10-year-olds gather for State tourney

Fort Scott will host a Cal Ripken State Baseball Tournament for the first time since 2011 this weekend as play gets underway for 10-year-olds at noon today at Don Hewett Field.

This is the fourth time Fort Scott has hosted a State-level Cal Ripken tournament. The community also hosted 10-year-old State in 2008, 12-year-olds in 2009, and 9-year-olds in 2011.

Teams that were in town Thursday night were treated to a picnic hosted by Buck Run Community Center followed by a swim party at the Fort Scott Aquatic Center.

Play in the 10-year-old State Tournament begins today at noon with a first-round game featuring the Cottonwood Valley League all-star team, the District 4 champion, against Galena, which qualified as the District 5 runner-up.

The next game is scheduled for 2 p.m. with District 5 champion Independence taking on Clearwater, the District 3 champion. After that, District 3 runner-up Wellington will face the SPIAA (Southern Plains-Iroquois Athletic Association) all-stars from the Dodge City area, which qualified as a District 1 Wild Card team. That game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

There will be a break following the 4 p.m. game for the opening ceremonies. Then at 7 p.m., host team Fort Scott will play against Cimarron River, the District 1 champion representing the Liberal-Hugoton area.

There will be six games played Saturday starting with elimination games at 9 and 11 a.m. Then championship bracket semifinals will take place at 1 and 4 p.m. with two more elimination games set for 6 and 8 p.m.

Play continues with three games on Sunday. The winner's bracket final will start things off at 1 p.m. Then two more elimination games follow at 3 and 5:30 p.m.

There will be two teams left when play resumes Monday morning at 11 a.m. Should the losers' bracket team win that game, one last game will be played at 1:30.

As the host team, Fort Scott automatically qualified for the State Tournament. Last weekend at the District 5 Tournament in Parsons, Fort Scott was eliminated in three games.

Fort Scott lost in the first round to eventual runner-up Galena on July 2 by a score of 16-3. Bryce Eck was named Fort Scott's MVP for the game and Parker Allen received the WOW Award.

MVPs and WOW Awards are handed out to players from both teams in every game. The WOW Award goes to a player who makes an outstanding play.

In the first round of consolation on July 3, Fort Scott beat Coffeyville, 15-3. Brian Stumfoll was Fort Scott's MVP and Caleb Allen was named winner of the WOW Award.

Next for Fort Scott came an 11-7 loss to Parsons on July 5, which brought an end to their tournament run. Eck was again named MVP while Weston Pellett was named the WOW Award winner.

Independence went unbeaten in the District 5 Tournament, beating Galena 12-10 in the final. Parsons finished third while Labette County was fourth.

Game 1: Cottonwood Valley vs. Galena, Noon.

Game 2: Clearwater vs. Independence, 2 p.m.

Game 3: SPIAA vs. Wellington, 4 p.m.

Game 4: Cimarron River vs. Fort Scott, 7 p.m.

Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 9 a.m. (Loser eliminated)

Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 11 a.m. (Loser eliminated)

Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.

Game 8: Winner Game 3. vs. Winner Game 4, 4 p.m.

Game 9: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 7, 6 p.m. (Loser eliminated)

Game 10: Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 8, 8 p.m. (Loser eliminated)

Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 1 p.m. (Winner's bracket final)

Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 3 p.m. (Loser fourth)

Game 13: Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11, 5:30. (Loser third)

Game 14: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13, 11 a.m. (First championship game)

Game 15: Necessary only if Winner Game 11 loses Game 14, 1:30