ASHLAND — The postseason won’t begin for another month, but area softball fans will be treated to a tournament preview at this week’s 30th Wendy’s Spring Classic.
The 20-team showcase runs from Thursday through Saturday at Brookside Park’s main diamond and Brookside West. The event features local entrants Ontario, Ashland, Hillsdale and Loudonville.
Hillsdale and Loudonville are north central Ohio’s two most tradition-rich programs, combining for 23 Final Four appearances and 10 state titles. The Falcons beat the Redbirds in the Division IV district championship game last spring en route to the program’s 17th state tournament berth.
Both Hillsdale and Loudonville moved up to Division III this year, where they will be joined by defending Division II state champ Triway. All three teams are in the eight-team Black Pool at this week’s Wendy’s.
“I feel great about this year’s field,” organizer and umpire John Davis said. “There will be a lot of very good matchups throughout the weekend.”
Hillsdale and Loudonville meet in the opening round at 8 p.m. Friday at Brookside Main. Triway takes on defending Division I district champ Anthony Wayne at 6:15 p.m. Friday at Brookside West’s No. 2 diamond.
Triway (10-1) boasts one of the top pitchers in the state in Carter Wachtel. The junior is verbally committed to Georgia Tech.
Hillsdale ace Taylor Morgan will pitch for Division II Findlay next year. The Falcons are 8-3 with losses to Keystone (another state power that dropped to Division III this year) and Division I heavyweight Massillon Perry.
Perry will be in action at the Wendy’s, competing in the eight-team Red Pool with Ontario and Ashland. Ontario will meet Poland Seminary, a Division II district runner-up last year, at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Brookside West’s Field 1. Ashland takes on Milford at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Brookside Main.
Defending Division IV state champ Strasburg is the headliner in the four-team Yellow Pool that includes Danville. Strasburg will be in action at 6 p.m. Thursday at Brookside Main against Marlington.
For just the fourth time in the 30-year history of the tournament and third year in a row, the Wendy’s will feature all Ohio teams. The event normally draws teams from all across the eastern United States.
“We want to get back to 24 teams and we want to get back to bringing in teams from out of state,” Davis said. “One of the things the COVID pandemic damaged was our ability to draw those teams. We’ll eventually get back to it.”
