AAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET (PDF)

McPHERSON— After a two-day waiting period the Great Bend Chiefs learned Sunday they will face the Oskaloosa River Bandits in the first round of Wednesday’s AAA State Tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Grant Sports Complex in McPherson at 1800 N. Main.

A win by the Chiefs will set up an 8 p.m. nightcap Wednesday while a loss will have the Chiefs playing at 1 p.m. Thursday in the consolation bracket.

The eight-team, double elimination tournament will culminate in the championship game at 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 2. The state champion will move on to the Mid South Regionals August 5-9 at Hendrix College’s Warrior Field in Conway, Arkansas. The Kansas state champion will compete with six other state champions from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Great Bend (22-18) enters this year’s tournament following a two-game sweep over top seeded Garden City and host Dodge City at last week’s Zone Tournament. The Chiefs upended the top seeded Garden City Elite last Wednesday by a score of 11-2 before defeating the Dodge City Rangers in a 5-3 decision that ended in extra innings. Great Bend and Dodge ended their season series at 3-3.

Other opening round competition Wednesday has Newton facing Wichita at 11 a.m. followed by Ottawa and Garden City at 1:30 p.m. Following the Great Bend vs. Oskaloosa matchup at 5 p.m., host team McPherson will play Emporia at 7:30 p.m.