Austin VFW baseball team to open state tournament play Thursday, August 12th

The bracket for the Minnesota VFW State Baseball Tournament has been released, and Austin VFW Post #1216, the champions of District 1 and the hosts of this year’s tournament will take on the winner of a play-in game between Stewartville and Maple Grove at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 12th at Marcusen Park.  The play-in game between Stewartville and Maple Grove will be played at 11:00 a.m. that same day at Dick Seltz Field at Riverland Community College.

Other quarterfinal matchups on Thursday, August 12th will include Sartell taking on Grand Rapids at Marcusen Park at 1:30 p.m., Mankato versus either Owatonna or Hermantown at 4 p.m. that afternoon at Dick Seltz Field, as Owatonna and Hermantown will meet in the other play-in game for the tournament at Marcusen Park that morning at 11:00 a.m.  The other quarterfinal matchup for the first day of the tournament will pit Elk River against St. Cloud at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon at Seltz Field.

The tournament will continue with the winner’s bracket semi-finals at Marcusen Park on Friday, August 13th at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and elimination bracket games will continue that same day at both sites.  The winner’s bracket final will be played on Saturday, August 14th at Marcusen Park at 11:00 a.m. that morning, and the elimination bracket semi-finals and finals will also be played at Marcusen that same afternoon at 1:30 and 4:00 p.m.  The state championship game or games will then be played on Sunday, August 15th at Marcusen Park at 11:00 a.m., with another game to follow if needed.