Pairings Set For Softball Sectionals
The road to sectional championships for prep softball teams are now known.
Who can avoid the detours on that route will be determined very soon.
The IHSAA conducted the drawing for the 31st annual state tournament series this morning in Indianapolis.
Sectional play for the 373 teams entered in the four-class affair begins on May 25. One-game regionals are set for Tuesday, June 2 with four-team semi states on June 6 and the four state championship games on June 13 at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.
Wawasee, which has dealt with a slew of injuries, did receive some good news. The Warriors drew the bye in the seven-team field at the Class 3-A Lakeland Sectional. They will play the winner of the Tippecanoe Valley-Fairfield game in one semifinal matchup on May 26.
Wawasee claimed the sectional title a year ago before losing 3-2 to Leo in the regional. Leo went on to win the Class 3-A state championship in 2014. The Warriors are 15-5 after conference losses the last two nights to NorthWood (2-1) and Northridge (5-2). Wawasee is now tied atop the NLC standings at 8-2 with both the Raiders and Concord. The Warriors have been hit hard by injuries this spring, including losing star pitcher Amber Lemberg to an ACL tear.
Warsaw will play in the sectional opener at Elkhart Memorial. The Tigers, who are 2-13, drew Goshen in the first game on May 25. Warsaw, who hosts Goshen tonight, beat the Redskins 4-3 earlier this season. Goshen is currently 4-16.
Concord is the defending champion at the six-team Class 4-A Memorial Sectional. The Minutemen, who beat Northridge 2-0 Tuesday night on a no-hitter by RaeAnn Miller, drew the bye at Memorial and will face the host Crimson Chargers in a semifinal game on May 26. Concord sits at 15-4 and Northridge, also in the sectional field at Memorial, is 12-8.
Triton enters its own Class 1-A sectional as a heavy favorite. The Trojans have won two sectional titles in a row and advanced to the semistate a year go before losing to eventual state champion North Miami 9-1 in a semifinal contest. Triton, who is 15-7, will play Elkhart Christian Academy May 25 in an opening round game in its four-team sectional in Bourbon.
The sectional winners at Memorial and Triton will play host to regional games on June 2. The sectional winner at Lakeland will play at the winner of the Leo Sectional.
Softball Sectional Pairings
Class 4-A At Elkhart Memorial
May 25: 10 a.m.: Warsaw vs. Goshen
May 25: 12 p.m.: Elkhart Central vs. Northridge
May 26: 5:30 p.m.: Warsaw-Goshen winner vs. Central-Northridge winner
May 26: 7:30 p.m.: Elkhart Memorial vs. Concord
May 29: 6:30 p.m.: Championship Game
Class 3-A at Lakeland
May 25: 10 a.m.: Tippecanoe Valley vs. Fairfield
May 25: 12 p.m.: NorthWood vs. West Noble
May 25: 2 p.m.: Whitko vs. Lakeland
May 26: 5 p.m.: Wawasee vs. Valley-Fairfield winner
May 26: 7 p.m.: NorthWood-W. Noble winner vs. Whitko-Lakeland winner
May 28: 7 p.m.: Championship Game
Class 1-A at Triton
May 25: 1 p.m.: Argos vs. Bethany Christian
May 25: 3 p.m.: Elkhart Christian Academy vs. Triton
May 26: 6:30 p.m.: Championship Game