Competitive spirits flow every Tuesday night at softball fields across Vicksburg for the competitive softball league.

The hustle on the field, running of the bases and the swinging of bats can rival the intensity of any athletic event.

Competitive softball not only gives the players good exercise once a week. It also provides a socially benefitting experience to interact with other members of the community, while playing a sport they love.

“It’s relaxing, it’s fun and it’s exercise at the same time,” Geno Bell, an employee for the Army Corps of Engineering said. “You know people here you went to high school with and you meet new guys in the community. It’s a blast for me personally.”

Bell has lived in Vicksburg his whole life, graduated from Vicksburg High School and attended Jackson State University.

Bell has played competitive softball since 2008 in Vicksburg and it was a new experience for him. Playing in a Sandlot league before, it was quite the transition. Bell got used to the nature of the league and enjoys it every time he comes out.

Bell admitted he doesn’t get as much playing time as he used to, but seeing his teammates be competitive makes it all worthwhile.

“Seeing how competitive the guys were at first was very new to me,” Bell said. “These guys can come out here and play all day and have fun with it, but at the same time, they have the edge. It makes it more fun.”

The players in the league agree their league is more competitive than the church league, which plays every Monday night at Vicksburg City Park.

Tuesday nights seems to have a different playing experience than Monday nights.

“The church league is more laid back and the competitive league is more about bragging rights,” local firefighter Jay Barlow said. “Tournament ball on the weekends is a whole different story, but Tuesday nights here are pretty intense.”

Born and raised in Vicksburg, Barlow has lived in Vicksburg his whole life and competitive softball is something the firefighter looks forward to the whole week.

Some weeks, Barlow forgets softball happens on Tuesday nights but when he gets a text from one of his teammates saying they have a game Tuesday night, it brightens his day.

Barlow has been playing competitive softball for the past five years. Even with the duties of being a firefighter, he’s never too tired to come out every Tuesday night to play softball.

“I don’t get too bad after games. The first couple of games of the season I was a little sore,” Barlow said. “It just lets me know I’m getting a little older.”