Pairings Set For Prep Baseball Tournament
The path to postseason success for prep baseball teams is now known.
Sectional pairings for the 49th annual state tournament series were drawn this morning in Indianapolis by the IHSAA.
Sectional action around the state will include a total of 382 teams in the four-class system. Sectional title games are set for May 30 or June 1. Four-team regionals are June 6 with semi states June 13 and the State Finals June 19-20.
Warsaw drew a bye and will face Elkhart Memorial on May 30 in one semifinal game at the Class 4-A Elkhart Memorial Sectional. The Tigers, who are 7-16 after a loss at Concord Monday night, lost to the Crimson Chargers 7-5 back on May 4. Warsaw plays at Memorial again on Thursday night.
Concord, the defending champion at Memorial, faces Goshen in the sectional opener. The Minutemen topped Warsaw in the sectional final in 2014.
Northridge, one of the stronger teams in the field, will play Elkhart Central.
Wawasee will face Whitko in a first-round game of the Class 3-A NorthWood Sectional on May 28. The Warriors are 8-12 after a win over Goshen Monday night, while the Wildcats are 17-7. Wawasee edged Whitko 8-7 back on April 14 in a meeting in Syracuse.
Defending champion NorthWood will play Fairfield in the opener in Nappanee on May 27.
Triton will meet a familiar foe in Culver in a first-round game of the Class 1-A South Central Sectional on May 28. The Trojans, who are 6-14, just beat Northern State Conference foe Culver 12-1 in five innings Monday night.
Defending champion and host South Central drew one of the byes and will play LaCrosse in a semifinal contest.
Area sectional winners will advance to regionals at LaPorte (Class 4-A), Belmont (Class 3-A) and Caston (Class 1-A). Regional champions will play in the semistate at either Plymouth or Kokomo. The four State Finals are at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
Baseball Sectional Pairings
CLASS 4-A
At Elkhart Memorial
May 28: 5 p.m.: Goshen vs, Concord
May 28: 8 p.m.: Elkhart Central vs. Northridge
May 30: 10 a.m.: Goshen-Concord winner vs. Central-Northridge winner
May 30: 1 p.m.: Elkhart Memorial vs. Warsaw
June 1: 6 p.m.: Championship Game
CLASS 3-A
At NorthWood
May 27: 5 p.m.: Fairfield vs. NorthWood
May 28: 5 p.m.: Wawasee vs. Whitko
May 29: 5 p.m.: West Noble vs. Lakeland
May 30: 11 a.m.: Tippecanoe Valley vs. Fairfield-NorthWood winner
May 30: 1 p.m.: Wawasee-Whitko winner vs. W. Noble-Lakeland winner
June 1: 5 p.m.: Championship Game
CLASS 1-A
At South Central
May 27: 4:30 p.m.: Argos vs. Oregon-Davis
May 28: 4:30 p.m.: Triton vs. Culver
May 30: 10 a.m.: Argos-OD winner vs. Triton-Culver winner
May 30: 12 p.m.: LaCrosse vs. South Central
May 30: 4 p.m.: Championship Game