Both Dixie Youth baseball tournaments scheduled to begin Tuesday and the Dixie Minor sub-district in Troy were canceled because of rain.

All games will be played today, assuming rain does not enter the equation again.

Since they could not play, several teams hit the fields for practice Tuesday, amid the slush and slime.

The Dixie Minor Americans spent their time at the Sportsplex Field 8, working on their fielding skills and trying to remain in playing shape.

"We're trying to keep them working," said head coach Wayne Stewart.

Troy is 2-0 in the tournament and was supposed to play the Enterprise Nationals Monday at 8 p.m. That game has been rained out twice, and Stewart is hoping his team will still be ready to avoid the loser's bracket.

"I wish we could have played (Monday)," Stewart said. "I really hope we can play today."

Players and coaches alike were more concerned about the layoff than the possibility of playing a game on July 4. If Troy makes the championship game, the team will have to play Friday because the district tournament begins Saturday in Dothan.

"If we can get ribs in the dugouts, I'll be happy," said Layton Grant, the team's third baseman.

Grant said he would not have a problem playing on Independence Day, and he did not see any conflicts related to it.

"I'd rather play," he said. "Besides, we can watch the fireworks."

A fireworks display is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday. The time for the championship game Friday has not been set yet, but the game will likely be earlier than the 7 p.m. slot it would have originally been played to avoid a scheduling conflict.

Grant was not the only Troy boy with a slab of ribs on his mind.

Stewart also posed the idea.

"We may just have to grill our ribs up here," Stewart said.

Before that, though, Troy will have to win two more games. The first game may be today at 8 p.m. against the Enterprise Americans.