With a first-round 5-3 win over the Mora Blue Devils Saturday, the Luverne Redbirds advanced to play the Young America Cardinals this Sunday.
The second-round game will be played at Riverside Park in Springfield at 2 p.m.
The Redbirds enter the game with an 18-4 record while the Cardinals, champions of Region 7C, are 11-5 on the pandemic-shortened season.
Young America had a bye in the first round of the state tournament. This is their eighth overall, and fourth consecutive, state tournament appearance.
The Cardinals finished third in 2018.
“They are a very good team,” said Brooks Maurer, Luverne player-manager.
“Some in the media and on Twitter and other places have them picked to win the whole thing.”
Young America, of the Crow River Valley League, defeated Watertown 7-6 and Waconia 3-2 in the final four round of the very competitive Region 7C tournament.
The Redbirds’ Sunday tilt will be similar to last year’s second-round match-up.
In 2019 Luverne faced New Market, a team that was also projected to be in the hunt for a state championship, and lost a close 1-0 game.
Maurer is reminding his team that anything is possible at this point in the season.
“We just have to go out and play our game and hope it’s good enough to win,” the Luverne manager said.
The winner of Sunday’s game will be one of 16 teams to advance to the third round played over Labor Day weekend.
State Amateur Tournament
Region 13C Teams
Aug. 21 7:30 p.m. in Milroy
Randall 4, Hadley 3
Aug. 22 11:00 a.m. in SpringfieldLuverne 5, Mora 3
Aug. 28 7:30 p.m. in Milroy
Waconia vs. Fairmont
Aug. 30 2:00 p.m. in Springfield
Luverne vs. Young America
June 4 at Brandon Valley 4-3 W
June 13 at Castlewood 9-5 W
June 13 at Castlewood 9-0 W
June 17 Tracy Engineers 12-1 WJune 24 Ruthton Royals 10-0 W
June 26 Jackson Bulls 12-2 L
June 28 Tracy Engineers 12-0 W
July 1 at Milroy Irish 7-6 W
July 5 at Adrian 13-2 W
July 8 Renner Bullets 8-2 W
July 9 at Renner 20-16 W
July 12 at Hadley 10-0 W
July 17 SF Brewers 6-2 L
July 19 Pipestone 15-8 W
July 29 Adrian 15-1 W
July 31 Adrian 9-5 W
Aug 5 Hadley 4-3 L
Aug 8 at Hadley 8-2 W
Aug 9 Hadley 6-0 L
Aug 12 Milroy Irish 6-1 W
Aug 14 at Milroy Irish 12-3 W
Aug 22 *Mora 5-3 W
Aug 30 *Young America 2:00pm
*State Tournament in Springfield
Next Up: Young America Cardinals
By
Jason Berghorst