Central Plains Regional Tournament Information

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North Dakota

Dickinson Roughriders

Head coach: Cory Hansen (fourth season)

Record: 15-27 (host team)

Projected lineup or Key players: Mason Schiff, 2B; Dylan Skabo, SS (.305 BA); James Kary, 3B (.318 BA, 40 RBI); Brett Braunagel, OF; Korey Kallenbach, OF (.263 BA); Brady Dutchak, C; Alex Huschka, OF; Aaron Berg, INF; Taylor Kraenzel, INF (.297 BA, HR); Luke Herauf, INF (.287 BA, 2 HR, 25 RBI).

Pitchers: Schiff (3-3); Huschka; Kallenbach (3-5); Kary; Berg (5-4); Herauf.

Notes: Dickinson has an 8-7 record against out of state teams. … The Roughriders have a mix of veteran players who played in last year’s Central Plains Regional, as well as inexperienced players who are new to the team this season.

West Fargo Patriots

Head coach: Bill Ibach (first season)

Record: 39-14 (beat Fargo Post 2 for state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Kory Wolden, CF; Landon Uetz, 3B; Andy Young, SS (.471 BA, 10 HR, 72 RBI, 7 SB, 20 2B); Tucker Bucholz, C (.496 BA, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 15 2B); Chance Bitzer, 1B; Brock Evenson, LF; Tanner Dahl, P; Camran Bonnema, RF; Jordan Rheault, 2B.

Pitchers: Dahl (8-0, 1.83 ERA, 64 IP, 57 SO, 18 BB); Young; Bonnema; Uetz (6-0, 3.88 ERA, 48.2 IP, 40 SO, 17 BB); Zach Steckler, Willy Barker.

Notes: West Fargo won its first Class A state championship defeating Fargo Post 2 and its first trip to regionals at the legion level. … The Patriots have six players signed to play baseball in college, while Bitzer was drafted by the United State Hockey League Lincoln Star’s to play junior hockey. … Ibach has prior Central Plains Regional experience, as a coach for Fargo Post 2 in 2005.

Minnesota

Edina Hornets

Head coach: Nick Kennedy (second season)

Record: 38-6 (beat Eden Prairie for Minnesota state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Nick Omodt, LF; Nick Leer, SS; Matthew Hopfner, 1B/RF; Nick Denn, C; Dan Baer, CF; Mark Handberg, 1B/3B; Stephen Kalina, 2B; Mitch Larson, 3B/P; Will Vanderbilt, RF/DH.

Pitchers: Alex Lampert; Larson; Hopfner; Harrisen Egly; Geoff Fisher; John Connell; Joe Doran.

Notes: This is Edina’s first trip to a regional tournament since 1983. … The Hornets only allowed eight runs throughout the whole Minnesota American Legion state tournament. … Edina defeated Eden Prairie, the defending 2011 American Legion World Series champion and back-to-back Central Plains Regional tournament champions, 9-5 on Monday.

Eden Prairie

Head coach: Scott Hackett (fifth season)

Record: 30-11 (lost to Edina for the Minnesota state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Cody Wetmore, OF/INF (Minnesota tournament MVP); Jordan Smith, RF; Logan Borg, LF; Luke Lind, 1B; Brett Guba, 2B; Danny Halloran, C; Derek Soderberg, SS; Michael Blauert, 3B; Miles Nablo, OF.

Pitchers: Smith, Cameron Mingo, Wetmore, Kent Curran, Corey Binger, Ryan Zimmerman, Austin Pehrson, Dan Loats, Will Phillips, Lind.

Notes: The Eden Prairie was the 2011 American Legion World Series champions and return to the Central Plains Regional Tournament as back-to-back champions. … Eden Prairie lost to Edina 9-5 in the state title game. … Jordan Smith, who is a pitcher and outfielder, has the most experience at the Central Plains Regional Tournament and he plans on playing college baseball the University of Minnesota next year.

Nebraska

Omaha Pi Midwest

Head coach: Pat Mooney (13th season)

Record: 44-7 (beat Papillion Pinnacle Bank for Nebraska state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Jon Hechtner, SS; TJ Wood, OF; Cale Dineen, IF; Jeff Albrecht, P; Mason Raburn, P; Evan Ryan, OF; Taylor Elman, IF; Kevin Connolly, OF; Billy Lipari, C; Nick Ramsey, P.

Pitchers: Albrecht; Raburn; Ramsey.

Notes: Omaha is one of two teams returning to Dickinson after playing in last year’s Central Plains Regional held here. The other is Eden Prairie, Minn. … Omaha has seven players headed to NCAA Division I baseball programs and three going D-II.

Papillion Pinnacle Bank

Head coach: Jim Thomas (39th season)

Record: 45-9 (lost to Omaha Pi Midwest for Nebraska state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Jake Placzek, SS (.421 BA, 10 HR, 51 RBI); Cole Gruber, RF (.497 BA, 10 2B, 52 RBI); Josh Kramer, LF (.460 BA, 10 HR, 89 RBI).

Pitchers: Cole Baker (8-1, 1.98 ERA, 56.2 IP, 34 SO, 12 BB); Gruber (9-3, 3.07 ERA, 57 IP, 62 SO, 31 BB); JJ Benes (11-0, 1.08 ERA, 64.2 IP, 66 SO, 11 BB).

Notes: Papillion Pinnacle Bank lost to Omaha Pi Midwest 10-4 in the Nebraska state championship. … Pinnacle Bank is returning to the regional tournament for the first time since 2007. They also made regional trips in 2003 and 1987.

Iowa

West Des Moines

Head coach: Tim O’Neill (10th season)

Record: 15-0 (beat Woodbury County for Iowa state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Andrew Clemen; Bobby LeWarne; Jake Cassady; Joe Erickson; Nick Navin, OF; Zach Cappola, OF; Jake Reinhardt; Grant Otte.

Pitchers: Clemen; LeWarne; Cassady; Erickson; Otte; Reinhardt.

Notes: West Des Moines’ last trip to the Central Plains Regional Tournament was in 2002. … West Des Moines has four players headed to South Dakota State to play baseball. … West Des Moines just finished their high school baseball season, which takes place in the summer instead of the spring. Their legion season took place in the spring.

South Dakota

Brookings Bandits

Head coach: Rob Hirrschoff (ninth season)

Record: 43-8 (beat Sioux Falls East for South Dakota state championship)

Projected lineup or Key players: Riley Bullington, LF; Skyler Cary, SS; Matt Thomas (SD Player of the Year), CF; Kelby Beste, C; Landon Busch, P; Konner Beste, 3B; Thomas McMacken, 1B; Corey Roach, 2B; Austin Koenig, RF.

Pitchers: Thomas (10-1, 2.08 ERA, 82.2 IP, 9 CG, 81 SO, 18 BB); Busch (9-3, 2.04 ERA, 66 IP, 5 CG, 89 SO, 23 BB).

Notes: This is Brookings’ first state championship and first trip to a regional tournament. … The Bandits beat last year’s S.D. state champion Sioux Falls East 11-10 in the title game and beat perennial power Rapid City Post 22 in their tournament’s championship play-in game.

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