The crack of the bat, sending a high popup into medium right field. The glove snapping shut with the ball safely inside, signifying a successful catch. Those two sounds are all the evidence needed that high school baseball time has arrived.

Woodland High School’s fall baseball team began practicing Monday, Aug. 12. Tyler Qualls is entering his fifth year as head coach.

Qualls began lofting fly balls to right center, giving each player a chance. Later, it was time to move to the dirt infield, with a couple of boys handing third base, shortstop and second base duty, and a trio of high schoolers manning first base as Qualls sent grounders toward the fielders. There’s an occasional “good job” or “nice” from the onlookers while Qualls tells those that miss one to “stay down” in the proper fielding stance, to keep their eyes focused on the ball. A few times the grounder comes to a halt in the thick grass before reaching the dirt area. In these cases, Qualls simply hits another, hoping the later opportunities makes it toward the intended target.

The goal at the first practice was to focus on fundamentals and back into the flow of baseball, Qualls said.

“Basically, just get back in shape,” he said. “Some of them haven’t done baseball stuff throughout the summer, so we’re trying to get them back into the swing of things, get as many reps as we can, so we’re ready to play in three weeks.

Not all of the high school players take part in summer ball. The practices give the players a chance to work together ahead of the start of the season.

“Some do; some don’t,” Qualls said. “We’re getting everyone tied in together, working to get those fundamentals back on track.”

Qualls isn’t too concerned about the individual player positions just yet.

“It’ll all work itself out,” he said. “We have a few guys missing today, but we’ll end up having 14 or 15 guys, and we’ll go from there.”

Qualls enjoys working with a team of players that may be low on numbers.

“It’s kind of nicer having a smaller group, you have an everybody’s all-in mentality,” Qualls said. “You never know where one guy could come in off the bench and be in a huge spot for us, and everybody is pulling for each other.”

The Cardinals play their first game Thursday, Sept. 5, at Advance and then take part in the Bank of Grandid Fall Classic Sept. 6 and 7. Woodland’s first home game is Friday, Sept. 6, against Leopold.