OVAC baseball tournament begins Saturday
WHEELING — Let the games begin.
The 2019 OVAC baseball tournament gets under way this weekend, and there are some dandies on tap, including a battle of defending champion Cadets.
Class 3A
No. 3 Fort Frye at No. 2 Linsly
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Last year’s 2A champion, Linsly has moved up a class to 3A this year where it will take on defending champion Fort Frye on Holloway Field.
Linsly entered Wednesday’s tournament deadline with a 15-4 record, while Fort Frye sat at 9-5.
No. 4 Union Local
at No. 1 Barnesville
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Barnesville has been untouchable this year so far. The Shamrocks carried a perfect 12-0 record into Wednesday’s tournament deadline and will host Union Local (7-10).
Barnesville defeated UL 7-1 earlier in the campaign.
Class 5A
No. 3 Steubenville
at No. 2 Wheeling Park
Saturday, 2 p.m.
These two powerhouses will be meeting for the third time already this season, with both road teams winning the previous contests. Big Red (9-5) took the first by a 5-2 count, before the Patriots (14-5) won a slugfest, 18-12, last week.
Both teams will be hungry following OVAC title game losses last year as Steubenville fell in the 4A final to Edison before moving up to 5A and Park dropped a nail biter to Parkersburg South.
No. 4 Warren Local
at No. 1 Morgantown
Monday, 6 p.m.
With last year’s 5A defending champion Parkersburg South falling short of the tournament, there will be a new winner this year. The journey runs through Morgantown as the top seeded Mohigans held a respectable 17-2 record at the time of seeding and will host Warren Local (8-6).
Class 4A
No. 4 St. Clairsville
at No. 1 Meadowbrook
Saturday, 11 a.m.
Despite being the No. 4 seed, St. Clairsville (8-5) returns nine lettermen and seven starters from last year’s squad, which fell 6-5 to Steubenville in the OVAC semifinals. The Red Devils will be looking to pull the upset of the top-seeded Colts (13-2) and get back to the title game for the first time since winning it in 2016.
No. 3 Cambridge
at No. 2 Edison
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Last year’s 4A champion will once again be hosting an OVAC tournament game as Edison puts its 9-2 record and last year’s title on the line against Cambridge (10-5).
Class 2A
No. 3 Toronto
at No. 2 Wheeling Central
Monday, 5 p.m.
With Linsly moving up to 3A, there will be a new Class 2A champion this year and it is wide open. All four teams are capable of pulling off victories. Toronto (10-4) takes its talented lineup on the road to Wheeling Central (12-5).
Both teams were downed in OVAC title games a season ago and will go toe-to-toe for the right to play for another this year.
No. 4 Catholic Central
at No. 1 Shadyside
Monday, 5 p.m.
After missing out on the tournament a year ago, Shadyside (13-2) is back at the top seed in Class 2A. The Tigers will host Catholic Central (8-5) with a trip to the final on the line.
Class 1A
No. 4 Conotton Valley
at No. 1 Cameron
Saturday, Noon
The top-seeded Dragons (12-9) have proven to be lethal all the way down their lineup this year. Will they be celebrating their first OVAC baseball title in school history? Conotton Valley (6-9) will be their first test this weekend at the 12th Street Field in Moundsville.
No. 3 Madonna
at No. 2 Paden City
Monday, 6 p.m.
A rematch of last year’s OVAC championship headlines Class 1A’s semifinal matchups. The Blue Dons (11-13) took last year’s title but Paden City (12-10) will be aiming to reach its fifth straight title game and capture its first trophy since 1994.
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