As the No. 1-ranked baseball team in Class 4A the past few weeks, Columbus North has had a target on its back.
As the defending sectional champion and 4A state runner-up from 2019, Columbus East might have a little bit of a target, as well, going into the Bloomington North Sectional later this month.
Those teams found out their opponents for the sectional, which is scheduled for May 26-31. Dates and times for all sectional games will be announced in the next couple of days.
“The target gets bigger every week that we continue to have success,” North coach Ben McDaniel said. “That’s something that we’re dealing with, but I’m glad that we have it now so that we’re able to deal with it in the regular season as we would in the postseason.”
The Bull Dogs, who are undefeated against teams from Indiana this season, will play East Central in the sectional opener. North had to come from behind to beat the Trojans 12-10 early in the season.
“They were excited to play us and came out ready, and we had to respond,” McDaniel said.
East will face Shelbyville in the second first-round game on the opening night. The Olympians and Golden Bears are not scheduled to meet during the regular season this year.
“We’ll have to do a little scouting and kind of learn about them a little bit,” East coach Jon Gratz said. “They’re a talented team, and it will definitely be a challenge. I think every year, it’s always a tough sectional. We play really good teams throughout.”
The Bull Dogs and Olympians could meet in the first semifinal. Bloomington South and host Bloomington North will square off in the second semifinal.
“We have to play whoever they tell us we have to play,” McDaniel said. “A bye probably would have been nice just because of the pitching. I don’t look forward to the drive over to Bloomington three times in five days, but that’s kind of the hand we’re dealt not having lights in Columbus.”
The winner of the Bloomington North Sectional will play the winner of the Mooresville Sectional in the first semifinal of the Jasper Regional at 11 a.m. June 5. The regional final is at 7 p.m. that evening.
Meanwhile, in Class A, Hauser received a first-round bye in the Jac-Cen-Del Sectional and will play in the second semifinal against the winner between top-ranked Oldenburg Academy and Trinity Lutheran. Jac-Cen-Del and Rising Sun will meet in the first semifinal.
“We knew going in, it’s going to be a difficult sectional for anybody to get out of there,” Hauser coach Nate Long said. “We’re going to have to be playing our best baseball, depending on who we get. Both teams are very good.”
Edinburgh will play Greenwood Christian Academy in the second first-round game in the Morristown Sectional. If the Lancers win, they would face Southwestern (Shelby) or Indianapolis Lutheran in the first semifinal.
Jennings County will meet New Albany in the opening game of the Floyd Central Sectional. If the Panthers win, they would play Seymour or Floyd Central in the first semifinal.
In Class 3A, Brown County drew a first-round bye and will play Sullivan in the second semifinal in the Owen Valley Sectional.
South Decatur also received a bye and will play Southwestern (Hanover) in the second semifinal in the South Ripley Sectional.
All regional semifinals and finals are scheduled for June 5. Semistate games are June 12 at Mooresville or Jasper, and the state finals are June 21 and 22 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
