All eyes on Enterprise as Jr. Dixie Boys World Series begins

After a long summer of waiting for their turn at bat, the players on the Enterprise Junior Dixie Boys baseball team — and their city — are front and center.

Enterprise plays host to the 12-team, double-elimination Junior Dixie World Series, which starts today at 4 p.m. at the city’s recreation complex. Fields 2, 3 and 4 will be in action for the tournament, which features 13-year-olds from 11 state champions and the host city.

Enterprise will have to wait just a little while longer, too. The home team opens at 7 p.m. against Texas.

Enterprise manager Jim Thompson said it has been a different summer for his team.

“It’s been tough,” he said. “But we’re excited it’s game week. The kids had a good summer practicing, but they know Saturday night will be special.”

Thompson said a tedious summer of hours of practice every day would be counterproductive.

“This makes nine weeks since the end of our season, so we tried to break it up a little bit,” he said. “The first month or so, we practiced about twice a week. But really, the last month we’ve asked them to turn up the intensity – and the kids have responded great.”

The team played five practice games, Thompson said, including one against the Dothan team that hosted the state tournament two weeks ago.

“We’ve tried to do some fun things this summer,” the coach said. “We went to Montgomery and saw the Biscuits play. We’ve had a couple swim parties. But we’re looking forward to play some games.”

Thompson said pitching depth was one of the priorities as the team was assembled.

“We’ve got five or six kids who can pitch if we need them to,” he said. “I don’t think we’re going to overpower anybody, but they’ve done a nice job of throwing strikes, locating pitches. We’ve got a lot of guys who can play different positions.”

That depth and versatility will be called on in a tournament where the winner will have to win at least six games in five days.

With a tournament of state champions, Thompson said the competition will be outstanding. He is expecting a particularly challenging game in the opener against Texarkana, Texas. Several players on that team won the Dixie “O” Zone World Series last year as 12-year-olds in Mississippi.

“I think they won their state tournament championship game 23-9 and hit seven home runs,” Thompson said. “They will be a very good baseball team. But I still feel if we can make the routine plays and make whoever we play earn everything they get, we’ll be competitive against anybody.”

Another team in the tournament is no stranger to Enterprise. District rival Troy won the Alabama state championship.

“We know all their coaches and their players,” Thompson said. “Our kids have been playing them since they were six years old. We took our guys over to the state tournament and watched the Troy-Dothan game. Those were two good teams. But our guys play travel ball with them.

“Again, if we pitch well and make the routine plays on defense, we’ll be competitive.”

Enterprise can’t do anything about its long layoff. Thompson said what’s important is executing well and playing solid baseball.

“I’m sure we’ll be nervous Saturday night,” he said. “Every team is going to be nervous. But we’ll have a good crowd supporting us and that will help. This is something these guys will remember the rest of their lives.”

Junior Dixie Boys World Series
Saturday’s schedule
At Enterprise Recreation Complex
4 p.m. Mississippi vs. Louisiana
4 p.m. Troy (Alabama) vs. Arkansas
4 p.m. Georgia vs. Tennessee
7 p.m. North Carolina vs. Virginia
7 p.m. Florida vs. South Carolina
7 p.m. Enterprise vs. Texas