By Danny Waldo
With less than three weeks remaining in the regular season for legion baseball, the Bozeman Bucks look ready and primed to host the 2017 AA American Legion baseball tournament at Heroes Park, July 26-30.
With just six games remaining on their regular season schedule, Bozeman sits atop the AA ranks at 42-12 overall and 9-3 in conference play, but the Bucks will be looking to lock up the top seed at the season-ending tournament.
While only the top eight teams make the tournament field, Bozeman was given a free pass as host, but Bozeman has opted to earn its way into the field and currently sits atop the AA rankings, tied with the Missoula Mavericks, a team Bozeman recently swept in a two-game home stand.
Bozeman will close out the home portion of their schedule on July 18th versus the Billings Scarlets in a double-header at Heroes Park before taking to the road to complete the regular season at Kalispell versus the Lakers.
The AA state legion baseball tournament is a traditional double-elimination format. Single loss teams can advance back through the loser’s bracket, but they would have to win twice in the championship to advance. The winner of the state tournament will advance on to the Northwest Regional Tournament in Missoula on August 2-6, with the winner of the regional advancing to the Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina on August 10-15.
Bozeman last won the state title in 2007, and they have never advanced to the Legion World Series.
For updates on the Bucks regular season, or for information on the upcoming state tournament, log on to www.bozemanlegionbaseball.com.