Dozens of Merced kids showcase their baseball skills

Dozens of Merced kids fielded grounders and fly balls, and practiced bunting and covering their bases Saturday during player assessments.

Kids from the Merced Youth Baseball leagues came out Saturday, March 5, 2016, at Hoover Middle School in Merced.

According to Merced Youth Baseball Commissioner Paul Cortez, the league consists of 30 teams with players ranging from 4 to 14 years old.

Torin Olivarez-Kidwell, 10, of Merced caught ground balls while Joshua Hickman, 13, practiced his bunting technique and 8-year-old Ethan Hamilton played catch as part of the annual early spring sports tradition.

This story was originally published March 6, 2016 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Dozens of Merced kids showcase their baseball skills."