The Riverland baseball team will be hosting the 2003 Minnesota Community College Championships state tournament this weekend.

"We're very excited to have the tournament here at Riverland this year," said Riverland athletic director David Lillemon. "It should be a great weekend of baseball."

The six team, double-elimination tournament will be held from Thursday to Saturday at Marcusen Park and the Riverland baseball fields.

The Blue Devils, 13-15 overall, drew the No. 2 seed out of the South Division and will face North No. 2 Fergus Falls at 1 p.m. Thursday at Riverland.

Tickets are $4 per game, $7 dollars per day, or $10 for the whole weekend. All of these packages will be available at both venues since there is no presale. There are also special rates available for children under 14 and senior citizens.

Blossoms beaten by NRHEG

The Blooming Prairie softball team got a rematch with New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Monday, but came away with the same result as Michael Holopeter shut out the Blossoms 5-0 for the second time this year.

Holopeter gave up only three hits to BP, striking out five and walking none.

Blossom starter Steve Seykora was tagged for eight hits and four earned runs, although he did fan six NRHEG batters.

Kraig Olson was 2-for-3 to lead the otherwise defunct BP offense. Tom Farr had the other hit, going 1-3 on the day.

BP (12-5, 7-4) will be at Janesville today for a makeup game.

BP0000000--032

NRHEG100013x--581

WP--Holopeter. LP--Seykora.

BPHS softball gets revenge

Down by two late against visiting New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, the Blooming Prairie softball team rallied to send the game into extra innings, eventually pulling out a 5-4 Gopher Conference win Monday.

The game featured quite a back-and-forth battle between Emily Wencl and NRHEG's Erin Anderson. Both pitched the whole way, with the Blossom starter giving up six hits and three earned runs and Anderson striking out seven and allowing seven hits.

Facing a 4-2 deficit, BP was able to tie the game up in the sixth. Back-to-back doubles by Amanda Schlund and Hilary Jones to start the inning off brought one run in. Jones advanced to third on a sacrifice by Kari Peterson and scored on a passed ball to make it 4-4.

In the eighth, Amber Vogt reached on a leadoff single. After a bunt by Schlund, Jones delivered her third RBI of the game with a base hit to win it for BP.

The Blossoms are now 5-6 in conference and 7-8 overall. They play today at United South Central.

Linescore:

NRHEG20000200--464

BP10100201--572

WP--Wencl. LP--Anderson.