Bend hosts 200-plus teams at youth baseball tournament; area becoming more popular baseball destination

(Update: Incorporating online video, opinions from WCP President, CO Crush player and mentor)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A youth baseball tournament with a lot more than 230 groups will come to Bend this weekend.

West Coastline Leading Match President Drew Reiners is planning fields all about Central Oregon for this weekend’s Bend Memorial Day Bash.

“Our premier youth baseball party that we run in a single solitary weekend of the year,” Reiners claimed Friday. 

The match is in its next 12 months, with the to start with canceled thanks to Covid, and will host 232 youth baseball teams, throughout 15 various parks and 35 baseball and softball diamonds at Bend and Redmond high faculties, regional parks and the Bend Elks’ Vince Genna Stadium.

A whole of 25 synthetic mounds will be extra at the diverse parks to make certain that all the groups all have the identical encounter.

The occasion partners with the Bend-La Pine baseball systems, with 25 Central Oregon teams competing.

The regional golf equipment include AIA Athletics, CO Crush, Bend Elks, Dingers, Double Perform, Jr. Cougars and Sunwest.

Bode Korfhage is a catcher for the 11-U CO Crush staff. 

“All the very best teams in the Northwest are coming, so it will be a enjoyable one,” Bode stated. “Hopefully we can gain it.”

He is very pleased that his group and the match are right here.

“It helps make you experience like a really fantastic crew, and you have accomplished some thing,” Bode stated. 

Brian Korfhage, Bode’s dad and coach, said Bend isn’t ordinarily recognised for its baseball courses, but he thinks which is modifying.

“So for us to have an prospect to present everyone what we can do, in terms of baseball, and do it in our backyard is a excellent option for us,” Brian explained. 

Reiners claimed the family vacation charm of the Large Desert is encouraging expand the activity.

“It’s turning into a baseball hub here in the Northwest, since folks can occur listed here and get a minor little bit of almost everything,” Reiners explained. 

In phrases of their odds to get, Bode and his dad the two know there’s a lot of teams to defeat, but believe they have a shot.

Brian mentioned, “So from that standpoint, I like our possibilities. But it’s also likely to be one of the hardest tournaments on the program.”

His son was slightly more optimistic. 

“I mean, it’s possible! I assume we have respectable odds,” Bode stated with a smile.