By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
Based on its undefeated season in the Wisconsin Valley League, the Plover Post 543 American Legion baseball team is the favorite to take a trip to Sturgeon Bay for the Legion state tournament.
The Black Sox (35-5 overall record) meets three other Valley teams, including Stevens Point Post 6, in a double-elimination regional tournament at Wausau's Marathon Park Friday through Monday.
Plover opens the tournament Friday at 5 p.m. against Wisconsin Rapids. Stevens Point (12-17 overall) faces Wausau at 8 p.m. The tournament continues Saturday, Sunday and Monday, if necessary.
"I think we're playing excellent baseball right now and we've met quite a few goals as the season went along," Terpstra said, adding the team's goals included winning the Valley and playing well leading up to tournament time. "We feel we've accomplished those things and we're excited to fight for a state tournament berth."
With the double-elimination format, Sixers manager Tom Drohner says Plover is the favorite to move on to state.
"Plover is by far the team to beat. In my eyes, they're probably the best team in the state," Drohner said. "It's going to take something special to knock them off. "It's tough enough to beat them once. They have five losses on the season," Drohner said. "It's going to be real tough for them to get knocked off twice."
As for his Sixers, Drohner said the team is "definitely going to have to get good pitching and limit our mistakes.
"We have our ups and downs. I think we can compete with anybody and we can lose to anybody. That kind of goes with being a young team," he said.
"When we play good, solid baseball, we have the opportunity to play with anybody."
Terpstra said he doesn't think the Black Sox players are feeling pressure.
"Our pitchers are going to have to continue to throw a lot of strikes, let our defense work, which has been playing really well," Terpstra said. "We're going to have to continue to get timely hits."
The Legion state tournament will be held next weekend in Sturgeon Bay.