After more than a month of preparation, Natchez Dixie Youth All-Star T-ball players are set for the postseason.

Natchez will have two teams in its 6-and-under District 6 games starting Friday night at Duncan Park.

The Natchez American Team and National Team will host a three-team double-elimination T-ball tournament, which will run through Saturday until a winner is decided.

American Team coach Robert Segrest said after such a long break since the end of the regular season, his kids are eager to get out on the field.

“Natchez did a good job of planning. They gave us a long period after the season to practice, but we have been practicing for four weeks now and haven’t gotten to play a game,” he said. “I’ve actually had the time to teach them the correct way to play baseball, but the kids are just ready to play.”

Segrest said one uncertainty he has about the postseason is the strength of competition.

Segrest said in recent years, he has seen a decrease in Dixie Youth numbers across the state. He said while seven counties are represented in District 6, Franklin County was the only other team to field enough players for the tournament.

“A lot of areas don’t have enough kids that want to play,” Segrest said. “I don’t think the kids are quite outside as much as they used to be. Just a few years ago, more than half the state had people playing. Now, it’s down thin.”

With just three teams, the two Natchez teams will face each other at least once during the tournament.

“The sad part is that all three teams will automatically advance to state. It has dropped that much in participation,” Segrest said. “It’s good for us, but it’s also not good as far as Dixie Youth is concerned.”

Despite an automatic ticket to the state tournament, Segrest said he just wants his kids to focus on having fun.

The American Team is set to take on Franklin County for its first game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

“They are 5 and 6 years old, so you never know what’s going to happen,” Segrest said. “If we are on, we’re on, but they are young and anything can happen.”