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Plans for summer baseball moving forward

By
Jason Berghorst

With all high school spring sports canceled due to pandemic concerns, local sports fans are curious about plans for summer sports.
Luverne baseball teams have, so far, been unable to begin play due to continuing coronavirus regulations.
In May the board that oversees American Legion baseball in Minnesota canceled the 2020 season statewide.
Local leaders and coaches are looking at other options to give athletes who would have played on the Legion and Junior Legion teams the opportunity to play abbreviated seasons outside of sanctioned Legion baseball.
Jon Schomacker, summer recreation director for Luverne Community Education, said as state guidelines continue to evolve, he’s optimistic that local youth will be able to play a modified season.
“Our plan is to have 18U, 16U, and 14U teams to replace the normal Legion, Junior Legion and seventh/eighth grade level teams when we are able to,” he said.
Schomacker said school district facilities will be available for use starting June 15, and he expects games to be scheduled after that.
“We’ll certainly be following all the guidelines related to the virus, but we think we can still play safely later this summer” he said.
 Community Education minor and major league youth baseball and T-ball teams are taking registrations and hope to begin July 6.
The Luverne Redbirds amateur baseball team has also faced a delayed start.
Redbirds Coach Brooks Mauer said the Minnesota Baseball Association is waiting for word from the governor’s office on when amateur games can begin in the state.
The MBA has given teams the go-ahead to play games in other states for now.
Mauer said his team is scheduling a number of games in South Dakota and will open their season tonight (Thursday) in Valley Springs.

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