Plover wins regionals, Point and Plover head to state
By Julie Schooley
PORTAGE COUNTY – The Plover Back Sox headed into the Regional play on July 21 already knowing they would be in the Legion State Tournament since they are hosting, but they didn’t let that stop them from going 4-0 for the weekend and winning the regional. Since Plover had the automatic bid for the tournament the second-place regional team also moves on, so the Stevens Point Sixers also made the state tournament.
Coach Wayne Sankey said, “We had a goal to win the Regional because hosting state we wanted to prove that we belonged there and that is exactly what the guys did.” He added, “we are excited to play at home and hope to have some success”.
Regional action for the Wisconsin Valley Legion Conference started on Wednesday, July 21 at Jack Hackman Field in Marshfield. Participating teams included Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids, D.C. Everest, Wausau, Plover and Stevens Point.
Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, and Plover would all be undefeated after the first two days of the regional. Stevens Point would suffer their first loss on Friday evening, July 23, after falling to Plover. The Sixers would then face Wisconsin Rapids and win, earning a spot in the championship game against Plover on Saturday, July 24.
The championship game was a close battle between the Stevens Point Sixers and the Plover Black Sox. Plover was holding a 6-3 lead going into the seventh inning and the Sixers started to rally but were stopped short, ending the game at 6-5.
The AAA State Tournament started Tuesday, July 27 at Memorial Park in Plover. Stevens Point faced De Pere and Plover against Racine Norsemen.
For more information and updates on the state tournament, head to wilegion.org/legion-baseball/.