PREBLE COUNTY — Four of Preble County’s high school baseball teams will host first-round sectional tournament games when postseason play begins next week.
Eaton (7-7) earned the No. 5 seed in the Dayton Division II sectional will host No. 8 West Carrollton (4-15) on Tuesday, May 8. The winner will meet either No. 6 Ponitz (10-5) or No. 7 Bellbrook (6-12) on Thursday, May 10 at the higher seeded team’s home field.
The sectional final is set for Thursday, May 17 against either No. 1 Tippecanoe (19-2), No. 10 Alter (1-13) or No. 13 Thurgood Marshall (0-4).
In the Division III Dayton 2 sectional, Twin Valley South (8-8) earned the No. 18 seed and will travel to No. 10 West Liberty-Salem (9-4) on Monday, May 7. The winner will meet No. 5 Northeastern (14-5) on Wednesday, May 9. The sectional final is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16 against either No. 6 Waynesville (11-3) or No. 24 Indian Lake (1-15).
National Trail (9-4) is the No. 8 seed in the Division III Dayton 3 sectional upper bracket and will host No. 11 Brookville (8-6) on May 9. The winner moves on to the sectional final on May 16.
Preble Shawnee (6-7) is the No. 19 seed in the Division III Dayton 3 lower bracket and will host No. 21 Houston (5-9) on May 7. The winner will advance to play No. 3 Carlisle (12-6) on May 9.
The sectional final is slated for May 16.
Tri-County North was the highest seeded team among county schools. The Panthers (10-6) were voted as the No. 2 seed in the Division IV sectional. North took a first round bye and will host either No. 7 Legacy Christian or No. 9 Cedarville on May. 9. The Dayton 2 sectional final is set for May 16.
In games played last week, Eaton’s varsity baseball team played a trio of non-league games last week. The week opened with a win over Carlisle, but ended with losses to Coldwater and St. Henry.
Originally set as a home game, Eaton traveled to Carlisle on Wednesday, April 25, due to wet field conditions. Eaton felt right at home despite the trip, coming away with a 7-0 win. Eaton pitcher Travis Pittman dominated the Indians allowing just one hit in the game.
Offensively, Owen Baumann and Alex Almeyda-Roe led the squad with three hits each. Chip Parker and Brandon Miller each drove in two runs.
The win pushed Eaton’s record to 7-5 on the season.
The week ended, however, with the Eagles dropping two games and bringing their record back to .500 at 7-7.
Eaton lost at home on Friday to St. Henry, 3-0. The Eagles were unable to get on track offensively, collecting just two hits in the game.
On Saturday, the Eagles traveled to Coldwater. Eaton again struggled offensively and lost 9-3. Jordan Turner was the lone standout offensively with three hits.
Eaton was schedule to play against Union County at home on Monday, April 30. They will then get back into SWBL divisional action with home games on Wednesday and Thursday against Franklin and Monroe. They will then host Milton-Union to wrap up the regular season on Friday.
National Trail’s varsity baseball team split a pair of game on Friday and Saturday, April 27-28. The Blazers, however, remained unbeaten in the Cross County Conference with a win over Mississinawa Valley.
NT cruised past the Blackhawks, 11-3 on Friday to push their CCC record to 8-0.
Offensively Cameron Harrison was 4-for-4 with a triple and two runs batted in. Peyton Lane collected three hits, including a double and also drove in two.
Peyton Miller earned the win on the mound (4-0) throwing six innings and striking out 10.
The Blazers travelled to Greenon on Saturday in non-CCC action. National Trail struggled with pitching and defense, losing 11-3. NT pitchers allowed walks while the defense committed three errors.
Offensively, Lane and Miller each had two hits.
Tri-County North went 3-2. The Panthers beat Miami East, 5-0 on Tuesday, April 24. On Wednesday, North took down Bradford 14-4 and beat Bethel 10-4 on Friday. The Panthers closed out the week with a pair of losses to Milton-Union, 11-3, and Anna, 15-5.
Preble Shawnee won four straight last week. The Arrows beat Northridge 21-3 and Stivers 29-1. They closed out the week with a sweep of Troy Christian 5-3 and 5-2.
Twin Valley South dropped a 6-2 contest to Arcanum on Wednesday, April 25, and fell to Miami East 13-12 on Friday. They swept Dixie on Saturday, wining 18-5 and 5-4.
(Editor’s note: Deron Newman contributed to this story)
