The Dixie Youth state baseball tournament for 11 and 12 year olds at Kosciusko’s Hugh Ellard Park will begin Friday after a one-week delay due to heavy rain from Tropical Storm Barry that hit the area last weekend.
The World Series for 5 and 6 year olds at Brookhaven will also start Friday.
Kosciusko’s 11-12 team will open play in the 12-team double elimination tournament at 8 p.m. Friday against a team from Sumrall. If Kosciusko wins, the next game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday against Pike County or Laurel National. But if there is a loss, Kosciusko will drop into the losers bracket against the Pike County-Laurel loser at 9 a.m. Saturday in an elimination game.
Cooper Stevens will be the starting pitcher for Kosciusko Friday.
The tournament is scheduled for completion Monday. The World Series will be August 3-8 in Ruston, La.
Rain started falling in the Kosciusko area Friday. It was still raining Monday morning, and more than four inches had fallen. Kosciusko parks and recreation director Todd Ables said the fields were “Wet with a capital W,” but he expected them to be in good shape by Friday,
The 5-6 World Series at Hansel King Sports Complex will begin with pool play Friday. Pool play will determine seedings for the single elimination tournament Sunday.
Kosciusko will play teams from Searcy Ark, at 10 a.m, Friday, Hattiesburg at 4:15 p.m. Friday and Troy, Ala. at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Kosciusko’s first game in the elimination tournament will be at 10:30 a.m. Sunday against an opponent to be determined.
Kosciusko coach Wes Carter said fields were saturated Monday, but should be ready for play by Friday.
The 5-6 tourney is coach pitch.
Dixie Youth has teams from Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
