The World Series might be a ways off, but several of Butler County’s own heavy hitters will duke it out at Beeland Park’s Cavanaugh Field Wednesday for the Greenville Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Pitch, Hit and Run competition.

The contest, set for boys and girls ages 7-14, is a time-honored tradition in the Camellia City that is more than two decades old.

Pitch, Hit and Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball.

The grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete, free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball and softball skills.

The pitching contest will have participants throwing at a target from a predetermined distance, and the one with the highest number of hits on target will win.

The hitting leg of the competition is done from a tee and requires accuracy as well as distance. Guidelines will be placed straight through the pitcher’s mound and second base well into the outfield, and the goal is to hit the ball as close to the guides as possible.  There will be deductions for how many feet the ball lands either to the left or right of the goal.

The running competition is the most straightforward of all, as competitors will be timed on a sprint from a leadoff position from second base to home plate.

Boys and girls are divided into four age divisions:  7/8, 9/10, 11/12 and 13/14, and have the chance to advance through four levels of the competition, including Team Championships at Major League ballparks and the National Finals at the 2016 MLB All-Star Game.

The individual pitching, hitting and running champions, allow with the all-around champion in each division age group at the local competition, will be awarded and advance to the sectional level of the competition.

No metal spikes are allowed in the competition.

All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate and have their parent or guardian fill out a registration/waiver form prior to the start of the competition.

For questions concerning the competition, please contact Gregg Fuller or Bettdonna Mack at 334-382-3031.

The competition will begin at Cavanaugh Field at 4 p.m.