BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WAUPUN, Wis. — Class AA American Legion state champion Larned (18-11) will play Wisconsin state runner-up Viroqua (31-18) at 11 a.m. Thursday in the opening game of the Central Plains Class AA Baseball Regional.
Viroqua defeated Wisconsin champion Waupun 3-0, but lost to Waupaun 4-2 and 12-7 in the Wisconsin championship games at Prairie Du Chien, Wis.
Larned captured the Class AA Central Plains Regional in 1999, beating Nekoosa, Wis. 7-3 in the finals. Larned beat Nashwuk-Keewatin, Minn. 14-4, Pratt 4-3 and Lincoln County 8-0 to reach the finals. Nekoosa defeated Larned 16-12 in their first meeting. Larned coach David Brown led a team featuring Rusty Brown, Kevin Smith, Nick Perez, Tim Walker, Lance Schartz, Mark Damm and Casey Morrison.
Larned finished as 1999 Class AA state runner-up to Pratt, losing 11-3 and 13-11 in the championship games.
Larned finished with a 3-2 regional record in 2000 and a 4-2 record in 2008. Ottawa won the 2002 regional. Baxter Springs won the regional titles in 2003 and 2004.
Tournament information will be available at http://www.eteamz.com/waupunlegionpost210seniorbaseball/
CENTRAL PLAINS REGIONAL
THURSDAY’S GAMES
At Waupun, Wis.
11 a.m.—Larned (18-11) vs. Viroqua, Wis. (31-18)
1:30 p.m.—Glenwood-Lowry, Minn vs. Southern Nevada Blue Sox (23-12)
4 p.m.—Minneapolis Giant Valley, Minn. vs. Menesha, Wis. (27-4)
7:30 p.m.—Wapaun, Wis. (24-6) vs. Valley City, N.D. (20-25)
CLASS AA QUALIFIERS
LARNED (18-11)—Larned 8-1 Beloit; Larned 8-0 Concordia; Larned 11-0 Russell; Larned 4-3 Marysville; Larned 10-0 Goodland; Larned 7-6 Doniphan County; Larned 14-3 Russell
VIROQUA, WIS. (31-18)—Viroqua 11-3 Westby; Viroqua 8-1 Bi-State; Viroqua 4-2 Prairie Du Chien; Viroqua 11-4 Prairie Du Chien; Virogua 3-0 Waupun; Virogua 5-1 West Salem; Viroqua 6-0 Prairie Du Chien; Wapaun 4-2 Viroqua; Waupun 12-7 Viroqua
GLENWOOD LOWRY, MINN.—Glenwood-Lowry 2-0 Pilworth; Glenwood-Lowry 1-0 Pierz; Glenwood-Lowry 8-3 Pierz; Giant Valley 2-3 Glenwood-Lowry
SOUTHERN NEVADA BLUE SOX (23-12)—Blue Sox 12, Desert Oasis; Blue Sox 4, Sierra Vista; Blue Sox 7-1 Desert Oasis
MINNEAPOLIS GIANT VALLEY—Giant Valley 6-1 Adrian; Giant Valley 10-2 Waterton; Giant Valley 11-1 LeSueur-Henderson; Giant Valley 3-2 Glenwood-Lowry
MENASHA, WIS. (27-4)—Menasha 8-0 New London; Menasha 9-1 Hortonville; Menasha 10-1 Hortonville; Menasha 7-0 Wisconsin Dells; Menasha 5-1 Waterford; Menasha 13-5 Antigo; Wisconsin Dells 9-6 Menasha
Menasha 6-4 Waterford
WAUPUN, WIS. (24-6)—Viroqua 3-0 Waupun; Waupun 10-7 Oconto Falls; Waupun 4-3 Altoona; Waupun 4-2 Viroqua; Waupun 4-3 Prairie De Chien; Waupun 12-7 Viroqua
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (20-25)—Valley City 3-0 Velva; Valley City 3-0, Bismarck; Valley City 7, Wahpeton; Valley City 7-5 Buelah; Valley City 5-4 Wahpeton
