The Suffolk Youth Athletic Association Invitational All-Star baseball tournament keeps growing, and this year’s edition will take it to new heights.

“It’s going to be the largest one we’ve ever done,” said Jeff Beale, SYAA’s head baseball commissioner and the tournament’s director. “It’s going to cover the four age divisions from Pinto through Pony.”

This means participants ranging in age from 7 to 14 will be competing on SYAA’s many diamonds at 501 Kings Fork Road, starting today and running through Sunday afternoon.

As of Wednesday evening, Beale had 49 teams signed up to participate. Suffolk will be represented in that number by SYAA, which is fielding nine squads, and the Holland Athletic Association, which is fielding two.

Teams will be visiting from Chesapeake, Smithfield, Southampton, Virginia Beach, Windsor and even Raleigh, N.C.

“It’s very exciting,” Beale said of the tourney, adding that it is a great atmosphere for the kids, and “it’s just top-notch competitive ball.”

Beale will be coaching an SYAA team in the Pinto division (ages 7-8).

Tournaments like the SYAA All-Star Invitational help his players, he said.

“My goal is to get them to advance to the next level, and by that I mean to get them ready for Mustang (ages 9-10),” and the all-star season helps, he explained.

The season features teams of consolidated talent from their respective leagues.

Beale’s goal leads to the greater goal of preparing the youths to play for their high school team, and he said SYAA is having success in this area. This year, it has 48 players in the Pony division (ages 13-14), and 24 of them made their high school teams.

The Holland Athletic Association will field teams from the Pinto division and Bronco division (ages 11-12) this weekend.

“We take every opportunity we can to get our boys out there and let them play ball, and especially when it’s close to home, that’s always nice,” said Jennifer Groves, a commissioner with HAA.

Beale said games will be held at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, while the action will get started on Saturday and Sunday at approximately 9 a.m.

Many vendors will be on hand for the tourney, and there will be a concession stand.

Spectators can pay $10 for a full pass to the tournament from start to finish. For a one-day pass, the cost for adults is $5 and the cost for youth, ages 6-18, is $3. Children 5 and under get in for free.