The Lynn area has made a habit of sending a Little League softball team to the eastern regionals in Albany, N.Y. in the last three years.In 2006, Swampscott won the district and went on to win the state championship. In 2007, Wyoma duplicated the feat and last year, Swampscott returned to Albany. And while the smart money would appear to be on of the two teams this year, too, the field is getting larger – and more experienced – all the time.”This is our second year,” said Saugus American manager John Murphy, who managed the team in its debut season in 2008. “We have three kids back. Hopefully, they won’t be as nervous as they were at the beginning of the tournament last year.”Murphy also feels the experience might make him a better manager too.”Another year into it, hopefully I’ll do a better job than I did last year, too.”Saugus will be tested right away, as the Americans play defending champion Swampscott Monday – the tournament’s opening night – at 5:30 at Swampscott’s home field.”I guess from what I hear, Swampcott has a real good pitcher,” said Murphy. “But our league was very competitive this year. Last year, it was all new to our kids. Now, most of them have their feet wet and know what to expect. Hopefully, there will be no deer-in-the-headlights.”The other game Monday pits Salem against Marblehead (5:30) at Marblehead’s field at the old high school (and new middle school).Both Wyoma and the Pine Hill/East Lynn/West Lynn American team had byes. Both will play Wednesday, with the combine team facing the winner of the Saugus Swampscott game at 5:30 at Swampscott’s field.”This is the first time we’ve done this with three teams,” said Bill Allen, one of the coaches for the combine team. “And the biggest thing we’re working on now is trying to get the girls to gel.”Pine Hill’s Anthony Frye is actually managing the team, with assistance from Allen (from East Lynn) and Steve Martin (West Lynn American).”I think we have a pretty decent team,” said Allen. “Pitching gets you far in this tournament, and I think we have some pretty good defense.”Allen, like perhaps all the other teams, said the recent spate of bad weather hasn’t exactly made it easy to get practices in.”We were able to get to the batting cages a couple of times,” he said, “but rain put a damper on our practices.”We don’t play until Wednesday, so we’re hoping for a couple of days, if the weather holds out, where we can get some practices in.”Last year, West Lynn American and Pine Hill combined and the combine was successful until it ran into Swampscott and Wyoma back-to-back.”Those two teams will be there again,” said Allen. “But it isn’t just those two. Saugus is a year more experience, and Marblehead had seven teams in its system this year. The tournament is growing.”Allen said one of the things about fielding a combine team is that “everyone we picked was either a pitcher or an infielder. We have to figure out where they’re going to play, and convince the girls, you know, that it’s OK to play in the outfield. The ball gets hit there too.”Right now,” he said, “we have 13 girls who are practicing and bonding very nicely,” he said. “Once they get to know each other ? they’re all 11- and 12-year-old girls. We just need to get them to understand that you have to give it your all, and that you don’t want to let anyone down.”Wyoma, last year’s runner up, will face the winner of the Salem-Marblehead at its own field Wednesday (5:30).