Youth softball players have every reason to be excited this weekend.

During the 10th annual Thunderstruck Tournament, Alpena will host nearly three dozen teams for games in the 12U, 14U and high school divisions.

Play begins on Friday and continues through Sunday.

“It’s awesome (to have the tournament),” Alpena Thundercats 18U coach Mike Sheldon said. “I have teams calling me and telling me they can’t wait to get up north and play softball.”

Amid concerns about coronavirus, numerous events have been cancelled all over Michigan, including many local sporting events and seasons.

But in the last two months, several local teams have traveled around Michigan for tournaments while abiding by social distancing rules and social gathering guidelines. Thunderstruck Tournament organizers have monitored other tournaments around the state and will put the things they’ve seen and learned into practice this weekend to keep all teams safe.

“We’re trying to take all the precautions we can,” Sheldon said. “We’ve emailed coaches and told them we need their help policing (their teams) and abiding by executive orders.”

Those precautions including not having a concession stand, although teams are welcome to bring grills and pop-up tents to eat in designated gathering areas.

Coaches will also be expected to make sure their players sanitize and that teams use only the balls given to them by tournament officials.

The 12U tournament will take place at McRae Park, the 14U tournament will take place at the Alpena Huron Shores Babe Ruth Complex on U.S. 23-North and the high school division tournament will be played on the JV and varsity fields at Alpena High School.

Several local teams will compete including the Alpena Thundercats, Presque Isle Panthers and Moran Iron Works Vulcans.

Results will be updated live on the tournament app, Tourney Machine.

Sheldon–who’s team has competed in East Lansing, Muskegon, Midland and Rogers City for tournaments in recent weeks, noted that tournament directors in other areas have done a good job keeping everyone safe.

In preparation for this weekend’s games, tournament directors have worked with city officials as well as Alpena Public Schools officials to make as safe an environment as possible.

“Tournament directors have worked well with local agencies to get the girls in and out of their towns (safely),” Sheldon said. “It’s important that we keep everyone safe this weekend.”

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Thunderstruck Tournament

12U Schedule

Friday

4 p.m. McRae Park-Henderson Ogemaw Outlaws-Mattson

vs. Ogemaw Outlaws White

4 p.m. McRae Park-McLaren Fanatics vs. Team Michigan

5:20 p.m. McRae Park-Henderson Thundercats vs. PI Panthers-Orr

Saturday

10:40 a.m. McRae-Henderson Ogemaw Outlaws White vs. Fanatics

10:40 a.m. McRae-McLaren Ogemaw Outlaws-Mattson vs. Thundercats

Noon McRae-McLaren PI Panthers-Orr vs. Fanatics

Noon McRae-Henderson Team Michigan vs. Ogemaw Outlaws-Mattson

1:20 p.m. McRae-Henderson Team Michigan vs. PI Panthers-Orr

1:20 p.m. McRae-McLaren Thundercats vs. Ogemaw Outlaws White

Sunday

9:20 a.m. McRae-Henderson TBA vs. TBA

9:20 a.m. McRae-McLaren TBA vs. TBA

10:40 a.m. McRae-Henderson Bracket Winner B1 vs. TBA

10:40 a.m. McRae-McLaren Bracket Winner B2 vs. TBA

Noon McRae-McLaren Championship Game

14U Schedule

Friday

4 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Cheboygan Chaos vs. Thundercats

4 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Ogemaw Outlaws vs. Moran Iron Works

5:20 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds PI Panthers-Kamyszek vs. Mt. Pleasant Drillers

5:20 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Team Michigan vs. Huron Havoc

6:40 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck NM Pride vs. Lady Lakers

6:40 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Great Lakes Thunder vs. Thundercats

Saturday

9:20 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Team Michigan vs. PI Panthers-Kamyszek

9:20 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Thundercats vs. Moran Iron Works

10:40 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Mt. Pleasant Drillers vs. Huron Havoc

10:40 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Lady Lakers vs. Cheboygan Chaos

Noon Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Moran Iron Works vs. NM Pride

Noon Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Team Michigan vs. Great Lakes Thunder

1:20 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Lady Lakers vs. Thundercats

1:20 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Cheboygan Chaos vs. Outlaw Outlaws

2:40 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Great Lakes Thunder vs. Mt. Pleasant Drillers

2:40 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Huron Havoc vs. PI Panthers-Kamyszek

4 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck NM Pride vs. Ogemaw Outlaws

Sunday

9:20 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Pool 2 Third Place vs. Pool 1 Fifth Place

9:20 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Pool 1 Fourth Place vs. Pool 2 Fifth Place

10:40 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Pool 2 Fourth Place vs. Pool 1 Third Place

10:40 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Pool 1 Second Place vs. Pool 2 Sixth Place

Noon Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Pool 1 First Place vs. Bracket Winner B1

Noon Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Pool 2 Second Place vs. Bracket Winner B2

1:20 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Pool 2 First Place vs. Bracket Winner B3

1:20 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Bracket Winner B5 vs. Bracket Winner B4

2:40 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Bracket Winner B6 vs. Bracket Winner B7

2:40 p.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Bracket Winner B8 vs. Bracket Winner B9

High School

Friday

2:40 p.m. AHS-JV Field Valkyries vs. Line Drive 16U

2:40 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Thundercats-Kelley vs. Lady Crusaders

4 p.m. AHS-JV Field Mid Michigan Heat vs. PI Panthers-Domke

4 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Thundercats-Schultz vs. Fenton Fastpitch

5:20 p.m. AHS-JV Field Clio Mayhem vs. PI Panthers-Tulgestke

5:20 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Saginaw Gold vs. Lady Explorers

6:40 p.m. AHS Varsity Field TC Thunder vs. Cards Fastpitch

6:40 p.m. AHS-JV Field Krash Green vs. Lady Lakers

Saturday

8 a.m. AHS-JV Field Valkyries vs. TC Thunder

8 a.m. AHS Varsity Field Cards Fastpitch vs. PI Panthers-Domke

9:20 a.m. AHS Varsity Field Line Drive 16U vs. Thundercats-Kelley

9:20 a.m. AHS-JV Field Lady Crusaders vs. Mid Michigan Heat

10:40 a.m. AHS-JV Field PI Panthers-Tulgestke vs. Saginaw Gold

10:40 a.m. AHS Varsity Field Clio Mayhem vs. Thundercats-Schultz

Noon AHS-JV Field Lady Explorers vs. Crash Green

Noon AHS Varsity Field Fenton Fastpitch vs. Lady Lakers

1:20 p.m. AHS-JV Field TC Thunder vs. Line Drive 16U

1:20 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Mid Michigan Heat vs. Thundercats-Kelley

2:40 p.m. AHS-JV Field Cards Fastpitch vs. Lady Crusaders

2:40 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Thundercats-Schultz vs. PI Panthers-Tulgestke

4 p.m. AHS Varsity Field PI Panthers-Domke vs. Valkyries

4 p.m. AHS-JV Field Krash Green vs. Saginaw Gold

5:20 p.m. AHS-JV Field Lady Lakers vs. Clio Mayhem

5:20 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Fenton Fastpitch vs. Lady Explorers

Sunday

8 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Sobeck Pool 1 Third Place vs. Pool 2 Sixth Place

8 a.m. AHS-JV Field Pool 2 Fourth Place vs. Pool 1 Fifth Place

8 a.m. Babe Ruth Complex-Reynolds Pool 2 Third Place vs. Pool 1 Sixth Place

8 a.m. AHS Varsity Field Pool 1 Fourth Place vs. Pool 2 Fifth Place

9:20 a.m. AHS Varsity Field Pool 2 Second Place vs. Pool 1 Seventh Place

9:20 a.m. AHS-JV Field Pool 1 Second Place vs. Pool 2 Seventh Place

10:40 a.m. AHS-JV Field Pool 1 First Place vs. Pool 2 Eighth Place

10:40 a.m. AHS Varsity Field Pool 2 First Place vs. Pool 1 Eighth Place

Noon AHS-JV Field Bracket Winner B1 vs. Bracket Winner B2

Noon AHS Varsity Field Bracket Winner B5 vs. Bracket Winner B6

1:20 p.m. AHS-JV Field Bracket Winner B3 vs. Bracket Winner B4

1:20 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Bracket Winner B7 vs. Bracket Winner B8

2:40 p.m. AHS-JV Field Bracket Winner B9 vs. Bracket Winner B10

2:40 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Bracket Winner B11 vs. Bracket Winner B12

4 p.m. AHS Varsity Field Bracket Winner B13 vs. Bracket Winner B14