ONTARIO, Ohio — Both Ontario coach Chris Musille and Galion coach Jena Opperman hope a season’s worth of hard knocks will pay off in the postseason.
The Warriors and Tigers will open Division II sectional play on the road Tuesday. Ontario is at Lexington, while Galion visits Madison. First pitch for both games is 5 p.m.
The ninth-seeded Warriors have five freshman in the lineup, while the 11th-seeded Tigers feature five sophomore starters.
“We knew it would take some time, but we’re getting better,” Ontario coach Chris Musille said earlier in the season.
Opperman can relate.
“It’s a very young group,” she said. “It’s all part of the learning process but they are coming along.”
The Tigers dropped a 3-1 decision to Madison in late-April, but the Rams were without No. 1 pitcher Mackenzie Mullins, who was recovering from a leg injury. The Rams have battled injuries all season long.
“It’s been unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Madison coach Tim Niswander said.
The winner of the Madison-Galion game will visit Bellevue at 5 p.m. May 15 for a sectional title. Bellevue is the No. 2 seed.
Third-seeded Clear Fork will host No. 10 seed Tiffin Columpbian at 5 p.m. May 15, while No. 4 Shelby will host the winner of the Ontario-Lexington game at 5 p.m. May 15.
Division I
The area’s lone Division I team, Mansfield Senior, opens the tournament at 5 p.m. May 13 at second-seeded Anthony Wayne. The Tygers are the No. 17 seed.
Division III
Crestview, the area’s only Division III program, earned the No. 6 seed and will host No. 10 Huron at 5 p.m. May 12. A win would set up a showdown with second-seeded Gibsonburg for a sectional title May 15 at Gibsonburg.
Division IV
All four of the area’s Division IV teams will host sectional games next week.
No. 6 Mansfield Christian welcomes No. 10 Norwalk St. Paul to town for a sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. Monday, while No. 7 Crestline hosts No. 9 Monroeville in a sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. Monday.
No. 3 seed Plymouth and No. 4 seed Lucas got first-round byes and will host sectional championship games at 5 p.m. May 14. No. 8 Buckeye Central visits Plymouth and No. 5 South Central comes to Lucas.
