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Redbirds to play Buckman team Saturday in state tournament play

By
Jason Berghorst

The Luverne Redbirds will open play in the Minnesota Baseball Association Class C State Tournament Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in Faribault.
The Redbirds will face the Buckman Billygoats, the third seed from Region 8C.
As the champions and top seed from Region 13C, the Redbirds enjoyed a first-round tournament bye last weekend.
The Billygoats (15-8 on the season) defeated the Cannon Falls Bears 7-1 in the first round of the state tournament Saturday night in Faribault.
Buckman pitcher Matt Tautges, who plays college baseball at St. Scholastica, pitched a complete game, giving up only three hits and one run.
The Billygoats collected ten hits and scored seven runs in the win over Cannon Falls.
Centerfielder Andrew Rueckert led the Buckman offense going three for four at the plate with one run and two RBIs.
Aaron Weber (two runs and two RBIs) and Jack Suska (one run) had two hits each for the Billygoats.
Suska and Weber lead the season batting averages for the Billygoats who play in the Victory League north of St. Cloud.
“Buckman finished fourth in state in 2019 and is traditionally a very good team,” said Luverne player-manager Brooks Maurer.
 
“It will be a tough matchup,” he said. “Hopefully we can pitch and hit like we’ve been doing all season.”
The Redbirds, 29-4 on the year, are playing in their fourth consecutive state tournament.
A win over Buckman on Saturday will advance Luverne to play the Waconia Lakers or Fergus Falls Hurricanes Saturday, Sept. 3, at 1:30 p.m. in Dundas.
The other two Region 13C teams playing in the state tournament fell in round one games played in Dundas Saturday.
The Webster Sox defeated the Milroy Irish 10-3 and the Fairmont Martins lost a close 4-3 contest to the Avon Lakers.
Thirty-two teams remain alive in the Class C state tournament entering this weekend’s play.
The state championship game will be played on Labor Day, Sept. 5, at noon in Faribault.

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