Play ball! SBA opens season

April 12, 2012

Zion Tucker runs the bases for the CB&S Bank Mets on Thursday. (Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)

It was time for youth baseball again at Starkville's McKee Park Thursday afternoon.

With a pitch from Jimmy Linley of Northeast Exterminating Company, another season of Starkville Baseball Association got underway.

Starkville Baseball Association president Brian Evans was glad to see the nice weather greet the players, coaches, umpires and family members.

"We've got a lot of great parents here that spend their time and we appreciate that," Evans said. "This gives these kids something to do and one of the reasons I love baseball so much is some of the values you learn in that game are some of the same values you have in the game of life."

According to Evans, there are about 600 players and 49 teams involved with SBA this year from t-ball through sophomore league. The sophomore league, for ages 13-14, was added back for this season.

Prior to the game between the Snap Fitness Twins and CB&S Bank Mets, Jimmy Linley threw the first pitch with his son Richard catching.
Northeast Exterminating has been sponsoring SBA for 44 years.

"We've got a handful of long-time sponsors and we certainly appreciate them," Evans said.