KELSO TO HOST BIG TOURNEY

KELSO, Mo. -- Two Benton fast-pitch softball teams will try to defend their regional titles this weekend when nearby Kelso plays host to the Babe Ruth Softball Midwest Plains Regional Tournament.

The tournament, which will hold its opening ceremonies Thursday, will begin play at 10 a.m. Friday. Play will conclude with Sunday's championship games. The 16U final will be held at 11 a.m. and the 12U title game at 1 p.m.

The two Benton teams, the 16-under Heartland Heat and 12-under Heartland Nationals, recently won Missouri State Championships.

The Heartland squads each won their respective regional divisions last year in Denver and made their first appearances ever in the national Babe Ruth Softball World Series, where each placed fourth.

In the regionals, there will be five teams in the 16U division. Missouri has two members as does Colorado, while one team comes from Kansas.

The 12U division features six squads, two apiece from the aforementioned states.

Heartland players are from Kelso, Benton, Chaffee, New Hamburg and Oran, and represent a variety of Scott and Cape Girardeau county schools.

"Both teams have a good variety of tough pitchers as well as hitters or we wouldn't be here," said Heat head coach Doug Johnson. "They all play together quite a bit, especially my team which features players from Kelly (Benton), Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) high schools, and others."

The Heat (5-0) feature eight players from Kelly, which placed third in the Missouri Class 2A State Championships last season.

Both tournament's are double-elimination and all games will be played at Kelso City Park. The 12U winner will advance to Wilson City, N.C. The 16U winner will travel to Millville, N.J.