THE absence of defending champions Substance from this weekend's Hastings Baseball Easter Carnival has thrown the race for weekend bragging rights wide open.
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Coffs Harbour appear to be the team to beat with one of their imports expected to jump off the plane from Japan on Friday morning before their first game.
Port Macquarie will be represented by two teams - Spartans and Pirates - as they aim to repeat a combined Hastings' team's performance from last year.
Ryan Frost will line up for Spartans in what he described as "more of a training run for our guys".
"We've got a lot of new players coming in and playing for us this year so we're going to play competitive but it's about having fun really," he said.
"There is a team from Queensland (called) the Twins, there's a couple of teams from Ryde and St Mary's, one or two from Coffs Harbour and a couple of others along with the two Port Macquarie sides.
"Substance won't be here this year so it opens the tournament up a bit, but it will be amazing to come and watch.
"The gap between Port Macquarie and the Sydney teams has come down a bit over the years."
The weekend carnival will unofficially start the baseball season which is scheduled for May 5.
"It's going to be good this weekend with no other sport on so hopefully the weather holds off and get out there and have some fun."
Lachlan Barnes believes Pirates will field a competitive side, bolstered by the power and experience of David Boyton and Steve Murray.
Substance won't be here this year so it opens the tournament up a bit, but it will be amazing to come and watch.
- Ryan Frost
"They've got a lot of power and have been playing for a lot of years; same with Marc Barnes," he said.
"They've all been playing since they were kids."
The main aim for Pirates will be to "still have a full team by Sunday".
"It's hard to say how we'll go this year," Barnes said.
"We've got a few new people and a lot of the same people too so it can go either way, it just comes down to the weekend and how we're all feeling.
"We're having a swing and a hit so it's a perfect weekend to do it over Easter."`
The action gets underway at Blackbutt Park (Peppermint Crescent, Wauchope) on Good Friday (April 19) from 12.30pm to 6.30pm.
On Easter Saturday, the day will start at 8am and finish at 6.30pm while on Easter Sunday the action starts at 8am with the final at 2.45pm.
There will be a full canteen in operation.
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