NATCHEZ — Twelve-year-old Benjamin White joined the Mizuno Young Guns tournament team to play against elite competition, and as life would have it, the tournament journey he embarked on last year has now led to an Elite 32 World Series appearance at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The soon-to-be 7th grader at Cathedral school joined the Brandon tournament team after head coach Rikki McCurley informed locals that he was looking for a player to fill a spot on his roster. McCurley, who graduated from South Natchez in 1985, was familiar with the area, and once word got around, he found his player in White.

“It was a little awkward at first because I didn’t know any of the players,” White said. “But I soon became friends with them, and I love tournament ball. The traveling takes some adjusting, but the competition is great.”

Last year, White played on the tournament team while playing Natchez Dixie Youth ball simultaneously, which proved too much for White’s pitching arm.

That led to a choice heading into the summer, and for White, it was easy.

“Playing both at the same time messed me up,” White said. “I chose to stick with tournament ball because I like the competition.”

When it comes to competition, the Young Guns are as fierce as they come in the United State Specialty Sports Association’s 12-and-under major teams. The Young Guns are 40-14 this season and are currently seeded fourth in the World Series tournament that will be played from July 25-Aug. 2. The team was granted a spot in the tournament as the tournament director selected them as an at-large bid from Mississippi. Each state gets one at-large bid tournament team.

McCurley, who’s had the team for four years, knew how valuable of a pickup White was for his club.

“From the minute I saw him, I knew he had excellent potential,” McCurley said. “He’s a good kid with a great arm. He’s an all-around good player.”

The stats back up that notion.

White, who usually starts the first game of each tournament, has a pitching record of 11-2 with a 1.58 ERA. He leads the team with a .430 batting average, 10 doubles, seven triple and two home runs, including a walk off homer in the Dual Super NIT Tournament at Lafayette in April.

“That one was special,” White recalled. “When I got back to my teammates, everybody was just telling me how cool and amazing it was.”

White is looking for a world series win to top that moment, but until then, he’ll compete in other tournaments, preparing to face his stiffest competition to date in Florida.

Jolyne White, Ben’s mother, said the team will have a banner hanging from their dugout at the world series, and those who locally want to hang a sponsor can for a $250 donation.