Yaquis, O'odham send clubs to tribal tourney

Wobbly chalk lines trace a diamond pointed away from the street, encased by a chain-link backstop behind home plate and a set of cones that stands as an outfield wall.

If the ball rolls past the cones, outfielders hold their hands in the air; the batter receives a ground-rule double.

The players — from the Pascua Yaqui Yellow Hawks and the Tohono O'odham Warriors — are all 12 and under. They're having the time of their lives.

Starting today, they'll do it on a larger stage. The teams will play in the Arizona Diamondbacks Inter-Tribal Youth Baseball Tournament.

In its 10th year, the tournament matches American Indian teams against each other.

Games run through Wednesday at "Diamonds Back" fields in Phoenix and on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

The tournament boasts friendly competition, but that's not the only reason to love it. Here are five reasons to be interested in this year's event:

1. Tucson is well-represented. Three local teams will play in the junior division, ages 9 to 12 — the Yellow Hawks, Warriors and the Tohono O'odham's San Xavier Natives. Two Pascua Yaqui teams — the Scorpions and Pascua Viejo — will play in the senior division for ages 13 to 16.

2. Ina Antone is a grandma! The founding coach of the Tohono O'odham Warriors has six children — including 10-year-old son Ian, who is on the team — and one grandchild.

She started the team this year to give Tohono O'odham youths another team. The daughter of a baseball coach, Antone has enlisted her husband and brother to help coach.

She will take 20 players — including seven girls — to Phoenix this weekend.

"If I can handle six kids, I think I got it," she said.

3. They raised a lot of money. Last Sunday, the Pascua Yaqui Yellow Hawks held an all-day fundraiser — washing cars, selling popovers and holding a benefit dance — for the trip to Phoenix.

The team raised $1,500 for travel expenses and uniforms.

"The good part is seeing a smile on the kids' faces when they see things for the first time," said coach Steve Alvarez.

The Pascua Yaqui teams are getting a new field this month. The field will feature grass, lights, bathrooms and a snack bar — amenities their current field lacks.

It might also save Alvarez's windshield, which has been broken frequently by foul balls.

4. Ramon Valenzuela is making his fifth trip. The Yellow Hawks 12-year-old shortstop is a veteran of the Diamondbacks' tournament.

"We get to go and meet other teams and players," he said. "It's cool."

5. Zoe Carlyle is making her first. The 10-year-old Warriors first baseman said she can't wait to meet players from around the state — and beat them.

"I'm looking forward to meeting everybody," she said.

Antone, her coach, said some of her players weren't aware there were players from other reservations.

"These kids are really excited," she said. "Some of the team members, some of them are new to baseball. Some of them, they thought we were the only Indians here. I was telling them there are all kinds of Indians coming from all parts of the nation."