Tournaments set to begin

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

With the fields mostly dry and the seasons way behind schedule because of excessive rainouts, it’s time for area baseball and softball teams to focus on the next step.

Two area softball teams and another baseball squad hope to repeat and build on their success from last season.

The Champion and Poland softball teams, and Columbiana baseball team, are ranked in the state.

Champion holds the No. 1 spot in Division III while Poland is tied for the third spot in Div. II.

Columbiana was ranked No. 4 in the state in Div. IV.

After breezing through the regular season and district championship — while enjoying a 26-0 record — the Golden Flashes fell to the eventual state champions in the first round of the regional tournament.

Champion met up with a hot Jeromesville Hillsdale team, falling 5-0 to end their season. Hillsdale then defeated South Range in last year’s regional final.

This week, Champion will host either Badger or Middlefield Cardinal in the second round in the Jefferson district. Champion will play on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. — weather permitting.

In 2010, Poland enjoyed a 28-1 season that came within a game of the state championship. The Bulldogs won their district and regional brackets, but fell short in the state title game. Poland lost 1-0 to Hebron Lakewood at Akron’s Firestone Stadium.

Poland again has a first-round bye, and will host the winner of the Niles-Salem game on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

The Clippers were the last Mahoning Valley baseball team to play in 2010. Their journey fell one step short of the state championship game. A 1-0 loss to eventual state runner-up Newark Catholic ended Columbiana’s season at 21-11 at Huntington Park in Columbus.

The Clippers will begin their postseason at home on Tuesday as they host the winner of the Leetonia-Lisbon first-round game.