Elite Baseball Teams Hit Wichita

Many area baseball players will congregate at Wichita State's Eck Stadium and other local fields for the Great Plains Tournament of Champions Thursday through Sunday. The tournament is put on by Pastime Tournaments. Among area teams attending are the Midwest Wolverines, both 18 and 17-year-old teams, Wichita Reds, Wichita Sand Gnats and Derby Tigers. For the Midwest Wolverines alone, a host of players who competed at the 6A state tournament this past spring in high school ball will be in attendance. Maize players Garrett Gould, who throws in the 90s, catcher Ryan Hege, KU-signee Jake Marasco and Kurtis Schuyler, the all-time careers wins leader at Maize, all play for the 18-year-old Wolverines. Taylor Douglas, Nathan Rausch and Kory Schroth of Goddard High also play for the Wolverines. The Derby Tigers begin pool play at 9 a.m. Thursday at Wichita State against the Wichita Sand Gnats. The Wolverines 18s start pool play at 11:15 a.m at Wichita Collegiate against the Wichita Reds, which also play at 9 a.m. that morning. The Wolverines 17s begin play at 11:15 at Wichita State, followed by a second Wichita Reds team at 1:30 p.m. The tournament championship game will be played at 6 p.m. on Sunday at Wichita State.