Saturday was made for being outside, and for a lot of kids in Piedmont it was made for the baseball diamond.

Piedmont Parks and Recreation held its baseball and softball tryouts at the sports complex last Saturday. Hundreds of kids took to the fields, trying to garner the attention of their coaches, fielding fly balls and swinging with all they had.

Registration officially closed March 4, and PARD Recreation Director Jeff Formby said that the number of kids playing this year looks good.

“We’re going to be right at 400 before the day is over,” said Formby. He says that is close to the same amount of kids that played ball last year. “Real similar numbers. We’re about the same.’

From three to 12-year-olds, the kids came in all sizes and abilities, ready to take their turn as the pitching machines went to work. All but the youngest. The T-ball crowd didn’t have to try out, and for those older kids that did the try-outs are more to keep the competition balanced, said Formby. The try-outs are “Just to get the teams divided and get them evenly competitive,” said Formby.

Each coach had their own way of holding try-outs. Some had the kids line up and take turns scooping up ground balls, while others worried more about the swing and fed those pitching machines, while parents offered up encouraging words.

“You can do it” and “keep your eye on the ball” and “swing for the fences” could be heard over and over as the thwack of the bats rang out from every direction, and the “heads up” came out to warn the spectators of errant fouls popping up and over the fences, into the stands filled with friends and family.

Then it was time. The coaches lined the kids up and with their clipboards and pencils they carefully made their selections, while the nervous kids looked on wondering if they’d be pitching this year, or be relegated to the outfield.

It’s time for ball again in Piedmont.