The Windom Pirates will face an unknown challenge when they open the Class C State Amateur Baseball Tournament Saturday.
The Region 10C champion Pirates will face the Region 1C runner-up Clearwater River Cats in the opening round of the tournament, which will be played Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Shakopee.
Clearwater comes into the tournament with a 14-17 overall record, but plays in always-strong Sauk Valley League, which has teams in all three classes of Minnesota amateur baseball.
During the Region 1C Tournament, the River Cats dropped a 3-2 decision to Mora in the opening game of the double-elimination tournament.
Clearwater then reeled off four straight wins, defeating Becker 5-3, Cambridge 2-1, St. Francis 12-3 and then a 10-3 victory over Mora to clinch a state tourney berth.
In the state tourney-clinching game, Clearwater saw a 3-0 lead slip away, with Mora tying the game in the bottom of the ninth. Clearwater then scored seven times in the top of the 12th inning to clinch the win.
More previewing the Class C State Tournament, including a full bracket, appears in the Aug. 19 print and e-editions of the Citizen.
