IHSAA Baseball: What to watch at the Bloomington area sectionals

The road to Victory Field in Indianapolis, site of the IHSAA state baseball finals, begins for the state's squads on Wednesday.

Here's a look at the three Bloomington area sectionals with regional locations and assignments revealed after the finals. Southern sites are Park Tudor, Mooresville, Morristown, Loogootee, Jasper, Floyd Central, Mitchell and Southridge:

Class 4A at Bloomington North

SCHEDULE — Wednesday: Greenwood (12-12) vs. Mooresville (25-2), 6 p.m.; Martinsville (3-22) vs. Bloomington North (7-16), 8 p.m. Monday: Greenwood/Mooresville winner vs. Martinsville/Bloomington North winner, 10 a.m.; Center Grove (25-2) vs. Bloomington South (14-7-1), noon. Championship, 7 p.m.

OUTLOOK — No. 1 Center Grove and No. 3 Mooresville are set on a collision course in the finals again this year, but it didn't work that way last year as opening day saw Greenwood knock off North and Martinsville trip the Pioneers. Martinsville would love to pull off what the basketball team did in upsetting South in the semifinals. North swept them in a doubleheader, 7-4 and 17-3 while facing both of their top arms, Jaxton Proctor (0-4, 41K) and Rhys Wolf (2-2, 46K). The Cougars have ace Cole Grupenhoff in hand and maybe Caden McCoy if he's healthy enough to go. The Arties have bookended their regular season with two of their three wins. Alex Kush is their top hitter (.405, 8 RBI, 3 HR). Greenwood's top arms again this year are Logan Connor (5-1, 2.86, 43K) and Micah Vassely (1-3, 4.55), who has sharp outings vs. Plainfield and Perry Meridian, but was hit hard by Mooresville and Franklin. Mooresville is led by IU recruit Hogan Denny (.450, 7 HR, 35 RBI, .870 slug) who is also the closer (2-0) with eight saves and a 0.72 ERA. The starting staff has some impressive numbers, too: Brendan Oliver (7-0, 1.67), Hudson DeVaughan (5-0, 1.50) and Brady Chambers (4-1, 3.75). Center Grove has seven batters with 20 or more RBI and has hit 19 homers as a team. Nolan Coy (.462, 25 RBI), Carson Bush (.435, 23 RBI) and AJ Beggs (.390, 5 HR, 10 doubles, 32 RBI) lead the attack. Top arms are Kellen Thompson (7-1, 1.95, 42K), Kobe Cherry (6-0, 2.51, 40K) and Kyle Boots (3-1, 3.50). That said, the Panthers and its revamped young pitching staff should be prepared having played most of the teams ranked in the top 10 this year, including a matchup with Mooresville on Monday.

ADVANCEMENT — Will play Shelbyville Sectional winner at regional.

Class 3A at Edgewood

SCHEDULE — Wednesday: West Vigo (14-10) vs. Northview (14-8-1), 5:30 p.m.; Owen Valley (6-10) vs. Indian Creek (15-4), 7:30 p.m. Thursday: West Vigo/Northview winner vs. Owen Valley/Indian Creek winner, 5:30 p.m.; Edgewood (17-5) vs. South Vermillion (9-15), 7:30 p.m. Monday: Championship, 11 a.m.

OUTLOOK — The draw was certainly favorable to the Mustangs, who won't have to put its pitching through back-to-back nights and all its arms will be available for the title game if they get there. Late in the season, South Vermillion lost to Terre Haute South (13-2) and West Vigo (18-0) but did play Danville close while being swept in a doubleheader. The Wildcats top hitters are Bryson Lemmons (.431, 25 RBI) and Parker Weir (.412, 4 HR, 9 RBI), who is also a top arm (3-1, 1.91) with John Smith (2-3, 3.35). OV has dropped five of its last six and lost 17-1 to the Braves in their WIC meeting. IC was listed at No. 9 in this week's coaches poll, even after coming into the postseason on the heels of three whippings by Edgewood (15-6), Plainfield (10-0) and Whiteland (12-2). Brock Bragg (.429, 14 RBI, 2 HR), Carter Modlin (.380, 2 HR, 15 RBI) lead the offense. Modlin also brings in an 0.26 ERA while Bryce Turner (2.05, 31 K) is another strong arm. Northview is led by ace Caden Schrader (5-1 1.25, 64 K), who shut down the Vikings in their regular season meeting, 2-1. Peyton Lear (.361, 22 RBI), Trey Eldridge (4-1, 3.86) and Brayden Kreiger (3-1, 2.85) are the Knights' other top talent.

ADVANCEMENT — Winner plays the Danville Sectional champion at regional.

Class 2A at Sullivan

SCHEDULE — Wednesday: Eastern Greene (14-8) vs. Linton (9-9), 5:30 p.m.; South Knox (14-10) vs. North Knox (8-15), 7:30 p.m. Monday: Eastern Greene/Linton winner vs. South Knox/North Knox winner, 11 a.m.; Mitchell (17-6) vs. Sullivan, 11-13-1), 1 p.m. Championship, 7 p.m.

OUTLOOK — Eastern Greene has had a breakout regular season and is hoping to turn that into postseason success as well, but finished up 2-5. Up first is a tough rematch with Linton, which did not use ace Brayden Husband (2-3, 2.00), who is also the Miners leading hitter at .326, in the SWIAC game the T-Birds won behind Will Inman. Eastern whipped both South and North Knox in the regular season, but would likely see some different arms in any possible semifinal meeting. Mitchell has been in the top-10 much of the season and has plenty of arms to make a run, starting with Ben Seitzinger (7-0, 0.75, 86 K) and Simon Gaines (3-2, 1.66, 47K, 3 saves). Gaines also leads the Jackets in hitting at .488 with two homers, 12 doubles and 22 RBI. AJ Sarver (.437, 19 RBI) and Ethan Turner (.408, 21 RBI) are in a group of eight Mitchell batters with 14 or more runs driven in this season. Sullivan has gone through growing pains with a freshman/sophomore led lineup. Frosh Hunter Mason (.361, 14 RBI; 2-1, 2.69 ERA) and sophomores Ty Hamilton (3-3, 3.68, 63 K) and Jaden Norris (1-3, 4.10) and senior Will Brooks (1-5, 3.38, 57 K) lead the rotation.

ADVENCEMENT — Winner plays the South Spencer Sectional champion at regional.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: What to watch at the Bloomington area's IHSAA baseball sectionals