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.

n Conneaut — The co-ed league began play on May 31 and the men’s league started June 1. The men play at Lakeview Park on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday evenings at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15. The co-ed league plays on Tuesday and Friday evenings at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15.

Both leagues have added a team from last summer. The men’s league now has nine teams and the has co-ed six.

Team GeriCo will host a Fourth of July Tournament to raise money for the breast cancer walk in Cleveland.

n Geneva — Play began on June 9 in the men’s league. There are six teams in the league and games will be played at Kiwanis Park on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15.

The league hosts the Grape Jamboree Tournament on Sept. 27 and 28.

n Jefferson — The six-team league started play June 9 at Memorial Field. Games are played on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Jefferson has lost one team frm last year.

The league hosts tournaments once a month through September and will be holding a fall league starting in August.

n Madison — The league started games on May 3. The six teams play doubleheaders on Sundays. Games start at 3 and 4 p.m., 5 and 6 p.m. and 7 and 8 p.m. at Madison Township Park. The co-ed teams began the same day. The three teams play on Sundays at Madison Township Park at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

n Orwell — The league began playing June 7 at Community Park. The seven (possibly eight) teams all play doubleheaders on Sundays with games starting at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

If the eighth team is a reality, the league will have grown by one from last year.

The Kurt Schamberg Memorial Tournament was held a few weeks ago and the Bob Troyer memorial Tournament will be July 13.

n Perry — did not respond and no information about the league is available.