Submitted Photo The Jamestown Krusaders will open 13-year-old Babe Ruth World Series play Saturday at 7 p.m. against West Fargo, North Dakota at Diethrick Park in Jamestown, N.Y. Members of the Krusaders, in front, from left, are: Ashton Putney, James Johnson, Chase Haglund, Blake Herman, Reid Olsen, Caden Beers and Anthony Cosme. In back are: assistant coach Mike Navarro, assistant coach Fred Carder, Dominic Weber, Aiden Gruber, Brody Larson, Branston Lindquist, Nash Luther, Chase Bonta, Maddox Sheesley, Judd Harris, assistant coach Brenin Payne and head coach Shane Swan.

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — As a teenager growing up in the Jamestown area, Shane Swan seemed to miss being a part of every Babe Ruth World Series host team by one year.

So when the opportunity presented itself for Swan to manage the 13-year-old host team for the 2020 World Series in Jamestown, Swan couldn’t say no.

Then COVID-19 canceled last summer’s world series forcing Swan and his team, the Jamestown Krusaders, to wait until this summer to represent the area on the diamond at Diethrick Park.

“I was asked to coach the team in January of 2019. It’s been a two-year ordeal,” Swan said earlier this week. “For some kids, they can still play in this age group, but some kids aged out and other kids became eligible.”

The Krusaders will open round-robin play in the American Division on Saturday evening against West Fargo, North Dakota.

“One good thing is we don’t have to travel,” Swan said about being the host team. “That part of it has to be hectic. On the other hand, the other kids have played a lot more games together.

“When the tournament starts,” Swan added, “we’re all in the same boat.”

Teams began arriving Thursday around 4 p.m. with a “Parade of Champions” scheduled for this evening beginning at 6 p.m. along Third Street in Jamestown.

The Krusaders will feature a fairly balanced mix of northern Chautauqua County, southern Chautauqua County and Warren County, Pennsylvania players.

Maddox Sheesley, Aiden Gruber and Chase Haglund all hail from Frewsburg. Jamestown players include Dominic Weber and Chase Bonta while Branston Lindquist is from Falconer and Nash Luther is from the Maple Grove school district. Brody Larson and Judd Harris are both from the Southwestern school district.

“We don’t have a lot of the lineup set in stone at this point. Going through the tryout process, you look for kids who can move around,” Swan said. “You are limited if you have a kid who can only play one position. At this age group, they have the ability to move around a little bit more.”

Anthony Cosme from Dunkirk, Blake Herman from Gowanda and Ashton Putney from Fredonia make up the northern Chautauqua County contingent.

“If one of the kids doesn’t have it early, is struggling with location and command, I have to get him out of there before he isn’t eligible to pitch the next day,” Swan said. “I’m very confident in all the kids we have that can pitch.”

From Pennsylvania are Reid Olsen and Caden Beers of Warren as well as James Johnson of Tidioute.

“I didn’t know this age group prior to doing this,” Swan said. “I reached out to friends who have kids this age and made new friends … asked questions about who I should be looking at.”

Swan’s assistants will be first-base coach Mike Navarro, third-base coach Brenin Payne and Fred Carder.

“Brenin, myself and Fred all coach at Falconer. In talking with people who know baseball around the area, Mike’s name came up multiple times. I sat and had a conversation with him, and it was a no-brainer to ask him,” Swan said. “Having knowledgable guys takes the pressure off of me. If I miss something, the other three will not.”

Saturday’s opening game at 11:30 a.m. will feature Norwalk, Connecticut against Atlantic Shore, New Jersey, in the National Division. That game will be followed by Eau Claire, Wisconsin vs. Tallassee, Alabama, in the American Division at 2 p.m. The 5 p.m. game will pit Buffalo — the Western New York champion — against Tallahassee, Florida, in the National Division. Opening ceremonies will take place before the Jamestown-North Fargo game, which is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The American Division’s Hawaii Kai, Hawaii and the National Division’s Puyallup, Washington, have byes on opening day.

The full Diethrick Park dimensions, which can be quite large for 13-year-olds moving up to a 90-foot diamond, will be used for the tournament.

“It’s definitely a big stadium for sure. The tournament we just played at was turf,” Swan said of some tuneup games in DuBois, Pennsylvania. “The ball got to the fence quickly, but I was happy with the way we handled it. We’ll have some speed out there so we should be OK with it.”

NOTES: The Jamestown community will be inducted into the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame prior to the championship game next Saturday at 1 p.m. All former board members, committee members, community support groups, businesses and volunteers are invited to attend. … Attendance at all games this week is free, made possible by the following businesses and organizations: Saturday, Kallie’s Krusade; Sunday, One Ball Foundation, Inc.; Monday, Greater Chautauqua FCU, Inner Lakes FCU, Jamestown Area Community FCU and Southern Chautauqua FCU; Tuesday, Chautauqua Lake Region Antique Auto Club of America; Wednesday, Falconer Moose; Thursday, Chautauqua County Fire Chiefs Association; Friday, The Resource Center; Saturday, Aug. 21, the Wendel Family.

Saturday, Aug. 14

Norwalk, Connecticut vs. Atlantic Shore, New Jersey 11:30 a.m.

Eau Claire, Wisconsin vs. Tallassee, Alabama 2 p.m.

Buffalo, New York vs. Tallahassee, Florida 5 p.m.

Jamestown, New York vs. West Fargo, North Dakota 7 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 15

Eau Claire, Wisconsin vs. Hawaii Kai, Hawaii 11:30 a.m.

Tallahassee, Florida vs. Puyallup, Washington 2 p.m.

Atlantic Shore, New Jersey vs. Buffalo, New York 5 p.m.

Tallassee, Alabama vs. Jamestown, New York 7 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 16

Hawaii Kai, Hawaii vs. West Fargo, North Dakota 11:30 a.m.

Puyallup, Washington vs. Atlantic Shore, New Jersey 2 p.m.

Buffalo, New York vs. Norwalk, Connecticut 5 p.m.

Jamestown, New York vs. Eau Claire, Wisconsin 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 17

Tallahassee, Florida vs. Norwalk, Connecticut 11:30 a.m.

West Fargo, North Dakota vs. Eau Claire, Wisconsin 2 p.m.

Tallassee, Alabama vs. Hawaii Kai, Hawaii 5 p.m.

Puyallup, Washington vs. Buffalo, New York 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 18

Atlantic Shore, New Jersey vs. Tallahassee, Florida 11:30 a.m.

Norwalk, Connecticut vs. Puyallup, Washington 2 p.m.

West Fargo, North Dakota vs. Tallassee, Alabama 5 p.m.

Hawaii Kai, Hawaii vs. Jamestown, New York 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 19

American 3rd place vs. National 2nd place 5 p.m.

National 3rd place vs. American 2nd place 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 20

8/19 5 p.m. winner vs. American 1st place 5 p.m.

8/19 7 p.m. winner vs. National 1st place 7 p.m.

Saturady, Aug. 21

Championship game 1 p.m.