FELCH - Two-time defending champion Fox Cities will be back to try for a third straight U.P. Hardball Championship this Labor Day weekend at Memorial Field.
The 41st annual tournament begins Saturday at 9 a.m. and concludes with the championship contest Monday afternoon.
"Every year it seems like there are always a few ex major leaguers and a lot of minor league players," tournament director Dewy Solberg said. "It's a nice mixture of players and makes for some good quality baseball."
In addition to Wisconsin's Fox Cities, seven other teams will take part in the double-elimination format.
Teams from Michigan include Houghton, Escanaba, downstate Gratiot County and host Felch. Wisconsin also sends Appleton, Greenville, Langsdorf.
The seven-inning games are played with wood bats.
Admission is $3 per day, with a full concession stand and 50/50 drawings available throughout the weekend.
Saturday's schedule starts with Greenville vs. Houghton at 9 a.m.; Escanaba vs. Appleton at 11 a.m.; Fox Cities vs. Felch at 1 p.m.; and Langsdorf vs. Gratiot County at 3 p.m. A 5 p.m. elimination game will also be played Saturday.
Five games take place on Sunday, with semifinals and championship on Monday. Action on Sunday and Monday also is slated to start at 9 a.m. Approximate time for the final would be 1 p.m. Monday.