Legion baseball begins today

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The Garden Center/Fat Daddy’s Alexandria American Legion Post 87 baseball team will kick off another season today, Wednesday, when it sees its first action at the College World Series Tournament in Omaha.

Post 87 does not waste any time jumping into a strong schedule with their trip to Omaha. Alexandria will take on teams from all over the country in the five-day tournament, including Omaha, Reno, Jonesboro, Arkansas, Edmond, Oklahoma and Chatfield, Colorado.

“We are all very excited to go down to Omaha once again this year,” head coach Kevin Engebretson said. “Playing baseball is obviously a huge part of the summer, but getting a chance to go down to Rosenblatt with your buddies and to watch some great college baseball as well – this is definitely one of the big highlights for us.”

Engebretson is back to lead the team with help from assistants Justin Walsh and Tyler Erickson.

They will once again lead Alexandria into a loaded schedule, featuring strong competition at a number of tournaments. Aside from the trip to Omaha, Post 87 will also take part in the Grand Rapids Tournament, their annual Alexandria Fourth of July tournament and the Gopher Classic in Minnetonka. Their schedule, which features around 35 games, also includes a game in the Metrodome against West Fargo on July 9.

“With lots of new faces, this summer will be a great chance for all of us to improve and to grow as a baseball program,” Engebretson said. “It really is an awesome bunch of kids that we have, and it is going to be a whole lot of fun. I can’t wait.”

Alexandria will feature three returning players from last year’s squad in Zac Beireis, Karl Brezina and Colin Erickson.

Joining them will be a host of other players who helped lead the Cardinal high school team to a section championship game appearance earlier this spring. Tyler Iverson, Lucas Betterman, Ross Thompson, Eric Lehn, Jordan Erickson, Mark Whiting, Kyle Bany and Shawn Krueger all represent a strong group of juniors who should help make Post 87 competitive this summer. Dalton Leuschke also leads a strong group of sophomores on the team.

“I am really fired up to get going on another great summer full of baseball, family and fun,” Engebretson said. “And most importantly, the kids are too. If you get a chance, come out to the ballpark, catch a game and support youth baseball in Alexandria.”

2009 GARDEN CENTER/FAT DADDY’S ALEXANDRIA AMERICAN LEGION

POST 87 BASEBALL

ROSTER – Tyler Iverson – OF; Karl Brezina – 3B; Lucas Betterman – C; Luc Beireis – C/P/OF; Ross Thompson – 2B; John Mohror – P; Parker Giroux – OF; Dalton Leuschke – SS; Eric Lehn – P; Jordan Erickson – OF; Mark Whiting – OF; Colin Erickson – P/1B; Zac Beireis – OF; Kyle Bany – P; Trevor Zolin – P/1B; Shawn Krueger – P/1B; Nathan Nelson – P

Schedule

(Capitals denote home games)

June 17 Omaha Gross, CWS Tourney

June 18 Reno, NV, CWS Tourney

June 18 Jonesboro, AR, CWS Tourney

June 19 Edmond, OK, CWS Tourney

June 20 Chatfield, CO, CWS Tourney

June 20 TBD, CWS Tourney

June 21 TBD, CWS Tourney

June 23 at Willmar, 6:30 p.m.

June 24 MARSHALL, 6:30 p.m.

June 26 Richfield, GR Tourney, 12 p.m.

June 26 Oconto Falls, WI, GR Tourney 5 p.m.

June 27 Forest Lake, GR Tourney, 9:30 a.m.

June 27 Thunder Bay, GR Tourney, 2:30 p.m.

June 28 TBD, GR Tourney

July 1 FERGUS FALLS, DH, 5 p.m.

July 2 NEW LONDON, 6:30 p.m.

July 3 Rogers, July 4th Tourney, 11 a.m.

July 3 Northwest Slam, July 4 Tourney, 8 p.m.

July 4 North St. Paul, July 4 Tourney, 8 p.m.

July 5 TBD, July 4th Tourney, TBD

July 6 MOORHEAD, 5 p.m.

July 7 at Marshall, 5 p.m.

July 9 West Fargo at Metrodome, TBD

July 10 Excelsior, Gopher Classic, 9 a.m.

July 10 St. Louis Park, Gopher Classic, 2 p.m.

July 11 DL, Gopher Classic, 11:30 a.m.

July 12 Rapid City, Gopher Class, 11:30 a.m.

July 12 Grand Rapids, Gopher Classic, 2 p.m.

July 14 at Litchfield, 6:30 p.m.

July 15 at Fergus Falls, 5 p.m.

July 24 District Tournament , Spicer, TBD

July 25 District Tournament , Spicer, TBD

July 26 District Tournament , Spicer, TBD

July 29-August 2 State Tournament, New Ulm

Tags: alexandria sports, american legion, sports, baseball