From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

Premier Baseball’s Junior Championship begins with 32 games at eight area fields today.

And if you catch the opening game at any of those parks, there are good odds you’ll see a Texas team — or two — involved.

Openers at five of the parks match Texas opponents in the 17-under championships.

The Houston Heat and Dallas Mustangs LaMonte get a head start, with a 9:30 game at Joe Becker Stadium.

Other all-Texas openers — beginning at 10:30 a.m. — feature the Arlington A’s Allen vs. McKinney Marshalls at Joplin High School, Arlington A’s Olivo vs. Austin Slam Senators at Carthage, Burkburnett Blacksox vs. Columbia Angels at Crowder College and Dallas Mustangs Randle vs. Austin Slam Sox at Carl Junction.

At Seneca, the Austin Wings Red open against the Indiana Bulls Black. And at Pittsburg’s JayCee Ballpark, it’s the South Texas Sliders vs. the St. Louis-based Rawlings Prospects Margalski.

The only non-Texas game, at the Field of Dreams near Baxter Springs, matches the host team against the Rawlings Prospects Steinhoff.

Four games are scheduled today at each site except the Field of Dreams, which does not have lights. The final game from Pool 8 will be played at Joe Becker Stadium, starting at 7:30 p.m.

The final round of pool play begins at noon Thursday.

The top two teams in each pool advance to the championship round and the remaining two in each pool will be assigned to consolation brackets.

Second-round pool games are scheduled Friday and Saturday.