Ah, the much longed-for baseball and softball seasons are upon us. Let us rejoice.

First thing’s first. The registration deadline for Sequim Little League has passed but for a $10 late fee you can get your young boys and girls signed up for t-ball (ages 5-6) or prep (7-8) baseball. For boys, minor teams are ages 9-11 and majors are 9-12. For girls, softball teams are as follows: minors, ages 9-11; majors, ages 9-12; and juniors, ages 13-14.

A free clinic for all Little League coaches is from 8-9:30 a.m. this Saturday at the Sequim High School gymnasium.

Opening day for Sequim little League is April 11. The festivities start at 10 a.m. Check out the pageantry as the little players march in a parade, take pictures, talk up the coming season and argue over who got the best jersey number.

Registration and tryouts for Sequim Junior Babe Ruth are at the Sequim High School baseball fields this Saturday. We got a late notice about it for the print edition and it made it into the sports calendar on page B-3. The tryouts are from 1-3 p.m. and all boys in ages 13-15 are welcome to register. Bring your birth certificate to try out, guys. Call 461-5517 for more info.

On the college scene, the Peninsula Pirates open their 2009 campaign on Thursday morning at the Disney Wide World of Sports Fastpitch Softball Tournament in Orlando, Fla. Must be rough, huh?

The Pirates open against Point Park University out of Pittsburgh, Pa. Peninsula players held a bunch of off-season fundraisers just to get to Florida for their six-game stint. They get John A. Logan College out of Illinois in a doubleheader on Friday and close out the weekend with a doubleheader against Lincoln College, also out of Illinois, on Sunday.

For Sequim fans — and Port Angeles ones as well — this team should look fairly familiar, as the lineup sees a bunch of Sequim High and P.A. grads. On the Sequim side, Carly Swingle takes the mound. The strong-armed freshman righty figures to make most of the starts, backed up by SHS grad Ashley Lowe-Thaens and a pair of Port Angeles hurlers: Brittany Norton  and Tasha Taylor, also both freshmen.

The pitchers throw to another Sequim grad, soph slugging catcher Marquita Espinoza. Fellow Sequim grad Molly Fletcher figures to compete for the shortstop job. Lowe-Thaens is likely a third-sacker when not pitching.

Roughrider freshmen Colleen Murphy-Carey (first base) and Laura Campbell (second base) are playing for infield jobs while P.A. sophomores Kelly Henderson and Melissa Lisk, along with P.A. frosh  Caitlin Curtis, are competing for jobs in the outfield with Bethany Holt of Alaska.

Once finished with the hoops season, sophomore Sam Flett of Wellpinit, Wa. figures to compete for the second base job.

Head coach Jim Cheney leads the Pirates, assisted by Joel Lewis, Elvin Sofie and former Sequim High assistant Lance Gardner, lead Peninsula into the 2009 season.

After returning from Florida, the Pirates prep for the NWAACC North conference opener on March 24 at home against Edmonds.

Sequim High’s fastpitch team opened tryouts on Monday. Coach Mel Hendrickson has a number of starters coming back from a team that went 10-8 and lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Steilacoom at districts.

Expect that returnees Maddy Zbaraschuk, Lea Hopson, Chelsie Winfield, Kathryn Roeber, Kylee Mildenberger, Kenzi Rhodefer  and a strong incoming freshman class will make the Wolves a tough team in a very tough 2A Olympic League that features stalwarts North Mason and Klahowya.

SHS’s baseball team looks to improve upon last spring’s 11-10 season. If all the eligible Wolves who made an impact last season are back — guys like Alex Gillis, Isaac Yamamoto, Spencer Middleton, Reed Omdal, Jeremie Oliver, Clancy Catelli, Travis Decker, Jason Baker, etc. — this could be a fine season.

Finally, the Mariners are back in action tomorrow. Although they have today off, the buzz around Seattle is palpable and it’s still all about Griffey, Griffey, Griffey. The keys to this season, however, are the kids. If Tuiasasopo, Clement, Rob Johnson, LaHair and the relatively young pitching staff mature, King Felix shows why folks think he’s a stud and they get good play from their veterans like Branyan, Beltre, Lopez and others, this should be a fun year.

With so much going on right here on the peninsula, we’ll be plenty busy without the M’s. Let’s just say they’re the icing on our hardball and softball cakes, okay?

Reach Gazette sports editor Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.