GETTYSBURG - The Mifflin County 13-year-old All-Stars will open their 2012 tournament trail on the road.
And in a place where Mifflin County has never played.
The District 7 13-year-old tournament will be played at Mummasburg, a village on the outskirts of Gettysburg. This will mark the 63rd different site that Mifflin County has played an All-Star game.
Only two teams are participating in the tournament - the host, Gettysburg, and Mifflin County. Perry County withdrew from the tournament.
Because of that, the tournament will be a best-of-three affair with the first game scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday. Game two is set for 2 p.m. Sunday; if a tiebreaker game is necessary, it will be played as the back half of a doubleheader Sunday.
The winner of the tournament advances to the state tournament, which begins July 18 in Altoona.
The manager of the team is Yeagertown's Fred Zook. He is being assisted by Mike Milliken, also of Yeagertown, and Butch Bender of Belltown.
Zook, who is in his 25th year as a manager, has an overall record of 471-293. As an All-Star manager, Zook has a 91-34 record. His 91 wins are the most for any Mifflin County manager.
During his post-season career, Zook has taken four teams to the top of the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth world as he won state titles in 1981, 1987 (14-15-year-olds), 2003 (14) and 2007 (15).
In 2004, he managed the Mifflin County 15-year-olds to a Mid-Atlantic Regional title and went to the World Series in Longview, Wash.
Zook also has won 11 district titles and has 10 finishes in the state's final four, tops among all Mifflin County managers.
Six teams put two players each on the All-Star squad. The roster includes Colby Kreider and Tyler Martin, Beaver Springs; Austin Erb and Ross Underhill, Belltown; Damon Jasper and Trent Hidlay, Lewistown; Gage Boreman and Jake Smith, Milroy; Cade Attick and Jake Spickler, Reedsville; and Ty Bodtorf and Jordan Marshall, Yeagertown.
Rounding out the team are Isaac Maclay, Belleville; Justin Rodkey, McVeytown; and Jonah Kile, Strodes Mills.
"We have the possibility of putting together a good pitching staff," Zook said. "I like the way we are playing defense and we should be able to hit the ball. If we don't win, it won't be because of team unity. They (the players) are getting along very well together."
