The mercury is finally rising on thermometers in the area, the school year is done and sandlot scheduleThe mercury is finally rising on thermometers in the area, the school year is done and sandlot schedules are reaching the back end. It’s once again time for the area’s grown men to shake off the cobwebs, loosen the muscles and take to local diamonds for the slowpitch softball season.s are reaching the back end. It’s once again time for the area’s grown men to shake off the cobwebs, loosen the muscles and take to local diamonds for the slowpitch softball season.

Several area leagues have added teams, made improvements to their ballparks or are hosting tournaments throughout the summer. And in one case, a league was resurrected.

The Geneva Recreation League is back after a hiatus.

“We’re extremely happy,” league president Myke Anderson said. “We didn’t get any response last year. I don’t know why they left. Things happen for strange reasons. My hope is they’ll all come back.”

Improvements to the parks were important

“They improved the infield and filled in home plate and smoothed it out,” Orwell league president Jay Yuhasz said. “They take good care of the grass, they’ve been cutting it nice and low lately.”

“All of the fields were rototilled and we got all new bags,” Jefferson’s Jimmy Mills said. “In the future, we’re going to have lights put on the back field as well so we’ll have two lighted fields.”

“We’ve made a lot of improvements to the park,” Geneva league president Myke Anderson said. “We still have to make some improvements to the field. We’re trying to raise some money so we can invest it in the field. We want to make this a really good ballpark. We’re doing a little here and there as we can.”

The changes for other leagues weren’t as drastic.

“We brought the mat back because teams like to know what’s a strike,” Yuhasz said. “The pitchers were arguing a lot ball and strike calls last year. A lot of leagues around here use the mat so we went back to it.”

Tournaments will be held throughout the summer by nearly every league at one point or another. Jefferson will host a tournament nearly every month.

“We love the game,” Mills said. “When we have the opportunity and the teams that want to play, I’ll do what I need to do to do it.”

n Ashtabula — Co-ed play began June 1 and the men’s league June 3 at Softball City. The men’s league plays on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6, 7:15 and 8:30 and the co-ed league plays on Sundays at 4 and 5:30.

The co-ed league has added a team from last summer and now has six. The men’s league is holding steady with 11 teams.

The Beacon’s Best will be Aug. 1, 2 and 3 at Softball City.