivals Vicksburg and Warren Central met in a summertime exhibition game Tuesday. Fans filled the softball field and gnats were buzzing around the field as both teams stepped onto the diamond for the first time this summer.

There shouldn’t be much expectation from both teams especially in the first summer game and both teams made many mistakes. Throwing errors and misplaying the ball in the outfield and infield seemed to be common in the summer league matchup, but that’s what was to be expected.

The first game of summer ball is a good opportunity for both teams to see what they have on both rosters and get players some playing time and experience as they prepare for the upcoming softball season.

Both head coaches are going through changes with both programs for the upcoming season and to get a look at what both teams will look like on the field is something the coaches looked forward to.

“We’re just trying to rebuild. We picked up a lot of new players this year,” Warren Central head coach Dana McGivney said. “We have a lot of young kids. We’re just trying to get some practice and playing time in just to get them some experience. Just to improve and get better.”

“I just want my team to come out and hustle. Try and make the routine play,” assistant head coach Hugh Guest said. “We have some new people this year. We lost four seniors this year so we have to move some people around. We also have some people out of town and on vacation. We’re just looking to try and compete and do the routine stuff.”

The majority of the Vicksburg infield will be different from last season. The Gators have to fill in new players at second base, shortstop and third base.

“We’re looking for them to step up and show us what they know,” Guest said. “They should know from practicing last year what’s going on. Every day is a different day.”

Both coaches added that they want to see their teams improve in all facets of the game and get all the players some time out on the field.

The upcoming season may seem far away, but summer softball is a time to have fun and get quality reps in for all the players and build team chemistry for the upcoming season. That’s the opportunity summer ball gives.

“It’s a lot of fun because we are a lot more relaxed in the summer so there is not as much pressure,” McGivney said. “It gives them more confidence that they’re more relaxed and it tends to carry over to the fall and the spring.”