OLIVESBURG — The Cougars will have their hands full Thursday afternoon.
Fourth-seeded Crestview will take on top seed Edison in the early game of a Division III district semifinal baseball doubleheader at 2 pm. Thursday at Shelby High School.
Edison is the defending Division III state runner-up and by all accounts, the Chargers (20-3) have reloaded after last year’s 2-1 loss to Waynedale in the Division III state championship game. Edison advanced with an 8-3 win over Northwood in the sectional final, the Chargers’ 17th straight win.
Crestview is one of three Ashland-area teams still alive. The Cougars are joined by Hillsdale and Black River.
Crestview (19-4) punched its ticket to the district with a 10-6 win over No. 6 seed Kansas Lakota. Jerek Ringler allowed six hits and three earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched and helped his own cause with four hits. Leadoff hitter Matthew Volz was 2-for-3 with an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the first.
Brennan Fulk had two hits while Gavin Barker and Klint Patton each knocked in a pair.
Hillsdale will take on Rittman for a third time this season in the early game of a Division IV Medina district doubleheader at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Medina High School. The second-seeded Falcons blanked No. 7 Kidron Central Christian 12-0 in last week’s sectional championship game. Nick Kandel surrendered just one hit while striking out 13 in the run rule-shortened victory.
Fifth-seeded Rittman advanced with an 8-6 road win over No. 4 Loudonville. The Falcons swept the Wayne County Athletic League series.
Fifth-seeded Black River will play No. 4 Chagrin Falls at 5 p.m. Monday in the Division III Creston district semifinals at Norwayne High School. The Pirates advanced with a 3-2 win over No. 17 seed Northwestern, while Chagrin Falls dispatched No. 18 Chippewa 6-3.
