By Jessica Coates

jessica.coates@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Mayor Karen Alexander says Salisbury is a “baseball and softball city.”

As evidence, she noted the Rowan County girls softball team that won the 2015 Little League World Series and the large number of former and current city residents who play or have played professional baseball.

“So when the (“Play Ball”) program was presented at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., last year, I signed up the city of Salisbury immediately,” Alexander said in a news release.

This is the second year that Alexander has hosted “Play Ball,” which is a part of the Major League Baseball “Play Ball Summer” initiative.

The goal is to encourage an active and healthy lifestyle for kids in all communities while highlighting the “fun nature” of baseball, the release said.

The event will be at Catawba College, as it was last year. The college’s baseball and softball teams will assist Alexander in running the programs.

“This is truly an honor for us and for our Catawba athletes to share a game that we all love,” said the college’s head baseball coach, Jim Gantt. “We hope to positively influence and teach fundamentals to all the youth who attend the clinic.”

The event will be open to boys and girls ages 7 to 15. The youths will be split into groups based on ability, from beginner — “like never having stepped on a field” — to advanced, said city communications director Linda McElroy.

The program will be from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 9 at the college’s baseball field, 598 Summit Ave.

Free transportation will be provided from Hall Gym and the Civic Center beginning at 8:30 a.m.

McElroy said pre-registration is recommended. Call 704-638-5286.

Contact Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.