THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 10, 1996 TAG: 9608100270
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 45 lines
Neederland, Texas, and Alacosta, Calif., will meet in the opening game next Saturday in the Babe Ruth World Series for 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds on the upgraded Manteo High School diamond.
The eight visiting teams for the double-elimination tournament were announced Friday by local tournament organizers. Regional play in the sectionals was completed last Thursday.
Neederland, champions of the Southwest region and Alacosta, winners of the Pacific Southwest Region, will play at 2 p.m., followed by Omaha, Neb., vs. Hammond, Ind., at 4:30 p.m.
The host team, Dare County, will face Coos Bay, Ore., in the evening finale at 7 p.m. Dare County qualified as the host team. Coos Bay won the Pacific Northwest title.
Sunday's first-round matchups include Ansonia, Conn., vs. Nashville, Tenn., at 2 p.m., followed by Iron Area, N.J., vs. the Dare County-Coos Bay winner at 4:30. Ansonia won the New England Region, while Nashville captured the Southeast. Iron Area is the Middle Atlantic champion.
Weekend concludes play concludes when the Neederland-Alacosta loser faces the Dare-Coos Bay loser at 7 p.m.
Play continues Monday through Wednesday with games at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Thursday, a single game is set for 7 p.m.
Friday's semifinal games will be played at noon and 3 p.m. The World Series championship will be decided at 1:30 Saturday, Aug. 24.
The semifinals and championship game will be carried live on the Home Team Sports cable network, tournament officials said.
Dare County Coach William Creef and his team from around the Albemarle worked for almost two hours Thursday night.
``We're coming together,'' Creef said. ``These kids get along real well. They've played together before. I think we'll be all right.''
Asked when a decision would be made about Saturday night's starting lineup, Creef replied: ``About 30 minutes before game time.''
Saturday's opening activities will begin with a parade through downtown Manteo at 10:30 a.m. Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Among the guests will be Julia Ruth Stevens, the daughter of the legendary ``Sultan of Swat'' himself. by CNB