Class 3A Sectionals 24 & 25 previews

By CRAIG ADKINS

For The Reporter

For 383 high school baseball teams, the quest for four state championships begins tonight and concludes on June 20 and 21 at Victory Field in Indianapolis. A total of 379 games will be played in a 25-day span.

Hamilton County’s nine schools will be featured in five different sectionals. Class 3A Sectional 24 at Yorktown is where Hamilton Heights will play in the north. Guerin Catholic plays in the first sectional of the south in Sectional 25 at Brebeuf Jesuit.

 

Class 3A Sectional 24 at Yorktown

Connersville Spartans (12-14) vs. Delta Eagles (18-9), tonight at 5:30 p.m.

Jay County Patriots (10-14) vs. New Castle Trojans (6-18), following Connersville/Delta

Semifinal: Connersville/Delta winner vs. Jay County/New Castle winner, 5:30 p.m. Thursday

Semifinal: Hamilton Heights Huskies (9-18) vs. Yorktown Tigers, following first semifinal

Hamilton Heights started off the first month of the season with a 5-9 record. Their four wins in May were spread out, but occurred in three of its final seven games heading into sectional action, including a late addition of a Memorial Day game on Monday against Clinton Prairie, coming out on top with a 12-2 win over the Gophers.

The Huskies got their first two wins in the second and third games of the season, defeating Jay County and Anderson at home. Heights snapped a six-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep of Elwood (9-1, 11-0). Their fifth win was against Logansport at home (3-0) and then began May with an 8-5 win over Lawrence Central from the MIC.

On May 16, they made the long Hoosier Conference road trip to Rensselaer Central and came home with a 22-2 victory over the Bombers. Heights has wins over Alexandria and the aforementioned Clinton Prairie from Monday to hopefully gain some momentum heading into the semifinal with host Yorktown.

Heights went 1-0 against Sectional 24 opponents with a 5-4 win over Jay County on April 10.

Championship game – winner semifinal No. 1 vs. winner semifinal No. 2: June 2, noon

Class 3A Sectional 25 at Brebeuf Jesuit

Tri-West (Hendricks) Bruins (17-6) vs. Frankfort Hot Dogs (13-13): tonight, 5:30 p.m.

Danville Warriors (11-15) vs. Brebeuf Jesuit Braves (12-12): Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles (14-12) vs. Lebanon Tigers (4-24) to follow

Guerin Catholic began its season at the top of 3A with a 6-1 record. Since then, the Golden Eagles went 8-11 through the remaining two-thirds of its schedule. Drawing the bye in the sectional can be tough, especially in baseball. Guerin comes into the tournament on a four-game winning streak, taking down Greenfield-Central, Covenant Christian, Bishop Chatard and Danville.

The Golden Eagles have solid wins over Warren Central, Zionsville, Bishop Chatard (2), McCutcheon, Brebeuf Jesuit, Heritage Christian, Park Tudor and Lafayette Central Catholic.

Guerin has a 2-1 record against Sectional 25 opponents.

Semifinal #1 – Tri-West/Frankfort winner vs. Crawfordsville (11-12-1): June 2, 11 a.m.

Semifinal #2 – Danville/Brebeuf winner vs. Guerin Catholic/Lebanon winner: June 2, to follow

Championship game – June 2, 7 p.m.