The Austin Greyhounds are ready for one of their biggest weekends of baseball in Austin in a long time.

For the first time in team history, the Hounds are hosting a Supersection tournament, which is basically an extension of the 16-team state tournament. The Hounds will kick things off with a game against the Eagan Bandits at 6 p.m. Friday and Duluth and Dundas will play after that game.

On Saturday, Friday’s losers will play an elimination game at 1 p.m., Friday’s winners will play a state qualifier at 4 p.m. and the remaining two teams will play another state qualifier at 7 p.m. All games are at Marcusen Park.

“This is designed to be like the first round of the state tournament and each step gets harder and harder,” Hounds manager John Frein said. “For the veterans, this is why we keep playing. We’re amped for it and we’re playing at a high level right now.”

The Hounds (20-9 overall) have rattled off six straight wins and their top two pitchers – Joe Huffman and Nels Nelson allowed just three runs in 18 innings in the section tournament. The Hounds also have hurlers Weston Hansen, Aaron Klatt, Zach Schara and Bryan Toov at their disposal.

“Nels and Joe each stepped up last weekend and they’ll do it again this weekend. We have a deep pitching staff,” Frein said.

The Hounds are celebrating the last weekend of amateur baseball in Austin of the summer by giving out free food and drinks at 5 p.m. Friday at Marcusen. Getting the Supersection tournament to come to Austin was a task for the Hounds as they’ve been trying to do it for the past couple of summers.

“This is pretty exciting. It’s something we’ve been battling with to get for years,” Frein said. “I think we’ve got a good reputation with the SpamTown Challenge. Teams know that Austin is a fun place to come to and Marcusen is a good place to play. Marcusen Park is continuing to do things for Austin and bring things to town.”

If the Hounds get past Eagan (17-12 overall), they may face off against the Dundas Dukes, who ended the Hounds’ season last year. The Hounds have been familiar with Dundas since they knocked them out of the tournament ten years ago.

“We’ve kind of got a little rivalry going with Dundas ever since we knocked them off at their place in 2003,” Frein said. “They’re a solid program and hopefully we see them in round two.”

Admission for the tournament is $5 per day for adults, $3 per day for students, children 12 and younger get in free.