RAPID CITY - The Dr. James "Pev" Evans Tournament kicks off today with a pair of Rapid City Post 22 teams taking on Prior Lake, Minn. The five-day tournament brings together teams from six different states and features some top teams coming to Rapid City.

Post 22 is back in tournament play after just completing its stay at the Gopher Classic in Minneapolis and will face Prior Lake, Minn., today at 7:30 p.m. The Post 22 Split Squad opens the tournament against the same team at 5 p.m.

"The Gopher Classic was an outstanding tournament with 48 teams from around the country," Post 22 head coach Dave Ploof said. "We have a young club and some people ask me why we don't water down the schedule, but the only way to get better and build a program is play tough competition."

Sturgis is the other local team that will take part in the tournament as Titan head coach Nic Ewing will bring his team to Fitzgerald Stadium for its first game against Prior Lake on Thursday at noon.

"We took part in the tournament a few years ago and it just worked with our scheduling this year," Ewing said. "I know our guys love tournaments and if we had a little more pitching we would probably play in a few more. It is always fun to play at Fitzgerald, and playing a few games on consecutive days is good for your team."

The other teams competing in the tournament are Chappell, Neb., Gillette, Wyo., Bozeman, Mont., Omaha, Neb., Minot, N.D. and Mitchell.

Bozeman is a defending state champion and will bring another talented team to Fitzgerald when it begins play Thursday.

Bozeman's head coach Mitch Messer, like Ewing, is a Post 22 alumnus who will have a chance to play against his former coach in Dave Ploof on Friday night.

"It is always fun to see Mitch," Ewing said. "I played a year with him and it is always fun to come home."

Ploof enjoys the chance to coach against former players.

"It is fun to see them coaching and doing a great job," he said.

Ploof said along with Bozeman, Minot will offer a strong test because its program consistently vies for the state title. Gillette figures to challenge Cheyenne, Wyo. for the state's title and Chappell is the defending Class B state titlist.

Several teams will not be strangers to each other when they walk onto the diamond. Mitchell downed Post 22 earlier this season and split with Sturgis.

"It will be a tough tournament but it will help the kids because we are playing against very good competition," Ploof said.