AUGUSTA — Softball is Brooklyn Federico’s favorite sport. And after going through the spring without it, she felt it was going to be the same story for the summer as well.

“I really thought that we weren’t going to have it,” said Federico, 14, who plays for the Capital Area Youth Softball Association’s Monmouth team. “I just missed playing, in general.”

Softball is back this summer, however, and CAYSA made its return Tuesday evening as Monmouth played Hall-Dale-based Mattsons before taking on Wipfli (Augusta), and Roys Carpentry (Gardiner) played Brookewood.

The start of the summer season is always an anticipated moment for the players. When it comes after a spring of closed fields and empty parks, however, that anticipation grows tenfold.

“I’m really excited to get back to playing in the field. Just getting back into it,” Federico said. “I miss being with this group of girls. I played with them in middle school, and I’m excited to be back with them and playing the game again.”

Mira Skehan, a catcher for Mattsons, also wondered if she’d have a chance to play this summer.

“There were so many rumors that we wouldn’t have summer softball or anything like that,” she said. “I was really nervous. But when I heard they were getting a team ready for CAYSA, I was really happy. … At least there’s something to do.”

The excitement wasn’t limited to the players. Monmouth co-coach Abby Ferland, a catcher and utility player for Central Maine Community College, lost her spring as well, and she could relate to players who were itching to get back to playing.

“I know I’m excited. … It’s nice to get back on a field just to coach,” she said. “I’m able to get on the same page as them with that and help them get through that and get through the season now and through the precautions, because I’m going to have to go through the same thing.”

The league returned later than some youth baseball leagues did, but it still came together in a hurry. CAYSA skipped tryouts, and only about a week and a half passed between the first practices and Tuesday’s games. There wasn’t even enough time to get uniforms out before Tuesday; Mattsons played its game with non-matching T-shirts.

“It’s kind of weird, because usually you have somewhat of a preseason, you have school ball,” Skehan said. “But because school wasn’t (playing), we didn’t really have any time to practice or get ready for CAYSA, or summer travel softball. It’s a weird feeling, but it’s definitely exciting.”

CAYSA president Tim Soule said getting the 10 teams organized and ready to go was a more hectic process than in years past.

“The uncertainty was a little difficult, because we didn’t jump the gun. We kind of waited until the guidelines came out, and then it’s been a bit of a scramble,” Soule said. “It’s been a scramble to get everybody practice space, because we’re running multiple leagues at once where we usually waterfall it and space it out. … Usually we kind of have January to May, we know the plan, we know the drill. Now we’ve got about two or three weeks with a new drill.”

There was no skimping on the safety precautions Tuesday, however. Umpires wore masks. Players stayed out of the dugouts, with the exception of those getting ready to hit. There were no concessions. Spectators were in two sections behind the outfield fence, and prohibited from crossing the foul poles and sitting in foul territory or behind the plate.

“We really haven’t had many problems,” Soule said. “They’re all complying.”

Players too, with coaches helping them stick to the protocol.

“There’s a little bit of a different atmosphere,” co-coach Emily Kaplan said. “The only precautions are they can’t really touch each other’s stuff, keep clear of each other’s water. For the most part, it’s still going to be the same old fun sport it’s always been.”

Soule said the players have been on board with the new rules.

“They’re hammering it. They just want to be out here playing,” he said. “A lot of them have said ‘I just want to play. I don’t care.’ ”

The precautions don’t make business easy for the league, but Soule said this season in particular is about the players.

“That’s what we’re always about here, the girls and getting the sport out to the girls, and this year it was more important than others,” he said. “We’re not running concessions this year, so we’re going to be lucky to break even. We’re not doing it for any other reason than to get the kids out here.”

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