By John RittenhouseThe Luverne baseball team earned a berth in the Section 3AA Tournament championship series by posting a pair of wins since Wednesday, May 28.The Cardinals edged Lac qui Parle Valley 4-3 in a winner’s bracket game played in Granite Falls May 28.Luverne and Montevideo, the double-elimination tournament’s lone undefeated teams, met for a clash that would send one of the squads into the championship series Saturday in Windom.With a 3-2 victory, Luverne closed within one win of clinching a berth in the state tournament.Hills-Beaver Creek High School sophomore Zach Wysong made some key contributions with his bat and glove during the wins against LQPV and Montevideo.The starting shortstop slapped the second of three consecutive singles during the bottom of the fourth inning against LQPV. When another Cardinal drew a bases-loaded walk later in the frame, Luverne sported a 4-1 lead.The run proved to be a big one as LQPV scored twice in the top of the fifth inning before being blanked in the sixth and seventh frames.Wysong went hitless in Saturday’s tilt against Montevideo, but he made a big impact on the game with a defensive gem.Montevideo scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at two, and the Thunder Hawks were poised to take a lead with the bases loaded with one out. A liner off the ball of a Montevideo player appeared to be headed to left field when Wysong made a leaping catch. A quick flip to second baseman Aaron Schmidt was in time to beat a straying Montevideo runner for an inning-ending double play.Luverne scored one run in the top of the third and held on to win 3-2.The Cardinals have won four straight one-run tournament games and have a six-game winning streak overall. Luverne will play Jackson County Central at 5 p.m. in Windom today. A win would give the Cards the section title. A loss would set up a second game in Windom later tonight.
