Thompson senior baseball will send a select team out of town for its first tournament this weekend in Grandview, where it will play against seven teams in a Manitoba-Saskatchewan border league that includes Yorkton, Swan River, Grandview, Esterhazy and Kamsack.
The team will include 16 or 17 players, said manager Jack Sangster, chosen from the Thompson Reds, Dropkick Murphys and Bankside, which make up the Thompson senior league.
The team will play up to four games at the tournament, beginning with a late game Friday, scheduled so the team will have time for the trip from Thompson. The squad will play twice on Saturday.
"If we fare well, we'll play again Sunday," said Sangster.
The local league has gone well this season, despite a number of rain-outs.
"We've had some nice days, too," said Sangster. "We've got some young guys playing on the teams."
Red Sangster said the level of play has been good.
"There's been some very good ball games," said Red, as well as good pitching and a few home runs.
Following the Grandview tournament, Thompson senior baseball has a home tournament planned for July 25, which will include the three hometown squads plus a couple of out-of-town teams, including Cross Lake and Grand Rapids.
The tournament will include a home run derby with two batters from each team and will also be the date of the draw for the league's annual raffle, which features a top prize of two tickets to Winnipeg on Calm Air, a pair of tickets to a Winnipeg Goldeyes game and one night's stay in the Marlborough Hotel.
The season will wrap up with the senior baseball provincials Aug. 7-9 in Wawanesa.
