After its Cal Ripken counterpart won two state titles last month, Fallon’s Babe Ruth all-star teams will get their chance to bring back some hardware.
The 14-year-old state tournament begins Thursday in conjunction with the prep division (13-year-old) at South Reno’s Jack Tighe Field off Moana Lane. The 13-15-year-old state tournament is next week in South Tahoe.
Fallon, which has had success in the Babe Ruth tournaments the last couple of years, will field only two teams (14 and 13-15) this summer.
Fallon’s 14 all-stars take on the host, South Reno, Thursday night at 8 p.m. to open up the three-team double-elimination tournament. The winner takes on Sparks on Friday at 8 p.m. The winner of Friday’s game advances to the championship at 3 p.m. on Saturday while the consolation final is at 10 a.m. If necessary, a game is scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Fallon’s 13-15 team competes against Sun Valley on July 17 at 5:30 p.m. The double-elimination tournament runs through July 20 with the championship game at noon at the South Tahoe Middle School baseball field.
The prep division, which doesn’t feature Fallon, also has only three teams with South Tahoe, Yerington and Sparks battling for the state title.
The state winners advance to the Pacific Southwest Regional Tournament.
The prep tournament will be in Fowler, Calif., from July 25 through Aug. 5, while the 14s will travel to Surprise, Ariz., and compete from July 28 through Aug. 4. The 13-15 will compete in Ukiah, Calif., Aug. 4-11.
The regional winner advances to the World Series in Glen Allen, Va. (prep), Ocala, Fla. (14-under) or Longview, Wash. (13-15).
Fallon fielded teams in all three state tournaments last year, winning the 14 and 13-15 age groups. Fallon’s 14 all-stars, which will compete in the 13-15 of this year’s tournament, defeated South Reno to win state while last year’s 13-15 group defeated North Valleys in the championship. Both all-star teams were overwhelmed in the regional in Arizona as Fallon didn’t win enough in pool play to advance to the single-elimination tournament.
Force take on World Series in Carson City
Carson Valley Fast-pitch has partnered with Carson Girls Softball to host the All-World Sports World Series, which will be held Thursday through Sunday in Gardnerville and Carson City.
Young softball players between the ages of 8 and 18 from Northern Nevada and California will compete for honors in the event.
More than 40 teams will be participating in the 8-and-under, 10-U, 12-U and 14-U, including the Carson Valley HotShots travel teams.
Games will be played at Stodick Park in Gardnerville as well as two sites in Carson City, Edmonds Sports Complex and Centennial Park.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase our community and our softball facility,” said Joey McNinch, president of Carson Valley Fastpitch. “The new playing surfaces that we upgraded last year make our venue an attractive location for an event of this caliber.”
Opening ceremonies will be held Thursday at 5 p.m. at Edmonds Sports Complex. The parade of teams begins at 6 p.m. and skills contests for players begin around 7 p.m.
Early games involving the Hotshots include:
Thursday — 10-U vs. Swaggerzz, 8:30 a.m., and vs. Lassen Chaos (Susanville, Calif.), 10:30 a.m., Stodick Park; 12-U vs. Nevada Comets, 10:30 a.m., Stodick Park; 14-U vs. Fallon Force, 12:30 p.m., Stodick Park; 8-U vs. Gold Rush, 12:30 p.m. Friday — 8-U vs. SGSL Predators, 11:30 a.m. Edmonds Sports Complex.
Visit nsfastpitch.com for a complete listing of pool play and double elimination game times.
Record Courier sports reporter Dave Price contributed to this story.