By Anvil Welch

awelch@joplinglobe.com

All roads, hopefully, lead to Boulder (Colo.) this week for members of the Joplin Miners.

The Miners are guaranteed five games this week — starting Thursday — in the 20-team, four-pool wooden bat Boulder/Legacy NIT scheduled through Sunday on three diamonds.

The Miners, 18-15 after splitting a doubleheader with the American Legion Carthage Merchants on Monday night, are in Pool C and will debut at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday against the Boulder County Tigers.

Game 2 on Thursday will be at 2:30 p.m. against the Cherry Creek Bruins.

The Miners challenge defending champion Eldorado (Colo.) Post 49 at 3:30 p.m. on Friday before finishing pool play at 9 a.m. on Saturday against the Colorado Springs Fighting Squirrels.

Why an 11-hour journey?

“I wanted to go somewhere that we hadn’t been before,” Joplin coach Tucker Hagedorn said Tuesday. “I actually haven’t asked if any of the players and their families have previously gone to that area.

“Some of our people, of course, probably are using the trip as a vacation,” Hagedorn said. “I know most of us are leaving.at varied times. I’m leaving at 5 a.m. (Wednesday).

“Hopefully, we’ll get to play some good teams,” Hagedorn said. “I believe we’ll find the competition.”

Assistants Wyatt Luebber and Mike Creekmore will be members of the Joplin entourage.

Hagedorn said the probable starting pitchers for Joplin on Thursday will come from a right-handed threesome of Calvin Burr, Tyler Allen and Shayne Hoke.

“Right now, our left-handers, John McDermid and Barrett Noirfalise, aren’t available (to pitch),” Hagedorn said.

Fourteen Miners are expected to make the trip, Hagedorn said, with Austin Metts unable to go because of football camp.