Spring is in the air.

The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing and the ping of aluminum bats can be heard at Chester Willis Field.

Baseball is my favorite sport. I grew up watching the Houston Astros with my parents, cheering on Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio as they led the “Killer Bs” through spring and summer, and it’s only natural that I would love the storied LSU baseball program as well.

Something about baseball season just makes me happy.

Maybe it’s the smell of burgers on the grill at Chester Willis and the fresh grass on the field. Or maybe it’s the return of warmer weather and the way the diamond looks under the lights when night falls.

Whatever it is, there’s something about baseball that gets me. It’s the sport where anyone can win on any given night.

Any number of things can happen on any given night that will work toward one team’s advantage or against another’s. Your starting pitcher could have an off night, or the bats could suddenly and inexplicably fall silent. The wind can send a ball that should be an easy catch with two outs over the fence to score the winning run.

It’s anybody’s game, and unless you have two teams of great disparity — like Cathedral against, well, almost any team in its district — the team that wins the first game of a doubleheader could get slaughtered in the second.

Baseball is the great equalizer. Every player is at the mercy of the weather, the umpires and superstition. Have you ever seen a serious athlete’s at-bat routine? There are wrist rotations, bat swings and foot stomps that would make a normal person seem to have a nervous tic.

But these aren’t normal people. They’re baseball players, and they’re out in full force in the Miss-Lou.

Vidalia’s Catfish Classic may have been cut short by rain, but a few games that left much to be desired the Vikings are picking things back up in district play.

And Trinity surpassed .500 to start its region play. The Saints’ bats have really started to heat up, just as we’ve reached the meat of the season.

Adams County Christian has also started to light up at home plate. The Rebels defeated Huntington 19-3 after breaking an early 2-2 tie.

Charlie Williams has the Natchez Bulldogs on a high, with Javon Washington saving games and the offense getting timely hits.

And Cathedral is running through its district schedule on the way to another playoff visit. The Green Wave is 12-0 after a win against West Lincoln but have dealt with eight rain outs.

Now, enjoy your hot dog and Coke, be careful where you throw those peanut shells, and let’s play ball.