BENICIA’S 9/10 Little League all-star team is hard at work preparing for Wednesday’s District 53 Tournament opener in St. Helena.

Benicia Little League’s youngest collection of talent will open the District 53 All-Star Tournament in St. Helena on Wednesday against Suisun at 5:30 p.m.

Benicia’s 9/10 all-stars, managed by Jay Matteson and coached by Jeff Lee and Josh Gibbons, have four players returning from last year’s squad that went 4-2 in St. Helena, falling one win short of reaching the championship round. Benicia hopes a return trip to St. Helena will give it an edge this year.

“We played there last year so I think our four veteran players will really be able to help our rookie players feel comfortable,” Matteson said.

Jake Matteson, Jacob French, Vaughn Goshert and T.J. Peters are the four veterans, and all four will play a significant role in this year’s quest for the District 53 championship. Matteson is the likely starter on the pitching mound for the tournament opener against Suisun and is expected to bat second in the lineup. French is the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter, with Peters behind the plate and batting third. Goshert will man centerfield and bat eighth.

Xander Estrada will likely beat cleanup in his all-star debut and play first base. Angel Martinez – who along with Estrada, Matteson, Peters and Logan Lee helped the Dodgers blow away Benicia’s Minor-A division this spring – will play second base and bat fifth. Rounding out the lineup are third baseman Patrick Fernandez, left fielder Ryan Malte, and Lee in right field.

“Jacob is a strong lefty hitter with fast hands and he’s a real good base runner,” coach Matteson said. “He gets on base a lot and has a really sweet swing. And Jake is a contact hitter who hardly ever strikes out. He’s a clutch hitter who always comes through. And I expect the middle of our lineup to bring home a lot of RBIs.”

Like most all-star teams, Benicia’s bench is practically as good as the starting lineup. Gage Gibbons is a capable catcher and middle infielder, and teammates Nathan Salas and Kelly Harms are good enough to be the only nine year olds on the 12-player roster.

“They’re looking really solid,” Matteson said of his club. “I have a very solid group of athletes with strong pitching and solid hitters. They’re looking really good. They all know how to catch and throw and make good plays. They’re a great defensive team and are solid with the fundamentals. A lot of these kids are used to playing in the infield, but they can play just about anywhere.”

Matteson, French and Peters are expected to carry the bulk of the pitching load, but Benicia has plenty of help in the bullpen if needed.

“Jacob throws really hard and he has a good changeup,” Matteson noted. “T.J. has great control and is more of a workhorse. He can throw a lot of innings and keep us close. Jake throws the hardest on our team and he’s a real shutdown pitcher. He’s a power pitcher who usually gets a lot of strikeouts.”

Playing at the all-star level can be a bit intimidating for such a young group of kids. Benicia hopes to be confident and ready by Wednesday.

“I need to do a little more talking with them and convince them that they’ve all earned their spots here,” Matteson said. “And even though we have a lot of new guys at all-stars, they’re all ready for this level of competition.”

Benicia’s 11/12 all-stars make their debut July 2 at the Fairfield Atlantic site while the 10/11 all-stars begin play July 3 at Community Park. Stay tuned for previews on both teams.

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