Under the lights of a packed hometown ballpark, the Mud Dogs take the field with a gritty swagger, cleats already stained from the damp infield and the echo of the home crowd rolling off the metal bleachers. Their colors pop against the dusky sky as the public address announcer booms the introduction of the visiting Slidell Swamp Serpents, a club known for speed on the basepaths and a cold-blooded approach at the plate that matches their serpentine identity.