After several months of regular-season play, it's down to the nitty-gritty for Little League baseball and softball.
Starting Wednesday, 78 all-star teams from 13 leagues within District 5, which covers the northern half of the Tucson area, will battle for the district titles and the right to go on to the state tournament and possibly beyond.
Tanque Verde Little League will hope to match last year's postseason success, when its Senior baseball team as well as its 9- to 10-year-old Major and Junior softball squads all won District 5 tournaments.
District winners move on to the state level, with state champs from the Major, Junior and Senior divisions advancing to regional play and then the World Series.
No District 5 team has ever reached the World Series, though Coronado got within one out in Senior Baseball in 2002, falling 10-9 to San Pedro (Calif.) Eastview in the West Region final.
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District 5 will also be hosting the state tournament in Junior softball, July 21-29 at Arthur Pack Park, 9191 N. Thornydale Road, and from Aug. 3-12 will host the Junior softball West Region tournament at the Field of Dreams Little League Complex, 1575 E. 36th St.
Game locations
Arthur Pack Regional Park, 9191 N. Thornydale Road
Fort Lowell Park, 2900 N. Craycroft Road
Kennedy Park, 3700 S. Mission Blvd.
Mehl Foothills Park, 4101 E. River Road
Mountain View High School, 3901 W. Linda Vista Blvd.
Murrieta Park, 1400 N. Silverbell Road
Udall Park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road
9-10 baseball
Start date: July 5
Number of teams participating: 13
Format: Pool play, top two teams advance from each pool to semifinals
Played at: Arthur Pack, Fort Lowell, Kennedy, Mehl, Murrieta, Udall
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Udall Park, Field No. 3
Defending champ: Coronado
State tournament: July 19-28 at Chino Valley
10-11 baseball
Start date: July 5
No. of teams participating: 12
Format: Pool play, top two teams advance from each pool to semifinals
Played at: Arthur Pack, Fort Lowell, Kennedy, Mehl, Murrieta, Udall
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Murrieta Park, Field No. 3
Defending champ: Canyon View
State tournament: July 19-27 at Flagstaff
Major (11-12) baseball
Start date: July 5
No. of teams participating: 13
Format: Pool play, top two teams advance from each pool to semifinals
Played at: Arthur Pack, Fort Lowell, Kennedy, Mehl, Murrieta, Udall
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Kennedy Park, Field No. 1
Defending champ: Western
State tournament: July 20-29 at Kingman
Junior (13-14) baseball
Start date: July 6
No. of teams participating: 13
Played at: Arthur Pack, Mountain View, Murrieta, Udall
Format: Pool play, top two teams advance from each pool to semifinals
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Arthur Pack Park, Field No. 5
Defending champ: Tucson Mountain
State tournament: July 18-27 at Phoenix
Senior (15-16) baseball
Start date: July 5
No. of teams participating: 6
Format: Double elimination
Played at: Arthur Pack, Mountain View, Murrieta
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 11-12 at Murrieta Park, Field No. 4 (second game, if necessary, 7:30 p.m. July 12 at Murrieta)
Defending champ: Tanque Verde
State tournament: July 16-24 at Scottsdale
9-10 softball
Start date: July 5
No. of teams participating: 8
Format: double elimination
Played at: Arthur Pack, Kennedy, Mehl
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 12 at Kennedy Park, Field No. 1 (second game, if necessary, 7:30 p.m. July 13 at Mehl)
Defending champ: Tanque Verde
State tournament: July 17-25 at Glendale
Major (11-12) softball
Start date: July 5
No. of teams participating: 6
Format: Round robin, top four advance to semifinals
Played at: Arthur Pack, Kennedy, Mehl
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 13 at Mehl Park, Field No. 3
Defending champ: Tanque Verde
State tournament: July 18-25 at Claypool (near Miami)
Junior (13-14) softball
Start date: July 8
No. of teams participating: 4
Format: Double elimination
Played at: Arthur Pack, Mehl
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 14 at Arthur Pack, Field No. 4 (second game, if necessary, 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Arthur Pack)
Defending champ: Tanque Verde
State tournament: July 21-29 at Arthur Pack
Senior (15-16) softball
Start date: July 7
No. of teams participating: 3
Format: Double elimination
Played at: Arthur Pack
Championship: 7:30 p.m. July 10 at Arthur Pack, Field No. 4 (second game, if necessary, 7:30 p.m. July 12 at Arthur Pack)
Defending champ: Tucson Mountain
State tournament: July 17-23 at Casa Grande
