Well, it is safe to say the first sunburn came from covering my first baseball game of the 2020 season, but it was nice to be back outside covering baseball. The Midway Snurdbirds hosted the Bluffton Braves for an exhibition game at Matt Leritz Field on June 14.

While the current executive order from Governor Tim Walz states that games can not be played, the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Association gave the go-ahead as long as the municipality or school that runs the field signs off on it and a letter is sent to the MBA board.

Currently, Deer Creek, Midway and Nimrod have been approved for usage in the area, according to the MBA site on June 15.

The Deer Creek Shockers announced a pair of games. The Shockers will take on Staples at 7:30 p.m. at the field in Deer Creek on June 20, while hosting Vergas for a matinee at 1:30 p.m. on June 21.

The Perham Pirates are currently working on getting approval for their fields and it seems to be the case for many of the teams in the Hi-10 and Lakes and Pine League, which make up Region 14C.

Fans and players in attendance were simply happy to be outside playing a competitive game again.

“It’s like you are a little kid again to get back on the field and do what you love doing,” Bluffton’s Dustin Geiser said. “It’s amazing how quickly it felt like a normal Sunday. Right away in the first inning, it felt like any other day of the year. It was good. Today, the outcome would have mattered absolutely zero. Getting on the field and doing what I have done for 20 years now, it was a good day.”

Local pair records holes-in-one

A pair of local golfers recorded aces recently at the Whitetail Run Golf Course in Wadena. Bertha’s Dale Finck found the bottom of the cup with a hole-in-one on June 10. Finck recorded the feat on the 14th hole.

Bereket Loer recently achieved the feat when he recorded a hole-in-one on June 14 on the third hole of the White Tail Run Golf Course.

Youth golf at Whitetail Run

Whitetail Run Golf Course is offering the second session for Youth Golf Lessons, beginning on July 6 from 8-9:30 a.m. The first session is on July 6 with sessions taking place on July 10, 13, 16 and 17. The minimum for the class to be held is six, with the maximum of nine. The cost for the class is $70 per participant. The youth golf classes are for girls and boys aged six through 10-years of age.

Social Distance rules will be applied during the lessons. Instructors will not get within six feet of the participants and will not touch the students’ golf equipment. Only one student will be assigned per hole on the practice green.

For more information, call the Whitetail Run Golf Course at 218-631-7718.