corey.davis@gaflnews.com

LIVE OAK-From the first time you pick up a glove or a baseball bat, you dream of one day playing in a World Series.

For several kids the dream of playing in a World Series is not that far off. Months of games and intense practices hope to pay off  as 13 teams continue their quest to advance to the Babe Ruth Cal Ripken World Series.  

Step one was finishing in the top two of their respective district tournament. Step two is to win the North Florida State Tourment this weekend July 15-19 at the First Federal Sportsplex in Live Oak.

Until recently there use to be one huge tournament with teams competing from all over the state. However as more and more associations decided to switch from Little League to Babe Ruth they  decided to split up the state into North and South having two state tournaments with both winners advancing to the Southeast Regionals.    

Competing in the North Florida 12-under Cal Ripken state tournament will be teams from Winthrop Park (Tallahassee), Argyle Forest (Jacksonville), Julington Creek (St. Johns County), Madison County, Hamilton County, Lafayette, Orange Park (Clay County), Melrose (Keystone Heights area), Ponte Vedra (St. Johns County), Santa Fe (Alachua) and host Suwannee.       

Four teams from Winthrop Park, Madison County, Argyle and host Suwannee will compete in the 12-under 60-foot base tournament.

Argyle, Julington Creek, Melrose, Orange Park, Santa Fe, Lafayette, Ponte Vedra, Hamilton County and host Suwanee will compete in the 12-under 70-foot base tournament.

In the 70 division, double elimination play begins Thursday with Julington Creek playing Melrose at 9:30 a.m., Orange Park vs. Santa Fe at 11:30 a.m., Ponte Vedra vs. Hamilton County at 1:30 p.m. and Argyle vs. Suwannee at 3:30 p.m.

In the 60-foot base division, double elimination play begins Friday with Winthrop Park playing Madison County at 1:30 p.m. and Argyle playing Suwannee at 3:30 p.m.

The winners of both tournaments willl advance July 29 to Lakeland and be one of two representatives of the state competiting against other Southern state winners.

The winner of the Southeast Regional will move on to the Babe Ruth World Series August 12 in Wilson County, North Carolina.