[07/20/01] Win or lose, the Vicksburg Hurricanes feel like winners just for making it to the Southwest Regional tournament in Berryville, Ark.

But while they’re there, they might as well win it and earn a trip to the 9-year-olds’ Babe Ruth World Series.

“I feel good about our chances and I hope we do the best we can do,” outfielder Kolby Porter said. “I want to win it all so we can go to Indiana.”

The Hurricanes, who finished second in the state, begin play in the 14-team double-elimination tournament Friday at 7 p.m. against South Texas out of Eagle Pass.

“We might win it,” third-basemen/relief pitcher Ryno Martin-Nez said. “There are a lot of better teams than us, but we can win it if we try hard and concentrate hard.”

Some players have more modest goals.

“I’m excited and I hope that everybody gets to play,” starting pitcher Dylan Wooten said.

The Hurricanes left for Berryville, in the northwest corner of the state, early Wednesday morning to make it to meetings Thursday. University of Arkansas head baseball coach Norm Debryn was the guest speaker at the tournament banquet Thursday night.

Bayou View out of Gulfport, the team that beat the Hurricanes for the state title in Vicksburg, is also in the hunt for the regional title. There are four Louisiana teams (Zachary, Kenner, New Orleans and Saint James), eight from Arkansas (Little Rock, El Dorado, South Sebastian, Sylvan Hills, Rogers, Mountain Home, Harrison and host Carroll County) West Texas and Paul’s Valley, Okla.

“They’ve worked hard all year long,” coach Randy Martin-Nez said of his team. “It is a credit to the attitudes in Vicksburg that baseball has come so far. We are just one of the many teams in Vicksburg and Warren County to carry on the tradition.

“I want to thank everybody in Vicksburg Baseball

Association for all their support. We just want to go and represent Vicksburg well.”