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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 22, 2005 Legion tourney lures powerhouse clubs By KEVIN GOFF Mail Tribune Medford Mustangs manager Sandee Kensinger has spent much of the last year piecing together the Best of the West Wood Bat Challenge. And, minus a couple of bumps along the way, his efforts to get the first-year tournament off the ground will come to fruition on Thursday. Kensinger and the Mustangs will help host the seven-team, four-day American Legion baseball tournament at North Medford High. Klamath Falls will also host some games. Medford and the Klamath Falls Falcons will be joined by Grants Pass, Richey’s Market of Corvallis and teams from Las Vegas, Yakima, Wash., and Vancouver, Wash. There will be two nine-inning games a day at North Medford High, scheduled for 2 and 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Admission at North is $3 for adults and $1 for children. Advertisement Medford opens play on Thursday at 2 p.m. The Mustangs will get a crack at red-hot Richey’s Market this weekend. The Corvallis team, which advanced to the American Legion AAA World Series in 2003, is off to a 16-1 start and boasts a number of returning college players. "I just looked at their roster, and they’re loaded" said Kensinger, the Mustangs manager for 13 of the last 16 seasons. The Mustangs enter Thursday’s game with an 11-4 record and have raced to nine wins in their last 10 games. Right-fielder Logan Boyd is batting a team-best .435 with 18 RBIs and six home runs. Dan Chancler is also producing, with a .408 average, four homers and 14 RBIs. Josh Suarez leads the pitching staff with a 2-0 record and has yet to give up a run in 13 innings. Kenny Licea tops the staff with three wins against no losses, while Tommy George has four saves and a 2-1 record in eight appearances. Kensinger sees the tournament as a way to get in games against top-quality opponents and to find much-needed innings for his pitchers. "We’ll get to go 1-2-3-4 through the (pitching) order," said Kensinger, whose team has also played near- flawless defense with a .954 fielding average. "It’s a good way to get some work for our guys." Kensinger has been the driving force in getting the event together. He started to lay the groundwork in October and has almost single-handedly brought the wood bat challenge together. "I wanted to do something for the community," said Kensinger. "It’ll help bring some money into the community and give fans some pretty entertaining baseball to watch." But Kensinger’s quest didn’t come without its share of problems. First came the demolition of Miles Field, which was torn down after the property was sold to Wal-Mart. Left without a field and not knowing the fate of a project to remodel North Medford’s facility, Kensinger feared the worst. "We originally tried to sell the idea, but it didn’t happen until things came together at North," Kensinger said. Then, with North Medford High’s field ready and available, the eighth team, a squad from Boise, Idaho, pulled out late in the game, leaving just a seven-team field. "Originally it was supposed to be Oregon (teams) against the best we could find," said Kensinger. "Then Boise pulls out last minute, and we’re left with just seven teams. If they hadn’t pulled out, it would have been a really good format. "You make due with what you have. It still should be some pretty good baseball." If all goes well, Kensinger hopes to expand the tournament next year by three or four teams. "We’re hoping to attract more teams," he said. "Maybe we can make this into a pretty big event. "We had a curveball thrown at us with the ballpark, then with the team pulling out, but it should be a fun deal that the fans can really enjoy." Reach reporter Kevin Goff at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers dvd-r helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Home Equity Loans Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Canadian Pharmacy Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Air Purifiers Advertisement s