While conditions outdoors are more adequate for snowballs than baseballs, teams are ready to get their high school seasons going this spring.

A pair of area baseball squads have been preparing for weeks, but so far have been unable to put that practice into game action.

“We’ve been going for about four weeks,” said Redfield coach Tommy Gregg. “We go in our armory. We’ve got a tartan floor, so we can do everything but about a full scrimmage.”

It’s much the same scenario in Groton, where the players have been preparing for their season opener, which has yet to take place.

“We’ve been going since about the middle of February between two and three days a week,” said Groton coach Seth Erickson. “Our first game we thought was going to be on April 4, so we just wanted to make sure we’d be ready by then. We’re ready, we’re just trying to find somewhere to play.”

Groton was unable to play a home game last season in its first foray into high school baseball and it will be the same again this spring, said Erickson, noting the baseball field is currently buried in snow.

“Last year we played all away games,” Erickson said, “so this year they were definitely looking forward to playing at home, but it is what it is.”

Redfield and Groton are part of a region that includes WIN (Warner-Ipswich-Northwestern), Wolsey-Wessington-Miller, Oldham-Ramona-Rutland, Sioux Valley, Elkton, Madison, Howard, and Hamlin-Castlewood.

Redfield, the defending region champion, returns several key members off of that squad, led by all-state and all-region selection Keaton Rohlfs. Other returning impact players include Nolan Gall and Erik Salmen.

“We’re expecting big things out of those three,” Gregg said.

Other returning starters are Eli Morrissette and Seth Siebrecht.

The Muskrats have played in the last four state high school tournaments and will once again be among the top squads in the state.

A big key according to Gregg will be developing depth for this year’s team after losing a large crew to graduation the last two seasons.

“Some of our guys do track, well it’s going to be tough if we’re missing one or two guys,” Gregg said, “because we just don’t have the depth we’ve had in the past.”

What Redfield does have is culture and Gregg is confident the young guys can step into major roles this spring.

“We feel like they’re very, very capable of coming in and doing a good job,” Gregg said.

Groton will be led by senior Cole Simon.

Additional help will come from Bradin Althoff, Dillon Abeln, and Colby Dunker.

“They’re all returning starters out of that junior class,” Erickson said.

Erickson said the numbers have grown in the second season of high school baseball and that it helps the American Legion program in the summer as well.

“We’re going to use it to get a jump on the summer, but also we’re not just playing for practice, either,” Erickson said. “We think we can go out there and compete with just about anybody, too.”

Erickson said that Redfield will continue to be a team to beat in the region this spring.

“You always have to pick Redfield to be right there. They’re there every year,” Erickson said. “Until somebody knocks them off, they’ve got to kind of be the team. The same with Madison. You just know Madison is going to be good every year.”

Gregg said the region looks to be very balanced this spring.

“I think our region 1 through 10, you’re going to see a lot more parity than what you’ve seen the last couple, three years,” Gregg said.

One thing is clear, there are many teams just waiting for their chance to get outdoors and play some games. And once the weather clears up, the action promises to be fast and furious.

“Once we get going it’s going to be a sprint to the finish,” Gregg said. “The teams with the most depth and that can just play fundamental baseball – it’s sounds easy, but in a game like baseball, teams that throw and catch the ball, and that can hit it a little bit are always going to be your top teams.”