American Legion Baseball announced Tuesday that is cancelling its national tournament as well as all of its eight regional tournaments for 2020, amid worries about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In a press release, it was noted that the pandemic “is creating unpredictability worldwide with its duration and public health regulations and restrictions across the nation.

“The Americanism Commission, in consultation with National Commander James William “Bill” Oxford, announces cancellation of all 2020 American Legion Baseball national tournaments, inclusive of all eight Regional Tournaments and the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C.”

Carl Hennell, a state commissioner for Class AA American Legion and a former Kalispell Lakers’ coach, said the national committee had voted for cancellation last week.

“At the time there were five states that had already canceled their entire seasons,” Hennell said Tuesday. “That number was going to grow and a regional tournament was going to be in one of those states. Sponsorships were starting to pull out of the tournament as well.”

The release does not address the Legion schedules and state tournaments around the country, and both Hennell and Lakers’ head coach Ryan Malmin are still holding hope. Options include an abbreviated season that starts late and ends when the regional/national tournaments were scheduled.

“We are trying to engage our kids with individual workouts that can do at home… so when we get the OK we can hit the ground running,” Malmin said. “I know all coaches are hopeful and expect to have a season at some point.”

“My thought all along was even if we canceled the regional and national tournaments we could still be able to have a (state) championship,” Hennell said. “It’s still my hope that there is a possibility we could get a state tournament.

“As far as a crystal ball with what’s going to happen with Amerian Legion baseball in Montana? Nobody knows. It would be frustrating to go through a summer without baseball, but the American Legion will follow state and national guidelines. Once those go away we’ll hopefully start playing.”

The action came as Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Tuesday extended the state’s stay-at-home order through April 24. It was set to expire Friday.

The Lakers lower-level teams were to open their season April 19; the Class AA Lakers were to open April 22.

against the Mission Mariners.