WASHINGTON _ Republican congressional baseball coach Roger Williams was hitting infield practice Wednesday morning as Rodney Davis played catcher and Williams staffer Zack Barth backed them up around a flooded batters box.
In the outfield, lobbyist and former Hill aide Matt Mika was fielding balls with teammates.
It seemed like a normal baseball practice.
But, the scars from bullet wounds on Barth's legs were visible.
The Republican team had its first practice since June 14, 2017, when a gunman opened fire on them on the same field in Alexandria, Virginia.
Majority Whip Steve Scalise wasn't with his teammates, recovering from yet another procedure to repair the damage from a bullet slamming into his hip. Mika was also severely wounded, a bullet just missing his heart.
Off the field, the scene appeared very different than it did before the shooting. At least 20 uniformed Capitol Police officers, a member of the K-9 unit and his German shepherd swept TV and cargo trucks and media bags. Meanwhile, other non-uniformed security kept watch along the outfield fences.
The huge media presence there to cover the practice had to remain inside a fenced area behind third base and wait for members to walk over.
"Obviously the media is different, you're the only one who was usually out here covering us," Davis told a Roll Call reporter.
"The security, you know, I took for granted until that day. I would come in every morning and roused whomever was on Steve Scalise's detail because they're just good people and they'd become friends," Davis said.
Scalise's detail, Crystal Griner and David Bailey, who took down the shooter, were also not present at practice on Wednesday.
Four congressmen were wearing a hat with the Capitol Police insignia on it.
The team practiced for about 30 minutes and then held a news conference to talk about returning to the field.
Scalise sent a statement that signed off with a simple "Play ball!"
Davis recently shot an interview with an Indiana TV outlet at the field. For Williams, it was his first time back.
"It was a little strange to come back. I immediately went to where I was when I was hunkered down and looked at it, thought about it and moved on," he said.
"You still have physical and mental scars about that day," he said. "We're America's team... this is the beginning of our season."
Like Williams, longtime manager Joe L. Barton was ready to move on with practice as usual after the media event.
"After this practice, the practices will be about baseball. Today was more about resiliency and commitment and continuity," Barton said.
This is Barton's last game, who is retiring after this term. It's also the last one for Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, who is also retiring.
"This has been one of the best things I've done here, really, in terms of camaraderie," Flake said. "I can't say enough about it."
It was also his first time back on Simpson Field after the shooting.
"It's good to be back," Flake said. "It's quite a feeling."
Alexandria police officers also patrolled the field and M ayor Allison Silberberg was there to show her support.
The Republican congressional team has practiced in Alexandria for at least 60 to 70 years, Barton said.
(Griffin Connolly contributed to this report.)
