Dual Draws: Baseball, softball tourneys both have North playing openers, East getting byes

Columbus East’s Kenzie Foster slides into third base as Columbus North’s Lexi Heafner gathers the ball at Southside Elementary Monday April 18, 2022.

The Republic file photo

There wasn’t much variation in Sunday night’s baseball and softball sectional draws involving Columbus schools.

In both the softball sectional at Bloomington North and the baseball sectional at Bloomington South, Columbus North plays East Central in the opening game, and Bloomington South plays Shelbyville in the second first round game. Columbus East received a first-round bye in both and will meet the Bloomington South-Shelbyville winner in the second softball semifinal and will face Bloomington North in the second baseball semifinal.

“Every year, you have to play good teams to win it,” East baseball coach Jon Gratz said. “It’s been awhile since we’ve had the bye, so this will definitely be new. Right now, we’re just worried about getting better so we’re playing our best baseball by the end of the season.”

The Bloomington South baseball sectional begins with first-round games on May 25. Semifinals will be May 27 and the finals on Memorial Day, May 30.

Columbus North is scheduled to host its first-round opponent in a regular-season game on Tuesday. The Bull Dogs play at Shelbyville today and host Columbus East on Friday, so they’ll have a chance to see three of the other five sectional teams this week.

“It will be a great opportunity this week to get some information on these teams and also send a message,” Columbus North baseball coach Pat Antone said. “We’re jelling as a team. Team chemistry is pretty good, and we’re starting to play baseball the right way.”

In Class A, Hauser will have to wait until Memorial Day to play its first game. The Jets will face Rising Sun or Oldenburg Academy in the second semifinal at Jac-Cen-Del. The winner will play the winner of the first May 30 semifinal between Trinity Lutheran and Jac-Cen-Del for the title that night.

“It seems to be a pretty good draw,” Hauser baseball coach Nate Long said. “All the teams in the sectional have a chance to win it. We have to play pretty good baseball no matter who we face.”

Also in Class A, Edinbugh drew a first-round bye and will play Waldron in the semifinals of the Morristown Sectional.

Jennings County will be the lone area baseball team to host a sectional. The Panthers will play Jeffersonville in the opener, with the winner meeting New Albany or Floyd Central in the semifinals.

In 3A, Brown County will play host Edgewood in the opening game of the Edgewood Sectional. The winner will play Indian Creek or Sullivan in the semifinals.

South Decatur will play host South Ripley in the first round of the South Ripley Sectional. The winner will meet Switzerland County or Southwestern (Hanover) in the semifinals..

In softball, Class 4A No. 8 Columbus North will play East Central in the opening game of the Bloomington North Sectional on May 24. The semifinals are May 26, and the final is May 27.

“I think we got a pretty good draw,” Columbus North softball coach Ron McDonald said. “I’m happy with that. It would have been nice to have gotten a bye. We haven’t had the bye the whole time I’ve been here. I know we’re probably the favorite, along with Shelbyville, but any night, somebody can sneak up and beat you. We just need to play good.”

Columbus East coach Rusty Brummett was happy to draw a bye.

“It is nice to get one of the byes,” Brummett said. “That will help us get some of our injuries healed up. When you’re playing three games in the sectional in one week in pretty competitive situations, that taxes your pitching staff. We have played both of the schools, but we’re starting to play some pretty good softball. Hopefully, (Bloomington South and No. 11 Shelbyville will) have a really competitive-type ballgame in that first game, and we can come out and jump on them in the second game.”

In Class A, seventh-ranked Hauser drew Oldenburg Academy in the first round of the Rising Sun Sectional. The winner will meet South Decatur in the semifinals, with the winner of that likely facing co-No. 12 Rising Sun in the final.

“That’s fully what I anticipate,” Hauser softball coach Andy Brunner said. “I don’t know how I feel about the draw we got. We’re the furthest away, and this is my fourth year, and every year but the COVID year (2020), we have to drive to that place three nights in (four days).”

Edinburgh will meet host Indianapolis Lutheran in the first round of the Class A Lutheran Sectional. The winner will meet Waldron in the semifinals, then Greenwood Christian Academy or Morristown in the final.

Also in Class A, Trinity Lutheran will face host Henryville in the first round of the Henryville Sectional. The winner will meet Rock Creek Academy or New Washington for the title.

Jennings County received a bye in the Class 4A Floyd Central Sectional and will play the winner between New Albany and Jeffersonville. Third-ranked Bedford North Lawrence likely would await the winner in the final.

In 3A, Brown County received a bye in the Owen Valley Sectional and will play the winner between Northview and Indian Creek.