With defending state champion Uintah bounced from the state tournament earlier in the week, Class 3A will crown a new champion as state play begins today at various home sites throughout the state.
And it looks like Dixie, a back-to-back winner in the '90s, is the early favorite.In lower-bracket play, the Region 9 champion Flyers (11-1) begin tournament play by hosting No. 3 Delta at 4 p.m. Dixie won titles in 1994 and 1995 and was the state's top-ranked team for the majority of the year.
Region 11 winner and No. 4 Union welcomes Region 9's third-place Pine View at 4 p.m. to close out first-round play in the lower bracket. The winners of those two games battle at 4 p.m. Thursday at Utah Valley State College. Losers meet Thursday at 4 p.m. at BYU in a loser-out game.
In upper-bracket play, No. 2 Carbon (7-0) hosts Emery, the Region 11 third-place team that beat Uintah early in the week to earn its berth in the tournament.
Rounding out upper-division play, Region 10 second-place Lehi hosts Snow Canyon, which edged Cedar City in the final day of Region 9 play to earn its spot in the eight-team tournament. Snow Canyon enters as Region 9's second-place team.
The winners of those contests continue tournament play Thursday at 1 p.m. at Utah Valley State College, while the losers meet at BYU in a loser-out contest at 1 p.m.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
3A baseball
3A State Baseball Playoffs
Saturday's games
Emery at Carbon, 4 p.m.
Snow Canyon at Lehi, 2 p.m.
Pine View at Union, 4 p.m.
Delta at Dixie, 4 p.m.
- Tourney resumes Thursday at BYU and UVSC.