PREP BASEBALL: Jason Armstrong FCA Tourney features top-notch field
COMBINED REPORTS
The 27th Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament kicks off today at Paterson Field, bringing in 20 teams for 28 games over a 10-day period.
The tournament opens today with a game between Montgomery Academy and Highland Home, then takes a three-day break as many of the area teams had already scheduled rivalry games for this weekend. It resumes on Monday with three games and continues through the weekend with games at both Riverwalk Stadium and Paterson Field, the two sites that annually host the Alabama High School Athletic Association baseball finals.
“They finally figured this out,” Trinity coach Ken Whittle said. “They get to go to Paterson Field and to Riverwalk (Stadium), where they hope to be down the road. They get to familiarize themselves with that, which I think is very smart.”
The tournament will always hold a special place in the hearts of Whittle and the Wildcats, who originally came up with the idea of hosting a tournament in Armstrong’s honor before it was adopted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and moved to larger downtown stadiums.
“He’s one of our former players,” Whittle said. “Dr. Armstrong helped build this (home) field because of Jason. We just enjoy playing in this tournament. It’s fun for us, playing somebody different, somebody we haven’t played before.”
Among the participants are defending 3A state champion Providence Christian; Trinity and LAMP, a pair of teams that reached the 4A quarterfinals last year; Wilson, which reached the second round of the 4A playoffs; Thorsby, who made it to the semifinals of the 2A playoffs; Luverne, which reached the second round of the 2A playoffs; St. James and Montgomery Academy, both of which advanced to the second round of the 3A playoffs; Billingsley, which advanced to the second round of the 1A playoffs; and Marbury, who made a 5A playoff appearance last season.
While the tournament does offer an opportunity to play a number of games – Trinity, for example, will play four in a five-day span next week – it does not crown a champion.
“That’s not what it’s about,” Whittle said. “It’s about us playing.”
Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament
Feb. 27/March 2-7 at Paterson Field and Riverwalk Stadium
Thursday
4 p.m.: Montgomery Academy vs Highland Home (Paterson Field)
Monday, March 2
Riverwalk Stadium
3 p.m.: Brewbaker Tech vs Montgomery Academy
5 p.m.: Tallassee vs St. James
Paterson Field
4 p.m.: Marbury vs Montgomery Catholic
Tuesday, March 3
Riverwalk Stadium
4 p.m.: Tallassee vs Trinity
6 p.m.: LAMP vs Pike Road
Paterson Field
4 p.m.: Luverne vs Alabama Christian
6 p.m.: G.W. Carver vs Elmore County
Wednesday, March 4
Riverwalk Stadium
3 p.m.: Marbury vs G.W. Carver
5 p.m.: Jeff Davis vs. Elmore County
Paterson Field
4 p.m.: Catholic vs Tallassee
Thursday, March 5
Riverwalk Stadium
2 p.m.: Prattville Christian vs Trinity
4 p.m.: Luverne vs Catholic
6 p.m.: Providence Christian vs Alabama Christian
Paterson Field
4 p.m.: Elmore County vs Brewbaker Tech
6 p.m.: Wilson vs LAMP
Friday, March 6
Riverwalk Stadium
11 a.m.: Providence Christian vs Wilson
2 p.m.: Catholic vs Wilson
4 p.m.: Thorsby vs LAMP
6 p.m.: Pike Road vs Alabama Christian
Paterson Field
2 p.m.: Trinity vs Providence Christian
4 p.m.: Billingsley vs Brewbaker Tech
6 p.m.: Jeff Davis vs Prattville Christian
Saturday, March 7
Riverwalk Stadium
10 a.m.: Thorsby vs Trinity
12 p.m.: Billingsley vs Pike Road
2 p.m.: Billingsley vs. Prattville Christian
Paterson Field
10 a.m.: Alabama Christian vs Wilson
12 p.m.: Luverne vs LAMP