SILOAM SPRINGS — The 16-18-year-old Northwest Arkansas All-Stars will have a distinct Siloam Springs flavor this week at the North Arkansas Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament.
North Arkansas Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament
Friday-Monday
James Butts Baseball Complex, Siloam Springs
16-18-year-olds
Friday
Game 1: Gentry vs. Northwest Arkansas, noon
Game 2: Carroll County vs. Fort Smith, 3 p.m.
Game 3: Westark vs. Winner G1, 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 4: Loser G1 vs. Loser G2, 10 a.m.
Game 5: Winner G2 vs. Winner G3, 7 p.m.
Game 6: Winner G4 vs. Loser G6, 4 p.m.
Sunday
Game 7: Winner G6 vs. Loser G5, noon
Game 8: Winner G5 vs. Winner G7, 6 p.m.
Monday
Game 9: *Winner G8 vs. Loser G8, TBD
16-year-olds
Saturday
Northwest Arkansas vs. Bentonville, 1 p.m.
Sunday
Northwest Arkansas vs. Bentonville, 3 p.m.
Monday
*Northwest Arkansas vs. Bentonville, TBD
- — If necessary
Seven of the 18 players on the roster played on Siloam Springs’ regular season team, and all three of NWA’s coaches are from Siloam Springs.
And with the tournament being played at James Butts Baseball Complex, Northwest Arkansas should have quite a home field advantage as the tournament begins on Friday and runs through the if necessary game on Monday.
Also being played at Butts Baseball Complex is the North Arkansas Senior Babe Ruth 16-year-old Tournament, which is a best two-out-of-three series between Bentonville and a Northwest Arkansas all-star team. There is no advancement for the 16s past the state tournament.
The winner of the 16-18 tournament advances to the Senior Babe Ruth Southwest Regional Tournament, which will be held July 12-16 at Veterans Park in Rogers.
Northwest Arkansas will automatically qualify as the host team, and if it wins the state tournament, a second team from the North Arkansas State Tournament will advance. It’s possible North Arkansas could get a third team in the Southwest Regional because the state of Louisiana has dropped out of competition.
Knowing their ticket is punched to the regional could allow Northwest Arkansas to be a little creative with its play, said NWA Manager Charles Tucker.
“It might allow us to play a little more relaxed,” Tucker said. “It is our intent to win the state, but we might be comfortable trying a few different things knowing we don’t have to win state to move on. It’s our plan to win state. We feel like by Friday we will have the defense and offensive depth charts set and we’ll be ready.”
Assisting Tucker in coaching the 16-18-year-olds are Jim Snodgrass and Gary Comiskey.
Northwest Arkansas will open the tournament at noon on Friday against NWA league champion Gentry, which finished with a league-best 12-4 record in the regular season and then won the league championship last week at Tyson Park in Springdale.
Also playing in the tournament are Carroll County, Fort Smith and Westark.