P. Verde to open regional vs. Colo.

Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2003 | 9:14 a.m.

Fresh off a tight victory over Sierra Vista in the Nevada State Tournament championship game, Palo Verde heads to Lodi, Calif., to begin play in the American Legion Western Regional baseball tournament this week.

The Panthers (29-14) -- known in the tournament as Las Vegas Post 40 -- open the tournament against the Niwot Legion A team from Colorado (59-11) Thursday at 10 a.m. That game is followed by a Friday contest at 5 p.m. against the tournament's weakest statistical entry, host Lodi (16-14). Palo Verde finishes its round-robin schedule with a game against New Mexico (47-10) Saturday at 10 a.m.

Pool play continues through Saturday, and the top two teams in each four-team division advance to Sunday's semifinal round. The winner of the Region 8 tournament advances to the American Legion World Series.

The World Series will be contested Aug. 22-26 in Bartlesville, Okla. Cimarron-Memorial qualified for last year's World Series, becoming just the fifth Las Vegas-area team to do so. Valley (1986) and Green Valley (1993) are the only two local teams to reach the championship game, and both fell in that final contest.

Palo Verde defeated Sierra Vista, 5-4, Saturday night at UNLV's Wilson Stadium to claim the Nevada state crown and earn the state's lone berth to the regional.