Editor’s note:This Speakout was submitted by Aaron Jorenby, Brookings Cubs general manager and South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association District 9A commissioner.
After an incredibly busy summer of baseball for all of Brookings, all the various seasons are starting to wind down. And with the close of another season on the horizon, its time for state tournaments to take center stage.
Brookings will be hosting not one, but two state tournaments over the next couple weeks. The first starts tomorrow, Tuesday, July 30, as the American Legion Class A Senior Legion State Tournament comes to Brookings. Seven qualifying teams will make the trek to join the Post 74 Bandits as this prestigious tournament makes a return to Bob Shelden Field for the first time since 2015, and plenty has changed since that 2015 summer. New coaches, obviously new players, and of course, a revitalized Bob Shelden Field, renovated in 2020 and reopened in 2021.
The Bandits will enter with a record of 23-20, winners of 11 of its past 13 games. Brookings will be the No. 8 seed and open tournament play with the final game on opening night at 7 p.m. against top-seeded Harrisburg Gold.
Opening ceremonies begin tonight, Monday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m at Bob Shelden Field, followed by the third place (6 p.m.) and championship (7:30 p.m.) games for the Majors (11/12 year olds) in-house league. The final scheduled game or games of the American Legion State Tournament will take place on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 11 a.m., with an if necessary game beginning 30 minutes after the completion of the 11 a.m. game. More information, including ticket prices, the tournament bracket, and other tournament-related content, can be found at brookingsbaseball.com.
And if one tournament wasnt enough, just six days later the Brookings Cubs will be hosting the first weekend of the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Associations Class A State Tournament, beginning the evening of Friday, Aug. 9, with the final game scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Aug. 11.
The Cubs record as of Friday, July 26, was 14-4, pending results of yesterdays final regular season game against Baltic.
The state tournament schedule will be finalized on Sunday, Aug. 4, determining matchups and when the eight qualifying teams will play.
As host, Brookings receives an automatic entry into the state tournament. While an opponent is not yet known, the date and time for the Cubs first game has been determined.
Brookings will play the opening game of Saturdays evening session at 5 p.m. Aug. 10, with a second game to be played Sunday, Aug. 11, at either 11 a.m. or preferably, because it means a win the night before 1:30 p.m. So long as the Cubs win one of those two games the team will advance to the second weekend of the Class A State Tournament in Mitchell, Aug. 16-18. More info on the first weekend of this state tournament can be found at brookingscubs.com.
Both the Bandits and Cubs, along with the Junior Legion (state tournament Aug. 1-4 in Pierre), Bullets (state tournament Aug. 1-4 in Rapid City), Bombers 14s (state tournament Aug. 1-4 in Watertown), Bombers 13s (state tournament Aug. 1-4 in Sioux Falls), and Bombers 14u (state tournament Aug. 2-4 in Brandon) appreciate your support.
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