This weekend important for playoff bids for Elmwood, Hager City

• St. Croix Valley League

St. Croix Valley League

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The Elmwood-Hager City St. Croix Valley League contest Saturday at Hager City will be an important one for both team's Wisconsin Baseball Association playoff hopes.

Elmwood is 6-6 in the Eau Galle Division and plays all their remaining league games this weekend. The Expos are at Ellsworth Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Young Field, play at Brown Field in Hager City at 3 p.m. and are in River Falls Sunday for their final league game of the 2012 season.

Hager City is just 5-8 in the St. Croix Division but if they can win their final remaining games they will finish at .500 and have a shot of getting into the WBA playoffs.

The Skeeters are playing once this week. Next week they are at Menomonie Friday and are at Plum City July 29 to wind up the regular season. Saturday's game will be their final home SCVL contest. They also play at Red Wing Friday.

Elmwood lost 8-4 at Hudson Sunday while the River Rats in turn were beaten 5-4 Saturday at Hager City. The Skeeters continued their improvement with a thrilling, come-from-behind win at Brown Field Saturday. Taylor Johnson scored the run which put HC ahead in the bottom of the 10th on a wild pitch. Earlier in the inning Johnson tied the score with his single which brought home teammate Ross Sweig. HC starting pitcher James Georgakas, in his debut for the Skeeters, struck out 10 batters through seven innings to take a no decision. The winning pitcher for Hager City was another Georgakas, James' older brother Darren Georgakas. Darren pitched three innings striking out four. Hager City trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth when Mitch Matter scored on a single by Elliot Jensen to make the score 3-2. HC tied the game on a fielder’s choice hit by Tim Green that scored pinch runner Antonio Armour. Hudson scored in the top half of the 10th before Hager City’s last at bat.

Speaking of playoffs Ellsworth nailed down a bid by winning over Menomonie and Bay City last weekend.

Division leaders River Falls, Prescott and Menomonie are locks to get along with Osceola. New Richmond along Hudson are two more teams needing wins over the next two weeeks of league play.

This year’s Wisconsin Baseball Association (WBA) regionals will be played

in Haugen, Osceola, Hayward and Rib Lake the weekend of Aug. 10-12. The state tournament will be played in Osseo the weekend of Aug. 17-19.

St. Croix Valley League

Eau Galle Division

Team W-L

*River Falls 10-0

Elmwood 6-6

Hudson 6-6

Spring Valley 0-13

Red Cedar Division

Team W-L

Menomonie 9-3

Osceola 8-3

New Richmond 7-6

St. Croix Falls 3-10

St. Croix Division

Team W-L

Prescott 11-2

Ellsworth 9-5

Hager City 5-8

Plum City 4-9

Bay City 3-10

*Clinched Division Title

Last Week’s Games

Wednesday, July 11

Ellsworth 7, Menomonie 3

Friday, July 13

Osceola at New Richmond ppd.

Bay City at Ellsworth ppd.

Saturday, July 14

River Falls 6, Prescott 3

Menomonie 5, Spring Valley 1 at Midway Stadium in St. Paul

Hager City 5, Hudson 4

Osceola 8, St. Croix Falls 4

Ellsworth 12, Bay City 2

Sunday, July 15

Plum City 7, Spring Valley 0

River Falls 8, Bay City 4

Hudson 8, Elmwood 4

This Week’s Games

Wednesday, July 18

River Falls at Ellsworth

Osceola at Menomonie

Friday, July 20

St. Croix Falls at Spring Valley

Elmwood at Ellsworth

Saturday, July 21

River Falls at Hudson

New Richmond at Osceola

Elmwood at Hager City

Bay City at St. Croix Falls

Sunday, July 22

Plum City at Prescott

Elmwood at River Falls

Hudson at Bay City

Tags: hager city, sports, scvl, elmwood