CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — Kevin Petty, a first baseman who plays for two Okinawa open teams, has been selected to the All-Navy men’s softball tryout camp scheduled for Aug. 22-Sept. 12 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.

Petty, 26, of St. Louis, will attend his first such tryout camp and is the lone Pacific-based sailor selected for the camp.

He is a petty officer second class assigned to Fleet Activities Okinawa security at Kadena Air Base.

"I’m excited," said Petty, adding that he’s already been in touch with All-Navy veterans and has discussed attending camp and possibly playing in the All-Armed Forces tournament with his on-island teammates. "They all tell me it’s a fun ride. I’m looking forward to it."

Petty plays mainly for Club Red, an open team comprised of mostly Marines. Red is 46-18 this season with titles in five on-island tournaments and a fourth-place finish in last month’s Firecracker Shootout at Camp Foster, part of the Pacific Grand Slam circuit.

Petty is batting .628 (49-for-78 with 12 doubles and 19 home runs in a Club Red uniform.

He has also suited up for American Legion, 54-15 with six on-island tournament titles and runner-up finishes in the Pacificwide Open over Memorial Day weekend in Korea and the Firecracker.

In two tournaments with Legion, Petty’s batting .750 (12-for-16) with five home runs.

If selected to the All-Navy team, Petty will participate in his first All-Armed Forces tournament Sept. 13-19 at Pensacola. The All-Armed Forces team then moves on to the Amateur Softball Association national Class A championship Sept. 25-28 at Oklahoma City.

Base tunes up for Far East regional with Hansen titleCAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — Reigning Most Valuable Player Timmy Davis and Marine Corps Base Camp S.D. Butler tuned up to defend their 2007 Far East Regional Tournament championship by winning the Camp Hansen Open Midnight Madness Tournament title Saturday morning.

"All went well. They impressed me; they played as a team," coach K.J. Basso said after Base edged Yellow Box, an open team, 7-5 in the second game of a two-game double-elimination final. Box won the first game 17-16 at the Hansen Athletics Complex.

"No one or two players really stood out. This was a solid team effort across the board," Basso said. "This built everybody’s confidence, including mine, about our abilities going into next week."

Base will vie for its third Far East Regional Tournament title in four years Monday through Friday at either Camp Hansen or Field 1 at the Foster Athletics Complex.

The tournament also helps select six players to represent the region at the All-Marine tryout camp Aug. 22-Sept. 12 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.

ON THE WEB:http://www.serioussoftball.com/, http://mwr.navy.mil/mwrprgms/sports.htm.

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