Playing softball in deep snow may present a problem: How can one see the white ball against a bed of the white stuff?

“Someone will paint the ball florescent yellow or orange,” said Steve Pinchak, who has been playing Snowball Softball in Auburn for upwards of 15 years.

On Saturday Pinchak and several other teams of cold-braving softball players will meet at Casey Park for the annual Y-Pals Co-Ed Snowball Softball tournament. The game is played just as it would be on a warm summer day.

“You play in the conditions that are out there,” Pinchak said.

In past years those conditions have included ice, sleet and snow, but also 40-degree days and, most often, mud. The recent rush of snowfall has presented Pinchak with his preferred softball setting.

“The more snow, the more fun it is, because when you fall it doesn't hurt,” Pinchak said. “The fluffier the snow the better.”

Diving for pop flies and sliding into third base becomes easier with the cushion of snow covering the ground. But when the field resembles a hockey rink more than a baseball diamond, Pinchak has seen several players slip in the midst of a game.

As a coed tournament, the teams of 10 are expected to be comprised of at least three women, but optimally five for an alternating batting order. Pinchak regularly pulls his team together from his family and friends, along with players on other softball teams.

“It is kind of hard to find girls. That's always been the stickler to participate,” Pinchak said.

Games are umpired by the teams themselves and the bases will be colored in order to stick out in the snow. Each game will last for five innings or an hour, whichever comes first.

All proceeds from the softball tournament will benefit Y-Pals, formerly known as Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Three years ago the Auburn YMCA took the reins of the local chapter of the program from the United Way.

“It was falling apart a little, but we added some components to it,” said Angel Caci, camp director at the YMCA.

In the hands of the YMCA, the newly named Y-Pals added a school component to its program that promotes mentoring relationships between older and younger students.

Although this is only the second annual Y-Pals game, there is a lengthy history of snowball softball games benefiting the group since before it became a part of the YMCA.

“Over the years it had died, and we tried to revive it a few times,” Pinchak said.

With past participant totals of eight teams or more, the snowball softball tournament has often spanned two days. Last year's event only attracted four teams, so a double-elimination stipulation was added to stretch the day out somewhat.

This year Pinchak plans to play ball no later than 9 a.m. Saturday in order to finish at around 3 p.m., when players from all teams will meet at Curley's for a trophy ceremony. But the free buffet of warm food will be most welcome from the players who spent the day diving and dashing into the snow.

Staff writer David Wilcox can be contacted at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.

If you go

What: Y-Pals coed Snowball Softball

When: 9 a.m. Saturday

Where: Casey Park Field, North

Division Street, Auburn

Team fee: $100 ($10 per person)

For details: Call 253-5304