ROSEBURG – League play might have just gotten started for the Roseburg Dr. Stewart’s American Legion baseball team, but the squad already knows its season will include a run to the AAA state tournament. Thanks to a scheduling mix-up in Klamath Falls, the Earl B. Stewart American Legion Post 16 in Roseburg has been awarded the bid to host the state tournament at Bill Gray Stadium at Legion Field July 28 through August 1.
As the host team of the state tournament, the Dr. Stewart’s will receive an automatic berth into the state tournament.
“It’s huge for the community. I think we’ll get great support. This is a great venue. It’s a great place to have a tournament,” said Doc’s head coach Scott Shaver. “It’s big for our program, it’s big for my guys, and it’s big for the community.”
Klamath Falls was set to host the tournament for a second consecutive season, but Kiger Stadium was double-booked with the Klamath Falls Gems also hosting a three-game series with the Chico Heat.
Roseburg last hosted the state tournament in 2007 and hasn’t reached the tournament since it was held in Grants Pass in 2014. Legion Field has hosted the state tournament three times since 1991, but the local Legion post hadn’t put in a bid to host the tournament since 2007 due to the financial hardship that comes with hosting the tournament.
Legion Commissioner Tom Donegan told the News-Review that the local organization lost $7,000 the last time the state tournament was held in Roseburg. The state commissioners were willing to make certain changes to the financial structure this year to lighten the burden on Roseburg’s Legion.
The Doc’s are just four games into the Area 4 league season and are in a four-way tie for second with a 2-2 record. Only the league champion from Area 4 receives an automatic berth to the state tournament, while the second, third, and fourth place teams all qualify for Super Regionals, where they will play a best of three series with the winner advancing to the state tournament. Eight teams qualify for the state tournament.
Coach Shaver says it didn’t really sink in for his team when he told them the news. The oldest player on the team, Kyler Leischner, was just a freshman in high school the last time the Doc’s reached the state tournament. So, this will be a new experience for the Roseburg-based team and Shaver thinks the excitement will build as the tournament draws closer.
“I think they’ll be excited coming down the stretch. This is a team that I think will want to play baseball after baseball is over and that’s the kind of group that you want. Knowing that we can get to that point and see what we can do, when you’re five games away from another tournament, that’s a great place to be.”
CBS Sports Radio 1490 The Score and 541radio.com will provide in-depth coverage from the state tournament. More details will be available in the coming weeks.
