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Home-field advantage and a mid-day opening game. South Tahoe couldn't have asked for much more heading into this weekend's Babe Ruth 13-15 All-Stars state-qualifying tournament at Todd Fields.
Then again, it could.
South Tahoe is in the bottom half of the six-team bracket and will need to win three straight games or three of four to advance to the July 17-22 state tournament in Fallon. Carson Valley and Battle Mountain, the only two teams in the top half of the bracket, only need to win two consecutive games to advance.
"They got the luck of the draw," said South Tahoe manager Andy Braun. "It is an advantage playing at home, knowing the field, knowing the speed of the field and having hit there for three years for most of these kids. It gives us a comfort zone that I hope we take advantage of."
South Tahoe will open against Lovelock at noon Saturday. A win will propel the all-stars into a 6 p.m. same-day game against either Truckee or Carson City. If South Tahoe loses its opener, it will play either Truckee or Carson City at 9 a.m. Sunday, then play again at 6 p.m. Saturday if it wins.
South Reno, Sparks, Elko, Reno West, North Valleys and Fallon have received byes into the state tournament. The presence of Carson Valley and Carson City in the qualifier is unusual and a test for South Tahoe to advance.
"It will make us prove if we're worthy of playing at state," Braun said. "I believe we can play with them. There's no point going to state if we can't compete with those teams."
Pitching shouldn't be a concern for Braun. Alex Potnick and Alex Vogt were starting pitchers for Whittell High School's varsity team as freshmen, and Ricky Braun and Jamie Yelles toed the rubber for the South Tahoe High junior varsity.
Potnick and Vogt may have some insight into some of their opponents.
"A couple of the teams coming here I've already pitched and played against in high school," said Potnick, who played against both Lovelock and Battle Mountain during the spring. "I'm not that nervous. I'm just going to go out and pitch."
T.J. Kolesnik, Christian Winslow and Kory DiGrande give Braun added depth out of the bullpen.
Yelles, DiGrande and Ricky Braun will share the catching duties. Winslow, Chris Yarrow, Rylan Tepper, Brian Henderson and Dillon McKeen will be utilized in the infield, and many of the pitchers can play multiple positions.
"The question is what kind of pitching are going to face, and how are we going to hit it?" coach Braun said. "Will they have better fastballs and breaking balls than the kids are used to seeing? If we can adjust, I think we have every chance of winning this tournament."
The tournament will continue through Monday. The first game that will determine a state qualifier is at 3 p.m. Sunday; the second is at 6 p.m. Monday.
"I really think we are going to do well," Potnick said.
Then again, it could.
South Tahoe is in the bottom half of the six-team bracket and will need to win three straight games or three of four to advance to the July 17-22 state tournament in Fallon. Carson Valley and Battle Mountain, the only two teams in the top half of the bracket, only need to win two consecutive games to advance.
"They got the luck of the draw," said South Tahoe manager Andy Braun. "It is an advantage playing at home, knowing the field, knowing the speed of the field and having hit there for three years for most of these kids. It gives us a comfort zone that I hope we take advantage of."
South Tahoe will open against Lovelock at noon Saturday. A win will propel the all-stars into a 6 p.m. same-day game against either Truckee or Carson City. If South Tahoe loses its opener, it will play either Truckee or Carson City at 9 a.m. Sunday, then play again at 6 p.m. Saturday if it wins.
South Reno, Sparks, Elko, Reno West, North Valleys and Fallon have received byes into the state tournament. The presence of Carson Valley and Carson City in the qualifier is unusual and a test for South Tahoe to advance.
"It will make us prove if we're worthy of playing at state," Braun said. "I believe we can play with them. There's no point going to state if we can't compete with those teams."
Pitching shouldn't be a concern for Braun. Alex Potnick and Alex Vogt were starting pitchers for Whittell High School's varsity team as freshmen, and Ricky Braun and Jamie Yelles toed the rubber for the South Tahoe High junior varsity.
Potnick and Vogt may have some insight into some of their opponents.
"A couple of the teams coming here I've already pitched and played against in high school," said Potnick, who played against both Lovelock and Battle Mountain during the spring. "I'm not that nervous. I'm just going to go out and pitch."
T.J. Kolesnik, Christian Winslow and Kory DiGrande give Braun added depth out of the bullpen.
Yelles, DiGrande and Ricky Braun will share the catching duties. Winslow, Chris Yarrow, Rylan Tepper, Brian Henderson and Dillon McKeen will be utilized in the infield, and many of the pitchers can play multiple positions.
"The question is what kind of pitching are going to face, and how are we going to hit it?" coach Braun said. "Will they have better fastballs and breaking balls than the kids are used to seeing? If we can adjust, I think we have every chance of winning this tournament."
The tournament will continue through Monday. The first game that will determine a state qualifier is at 3 p.m. Sunday; the second is at 6 p.m. Monday.
"I really think we are going to do well," Potnick said.
13- to 15-Year-Olds
Brian HendersonChris Yarrow
Christian Winslow
Dillon McKeen
Ricky Braun
Kory DiGrande
T.J. Kolesnik
Tyler Slater
Alex Potnick
Alex Vogt
Jamie Yelles
Rylan Tepper
Manager: Andy Braun
Coach: Rich Kreager
