Junction City plays Manhattan in the first round of the Class 6A State Baseball Tournament Thursday.

Game time is 4 p.m. at Hoglund Stadium at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Junction City is the eight seed in the tournament with a record of 9-13, while Manhattan comes in the top seed with a record of 20-2.

These teams have not played a game for nine days since winning their respective regional tournaments to qualify for state. Blue Jay coach Heath Gerstner noted it seems like it’s been a month since the Junction City played a game. “With school getting out and all those types of things it’s been a little bit of a challenge on us as coaches part, but our kids are amped up to play, and what a better matchup than with Manhattan.”

Manhattan coach Don Hess noted people have asked him if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that the two teams are playing one another. “And I say well it’s probably a good thing in that we each know each other. At least there’s not a lot of unknown.  We might know each other’s tendencies, but it’s been long enough ago that some guys were hitting back then that aren’t now and vice versa.”

Hess called the meeting great, and noted there are three Centennial League teams in the state tournament. In addition to Junction City and Manhattan, Washburn Rural also qualified for the eight team field.

Manhattan defeated Junction City 6-3 and 12-2 in a doubleheader at Rathert Field in Junction City back on April 22.

The game between Junction City and Manhattan Thursday can be heard on KJCK AM, The Talk of JC. The broadcast begins at 3:50 p.m.

The rest of the 6a State Tournament field finds Shawnee Mission East playing Maize on the same side of the bracket as Junction City. The other side has Washburn Rural against Wichita Northwest, and Blue Valley West against Blue Valley High School.

The tournament semifinals and finals are Friday.