It was never clear for any of us in Kentucky why it is that in baseball, basketball and softball for starters, the winner and the loser of the district championship games both advance to the regional tournament.
At least in baseball, which is so dependent on pitching and probably should use a two-and-out format of some kind the way they do in the NCAA, there’s some justification. But basketball and softball? You lose and you get to keep playing the next week. It’s been like that forever, apparently, for the KHSAA. Can’t remember a time when it wasn’t this way.
And even in baseball, there’s this possibility: You beat a team in the regular season. You beat them again in the district finals. And then they beat you the third time you play in the regional finals (same district teams play in opposite brackets) and despite a 1-2 record against you, they advance to the state tournament, and you stay home.
Doesn’t happen much. But it does happen. Not sure why. And only in Kentucky.
Although based on most of the district championship scores, that’s not all that likely. Especially if Campbell County’s Camels get to go with the hitting/pitching combo of Tyler Schumacher against Scott again. The 25-10-1 Camels had beaten Scott 2-1 in the regular season before Monday’s 11-1 district walkover in five innings keyed by the junior Schumacher’s three-for-three, two home run, six RBI, day while striking out 10 in a three-hitter allowing one run.
For the season, Schumacher is 6-0 with a 1.02 ERA while hitting .458 with 44 base hits, 30 RBI and four home runs, all totals that have him among the state’s leaders. Not a bad year for the Camels as they head on to the 10th Region Tournament starting next Monday where they’ll be at home in Alexandria.
Region baseball/softball hosted here
While the Camels will play in Alexandria, it will be at their rival Bishop Brossart’s ball field, where the Mustangs will host the far-flung region. In fact, all three KHSAA regionals with Northern Kentucky teams will be played here – two of them at Thomas More Stadium in Florence.
The Eighth Region, where Simon Kenton and Walton-Verona are finalists in the 32nd District, opens Sunday with Simon Kenton as the host school. The draw is Friday.
The Ninth Region, with Conner as the host school, opens Monday at the home of the Florence Y’alls. The draw is Saturday.
In softball, both the Ninth and 10th Region are here with Highlands hosting the Ninth beginning Sunday at Thomas More Softball Field in Crestview Hills while Pendleton County will host the 10th Region in Falmouth starting Monday. The Eighth Region will be played at Oldham County in LaGrange starting Sunday.
Spring not all that kind to NKY college baseball/softball
With a 30-23 record (18-12 in the Horizon League), the NKU baseball Norse await their opponent in Thursday’s opening round of the Horizon postseason tournament at Wright State in Dayton. With a win over Indiana of the Big Ten and losses to Louisville of the ACC and Tennessee and Kentucky in the SEC, the Norse will need a tournament title this week to return to the NCAA Tournament like last year’s team.
The Norse women’s softball team finished 22-27 with a pair of losses in the Horizon League Tournament to end their season the first week in May. The Lady Norse finished fifth in the Horizon with a 12-10 league record. Pitcher Kyndall Ford led NKU with a 6-7 record and a 4.10 ERA.
Thomas More baseball struggled to a 16-30 season (9-20 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference). First year shortstop Miguel Correa Jr. (Avon, Ind.) led the Saints, earning a first-team All-Conference selection, the first time a TMU athlete has done so in the G-MAC. TMU finished fifth in the six-team South Division, not high enough to earn a spot in the postseason tournament.
The Thomas More women’s softball team finished 21-25 (9-15 in the G-MAC) good for ninth in the 13-team G-MAC, not good enough to earn a spot in the postseason tournament.
May NKSHOF inductions Wednesday
In the final monthly get-together before the annual summer break, the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame will induct five new members Wednesday at 1 p.m. at The Arbors, Park Hills. They are: Robert “Corky” Hurst, Covington Holmes, basketball; Debbie Reed Keefe, Highlands, swimming; Don Weaver, Ludlow, football/track/coach/umpire; Hershel Turner, Campbell County/UK/St. Louis Cardinals, football; Trevor Read, Lloyd, tennis. The public is invited. There is no charge.
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @dweber3440.