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FRANKLIN, IT'S STATE TOURNAMENT TIME!

Posted by Kevin Fischer on July 7, 2012

The two-time defending summer baseball champion Franklin Sabers begin their quest for a third straight title next week as the state tournament gets underway. Franklin will play St. Francis at Franklin High next Tuesday at 5:30. The Sabers are seeded third. St. Francis is the #14 seed in Sectional # 4 that also includes top-seeded Oak Creek.

The WIAA made a great move for this year’s tournament but has also erred, in my view, in its planning for the most important games.

This year’s State Summer Baseball Tournament moves to Kapco Park at Concordia University in Mequon. That’s a major improvement because the tournament since 1989 was held at Bukolt Park in Stevens Point. Most tournament teams come from our corner of the state.

The new venue is a major upgrade. It’s not only much closer, the WIAA website calls Kapco Park  “a state-of-the-art baseball facility opening in 2012 and also serves as the baseball venue for Concordia (University) and the Lakeshore Chinooks, the newest member of the Northwoods League. Kapco Park seats approximately 1,500 spectators in various seating areas throughout the facility including seats and fan decks, all with beautiful views of Lake Michigan. The ballpark will have a synthetic turf on the entire playing field and is located on the northeast corner of Concordia University on the shores of Lake Michigan.”

Now for the WIAA blunder. A new format has a one-day tournament with semifinal games followed by the championship final on Friday, July 20. The first State semifinal game is scheduled to begin at noon with the second semifinal to follow at approximately 3:15 p.m. The championship game is slated for 6:30 p.m.

That’s patently unfair. Think about it. According to the brackets and schedule, if Franklin or Oak Creek advances to Friday, July 20, they will play in the 3:15 semifinal. The winner of the 3:15 game plays almost immediately afterwards, in the title game at 6:30. That doesn’t leave much time for rest. The WIAA in its infinite wisdom is handing one team a big fat advantage. I’m sure they’d have some excuse as to why they didn’t schedule the championship game the next day (Kapco’s availability?), but ideally this should be a two-day tournament. I wonder, too, if the same umpires will be working all three games on July 20 which also would be a bad idea.

Here’s to a successful tournament and…

GO GET ‘EM SABERS AND COACH HUGHES!