By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
June 25, 2003
The teams were picked at eight different community college sites across Mississippi last Saturday.
All that's left for those players selected for the 2003 State Games Baseball Tournament is to play ball' at Meridian Community College's Scaggs Field.
The baseball teams are divided into two pools of four with Districts 1-4 representing the north part of Mississippi and Districts 5-8 representing the south half the state.
The teams will play a double-elimination format in each pool, with the pool winners meeting in the gold medal game on Sunday. Each pool runner-up will receive a bronze medal.
Prior to the tournament, players get a chance to showcase their skills before pro and college scouts in a workout today at Scaggs Field.
The actual tournament begins on Thursday with four games Thursday-Saturday. Sunday could have anywhere from one to three games. Game times are 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Sunday's times depend on how many teams are remaining.
Lofton was a coach on the District Five (Meridian-Laurel area) team in last year's State Games.
One benefit from the State Games is that athletes from smaller schools get the chance to show their skills to scouts, something that may not happen during their high school seasons.
District Six (Jackson area) is the defending champion, having beaten District One (Tupelo area) 5-0 in the 2002 title game.
Area players selected to the District Five team are Matthew Andrews and Ryan Aultman from Heidelberg Academy, Kyle Boswell and Kedrick Martin of Meridian, David Wood and Bo Davis of West Lauderdale, Cory Chance of Northeast Lauderdale, Adam Simpson of Enterprise, and Mack Creighton and Adam Harper of Quitman.
Area players picked to the District Four team are Brandon Dotson and Chris Perry of Louisville and Jason Petty of Neshoba Central.
Thursday's pairings have District Four playing District Two at 10 a.m.; District One facing District Three at 1 p.m.; District Six taking on District Eight at 4 p.m.,;and District Five meeting District Seven at 7 p.m.