Babe Ruth baseball players are coming to Hailey for the fourth annual Wood River Invitational Babe Ruth 14-15 double elimination tournament Thursday through Saturday.
Representing the Wood River Baseball Association in the eight-team 14-15 tournament are the Wood River Americans and Wood River Wolverines. Other teams are coming from Jerome, Rupert, Idaho Falls and Buhl.
Fourteen games are scheduled, mostly on the big Founders Field diamond but also at Nelson Field in Hailey. Championship game is set for 3 p.m. Saturday, July 7 with an "if necessary" game set for 5 p.m.
Home teams are determined by coin flips each game.
The WR Americans open against the Jerome 14-year-olds Thursday, July 5 at 6 p.m. at Founders Field. The winner of that game will play again Friday at 2 p.m. at Founders.
Meanwhile, the WR Wolverines open up Friday at 10 a.m. at Founders Field against the Jerome 15-year-olds. Last July, the Jerome 15s won the Wood River Babe Ruth 14-15 championship 6-4 over Twin Falls.
Other Friday games: 8 a.m., Minidoka vs. Banana Slugs at Founders; at 10 a.m., Idaho Falls Nationals vs. Buhl at Nelson Field; plus other games at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Saturday's games are at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. Snack bars will be available at both fields, and baseball families can swim free of charge Friday from 6:30-9 p.m. at Blaine County Aquatic Center.
Rules in effect include: Pitchers can throw a maximum seven innings in two consecutive games; any of the nine starting players can be withdrawn and can re-enter once; an extra hitter may be used.
