By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
Their softball counterparts found out last week and this past Sunday afternoon, it was the turn of the county’s four high school varsity baseball squads to find out what their path in the postseason will involve. On Sunday, the Southeast District Athletic Board released the sectional tournament pairings in Divisions III and IV for baseball, with Adams County having two teams in each division.
In Division III, the 2021 season has been nothing short of a struggle for a young team of West Union Dragons, under the guidance of head coach Joe Kramer. The Dragons were winless (0-11) going into the tourney draw, which didn’t give them much leverage or the opportunity for a home game. Coach Kramer and his squad will open sectional play on Wednesday, May 19 at 5 p.m., on the road to face the Westfall Mustangs, who stood 15-6 at the time of the draw and are the #4 seed overall.
Also in Division III, Coach Rob Meade and his North Adams Green Devils (10-6 at the draw) are the #11 seed in a 29-team bracket and will have a home sectional semi-final on Wednesday, May 19 as they will entertain the Chesapeake Panthers (6-13) in a 5 p.m. scheduled first. If the Devils win that tourney opener, they will move to the sectional semi-final to battle the winner of fellow SHAC member Eastern Brown and South Point. Eastern Brown, the #6 seed, will be heavily favored and a North Adams-Eastern sectional final would be played on the Warriors’ home field on Saturday, May 22 at noon.
“I’m satisfied with our draw,” said Coach Meade. “We ended up pretty much where I expected us to be. It’s a tough situation with 29 schools, some of which we have never seen.”
In Division IV, Coach Kenny Dick and his Peebles Indians (8-8) garnered a #14 seed and will have a home sectional semi-final game on Saturday, May 15, hosting #19 seed South Gallia (2-14), 5 p.m. first pitch. A win there sends the Indians into a May 18 sectional title game on the road to face #3 seeded Portsmouth Clay.
Finally in Division IV, Coach Josh Reaves and the Manchester Greyhounds are the #13 seed with a record of 10-8 at the draw and will also have a home game on May 15 at 5 p.m., entertaining #20 seed Sciotoville East (2-17), a team the Hounds easily swept in a doubleheader earlier in the spring. If the heavily favored Hounds win that sectional semi, they will move to the sectional finals on May 18, making the trip to face fellow SHAC foe and #4 seeded Whiteoak (14-7). That game is slated for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
“I was a little frustrated with the draw,” said Coach Reaves, “but at least we know what and who we are going up against. We’re excited about tournament play and our guys will be ready.”
The entire Division III and IV baseball sectional brackets can be found at https://www.ohsaa.org/Southeast-Sports-Tournaments/Baseball.
