FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO - The Farmington Virus make their Connie Mack World Series debut Friday night when they face eight-time champion Cincinnati, Ohio, in the opening game of this year's series. <br>
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The Farmington team and the Cobras from Farmington Hills, Michigan, are the only teams in the field of eight that have never played in the series before. <br>
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The host Farmington, New Mexico, team faces a tough opener against a Cincinnati team that comes into the series with a record of 52-4. <br>
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The six other teams have been to the series before and three of them, the East Cobb, Georgia Yankees, the Dallas Mustangs, and Cincinnati Redskins, have combined to win a total of 14 series titles. <br>
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Other teams in this year's series are the Guaynabo, Puerto Rico Jets, the Encinitas, California, Reds and the Fairfax, Virginia, Barnstormers. <br>
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The opening round in the double-elimination tournament continues Saturday with three games. The Guaynabo Jets take on the Michigan Cobras, Fairfax plays East Cobb and Dallas faces Encinitas, Calif. <br>
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This is the 39th year that the series has been played in the northwest New Mexico city. Connie Mack baseball features 17 and 18-year-old players. Current major leaguers who played in a Connie Mack series here include Ken Griffey Junior, Alex Cora and brothers Aaron and Brett Boone.
