MISHAWAKA -- Usually there are winter sports and there are summer sports. But Saturday the lines were blurred for Snowball Softball.

The event raised money for the nonprofit group Corvilla. For the past 40 years Corvilla has provided homes for adults with developmental disabilities. Staff and volunteers care for a total of 28 residents who range in age from late 20s to their 70s.

Forty different teams from across Michiana grabbed their bats and balls from the garage, put on some gloves and a hat and hit the baseball diamond.

"The games are different because they happen real quick," said player Rene Echartea from Elkhart.

The rules are simple: One swing and a miss and you're out. It keeps players from spending too much time in the snow covered outfield.

"It's freezing and half the boys have hand warmers in their cleats so I know they are freezing too," said Jena Dewald. She bundled up in several layers to watch her friends play throughout the day.

Some players said the adrenaline kept them warm.

"I'm not cold a bit, not even a little bit ... toes a little bit the first game but now it's great. This is awesome," said player Fred Berkeypile from Plymouth.

This is Berkeypile's first year in the tournament and already he's found one advantage to playing softball in the winter. It's more fun to slide into home plate!

"I normally don't slide in the summertime but yeah, that was fun, nice and slick hard, it was cool," said Berkeypile.

The Snowball Softball tournament started up 12 years ago. It has become so popular, organizers have to turn teams away because they don't have any more fields to play on.

"You know this a dead weekend, there's no playoffs, there's no Super Bowl and people are stir crazy from being inside, so they come out and play," said organizer Diana Dolde.

They play to stay warm, they play to have fun, and they play to help.
The tournament continues Sunday at Rose Park in Mishawaka. The games begin at 11 a.m.