GALION, Ohio — It was a single run in the bottom of the seventh, but Phil Jackson understood its significance.
Jackson’s Tigers had squandered scoring opportunities against Clear Fork all afternoon until finally scratching a run in a 6-1 loss to the Colts at Heise Park on Saturday.
“It just takes us believing, even if we’re down, that we can come back and win,” Jackson said. “We weren’t able to do that today but we kept scrapping and that was important, especially against a team we could potentially see in the tournament.”
Jackson’s words proved prophetic as the Tigers will open the Division II sectional tournament at Clear Fork on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
The Tigers slipped to 8-12 with the loss to Clear Fork and will take a sub-.500 record into the sectional semifinal.
“We’re playing a lot of youth and playing through a lot of mistakes,” Jackson said. “I think we’re a better team than a .500 team. The good news for our guys is, regardless of our record, starting Saturday we are 0-0.”
Saturday’s winner will play Ontario for a sectional championship at 5 p.m. May 14. The Warriors took a first-round bye.
“I don’t think anybody is a dominating team in the district,” Clear Fork coach Rusty Staab said. “It’s going to be wide open. Anybody can beat anybody.”
Jackson agreed.
“There’s not a team there that anybody can sleep on,” Jackson said. “If you take anyone lightly, you’re going to get knocked out of the tournament.”
In other Division II games, Norwalk will host Shelby at 5 p.m. May 14 in a sectional final. In the bottom half of the bracket, Lexington will host Clyde at 5 p.m. May 14. Bellevue will host either Sandusky or Sandusky Perkins at 5 p.m. May 14. Perkins and Sandusky play at 2 p.m. Saturday at Perkins.
Division I
Madison is among the smallest Division I schools in the state, but coach and athletic director Doug Rickert put together a brutal regular season schedule in order to prepare the Rams for the postseason. The Rams opened the season in Tennessee and co-hosted the ultra-competitive BW3 Classic last month.
“We know, as a small Division I, these are the types of teams we are going to see in the tournament,” Rickert said at the time. “We have to play the Perrysburgs and Anthony Waynes if we want to make it to the regional tournament.”
The ninth-seeded Rams play at No. 7 Toledo Whitmer at 5 p.m. May 14 for a sectional championship.
On the other side of the bracket, No. 19 Mansfield Senior plays No. 15 Fremont Ross at 2 p.m. Saturday in a sectional semifinal game. The winner plays at No. 2 Findlay at 5 p.m. May 14.
Division III
Crestview, the area’s lone Division III team, opens tournament play at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bucyrus. The winner plays at Edison at 5 p.m. May 14.
Division IV
Mansfield Christian, St. Peter’s and Lucas all open sectional play on the road this weekend.
The 10th-seeded Flames are at No. 9 South Central at 5 p.m. Saturday. The winner plays at top-seeded Tiffin Calvert at 5 p.m. May 13.
No. 11 St. Peter’s plays at No. 7 Buckeye Central at 11 a.m. Saturday. The winner of that game visits No. 2 Seneca East at 5 p.m. May 13.
No. 8 Lucas is at No. 5 Mohawk at 11 a.m. Saturday. No. 4 Plymouth will host the winner at 5 p.m. May 13.
No. 6 Crestline is at No. 3 New Riegel at 5 p.m. May 13.
“I don’t think anybody is a dominating team in the district,” Clear Fork coach Rusty Staab said.
