There were many story lines in the baseball sectionals yesterday. But the one that resonated the most was the Merrill Bluejays who emerged from the local D-1 sectional to earn a trip to the State Tournament next week at Fox Cities Stadium. Many of these same athletes had made it to the state semi-finals in football and the sectional championship game in basketball but couldn't get over the hump. It's the first trip to state for Merrill since 1991 and they knocked off two good teams to get there. They first dispatched a loaded Eau Claire Memorial squad 4-1 and then had to deal with a 9th seeded River Falls team that had already beaten #1 seed Eau Claire North &  #4 seed Stevens Point. The game went extra innings and Pascal Paul (who was the QB on that football team...and also played on the hoops team) hit a sac-fly that scored Cody Boyd with the winning run. The Bluejays will play a very tough Bayport team in their first game at State. by the way...the press in Appleton should love Merrill coach Brian Artac who is always good for a colorful quote.

The Marathon baseball is making a trip to state a regular part of their June schedule. They head to State for the 3rd straight year under Steve Warren. They scored 27 runs in the two games dispatching Crandon 18-0 before beating Reedsville 9-2. They will face Elk Mound in their first game at state.

And Rosholt will also head to state in D-4 and will face Chippewa Falls McDonnell in Game 1.

Only a few people realized that the game was over. Patrick Kane was one of them as he knew his tough angle shot went in and gave the Chicago Blackhawks their first Stanley Cup since 1961. Hockey players are schooled from the earliest ages to throw the puck at the net...you never know.

Randy Wolf is certainly not performing like the Brewers thought he would when they signed him this winter. He gave up 5 home runs last night in the loss to the Cubs. They play an afternoon game today.

Songs of the Day  (from my I-pod)

Free Bird-Lynyrd Skynrd (1973) one of the great rock songs came blasting out of Florida with it's three guitar attack.....after the plance crash the remaining members only did this as an instrumental for many years

Free Fallin- Tom Petty (1989) from his "Full Moon Fever" lp comes this tune about the directionless life of some in Southern California