There was no sectional surprise for Shelbyville’s baseball program Sunday night when the Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the sectional pairings for the 56th Annual Baseball State Tournament.
By the time the sectional begins later this month, Shelbyville should have faced its sectional-opening opponent.
East Central is the host site for Class 4A, Sectional 14 that runs from May 24-29.
Shelbyville (9-7) will play in the second quarterfinal game against Whiteland (8-6). The two teams are scheduled to square off at Barnett Field in Shelbyville on May 12.
The winner advances to face either Columbus East (4-12) or East Central (9-6). The Golden Bears do not face the Olympians or the Trojans during the 2023 regular season
In the other semifinal, Columbus North (8-7) takes on Franklin (8-8).
The winner of the East Central Sectional will host the winner of the Mooresville Sectional in a one-game regional on June 3 at a site that will be determined on May 31.
The Mooresville Sectional features a pair of top-10 ranked teams, including No. 1 Center Grove, and two more teams receiving votes.
Class 2A, Sectional 42
No. 5 Park Tudor is the host school and the favorite to capture the sectional title.
The Panthers will open the five-team sectional against Triton Central (7-8). The two teams are scheduled to meet in Fairland on May 18.
The winner of the sectional opener will advance to face Indianapolis Scecina (2-12).
The other semifinal game pits Irvington Prep (6-4) against Heritage Christian (7-9).
The Park Tudor Sectional champion will take on the Northeastern Sectional champion on June 3. The Northeastern Sectional includes No. 3 Hagerstown and No. 10 Shenandoah.
Class A, Sectional 59
The six-team sectional at Morristown features No. 6 Indianapolis Lutheran.
The sectional will open with Morristown (7-4) hosting Edinburgh (2-14). The Yellow Jackets recently swept a doubleheader from the Lancers and outscored them 35-0.
The second quarterfinal game has Lutheran (10-5) taking on Eminence (4-7).
The quarterfinal winners will meet in the first semifinal game at Morristown.
The second semifinal contest will be Greenwood Christian (9-7-1) and Indianapolis Metropolitan (0-2).
The Morristown Sectional champion will face the Jac-Cen-Del Sectional champion in a June 3 regional championship game.
Class A, Sectional 60
Waldron (3-11) and South Decatur (9-4) recently split a doubleheader. Now the two teams will meet for a third time in the semifinal round of the Jac-Cen-Del Sectional.
In the sectional opener, North Decatur (2-8) will face Oldenburg Academy (4-5).
The second quarterfinal features Jac-Cen-Del (2-8) and Southwestern (3-8). The Spartans defeated Jac-Cen-Del 16-13 on April 4.
The Jac-Cen-Del Sectional champion advances to face the Morristown Sectional champion in the regional.
IHSAA Tournament
A field of 389 teams will compete in the 2023 state baseball tournament. The regional round of the tournament will feature back-to-back regional championship games with the winners advancing to the semistate round on June 10.
Southern regional hosts are Park Tudor, Mooresville, Morristown, Loogootee, Jasper, Floyd Central, Mitchell and Castle.
Southern semistate hosts are Plainfield, Mooresville, Southridge and Jasper.
The four state championship games will be played at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis on June 16 and June 17.
Steve Bush photo
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