Rachel Crader is the editor of semoball.com. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in May of 2009 before spending the summer covering the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Highlights from Rachel's days in college include having a class down the hall from Chase Daniel and having NCAA wrestling champion Ben Askren hold the door open for her at Brady Commons, Mizzou's student center. She spent time covering Mizzou basketball, softball and baseball while working for the Columbia Missourian and is excited to return home to Southeast Missouri to cover local sports for semoball.com.

Rachel has covered three Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournaments for the Southeast Missourian and semoball.com, and she'll see you courtside again this year.

Baseball sectional matchups taking shape

Posted Thursday, May 20, 2010, at 12:18 AM

It's a little too early to post the state playoff brackets for baseball since pretty much the only tournaments that are completed are in Southeast Missourian, but I thought I'd summarize what we do know about the sectional round. I'll post schedules when they are finalized.

Class 1 (Games will be played on Monday. Times TBA.)

District 1 champion Cooter vs. District 2 champion Chaffee

District 3 champion Oak Ridge vs. District 4 champion Winona

Cooter is the only top seed to advance in the quadrant. Chaffee, Oak Ridge and Winona were all No. 2 seeds. I admittedly don't know much about Winona's district, but I would think that Chaffee is the biggest surprise here. The Red Devils knocked off Bernie at home.

There doesn't seem to be a clear favorite that jumps off the page at this point, though I would think Cooter's experience counts for something. Feel free to set me straight if I'm wrong.

Class 2 (Games played on Monday.)

District 1 champion Twin Rivers vs. District 2 champion Clearwater

District 3 champion Scott City/Charleston vs. District 4 champion

We don't have winners in Distrcit 3 or 4 yet, but we know that Twin Rivers will enter it's game with Clearwater as an underdog. Somebody tell me what will need to go right for the Royals for them to pull off the upset.

Class 3 (Games played on Tuesday.)

District 1 champion Notre Dame vs. District 2 champion

Let's just pencil in ND as the favorite now...

Class 4 (Games played on Tuesday.)

District 1 champion Jackson vs. District 2 champion Washington/Pacific

The Indians, surprise winners as the No. 4 seed, don't know who they'll face just yet, but we do know that top-seeded Eureka has been eliminated by No. 5 seed Washington in District 2. Washington will face No. 2 seed Pacific in the championship game on Thursday.

Who do you think we'll see in Springfield for the final four?

Comments

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One thought . . . Twin Rivers can beat Clearwater. They have done it before. They are in the same conference and they know a great deal about each other. Yes, Clearwater is the favorite. But it is always harder to beat teams in your own division in the MLB playoffs. It is also harder to beat teams in your own conference in the state playoffs. Twin Rivers beat Clearwater in the fall.

The Notre Dame / Potosi game has the potential to be very exciting if it materializes. I think Potosi is ranked No. 4 in the state.

I don't know a great deal about Class 4. I've been impressed by Jackson. The winner of Jackson's district advanced past the state sectionals last year. History repeats itself my friends.

Cooter may be the favorite in Class 1. But keep this in mind . . . Cooter and Chaffee are going to use everything they have to try to beat each other. We don't know if Oak Ridge will have to use all of their best pitchers to get past Winona. I think this make the playing field pretty even. I'm not convinced Cooter is a better team than Chaffee or Chaffee is a better team than Cooter. I think both are very equal.

-- Posted by drawmules on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 12:38 AM
Draw

You have to remember though that Clearwater 10 runned them just last week.

-- Posted by RainmanC2010 on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 12:57 AM
RainmanC2010

I believe Clearwater is the favorite. But I think it could be a competitive game.

I have a problem. I want to watch Clearwater play Twin Rivers, Oak Ridge play Winona and Cooter play Chaffee on Monday. I need to be three places at once. I'll probably go to the Chaffee / Cooter game. I think it has the best chance of being really close. But I think all of the state sectional games could be really close.

-- Posted by drawmules on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 1:07 AM
The Clearwater/Twin Rivers game is also at Clearwater.

-- Posted by RainmanC2010 on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 1:08 AM
draw

It sure seems you are taking the shortest drive LOL. Come on take a scenic drive to the big town of Winona.Its supposed to be 85 degrees you could drive to Van Buren take a short float trip early in the mobning and still make the game. You haven't had a vacation since the end of the basketball season LOL

-- Posted by oak ridge fan on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 7:24 AM
what does boone watkins and edwards have and how hard do they throw and are the all righties or is one a lefty.

-- Posted by LeeSummitBooster on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 12:35 PM
what does boone watkins and edwards have and how hard do they throw and are the all righties or is one a lefty.

-- Posted by LeeSummitBooster on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 12:36 PM
what does boone watkins and edwards have and how hard do they throw and are the all righties or is one a lefty.

-- Posted by LeeSummitBooster on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 12:37 PM
They are all righties. Out of respect to macbaseball I'm not going to give you scouting report on them LOL.

-- Posted by drawmules on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 1:48 PM
Our coach and mac baseball have spoke before I believe he would tell him

in a heartbeat. Hey cooter we have David a lefty that throws semi hard, Dooley righty who when on throws around 80

-- Posted by LeeSummitBooster on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 2:49 PM
Cooter/Chaffee is at 4:00 Monday at Chaffee.

We respect any team we play and the game. We are humble in our performance and know that somedays you are going to hit it at someone and somedays your going to get some dinks. The mark of a good team is pitching and defensive consistency and that's what we strive for.

For RainmanC2010, The Cooter-Clearwater score was 6-1. The Tigers hit 2 homeruns for 4 of the runs so it was not a total blowout.

-- Posted by mac baseball on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 4:59 PM
Cooter vs. Chaffee game is at 4pm on Monday at Chaffee.

Interesting that the top 3 teams in the latest Class 1 state rankings lost in districts. In all 4 of top 10 are out with 4 more teams (per information on MSHSAA website) still playing. How many more will be gone?

As far as Chaffee being a surprise team, yea probably but, not totally. Chaffee and Bernie have now played 3 games in the last 2 years against each other and all 3 have been 1 run games. I realize everything went Chaffee's way yesterday but the team still had to execute and they did. Also keep in mind, Chaffee had their #3 pitcher on the mound and Bernie had their ace.

I don't know what Cooter has but I know they are a good team. At this point, I don't think it really matters to the Chaffee team. They were not expected to be here so they have nothing to lose and that's how I expect them to play. As a result they could be very dangerous. At least they are peaking at the right time.

-- Posted by deadred on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 5:08 PM
The Chaffee / Cooter game is the game I will attend on Monday. Oak Ridge fan I ensure you distance has nothing to do with the decision. I am attending this game because I believe the Cooter / Chaffee game has the best chance of being close on Monday. The team that plays the best on Monday will win. I do not believe either team has a significant advantage.

-- Posted by drawmules on Thu, May 20, 2010, at 8:13 PM
Drawmules, I'll be attending the game as well. I'll have the best parking spot in the house; my mother-in-law lives directly across the street from the Chaffee baseball field. You can see the third-base dugout from her living room.

If you'd like to meet, you can text me at (573) 382-2830 and let me know. I'll let you know what I'm wearing so we can meet and talk baseball.

-- Posted by gianthook on Sun, May 23, 2010, at 8:53 PM
Finally we have the ability to go to one website (MSHSAA) and see the records and brackets of every class now. My pick to win Class 2 (Eugene) looks like they got bounced!

I see New Bloomfield in there once again. Is it just me, or does it seem like they are always advancing into regionals and sectionals? You can never count them out, a very tradition rich baseball program.

Potosi looks like they have the 2nd best record in the remaining Class 3 schools, sure to provide a true test to the Dogs, especially on home field. Who will pitch for ND, Hiett or Young? Potosi clobbered their way through district, winning both games with double digits and 10 run ruling them both.

I call this one a coin toss. And the old phrase about wanting to be the 'hunter' or the 'hunted?' Well Potosi is certainly the hunter, anxious to exact revenge from last year's narrow 3-2 loss to ND.

I like Cooter over Chaffee in a low scoring tight game.

And Scott City/Crystal City..... Hmmmm, I guess I don't know enough about who will be pitching to make a call on this one, but for what it's worth, I'll go with Scott City in a tight one.

Pacific/Jackson? On records alone it is an obvious choice, but that is the thing with Jackson this year. They are a very unassuming team, nothing super intimidating about them, but very well coached and solid players. Tough conference schedule all season prepared them well. I think they have that little intangible, something extra to take them past Pacific and to the next round.

-- Posted by GreatFun on Mon, May 24, 2010, at 10:42 AM
I should have done some due diligence on Pacific before I made that call on Jackson beating them. I would like to see their schedule. They are just barely outside the St. Louis metro area, not far past Eureka, so one could possibly assume that they play some STL area heavyweights, and if so,that is one heck of a record that they are sporting! But that is just an assumption, and we all know what they say about assumptions :o)

-- Posted by GreatFun on Mon, May 24, 2010, at 10:46 AM
Pacific has an impressive record. They haven't played too many heavyweights this year though. But they are going to throw their ace Schimsa against Jackson today and he is very hard to hit. Not to mention he has plenty of pop in his bat and plays a mean 3rd base when called upon.

-- Posted by Showstopper on Tue, May 25, 2010, at 1:12 PM
Last time I checked, ND was kicking their Potosi pals 6-0 in the 5th ....Colton Young was cruising and Jimmy Obermark and Jake Pewitt were smacking the ball around....a huge 2nd inning, ...a 5 run inning, took the wind out of Potosi's sails....

ND seems to be back on track to get to the final 4 in Springfiled.....but,have that little game in St Louis to get past first.

-- Posted by Headhunt on Tue, May 25, 2010, at 6:55 PM
DuBourg beat Trinity 13-3 and will host ND. They are GOOD.

The top two ranked class 4 teams butted heads and Columbia RockBridge came out on top 3-2 I believe.

-- Posted by GreatFun on Tue, May 25, 2010, at 8:18 PM
Pacific beat Jackson 2-1 in walkoff fashion. Schimsa came through with a solo bomb and went the full 7 innings for the win. Great game by both teams today.

-- Posted by Showstopper on Tue, May 25, 2010, at 10:21 PM

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