The Cal Ripken All-Star team from Hudson is headed to Aberdeen, Md., to play in the Cal Ripken U12 70-foot World Series this weekend, but considering their opening opponent, they might not mind if they had to play on the road.

Hudson, the New England representative in the international tournament, opens the tournament facing the Pacific Southwest champion, which happens to be from Oahu, Hawaii.

Needless to say, not a lot of scouting will go into this tournament, and Hudson manager Brian McKinley had a great line when told a Telegraph photographer might be coming to the team’s practice and to not be concerned if someone with a camera was there.

“It could be someone scouting us from the Pacific Northwest,” the manager joked.

The Hudson team leaves today for the tournament; Friday night is the opening ceremonies and then they face the Hawaiian team on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, also at 2:30, Hudson faces the Southwest representative Texas Tri-Counties, followed by a night game against the Charles County Chargers representing Maryland on Tuesday and a 2:30 game on Wednesday against Pacific Northwest champ Kennewick, Wash.

While Maryland could be considered to have a home-field advantage in Tuesday’s game, the Hudson team could have an interesting psychological advantage in Sunday and Wednesday’s games – they are playing in replica of Fenway Park. The other two games will be played on the “Cal Sr.” field, a replica of Camden Yards. The facility also boasts a replica of Wrigley Field, but Hudson has no games scheduled there.

The tournament runs all the way to Aug. 21, which is when the United States Champion faces the International Champion to crown a World Champion.

The rules for pitching are that a pitcher can only pitch a maximum six innings between two games, and McKinley noted that most teams pitch their pitchers for three innings a game to enable them to pitch in every game. However, McKinley said that they like to use one pitcher for six innings and change pitchers. Matt McKinley and Mike Simard are the two starters, although the manager likes third pitcher DJ Lamoth and expects him to see time as well.

While Hudson has been led by Simard, McKinley, Jacen Hudson and Tyler Christiansen offensively, manager McKinley was pleased with the fact that in the Regionals, it was different players who stepped up with a big hit each game.

“Stephen Berry had one. DJ had one. Dan Malizia stepped up for one,” said McKinley.

When asked about his team’s expectations for the World Series, McKinley acknowledged it was hard to say, “considering that no one thought we’d make it out of the Districts, the States or the Regionals.”

Through those three tournaments, Hudson is undefeated, though McKinley was happier about another element of his team more than their perfect 12-0 record.

“I’m more proud of how the kids act, and how other teams and tournament directors have said how great their sportsmanship is,” the manager said. “That’s better than the wins.”

Hudson’s two coaches are Dean LaMothe and Dennis Boudreau, and the team is rounded out by Noah Bellomo, Nicholas Boudreau, Jack Brown, Hunter Burton and Daniel McCrystal.