Okanogan Valley will field a Babe Ruth age-15 baseball team at the District 5/7 championships later this week at West Ellensburg Park.
     The team includes players from Chelan, Lake Roosevelt, Omak and Okanogan, reports district commissioner Steven Smith.
     Okanogan Valley will be managed by Fred Nichols of Lake Roosevelt and coached by Jim Burbery (1980 Tonasket graduate) of Chelan and Darrel Green of Omak (1977 graduate from Tonasket).
     Players include Brooks Gatzmieirer, Adam Hendrick, Josh Burbery, Alex Brown, Jesse Quigley, Leslie Field of Chelan, David Nichols, Michael Rehn, Bill Passmore of Lake Roosevelt, Josh Johnson of Methow Valley, Dylan Green and Kyle Trudeaux of Omak, and John DeLap of Okanogan.
     The double-elimination tournament (three teams earn berths to state) starts Friday, June 29, with Okanogan Valley taking on Moses Lake at 3 p.m.
     Ellensburg takes on Othello at 6 p.m.
     On Saturday, June 30, the winner of the first game takes on Wenatchee in game three at 3 p.m. The winner of the second game takes on Central Basin in game four at 3 p.m.
     On Sunday, the loser of the first game takes on the loser of the second game at 10 a.m. Also at 10 a.m., the loser of the third game takes on the loser of the fourth game.
     The consolation finals will pit the winners of the 10 a.m. games at 1 p.m., with the winner earning a berth to state.
     The winners of games three and four also will meet at 1 p.m. for the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to state.
     District Babe Ruth games for those age 14 and 13 also will be played at Ellensburg.
     Teams in age 13 include Wenatchee, Eastmont, Moses Lake, Central Basin, Ellensburg (three teams earn state berths).
     Teams in age 14 include Eastmont, Wenatchee, Moses Lake and Ellensburg (two teams earn berths to state).