Class 4A, No. 10-ranked Shelbyville will enter Sectional 14 in three weeks as the host and the favorite.
However, its first sectional opponent will be one of two teams to pin a loss on it this season.
On Sunday, the Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the sectional pairings (May 24-29) for the 36th annual Softball State Tournament.
In Sectional 14 at Shelbyville, the opening game will feature Bloomington North (5-7) versus Columbus East (2-15).
Shelbyville (16-2) debuts in game two against No. 22 Columbus North (12-4). The Bull Dogs defeated the Golden Bears on April 8, 9-5.
The winner of those two games will meet in the semifinals.
The other semifinal game pits East Central (12-3) against Bloomington South (7-8).
The winner of the Shelbyville Sectional will travel to the winner of Sectional 13 for a June 1 regional contest.
Sectional 13 features three state-ranked teams including the defending 4A state champion, Center Grove (13-4).
No. 3 ranked Mooresville (16-0) opens the Center Grove Sectional against 19th-ranked Franklin (9-5). Center Grove, ranked seventh, takes on Martinsville in its sectional opener.
Whiteland battles Greenwood in the other sectional quarterfinal game.
In Class 2A, Triton Central travels to Knightstown for sectional competition.
In Sectional 42, Knightstown (6-5) opens the tournament against No. 8 Eastern Hancock (11-1) in the only quarterfinal contest.
In the first semifinal, Heritage Christian (3-7) meets Indianapolis Scecina (3-8).
Triton Central (6-7) faces the winner of the Knightstown/Eastern Hancock game.
The Knightstown Sectional winner will play at the winner of Sectional 41, hosted by Union County – ranked No. 2 at 16-1.
In Class A, Edinburgh hosts a five-team sectional featuring both Morristown and Waldron.
In Sectional 59, the host Lancers (8-7) open against Waldron (5-5). The winner will face Morristown (2-11) in the semifinals.
Greenwood Christian (2-4) drew Indianapolis Lutheran (8-7), the Class A state champion in 2019, with the winner advancing to the championship game.
The Edinburgh Sectional winner will host the Rising Sun Sectional winner in regional competition.
No. 7 Hauser (15-2) is the sectional favorite at Rising Sun.
Center Grove (4A), Forest Park (2A) and North Daviess (A) are the semistate sites for Shelby County schools.
The State Finals will be June 11-12 at Center Grove High School.
