SIBL Hosts Mustang League Region Tournament

The Swansea Independent Baseball League will play host this weekend to the North Region Tournament of the Mustang League (9- and 10-year-old and younger players) of PONY Baseball at its Nike Site Playing Complex on Nike Site Road.

          According to President Andy Fyfe, a SIBL entry along with teams from Connecticut and Eastern New York will compete in the four-team, double-elimination tournament which runs Friday through Sunday. The tournament champion will earn a berth in the East Zone Tournament to be staged July 24 through 26 in Chesterfield, Virg., and will keep alive its hopes of qualifying for the 2014 Mustang League World Series to be contested July 31 through Aug. 3 in Burleson, Texas.

          Tournament action in Swansea commences at 5 p.m. Friday when the Swansea battles the Ballston Spa Bearcats of Ballston Spa, N.Y. At 7:30 p.m., Dom Aitro of New Haven, Conn., will square off opposite the Capital District Titans of Albany, N.Y.

          Tourney games will be played Saturday at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. The event will conclude Sunday with either one or two contests starting at 10 a.m.

          According to Fyfe, all tournament games will be played on a diamond where bases are 60 feet apart, the pitching mound is 44 feet from home plate, and Major League Baseball rules are utilized. Pitchers will frequently be required to work from the stretch position and to execute pick-off throws, while runners will be permitted to take leads off bases and to attempt steals whenever action is live.

          Swansea’s roster for the Region Tournament includes Jacob Aubin, Riley Tabicas, Cam Nadeau, Tyler Cabral, Aiden Branco, Drew Crook, Riley Machado, Aidan Fyfe, Sam Watts, Aidan Ramaglia, Ethan McElroy, Lucas McElroy, manager Fyfe and coaches Scott McElroy and Tim Cabral.

          Further information about the North Region Tournament is accessible on the SIBL’s Web site at www.sibl.net.