The Junction City Reds fell behind early to Alliance, Nebraska 4-0 in the 2018 Midwest Regional Tournament for 13-15 year old players and wound up losing 13-5 Sunday night at North Park.

The tournament opened Saturday at Rathert Field but an early morning thunderstorm Sunday at Rathert Field left portions of the playing surface under water. So the tournament had to be moved to North Park. Reds coach Denver Kell noted North Park was wet but they thought it could be dried out. “The city staff with Jim Poole and all of my parents and family we got together and just moved the game up here to North Park.” Kell added the tournament remained on schedule as a result.

It was a bit of a scramble to prepare North Park for use in the tournament. “We had to mow it, rake it, drag it, fill holes, but it played well today ( Sunday ).” The site of the tournament games on Monday has not yet been determined.

In their game on Sunday night the Reds gave up a lot of walks early in the game. “We held in there, we actually stranded bases loaded in there in the third I believe, and had a little rally going, didn’t get run ruled and the guys kept battling. The game went the full seven-inning distance.

In other games on Sunday Albany, Minnesota defeated Bismark, North Dakota 10-0, Charleston, Missouri downed Scott County, Iowa 5-2, Larned, Kansas routed Pioneer, Colorado 20-1 and then in the late game Sunday night Alliance defeated Junction City 13-5.

Junction City will play Scott County, Iowa in pool play at 7:30 p.m. Monday evening in the tournament.