Shelbyville and Columbus North have staged some tense sectional battles in recent seasons. If the two programs are to meet for a second time this season, a sectional championship will be at stake.
On Sunday, the Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the sectional pairings for the 38th Softball State Tournament.
Shelbyville (11-4), the defending sectional and regional champion, will open the Class 4A, Sectional 14 tournament, hosted by Columbus North, against East Central (5-12). Shelbyville defeated the Trojans 1-0 on April 7.
The winner advances to face Franklin (9-8-1) in the semifinal round. Shelbyville defeated Franklin 13-5 on April 20.
The other quarterfinal game features newly-ranked No. 1 Columbus North (15-1-1) against Columbus East (9-8). The winner advances to take on Whiteland (9-6) in the semifinals.
Three of Shelbyville’s four losses this season are to state-ranked opponents, including Columbus North. The Bull Dogs defeated the Golden Bears 1-0 on April 6.
The Columbus North Sectional champion will travel to the Bloomington South Sectional champion for a one-game regional on May 30. The Bloomington South Sectional features No. 4 Center Grove and No. 12Mooresville.
Class 2A, Sectional 42
Triton Central is the host site for the six-team sectional.
The Tigers (9-3) received a bye and will face the winner of the Park Tudor (5-1) and Irvington Prep (3-5) quarterfinal contest.
The other quarterfinal pits Christel House (1-7) and Indianapolis Scecina (2-8) with the winner moving on to battle Heritage Christian (12-3).
In what now looks like a potential sectional championship game preview, Triton Central defeated Heritage Christian 10-0 on April 13.
The Triton Central Sectional champion will travel to the Union County Sectional champion for a regional championship game on May 30. The Union County Sectional includes No. 4 Eastern Hancock.
Class A, Sectional 59
Morristown received a bye and needs one win to reach the sectional championship game at Edinburgh.
The six-team sectional opens with Eminence (8-7) taking on No. 8 Indianapolis Lutheran (8-4). The winner advances to the semifinal round to face Providence Cristo Rey (0-6).
The second quarterfinal game has the host Lancers (7-6) battling Greenwood Christian (1-4) for the right to face Morristown (5-6).
The Edinburgh Sectional champion will host the North Decatur Sectional champ in the regional championship game.
Class A, Sectional 60
Waldron and Southwestern received byes into the semifinal round of the North Decatur Sectional.
Jac-Cen-Del (4-10) opens the tournament against South Decatur (2-11). The winner gets Southwestern (0-9).
Oldenburg Academy (2-10) takes on North Decatur (5-9) in the other quarterfinal game with the winner taking on Waldron (3-4-1).
The North Decatur Sectional champion will travel to the Edinburgh Sectional champion for the one-game regional.
IHSAA Tournament
A total of 372 teams are entered into the state softball tournament.
Sectional games run from May 22 through May 27 with one-game regional tournaments on May 30 and four-team semistates on June 3. The semistate host sites are Harrison (West Lafayette) and Center Grove in Class 4A; Twin Lakes and Jasper in 3A; Warsaw and Forest Park in 2A; and Frankfort and North Daviess in Class A.
The four state championship games will be played on June 9-10 at Purdue University’s Bittinger Stadium in West Lafayette.
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