JEROMESVILLE — Two of north central Ohio’s most tradition-rich programs will represent the area in this week’s regional baseball tournaments.
Hillsdale and Clear Fork will carry the banner for the region in the Sweet 16.
The Falcons (17-10) will take on Lake Center Christian in a Division IV regional semifinal at 2 p.m. Thursday at Louisville High School’s Andy Aljancic Field.
The Colts (25-4) will meet Parma Padua in a Division II regional semifinal game at 5 p.m. Thursday at Bowling Green’s Carter Park.
Hillsdale throttled Ashtabula St. John 16-1 in last week’s Division IV Parma district championship game at Cuyahoga Community College’s Mottl Field.
Gavin Casdorph scattered five hits in the complete-game victory and helped himself with two hits and two RBIs. Brock Bower had three hits, including a double, and knocked in four. Owen Hoffman added two hits and three RBIs.
The Falcons have caught fire in the postseason after dropping five of their final six regular season games. Hillsdale is in the regional tournament for the second time in three years and was the Division IV state runner-up in 2019.
Lake Center Christian (26-1) was ranked fifth in the final coaches state poll and suffered its only loss of the season to top-ranked Berlin Hiland on April 25.
The Tigers beat Dalton 12-7 in the Struthers district final at Bob Cene Park at Nathan Bryant and Matt Warder each had three hits. Bryant got the win, allowing three hits in 6.2 innings.
Clear Fork advanced with an 11-1 run rule-shortened win over St. Marys Memorial in the Bluffton regional championship game.
Chandler Ball drove in three runs, while Luke Schlosser and Jay Jackson each scored three runs. Schlosser was 2-for-3 with a triple and Jackson doubled.
Garret Hotz went the distance, striking out six and giving up just two hits. Hotz helped his own cause with a pair of hits.
Clear Fork has won 11 straight games. The Colts have won three regional crowns and raised a Division III state championship banner in 2010.
Padua (17-8-1) punched its ticket to the regional with a 6-1 win over Rocky River. Lucas Palange was 2-for-4 and drove in three runs. Trey Martin had three hits while Makhi Williams had a pair of hits, including a triple.