NKY regional baseball tournament pairings
Winners advance to the state tournament June 2-7 at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington.
Eighth REGION
Where: Henry County High School, New Castle
Monday's upper-bracket quarterfinals: South Oldham (19-9) vs. Anderson County (15-13), 10 a.m.; Carroll County (20-12) vs. Grant County (14-19), 12:30 p.m.
Monday's lower-bracket quarterfinals: Simon Kenton (19-16) vs. Owen County (14-16), 3 p.m.; Collins (27-3) vs. North Oldham (14-14), 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday's semifinals: Upper bracket winners, 6 p.m.; lower bracket winners, 8 p.m.
Wednesday's final: 6:30 p.m.
What to expect: Collins is clearly the team to beat. It was No. 5 in the most recent Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches' Association top 25 poll and went 11-1 against regional opponents, with the lone loss coming to quarterfinal foe North Oldham 12-2. Collins is allowing just 2.2 runs per game and held 20 opponents to two runs or less. Simon Kenton has the talent to push Collins in a likely semifinal matchup.
Ninth REGION
Where: Florence Freedom's UC Health Stadium
Monday's upper-bracket quarterfinals: Covington Catholic (32-6) vs. St. Henry (13-21), 10 a.m.; Conner (22-9) vs. Bellevue (15-17), 1 p.m.
Monday's lower-bracket quarterfinals: Highlands (20-17) vs. Beechwood (25-11), 4 p.m.; Dixie Heights (28-3) vs. Boone County (18-5), 7 p.m.
Tuesday's semifinals: Upper bracket winners, 5 p.m.; lower bracket winners, 8 p.m.
Wednesday's final: 7 p.m.
What to expect: This tournament is extremely wide open and will likely depend on pitching depth. Dixie probably has the most, but it will face one of the region's top pitchers, senior Trey Ganns, Monday against Boone County. None of the four teams from the bottom bracket would be a surprise champion. CovCath and Conner are the top two teams in the upper bracket. CovCath has an outstanding lineup, while Conner has a talented 1-2 pitching punch in senior Cameron Ross and junior Blaise Ostertag.
10th REGION
Where: Harrison County High School, Cynthiana
Monday's upper-bracket quarterfinals: Scott (22-14) vs. Montgomery County (13-18), 5:30 p.m.; Harrison County (24-11) vs. St. Patrick (3-14), 10 a.m.
Monday's lower-bracket quarterfinals: Mason County (20-7) vs. Nicholas County (14-17), 12:30 p.m.;Bourbon County (31-3) vs. Bishop Brossart (15-18), 3 p.m.
Tuesday's semifinals: Upper bracket winners, 5:45 p.m.; lower bracket winners, 8 p.m.
Wednesday's final: 6:30 p.m.
What to expect: Harrison County has been the perennial power of this region, but Bourbon County is perhaps the team to beat this season. Bourbon County is ranked No. 21 in the state coaches' poll and went 18-1 against regional opponents, but its lone loss came to Harrison County, 3-2. Bourbon County allowed just 1.4 runs per game, but will face a tough pitcher in the quarterfinals in Brossart senior Nate Verst. Scott has the talent to push Harrison County in a likely semifinal matchup.
Regional softball tournaments
Winners advance to the state tournament June 5-7 at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro.
EIGHTH REGION
Where: Gallatin County High School, Warsaw
Monday's upper-bracket quarterfinals: Oldham County (21-11) vs. Collins (18-19), 10 a.m.; Gallatin County (19-3) vs. Grant County (6-21), noon.
Monday's lower-bracket quarterfinals: Anderson County (24-8) vs. North Oldham (15-16), 2 p.m.; Walton-Verona (23-9) vs. Henry County (14-16), 4 p.m.
Tuesday's semifinals: Upper bracket winners, 6 p.m.; lower bracket winners, 8 p.m.
Wednesday's final: 7 p.m.
What to expect: Anderson County and Oldham County are the top teams in each of their respective brackets and each finished the season ranked in the state coaches' poll, Anderson County at No. 18 and Oldham County at No. 22. Anderson County went 13-0 against regional foes, but didn't play Oldham County, which is seeking a third straight regional title. Walton-Verona has a chance to win the title thanks to standout pitcher Kayla Thacker, while Gallatin County also has a chance.
NINTH REGION
Where: Northern Kentucky University
Monday's upper-bracket quarterfinals: Conner (19-15) vs. Newport Central Catholic (18-10), 11 a.m.; Notre Dame (23-5) vs. St. Henry (11-16), 1 p.m.
Monday's lower-bracket quarterfinals: Dixie Heights (12-10) vs. Boone County (20-7), 3 p.m.; Highlands (23-11) vs. Holy Cross (13-19), 5 p.m.
Tuesday's semifinals: Upper bracket winners, 4:30 p.m.; lower bracket winners, 6 p.m.
Thursday's final: 5:30 p.m.
What to expect: Defending champion Notre Dame went 15-1 against Ninth Region opponents. Its lone loss came to likely semifinal foe Conner, 8-5 on May 3, although it bounced back from that loss by beating Conner 11-5 on May 6. Notre Dame averaged 10.6 runs against teams in the regional tournament and beat each of the other seven at least once. Even though Boone County lost in the 33rd District final to Conner it is probably the top team in the bottom bracket as it beat likely semifinal foe Highlands twice, 6-3 and 10-3.
10th REGION
Where: Scott High School, Taylor Mill
Monday's upper-bracket quarterfinals: Mason County (10-14) vs. Nicholas County (13-16), 11 a.m.; Bishop Brossart (20-15) vs. George Rogers Clark (26-12), 1 p.m.
Monday's lower-bracket quarterfinals: Bourbon County (23-12) vs. Campbell County (11-13), 3 p.m.; Harrison County (17-15) vs. Bracken County (17-12), 5 p.m.
Tuesday's semifinals: Upper bracket winners, 6 p.m.; lower bracket winners, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday's final: Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
What to expect: Bourbon County went 18-0 against regional opponents, including an 8-4 win over quarterfinal foe Campbell County, a 4-0 win over possible semifinal foe Bracken County and wins over each of the four teams in the upper bracket. The winner of Monday's Brossart/George Rogers Clark game likely will reach the final. They didn't face each other in the regular season.