BOYS HEAD OFF TO DISTRICT TOURNEY

EYE ON THE BALL: La Grande's Jarred Roberts takes a swing at an incoming pitch during practive Thursday at the Willow School field. The La Grande Little League boys minors all-stars begin their district tournament at 8:30 a.m. Saturday against Wallowa Valley in Pendleton. (The Observer/PAT PERKINS).

By The Observer

Thirteen teams from Eastern Oregon, including three from Union and Wallowa counties, begin the 2001 District 3 Boys Minors Little League Baseball Tournament on Saturday at Pendletons Little League Park.

The tournaments first game features La Grandes all-stars vs. Wallowa Valleys all-stars, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. The winner meets Union Countys all-stars at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

The loser of the Wallowa ValleyLa Grande game will play Monday at a to-be-determined time.

Other first-round games Saturday include Vale vs. Athena at 11 a.m., Owyhee vs. Harney County at 1:30 p.m., Ontario vs. Milton-Freewater at 4 p.m. and Grant County vs. Baker at 6:30 p.m.

Pilot Rock and Pendleton joined Union County with first-round byes.

The tournament championship game will be July 7, with a second game in the double-elimination tournament, if necessary, July 8.

Local rosters for the tournament are:

La Grande

Kevin Boyd, Gary Cornford, Evan Humphreys, Brian Mills, Nolan Mills, Jeremy Moore, Zachary Nice, Bryson Ricker, Jarred Roberts, Michael Ruth, Kole Stein, Woody Stockoff, Josh Yundt. Manager Craig Ruth. Coaches Jonel Ricker, Eric Yundt.

Union County

Wil Burgess, Michael Cox, Chas Durbin, Kyle Langford, John McElravy, Cody Miller, Kyle Miller, Ethan Overton, Cody Walton, Ritter Warren, Drew Williams, Jared Witty. Manager Rocky Burgess. Coaches Rob Langford, Keith Williams.

Wallowa Valley

Caleb Deboie, Jay Chitwood, Zac Courtney, Sam Garnett, Tyler Harshfield, Ethan Kinner, Gatlin McKenzie, Trenton Neil, Steven Simpson, Eric Steen, Caleb Stroup, Andrew Wilson. Manager Warren Wilson. Coaches Randy Garnett, Mike Harshfield.