Chaz Vining of the Red Sox gets some words of encouragement from his mother Kendra Cowles before his at-bat Saturday during the opening day of the Dixie Minors season for the Greenville Parks and Recreation Department. The Dixie Minors and Dixie Youth opened the baseball season Saturday, while the softball teams begin play this Saturday at the Greenville Softball Complex starting with the opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. See a roundup of Saturday's and Monday's action on Page 9A.