After a warm-up tournament that saw it split its two games, the Farm Americans tournament team is set to open district play in Troy.

Head coach Brett Stallworth said the team has come together recently.

“We have really gelled the past three weeks,” Stallworth said. “The kids have improved tenfold since they started. We didn’t hit the ball very well in that warm-up, but we’re starting to come around.”

One of the challenges for the team is the change in defensive rules from the regular season to the tournament season.

“We’ve been working on fielding a lot because the rules are different than they were during the regular season,” Stallworth said. “It’s like real baseball, where you have to stop the runner from advancing instead of just getting the ball in.”

While other teams in the tournament will be playing against unfamiliar faces, the Troy Americans must face the Troy Nationals in the first game.

“We’re looking forward to it, but I hate it for Troy,” Stallworth said. “I wish we would have been separated so we could have had both of us advance as far as we could before we had to play each other, but that’s just the luck of the draw.”

Still, Stallworth said he has confidence heading into today’s tournament.

“They’re playing well, and they’re super strong,” Stallworth said. “I feel like we have just as good as shot as anybody else does.”