Local baseball, softball and tee-ball leagues are gearing up for a late start on summer sports after Missouri’s statewide stay-end-home order was lifted this week.

Games in Wright City and Warrenton could begin as early as June. Programs in each city are organized under different leagues, but all games in both cities were canceled in April and May because of COVID-19.

The Wright City Parks Department organizes teams as part of the New Horizons Baseball League. Parks Director Curt Kehoe said the league will allow teams to start practicing May 11 and will begin games for the season on June 1.

Kehoe said practices and games will be conducted in compliance with state, local and CDC guidelines, including maintaining social distancing of 6 feet as much as possible.

“This is not normal, but we’re better off doing everything we can to make it a sanitary and safe place for people to play,” Kehoe told The Record. “What we’re trying to provide is a little bit of a step toward normalcy.”

To account for health concerns, Kehoe said Wright City parks will provide expanded seating areas for teams and ask families to sit further apart. Frequent sanitizing will be done, and umpires will even carry extra balls and sanitize them between innings, Kehoe said.

Kehoe has also proposed rules changes for the New Horizons League to encourage distancing between players and officials, such as repositioning the umpires.

Of course, a key part of baseball is tagging runners, which unavoidably brings players into close contact. Kehoe said teams are going to be conscious of that.

“When you’re tagging people out, most of the time the ball is in your glove,” he commented. Nevertheless, teams are going to be provided with sanitizer in their dugouts for the kids to use every time they come back in.

Coaches have been contacting families that signed up earlier this year to confirm that their children will still play, Kehoe said. All 12 teams from Wright City will be able to take the field, he said. He added that he will request for Wright City aldermen to approve refunds for any families who don’t want to participate.

“I’m sure there are some parents, no matter when we start, who are going to maybe be reluctant to have their kids out with a crowd,” Kehoe previously commented. “I’m hoping everybody is really wanting to get their kids out of the house, and by the time things open up, that they’ve got something to do. I want to be the outlet for that to happen.”

In Warrenton, games are organized by the Total Sports Management (TSM) company. Local athletes play as part of the Lincoln County Athletic Association. The league canceled all games in April and May, but TSM announced this week that tee-ball, baseball and softball leagues are planned to start June 1.

“However, the (Lincoln County Athletic Association) league director did mention that he is watching the guidance from the Missouri Department of Health very closely, and that the start date might change as a result,” TSM said in its announcement.

The Record reached out to TSM for additional information, but had not received a response as of press time.

Soccer programs in Wright City and Warrenton were previously canceled by organizers in both cities. Refunds for those programs are being issued to families.