HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
High temperatures didn't stop a group of young athletes from playing baseball on Saturday.
Huntsville's Eastern and Patriot League carried on with their tournament schedule over the weekend, despite triple-digit heat.
Eastern League Manager Greg Parker said canceling day two of pool play was not going to happen.
"It's summertime! It's near the Fourth of July, we're in Alabama playing baseball and we're having a good time," he said.
But Parker said coaches and parents are taking precautions to play safely in the heat. Saturday's game, originally scheduled for 5 p.m., was bumped down to 7 p.m.
The players must go on a mandatory hydration break after the third inning.
"We're making sure they stay hydrated. Every time they come in the dugout, we're making sure they take in some fluids," Parker said.
Parents and other onlookers on the bleachers also prepared for the game with umbrellas, coolers and cold cloths.
Coaches and players said the heat is also part of the game during the summer, even a way to condition them as better athletes.
"It's preparing me for the future when I have to play in hot places if I have to," said Eastern league player Connor Utley.
"This is something they're going to do throughout their sports career as they go into high school and move on to college. These guys will have to hydrate when they're out playing physical activities in the sun," Parker said.
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High temperatures didn't stop a group of young athletes from playing baseball on Saturday.
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