PLAY BALL Youth baseball and softball opens league play, honors cancer survivor

There was an all-star reunion in Eclectic Saturday morning as nearly 250 children gathered with parents and friends for opening day of the Eclectic Youth Baseball and Softball season.

The mood for the season was quickly set as the first pitch was thrown by Eclectic Elementary School physical education teacher Julie Morrison who is currently battling cancer and hasn’t seen her students since before Christmas. Doctors advised her that being indoors with so many students at PE was not a good environment. But a sunny morning outdoors, the reunion was on, complete with hugs and high fives.