Plein column: State tourney musings

I returned early Monday morning from this year’s Minnesota state baseball tournament, which is being hosted by Arlington and Gaylord. During the one hour, 45 minute drive home, I was thinking of the first weekend of play and how everything went.

First of all, this year’s tournament is the first in which an automated scoring system is being used. The scoring is done on a laptop computer with the Stat Crew software.

Once the game is complete it takes about five minutes to wrap the game reports up, send them to the Web site and have them be posted on the Minnesota Baseball Association Web site. Literally, in that short of time period anyone can go to www.minnesotabaseball.org and receive a complete box score and a play-by-play account of each game played at this years state tournament.

Arlington and Gaylord are doing a fine job of hosting this year’s event. Arlington has hosted previous state tournaments; however, this is the first opportunity for Gaylord to be hosting.

The schedule from last weekend found me being in Gaylord for three days and in Arlington for only the opening Thursday evening. With rain issues in Arlington, I only spent three innings at that site all weekend.

When you arrive at the Gaylord park around 9:30 am and do not leave until late in the evening, it can make for a long day. The people of Gaylord are real friendly and have made us all feel very welcome.

If you do attend a game in Gaylord this year you must try the pork chops, they are delicious.

How about the play of the Classic Cannon Valley League? All four teams from our league that advanced to state tournament play won.

It sets up a great day of action on Saturday in Gaylord. Hampton will play at 11 a.m., Cannon Falls will play at 1:30 p.m., Miesville will follow at 5 p.m. and Hastings caps things at 7:30 p.m.

This will be a tremendous day of baseball at a fine venue.

I would hope all area fans would consider making the nice drive to Gaylord on Saturday and supporting our fellow CCVL teams.

Drafted Red Wing Aces players will be in the dugout for the Miesville and Hastings squads and could play a big part in the action.

Good luck to all CCVL teams and continue to make it known that our league is the best in the state from top to bottom.

Tags: dan plein, red wing, cannon falls, sports, baseball, aces, miesville, mudhens, bears