May 31, 2011

2011 OHSAA Baseball State Pairings

Division I � Home Teams Listed First
Thursday, 6/2 10 a.m. � Huntington Park
#5 Perrysburg (25-3) vs. Willoughby South (22-4)
Thursday, 6/2 1 p.m. � Huntington Park
Grove City (22-10) vs. Liberty Township Lakota East (22-7)

Division IV � Home Teams Listed First
Thursday, 6/2 4 p.m. � Huntington Park
New Middletown Springfield (17-6) vs. Delphos St. Johns (18-4)
Thursday, 6/2 7 p.m. � Huntington Park
Minster (21-8) vs. #2 Newark Catholic (22-6)

Division II � Home Teams Listed First
Friday, 6/3 10 a.m. � Huntington Park
#4 Plain City Jonathan Alder (23-3) vs. Columbus St. Francis DeSales (19-9)
Friday, 6/3 1 p.m. � Huntington Park
Akron Archbishop Hoban (17-8) vs. Parma Heights Holy Name (17-3)

Division III � Home Teams Listed First
Friday, 6/3 4 p.m. � Huntington Park
#10 Wheelersburg (25-2) vs. #3 Cincinnati Madeira (22-1)
Friday, 6/3 7 p.m. � Huntington Park
Canton Central Catholic (23-8) vs. #9 Defiance Tinora (25-3)

2011 State Baseball Tournament Preview

The 2011 OHSAA baseball state tournament will be held Thursday, June 2 through Saturday, June 4 at handsome Huntington Park in downtown Columbus for the third-consecutive year. Huntington Park was named the 2009 Ballpark of the Year and is home to the 2010 International League and Triple-A National Champion Columbus Clippers.

Play begins Thursday morning at 10 a.m. with the Division I semifinals followed by the Division IV semifinal games. Semifinals for Divisions II and III will be played on Friday with the championships being held Saturday with an order of play of Division I, IV, II and III. Games are scheduled to be played at 10 a.m. 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. each day.

The Division I �final four� has only one semifinalist in the field that ended the regular season ranked in the top 10 coaches� poll. Fifth-ranked Perrysburg (25-3) will face Willoughby South (22-4) in the first semifinal. It marks the second state tournament appearance for both schools, with Perrysburg reaching the state tournament in 2003 and Willoughby South returning for the first time since 1981. Both schools lost in the semifinals in their first appearance. On the other side of the Division I bracket, Grove City (22-10) takes on Liberty Township Lakota East (22-7). Grove City is making its third state tournament appearance (first since 1983), while Lakota East is playing in its first state tournament. Grove City lost in the semifinals in both of its prior appearances.

One side of the Division II tournament pits fourth-ranked and defending state champion Plain City Jonathan Alder (23-3) against Columbus St. Francis de Sales (19-9). Jonathon Alder is making its third state tournament appearance overall and second in a row as they defeated Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 3-2 to capture the 2010 crown. Columbus St. Francis DeSales is playing in its sixth state tournament, most recently in 2009, and won the title in 1979. DeSales defeated top-ranked Steubenville 10-8 in the regional finals to advance to the state tournament. The other side of the Division II bracket has Akron Archbishop Hoban (17-8) facing off against Parma Heights Holy Name (17-3). Archbishop Hoban is playing in the state tournament for the third time and finished as runner-up in 1993. Holy Name, which has one state title in its trophy case (1981), is making its sixth state tournament appearance and first since it finished as runner-up in 1988.

Tenth-ranked Wheelersburg (25-2) challenges third-ranked Cincinnati Madeira (22-1) in one Division III semifinal matchup, as both schools are making their fourth state tournament appearance. Wheelersburg is looking to make up for a 2010 state championship game loss to Bellville Clear Fork and earn the school�s second state title (1996). Madeira last played in the state tournament in 2007, losing in the semifinals, and won the school�s only state championship in 1999. The other Division III semifinal has Canton Central Catholic (23-8) slated to play ninth-ranked Defiance Tinora (25-3). Central Catholic is playing in its fifth state tournament, last winning the school�s first title in 2008. Defiance Tinora is making its first state baseball tournament appearance in school history.

The Division IV semifinals have New Middletown Springfield (17-6) taking on Delphos St. Johns (18-4) and Minster (21-8) playing against second-ranked Newark Catholic (22-6). Springfield is making its third state tournament appearance and second in the last three years, last finishing as runner-up in 2009. Delphos St. Johns is making its first state baseball tournament appearance in school history. On the other end of the Division IV bracket, Minster (21-8) is making its second state tournament appearance, last finishing as runner-up in 2003, while Newark Catholic (22-6) is making its 12th state tournament appearance. Newark Catholic lost to Fort Loramie 3-0 in the 2010 championship game, giving the school its third runner-up finish on top of six state titles, the last being won in 2006.

### OHSAA ###