By Ron Rop
Local Sports Journal

The West Michigan Riptide 18U team is heading to the postseason.

Coach Brandon Bard and his team have qualified for the Pastime World Series in Akron, Ohio. Games will be played at Kent State University, the University of Akron and several surrounding college and high school fields in that area.

Games will be played Aug. 2-5. This tournament will feature 16 teams in a double-elimination format. Teams are guaranteed three games.

Earlier this season, the 18U team captured the championship in the 48-team Premier Pastime “Irish Elite” Tournament at the University of Notre Dame. They went 7-0 during that tournament.

The tournament has experienced attendance grown six straight years. Pastime had more than 2,100 teams attend tournaments in 13 different states last year.

Last year in the 18U tournament, the Ohio Warhawks captured the national title at Victory Field in Indianapolis, Ind.