News

Jul 15, 2023

Softball Tourney Braces For Dangerous Heat

Meteorologist Softball players used fans and water spray to help keep cool while playing in the USSSA Eastern National Softball Championships being played in several locations on Delmarva, including

Meteorologist

Softball players used fans and water spray to help keep cool while playing in the USSSA Eastern National Softball Championships being played in several locations on Delmarva, including Delmar, Md.

DELMAR, Md. - Early Wednesday afternoon, temperatures climbed into the upper 80s at the Mason-Dixon Sports Complex in Delmar.

Those temperatures are just about normal for this time of year and welcomed in the USSSA Eastern National Softball Tournament - which has been played in several locations on Delmarva, including Delmar.

These young athletes are no strangers to playing in hot and humid weather.

"Most of them have experienced playing in hot weather like this, so they come prepared," said Nicole Castagna, visiting from Lancaster, Pa. "But so far so good, we've been clear from any major disasters."

As the players ran around finishing their games, everyone was keeping an eye on each other, as one player felt a little nauseated as she took the field.

"She said something to the umpire, the umpire said something to us, so we called the coach, they stopped the game, got her a drink and made sure she was okay, and she went back out on to the field," said Kenneth Labe, Jr., visiting from Friedensburg, Pa.

However, the heat will get more extreme starting Thursday - becoming dangerous for the first time so far this year.

While the umpires were keeping the softball games running smoothly, players were watching out for them, who have to wear more protective padding and gear than most of the players.

"We always ask the umpires if they need extra water or anything," said Dalton Knotts, of Centreville, Md.

According to medical professionals, when the heat is on at athletic events like the USSSA tourney, the players and umpires are not always the folks in greatest danger from the heat.

"Athletes are usually a little more accustomed to being outside and running around," said Dr. Chris Snyder of Tidal Health Peninsula. "But when grandma comes or loved ones come to watch you play, it's those people in the stands that you really have to watch."

The USSSA Eastern Regional Softball Tournament will continue through Saturday's championship game, when Delmarva will record some of the hottest temperatures of the year so far.

Talbot and Sussex Counties have announced that cooling centers will open over the next several days. Check WBOC.com for updates on when and where cooling centers will be open throughout the heat wave.

Softball players in Delmar said they were ready for potentially dangerous heat later this week.

Meteorologist