Playoff Report:
Cooperstown gets
top seeds, Section IV
limits tournament size
STAFF REPORT • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
Cooperstown earned top seeds in Section III Class C baseball and softball tournaments and will host home games throughout the week.
Spring playoff brackets were released Sunday, June 6, for baseball and softball, with the Hawkeyes holding down top local honors.
Cooperstown baseball (11-1) tops the C-1 tournament and has a first-round bye Monday. The Hawkeyes will host the winner of Monday’s South Lewis vs. Westmoreland game at 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 8 at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.
Class C is divided into two tournaments, because of the large number of eligible teams. West Canada Valley, which gave Cooperstown its only loss of the season, 6-3 on May 19, tops the C-2 bracket, giving both Center State Conference teams a shot at a section title this year. No. 2 Thousand Island, No. 3. Port Byron and No. 4 Pulaski are the other top seeds in Cooperstown’s bracket.
The baseball semifinals are scheduled to be played Thursday, June 10, with the title games at noon, Saturday, June 12. Section III has issued a preliminary ruling that all games with be played at the higher seed’s field, so Cooperstown could host games all week.
Cooperstown’s softball team also got the top seed and the opportunity to host games all week. There is one Class C tournament in softball, with Cooperstown (10-1) hosting No. 16 seed Weedsport at 5 p.m., Monday, June 7, at Cooperstown Central School. The winner would play the Waterville at Oriskany winner Tuesday.
Quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, semifinals Thursday and the finals Saturday.
No. 2 Thousand Islands, No. 3 Pulaski and No. 4 Sandy Creek round out the top softball seeds.
ONEONTA
Although Section IV is limited playoff to the top eight teams in each bracket, Oneonta made the cut in baseball and softball.
In baseball, Oneonta (7-7) received a No. 6 seed and will open at No. 3 Susquehanna Valley (8-6) at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, with the finals Saturday. Section IV will also forgo neutral-site games and play all playoff games at the home of the higher seeded team.
In softball, Oneonta (5-7) is the eight seed and begins the playoffs 5 p.m., Monday at top seeded Chenango Valley (9-3). Semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the finals Friday.
UNATEGO
Unatego got a high seed in baseball, but missed the cut in the eight-team softball field.
Unatego (9-1) is the three seed in the Section IV Class C baseball tournament. The Spartans are scheduled to host No. 6 Union Springs (7-3) at 5 p.m., Tuesday.
Semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, with the finals Saturday.
TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE
The TVL was well represented in the Section IV Class D baseball and softball tournaments.
In baseball, Tri-Valley champion Edmeston (9-0) is a two seed and hosts No. 7 Marathon (3-7) at 5 p.m., Tuesday.
TVL runner-up, the combined team of Cherry Valley-Springfield and Sharon Springs (6-4), is a six seed and will begin the playoffs at No. 3 Charlotte Valley at 5 p.m., Tuesday.
No. 8 Schenevus (5-3) rounds out the tournament and begins with a game at top seed South Kortright (9-0) at 5 p.m., Tuesday.
Semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, with the finals Saturday.
In softball, TVL finalists Schenevus and Worcester could meet in the second round of the tournament.
Schenevus (9-0) is the No. 2 seed and hosts No. 7 Morris (6-4) at 5 p.m., Monday.
Worcester (8-1) is the No. 3 seed and hosts No. 6 Afton (5-5) at 5 p.m. Monday.
If both teams win, they would be scheduled to play Wednesday in Schenevus. The TVL softball title game was postponed by rain and muddy fields and has not been rescheduled, yet. The Dragons won the regular-season meeting.
No. 8 Richfield Springs rounds out the tournament field and begins with a game at top seed Roxbury (11-0).
Semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the finals Friday.