It’s time to play for keeps.

After some seven weeks of games that amounted to little more than an opportunity to polish skills on the diamond, three Central Oregon baseball teams are ready to play for a berth to the Oregon American Legion State AAA Tournament.

Bend Strike Zone, Mountain View and the Redmond-based High Desert Flame swing into action this week at the Zone 1 American Legion AAA District Tournament in Hermiston.

The six-team field also includes Hermiston-based Rain Roofing (19-16), Pendleton-based Hodgen Distributing (21-16) and the Columbia Gorge Hustlers of The Dalles (17-14).

Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for children, and a four-day tournament pass is available for $10.

The tournament champion earns a berth to the state tournament, Aug. 7-11 in Medford.

The double-elimination tournament, which runs through Sunday at Shockman Field in Hermiston, opens Thursday afternoon with two games: Pendleton faces The Dalles at 2 o’clock, followed by Mountain View and Hermiston at 5 o’clock.

Redmond meets the winner of the Pendleton-The Dalles game Friday at 9 a.m., while Bend takes on the winner of the Mountain View-Hermiston game Friday at noon.

”It’s pretty much anybody’s tournament,” predicted Mountain View coach Dave Williams.

Bend Strike Zone has compiled an impressive 40-14-3 overall mark this summer. That record alone makes Bend one of the tournament favorites.

Strike Zone tuned up for the tournament by bagging its 40th win of the season Monday, beating Sisters 16-5.

Mountain View, playing with a young squad of underclassmen, is 12-18 entering the tournament. Williams sees the tournament as another opportunity for his players to develop in preparation for next spring’s high school season.

”We’re a young team that keeps on learning,” said Williams. ”We take a few baby steps with each game, and we see the tournament as another building block for our (high school) program.”

The High Desert Flame is 17-17 overall, having played in several out-of-state tournaments against what coach Marc Horner described as tough competition.

Horner said he team has developed two solid pitchers this summer in Matt Hilgers and Griffin Webb, and the team continues to get solid all-around play from Paul Wilkerson and Sam Huston.

”The kids are excited for the tournament,” said Horner. ”We’d like to go to state.”

Several Central Oregon squads will also be in action at the Area 1 A District Tournament, which begins Thursday at Quinton Street Ball Park in The Dalles. The tournament winner earns a berth to the Oregon American Legion A State Tournament, Aug. 7-11 at Eagle Point.