The Aberdeen Smittys will be part of major baseball tournament that gets underway today.

The Dakota Classic will feature 36 teams from six different states, as well as a team from Canada, during the four-day tournament.

The Smittys head into the tournament with a 1-10 record and will see a very competitive field.

Brandon Valley, Fargo 400, North Winnipeg (Canada) and Shakopee (Minn.) are the teams in Aberdeen’s pool.

“We’re excited for the opportunity. It’s a great chance to compete against strong teams and see where we stand,” said Smittys coach Nathan Gonnelly. “The boys have worked hard all season, and we’re looking forward to putting that preparation to the test.”

The Smittys will play four pool play games in three days, as well as tournament play. With that many games in a short period of time, they will have a game plan going into the action.

“It starts with recovery and discipline. We’ve been managing arms carefully and making sure guys take care of their bodies,” Gonnelly said. “Mentally, we’re staying locked in, but loose. It’s about being ready to compete each day and adjusting quickly to whatever the game throws at us.”

A quartet of Smittys has had a solid spring so far and will be counted during the Dakota Classic.

“We’ve had a few guys step up lately. Lance Siefken and Ridley Waldo have been swinging it well, consistently finding barrels,” Gonnelly said. “Michael Dutenhoffer and Joran Foss have been really sharp on the mound, commanding the zone and giving us quality innings. But it’s been a total team effort, and we’ll need that to continue.”

Along with the aforementioned players, Gonnelly gave three keys of success for the Dakota Classic.

“Our biggest focus is execution, doing the little things right: situational hitting, clean defense, and pounding the strike zone,” Gonnelly said. “At this level, the team that plays more fundamentally sound baseball usually comes out on top. So, we’re keeping the mindset of one pitch, one play at a time.”

The Smittys open up the tournament at 1:30 this afternoon against Shakopee at Aspen Park in Brandon.