WAGNER - For the Wagner junior teener baseball team, the team's two mainstays - pitching and hitting - will be important again this weekend.
Wagner will play in the VFW 13- and 14-year-old Class A tournament, which begins today and runs through Sunday in Dell Rapids. Wagner (8-7) plays Tea at 5:30 p.m. today in the first round of the state tournament, with the winner taking on Warner/Ipswich/Northville or host Dell Rapids in the 8 p.m. semifinal game Saturday.
Wagner (8-6) will rely on its pitching and hitting in order to have a successful state tournament.
"I would guess the big thing would be pitching and hitting," Wagner coach Van Spease said about the keys this weekend. "You've got to keep hitting the ball and scoring runs and hopefully they will stay calm and play well."
Wagner's top four pitchers are Malcolm Janis, Devon Medricky, Tony Bruguier and Jayden Aungie. Each of them have two wins on the mound this year.
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"I would say all four of them would definitely do some pitching in the tournament," Spease said, adding the pitching staff has been big this season. "We have pitchers that can throw strikes, which I think is one of the big, important things in the 13-14 year old teeners."
Wagner's bats have complemented the pitching staff this season and it is the same cast of characters as on the mound. In addition to the top four pitchers, Preston Nedved powers the team offensively, hitting .310 for the season. Aungie is hitting .419, Medricky is hitting .413, while Chance Blaha is hitting 371 and Bruguier is hitting .364.
"We have some good hitters," Spease said. "They are enthused about the game and want to be there and are having some fun right now."
Wagner beat Winner 10-7 and Chamberlain 15-0 in the region tourney to advance to the state tournament.
"I am very proud of our team," Spease said. "They played some good games and had a few bad games, but always kept a good attitude and came out strong in the region tourney. Everybody is all excited to go and we are very much looking forward to it."
VFW Junior Teener Class A Tournament
at Rickeman Field, Dell Rapids
Today's Games
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West Central vs. Custer, noon
Madison vs. Dakota Valley, 2:30 p.m.
Tea Area vs. Wagner, 5:30 p.m.
Warner/Ipswich/Northville vs. Dell Rapids, 8 p.m.
Saturday's games
Consolation bracket
West Central/Custer loser vs. Madison/Dakota Valley loser, noon
Tea/Wagner loser vs. W-I-N/Dell Rapids loser, 2:30 p.m.
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Winner's bracket
West Central/Custer loser vs. Madison/Dakota Valley winner, 5:30 p.m.
Tea/Wagner winner vs. W-I-N/Dell Rapids winner, 8 p.m.
Sunday's games
Seventh place game, noon (at Volunteer Field)
Consolation championship, noon
Third-place game, 2:30 p.m.
Championship, 5 p.m.
