Aren Williams is a fighter.

The Casper Oilers second baseman sat out 10 games earlier this month with an ankle injury, but hasn't missed a game since returning to the lineup on June 12.

Williams is also one of the team's strongest leaders, on the field and in the dugout.

"Aren brings a lot of leadership to the team," manager Bobby Schoonover said. "He definitely tries to get the team up and keep them going.

"We've got seven seniors on this team, and Aren is a big part of that core."

Williams brings more than toughness and leadership to the Oilers, however.

Despite only five extra-base hits - all doubles - in 56 at-bats, Williams entered Tuesday night's doubleheader against Smoky Hill, Colo., batting .393. And his .485 on-base percentage is third-best on the team.

"I'd say I'm a little bit of a battler," Williams said. "I just try to do the best for our team and not really focus on myself.

"My role is to do what I can to keep the team in [the game], keep the team focused and just try to help people out if I need to."

Williams has also taken on the responsibility in the infield of making sure teammates are positioned correctly.

Schoonover said Williams' ability to involve his teammates may be his best attribute.

"Aren can direct guys if we have a young guy at third or a young guy at short," Schoonover said. "If we have a young guy out there Aren can help teach him.

"It's on-the-field teaching from a teammate rather than me yelling what to do from the dugout.

"Defensively, I can leave him and [Zane] Mathson alone out there [because] they know the situations and I really don't have to tell them a whole lot."

Schoonover would prefer it that way. Let Williams and the other seniors do the talking, so that he can focus on managing the team.

Of course, Williams can also be useful in that regard.

"I think [the younger guys] are really starting to look up to us seniors," he said. "They know that we're trying to be leaders.

"We tend to get on them a little bit, but I think they realize we're just trying to help them."

DISTRICT CHANGES: Next month's district tournaments will have a different look to them than in year's past.

Wyoming American Legion baseball director Paul Eastridge said Monday that this year's tournaments will be comprised of both AA and A teams, instead of the A teams playing in a separate tournament.

The North District Tournament in Casper on July 23-25 will consist of AA teams from Casper, Gillette and Sheridan, as well as A teams from Casper, Gillette, Sheridan, Riverton, Cody, Douglas, Jackson, Lovell and Powell.

The South District Tournament in Rock Springs the same weekend will have AA teams from Rock Springs, Laramie, Evanston, Torrington and Cheyenne, as well as A teams from Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Wheatland and Newcastle.

The top four finishers in each district will advance to the state tournament in Rock Springs on July 29-Aug. 2.

Oilers Tracker

SECOND TO NONE: Second baseman Aren Williams anchors the Oilers infield and is also hitting .393.

HE SAID IT: "I just try to do the best for our team and not really focus on myself." - Williams.

UP NEXT: Casper vs. Edmonton, Alberta, at Helena, Mont., Thursday.