NILES — Ninteen teams will be heading to Niles over the weekend to take part in the Cal Ripken 8-year-old Ohio Valley Regional at Pepper Martin Park.

Play will begin Thursday afternoon and will wrap up on Monday night with the championship game.

In all there will be 53 games played at the two fields.

Host Howard Township will have a pair of teams in competition, as will Brandywine.

The Howard Township 8-year-old All-Stars captured the Michigan state championship last weekend and is now set to play host to teams from Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.

According to Dave Landon of Howard Township baseball, between 2,000 and 3,000 fans are expected over the course of the tournament.

Friday night Pepper Martin Park will be full to capacity as all 19 teams will be on hand for the opening ceremonies, slated to begin at approximately 8 p.m.

The Cal Ripken Ohio Valley Regional at Firemen’s Park will kick off six days of 11-year-old All-Star competition tonight with opening ceremonies.

Following the Ice Breaker dinner at 5 p.m. at the park, there will be a parade of champions beginning between 6 and 6:30 p.m.

Brandywine Cal Ripken President Jamie Stover will give a welcome speech, while Niles Township Treasurer and former league president Jim Ringler and former Detroit Tiger pitcher under Jim Leyland Jeff Jackowiak will also speak.

Following the Babe Ruth Sportsmanship Code and the National Anthem performed by Carol Hurt, there will be a homerun derby beginning at approximately 7:30 p.m.

All that will be followed up by fireworks.

The teams will get to work on Friday morning with South East Lexington, Ky. taking on Geneseo out of Illinois in the opening game of pool play at 10 a.m.

Springfield, Ohio will face Harris Township from Indiana at noon, while Homewood from Illinois and Germantown, Ky. will square off at 2 p.m.

The fourth game of the day, slated to begin at 4 p.m., will pit Newburgh, Ind. against Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

The final two games of the day will have the area teams in action.

Howard Township will face Schererville, Ind. at 6 p.m., while Brandywine will take on Whiteland, Ind. at 8 p.m.

Action begins again on Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m.

The single elimination portion of the tournament scheduled to begin Monday at 11 a.m.

The tournament will wrap up on Tuesday with the semifinals and finals. The first semifinal game will begin at 3 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Admission to the tournament is $7 per day for adults and $4 for children 6-17. An adult tournament pass is available for $20 and $10 for children 6-17.

Children under 5 are free.