By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The top two teams in 9th Region high school baseball drew into opposite brackets for the single-elimination tournament that will determine a berth in the sectional playoffs.
Beechwood enters the tournament with a 34-1 record and ranked No. 2 in the final statewide coaches poll. The Tigers will play Newport Central Catholic (12-22) in an upper-bracket game at 1 p.m. Saturday on their home field.
Beechwood has a .383 team batting average with Dylan Doverspike among the six seniors in the Tigers’ lineup. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Highlands, the regional tournament’s four-time defending champion, has a 27-9 record and was ranked No. 12 in the state. The Bluebirds will face Boone County (12-18) in a lower-bracket game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at UC Health Field in Florence.
The other games on Saturday are Ryle vs. Dixie Heights at 10:30 a.m. at Beechwood and Covington Catholic vs. St. Henry at 12:15 p.m. at UC Health Stadium.
Semifinal games are scheduled for Monday with the championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The final three games will be played at UC Health Stadium.
Highlands handed Beechwood its only loss of the season, 7-5, in a game played April 26 at Great American Ballpark. One week later, the teams met again and Beechwood came away with a decisive 16-5 victory. The Tigers have now won 13 straight games with six wins coming against regional tournament teams.
The 9th Region champion will play the 10th Region champion in one of eight sectional playoff games on June 1. The sectional winners will advance to the state tournament June 5-8 at Whitaker Bank Park in Lexington.
Simon Kenton is the only local team in the 8th Region baseball tournament that will be played on the the Pioneers’ home field. They will face Shelby County in a first-round game at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Campbell County and Scott will find out their first-round opponents in the 10th Region tournament at a draw scheduled for Thursday morning. That tournament will be played at Montgomery County High School.
9th REGION BASEBALL AT TWO SITES
Saturday at Beechwood — Upper bracket
Ryle (16-20) vs. Dixie Heights (18-16), 10:30 a.m.
Beechwood (34-1) vs. Newport Central Catholic (12-22), 1 p.m.
Saturday at UC Health Stadium — Lower bracket
St. Henry (24-9) vs. Covington Catholic (22-16), 12:15 p.m.
Highlands (27-9) vs. Boone County (12-18), 2:30 p.m.
Monday at UC Health Stadium
Upper bracket semifinal game, 11 a.m.
Lower bracket semifinal game, 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday at UC Health Stadium
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8th REGION BASEBALL AT SIMON KENTON
Saturday — Upper bracket
Henry County (19-9) vs. South Oldham (14-18), noon
Simon Kenton (20-12) vs. Shelby County (10-13), 5 p.m.
Saturday — Lower bracket
North Oldham (29-8) vs. Grant County (11-14), 2:30 p.m.
Collins (19-16) vs. Carroll County (15-12), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Upper bracket semifinal game, 1 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal game, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
