The New Ulm Brewers open their play in the Class C Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Maple Lake when they take on the Buckman Billygoats.

Last weekend, Buckman defeated Stewartville-Racine 14-6 in the opening round.

The Billygoats, who come out of the Victory League and are the third seed out of Region 8, come into their game with the Brewers, the top seed out of Region 2, with 19 wins on the year. Of Buckman’s 19 wins, its most recent was an 11-8 win over the Sobieski Skis, who won the Class C tournament last season and are now a Class B team.

The Brewers will send right-hander Mitch Bockenstedt to the mound against Buckman but manager Al Flor said he has the ability to go to his deep pitching staff in the game if needed.

If the Brewers win Sunday, they would meet the winner of the Isanti vs. Young America game Saturday, August 31 at 7 p.m. in Delano.

BLACKHAWKS TRAVEL: The players and coaches of the Madelia Blackhawks’ football team may well be bus-weary after this season.

This season, the Blackhawks have road games at Houston and at Edgerton/Ellsworth

“We have a bit of an odd schedule,” Nick Willaert, Madelia head football coach said. “We travel to Houston and we also travel to Edgerton. So we are literally going to each corner of the state. Each trip is between three to three and a half hours.

“So when you incorporate not only the bus travel but you also have to have some stops because you do not want your players sitting for that time on a bus. So you are putting some stops, so it is almost a four to four a half hour trip total.”

Willaert said that it is difficult.

“We try to prepare the kids so we are not sitting on the bus all day,” he said. “We try and get there a little bit earlier than we normally would so we can get out and stretch and go through our pre-game routine. Other than going there the night before. But the schedule is what it is.”

He said that the travel is tougher mentally on the players.

“You can prepare physically — most of the players will sleep on the bus — so the hurdle like a three-hour trip is tough.”