Iowa summers are the perfect time to catch both baseball, softball games

Did you know that only one state in the nation plays high school baseball and softball in the summer?

It’s Iowa.

While the other Midwest states play in cold and rainy April and May, Iowa holds its season during the summer. Yes, it’s hot, but the relatively dry conditions allow for fewer games to be canceled or postponed.

The high school seasons have reached their midpoint, with postseason tournaments beginning in a few weeks.

Iowa’s state softball tournament has been held at the Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge for more than 50 years. This year, the state baseball tournament will be contested in Iowa City and in Carroll.

There are opportunities for competitive baseball for kids, usually as young as 7 years old. USSSA has teams in both baseball and softball, and ASA is another softball option.

Many towns also have Little League Baseball, and the Little League World Series is in Aug. in Williamsport, Pa.

If you like college baseball, the College World Series runs this week in Omaha, Neb., only a 4-hour drive from Cedar Rapids. The CWS also will be televised in its entirety.

Cedar Rapids was host for the NCAA Division III baseball tournament last year, and will host again in 2023.

The Women’s College World Series concluded last weekend in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Sooners won their second consecutive championship, and one of their players, Jocelyn Alo, set the NCAA record with 122 home runs in her career.

The Major League Baseball season is approaching its midpoint. Several teams, like the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago White Sox, the Minnesota Twins, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals, are within 5 hours of Eastern Iowa.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Class A affiliate of the Twins, and are in first place in their division.

As you can see, there are many opportunities to play and watch baseball and softball. Sometimes the best games can be found with in a backyard or local park. Grab your bat and glove, find some friends and play ball!