By Greg Grisolano

ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com

Derick Campbell had only one thing on his mind Saturday morning as he tossed the ceremonial first pitch of the Joplin North Little League season out to his son Trevor.

“Don’t overthrow him, which I almost did,” said Campbell, a staff sergeant who just returned from a six-month tour in Iraq.

Campbell said his son has been participating in the league since tee-ball, and that the league approached him three weeks ago about throwing out the first pitch for the opening ceremony.

“It gets you in touch with the community,” he said. “It gives you a sense of community pride playing for Joplin.”

Just having the ball fields open so Campbell could toss a pitch to his son was an accomplishment for Mike McCann and other executives with the Joplin North league.

Heavy flooding last July seriously damaged the fields, then vandals wreaked more havoc on the area that fall. A series of ice storms last winter did another $20,000 in damages to the diamonds.

“It took down fences, and trees and lights,” McCann said. “It did quite a bit of damage to us.”

He said that despite the adversity, the league has been able to add several new sponsors, and has increased enrollment by more than 50 players compared to last year.

“I haven’t seen a final number, but we should have about 285 (kids) this year,” McCann said. “For everything we’ve been through right now, and looking at the season we’re looking at, everybody has come together pretty good.”

Asia’h Epperson, a Joplin native who appeared as a contestant on Fox’s “American Idol,” was on hand to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” as part of the Opening Day ceremonies.

Six-year-old Liam McKeough, a Joplin North league player who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, sent a ground ball hopping to the pitcher’s mound for the ceremonial first hit.

Although Saturday’s ceremonies did not include any actual play, some of the youths involved in the league said they can’t wait for the season to start.

“I just have a lot of fun out here,” said Mason Atwood, 11. “It’s so cool to play baseball, especially since my dad coaches.”