The Brookhaven Recreation Department hosts the ASA Class E Men’sState Softball Tournament this weekend at the Hansel KingSportsplex. Sixteen teams are entered in the double-eliminationtournament and action starts Saturday at 9 a.m.

Three Brookhaven-based teams are entered. They include Kats,Little Ceasar’s Pizza and Honda of Brookhaven.

“Teams are coming from all over,” said Terry Reid, localdirector of Parks and Recreation. “It’s supposed to be the best 16teams in the state. It will start at 8 o’clock and go until.”

Joining the three local teams in the tourney are Colonial Hillsof Olive Branch, Southern Housing of Batesville, Bumpers ofBaldwyn, MTD of Tupelo, Hot Corner Athletics of Pontotoc, FJH Inc.of Eupora, Hurricanes of Grenada, Team M.I. of Shannon, Auto Worldof Tupelo, Bo-Sox of Vicksburg, White Lightning of Sandy Hook,Roger’s Quick Stop of Nettleton and the Demon Dogs ofTylertown.

Championship finals are set for 6 p.m. tomorrow.

“It should be one of the better tournaments this year,” addedReid. “We should fill up every motel in the area.

“It should be a big economic impact on the city,” continuedReid. “There should be a lot of money spent in town.”

According to ASA tournament rules, any ball hit out of the fieldis an automatic out. This is the first year ASA has allowed playersto steal the bases.

“The response to base stealing has been real good,” said Reid.”It has speeded the game up and added a lot of excitement.”

Reid said all four fields will be used during thetournament.

Rain won’t stop the tournament. “We will do everything in ourpower to get finished Saturday night.”

The local teams are:

Kats: Darrell Morse, Roger Morse, SamuelRoberts, William Barnes, Chad Ashore, Lane Young, JerryKuyrkendall, Kent Allen, Buddy Thibodeaux, Rusty Williams, RickyAllen, Gwyn Young, Matt Riebock, Scott Riebock, Greg Bowman, BrianFugler.

Little Ceasar’s Pizza: Rusty Newman, Ty Brooks,Scott Poole, Gary Vining, Terry Vining, Cayce Wallace, Jared Smith,Chad Lagrone, Larry Case, David Swain, Dudley Waldrop., StephenAshley, Seth Lofton, Jeffrey Waycaster, Wesley Waycaster, MarkO’Quinn.

Honda of Brookhaven: David Culpepper, ChrisTerrell, Lance Daley, David Flowers, Scott Johnson, John Thames,Jared Green, Adam Price, Wayne Moak, Shannon Knott, KennethWallace, Johnny Van Hoose, Dwayne Miller, Gareth Sartin.