World Series teams set

Published 12:02 am Wednesday, July 27, 2011

South Alabama 12-and-under player Aaliyah Lawrence runs from home plate during an earlier practice. The 12 teams playing in the World Series have been set for the tournament next week. | Andrew Garner/Star-News

The 12 World Series teams are set.

Now, it’s time for some softball.

In a little more than a week, the 2011 Babe Ruth Softball 12U World Series will take place at the Andalusia Sports Complex from Aug. 4-9, and 12 teams from around the country will vie for the coveted title of champion.

The final team that qualified for the World Series did so Monday morning, tournament coordinator Dwight Mikel said Tuesday.

The teams competing in the World Series are Franklin, La.; Mineral Area, Mo.; Halifax, Mass.; Othello, Wash.; Hazlet, N.J.; Fern Creek, Ky.; Lodi, Calif.; Oviedo, Fla.; East Brewton; Brewton; South Alabama (host); and Alexander City.

Mikel said everything is “coming along real well” in getting ready for next week’s tournament.

“If we had to start tomorrow, I think we could pull the trigger and start tomorrow,” Mikel said. “I don’t believe you’re ever totally prepared, or ever totally finished. I think we could drive a stick in the mud right now and play if we had to.”

During a regular World Series committee meeting Tuesday, Mikel said the finances for the tournament “are in good shape.”

“I had projected out ‘(about $70,000)’ that needed to come from outside sources other than those needed to be generated by the tournament,” he said. “We’ve met that with $2,000-$3,000 to spare.”

However, Mikel said right now the key to the financial success of the tournament will come from three sources.

“The success of it is how many folks come, the concession revenues and the vendor fees generated, which are percentage driven,” Mikel said. “Other than that, if those three things come in, then we’ll do very well.”

Mikel said the revenues from the folks that attend the tournament, the concession and the vendors are roughly anticipated to be about $32,000-$33,000.

Teams will arrive in Andalusia next Wed., Aug. 3, some time after lunch, Mikel said.

Three teams will fly into Montgomery, and two teams will fly into Pensacola. Buses and coaches will make the trips to pick the teams up.