After only playing two games in two weeks, the Dodge City Rangers 19U American Legion team has a challenge in front of them.
The best teams in Kansas head to Dodge City for the Class AAA American Legion state baseball tournament that starts Wednesday and ends Sunday at Demon field.
“It is exciting,” Rangers head coach Daniel Rogers said. “We are just excited to be able to play baseball, and to be able to host a state tournament is awesome. It will be nice to come out in front of our hometown fans and show what we are made of in the end of the summer.”
The Rangers, who have an overall record of 14-8, qualified for the tournament with an automatic bid for being the host team.
They will start tournament action Wednesday, facing off against Emporia at 8:30 p.m.
The Rangers enter the tournament after splitting a doubleheader against Finney County last Thursday. After losing 11-8 in the first game, the Rangers responded in the nightcap with a 10-2 five-inning, run-rule enforcing victory.
“The best thing we got out of it, is being able to play again,” Rogers said. “We have only played two games in two weeks. So it was nice to get the rust off.”
Dodge City was scheduled to play in the Mid America Small Town World Series last weekend, but there were not enough teams registered in its age group, so the 19U division was cancelled.
Emporia will head to Dodge City after winning the zone-four championship on Saturday, defeating Blue Valley West 4-2. Emporia jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never looked back.
“I think we just need to come out, and be loose and not be tense,” Rogers said. “Come out and play baseball the right way, like we did all year long.”
This will be the first time Emporia and Dodge City have met this season.
Rogers said he thinks this will be the first time Dodge City has ever hosted an American Legion state tournament.
“I just expect it to be a lot of fun,” Rogers said. “There will be a lot of people and we have a nice ball park. It is nice for other teams to come in and check out
our ballpark. I think we have one of the top baseball
facilities in state.”
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After only playing two games in two weeks, the Dodge City Rangers 19U American Legion team has a challenge in front of them.
The best teams in Kansas head to Dodge City for the Class AAA American Legion state baseball tournament that starts Wednesday and ends Sunday at Demon field.
“It is exciting,” Rangers head coach Daniel Rogers said. “We are just excited to be able to play baseball, and to be able to host a state tournament is awesome. It will be nice to come out in front of our hometown fans and show what we are made of in the end of the summer.”
The Rangers, who have an overall record of 14-8, qualified for the tournament with an automatic bid for being the host team.
They will start tournament action Wednesday, facing off against Emporia at 8:30 p.m.
The Rangers enter the tournament after splitting a doubleheader against Finney County last Thursday. After losing 11-8 in the first game, the Rangers responded in the nightcap with a 10-2 five-inning, run-rule enforcing victory.
“The best thing we got out of it, is being able to play again,” Rogers said. “We have only played two games in two weeks. So it was nice to get the rust off.”
Dodge City was scheduled to play in the Mid America Small Town World Series last weekend, but there were not enough teams registered in its age group, so the 19U division was cancelled.
Emporia will head to Dodge City after winning the zone-four championship on Saturday, defeating Blue Valley West 4-2. Emporia jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never looked back.
“I think we just need to come out, and be loose and not be tense,” Rogers said. “Come out and play baseball the right way, like we did all year long.”
This will be the first time Emporia and Dodge City have met this season.
Rogers said he thinks this will be the first time Dodge City has ever hosted an American Legion state tournament.
“I just expect it to be a lot of fun,” Rogers said. “There will be a lot of people and we have a nice ball park. It is nice for other teams to come in and check out
our ballpark. I think we have one of the top baseball
facilities in state.”
