SIDELINES NOTEBOOK

Perrysburg baseball coach Hall gains 500th victory

Perrysburg baseball coach Dave Hall

The Blade/Jeremy wadsworth
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Perrysburg baseball coach Dave Hall

Perrysburg baseball coach Dave Hall picked up his 500th career win Saturday as the Yellow Jackets took an 8-1 victory over Findlay in a Division I sectional semifinal at Carter Park in Bowling Green.

Hall (500-274), who is in his 27th season at Perrysburg, has guided the Jackets to six Northern Lakes League titles and two trips to the state tournament.

"It's nice to have, no question," Hall said of reaching the milestone. "But, going into the game Saturday all we wanted to do is win that tournament game.

"I didn't care if it was the first one, the 10th one, or that [500th] one. We've been struggling [12-7 record] and I really can't remember the last time we lost our first tournament game. That was the most important objective, and the kids played really well. That was the best game we've played all year."

Last season, Perrysburg claimed the NLL crown with a 13-1 league record and advanced to the state championship game before falling 6-2 to Liberty Township Lakota East to finish 26-4. Hall's 2003 team advanced to the state semifinals before bowing out.

"It's sort of nice to reflect and think about all the people that made this possible," Hall said. "From my team back in 1986 when I started here, to all my assistant coaches. I've really been blessed with some great coaches.

"I've been associated with players and coaches who have bought into our system, and we've been successful because of the people I've been associated with. "It's more about the people you're associated with than what you did. You just sort of direct a program, and people have to buy in and work hard."

Hall said he received numerous notes congratulating him.

"Facebook is sort of nice because just about every player you've ever coached seems to be on there now," Hall said. "I got some comments from some guys back for the 1986, 1987, 1988 teams, and the more recent teams.

BASEBALL

CL, TRAC playoffs ahead

The City League playoffs are set for May 21-22 for the four teams that qualify.

Semifinal games at 5 p.m. May 21 will have the No. 4 seed playing at the home field of the No. 1 seed, and the No. 3 seed playing at the home field of the No. 2 seed.

Bowman Park will be the site of the CL junior varsity final at 5 p.m. May 22, followed by the varsity title game at 7:30.

The Three Rivers Athletic Conference will also use a playoff format to determine its champion.

That event is scheduled to begin May 22 at the home fields of four teams and continues May 25-28 at Mercy Field at the CYO Athletic Complex on Holland-Sylvania Road.

Consolation games will be held there on May 25 and 27, the winner's bracket semifinals will be May 26, and the championship game is set for May 28.

Times for the games are to be determined.

AW ranked No. 4

In the Division I baseball poll, Northern Lakes League preseason favorite and leader Anthony Wayne (19-1) is ranked No. 4.

Lake (18-3), the preseason Northern Buckeye Conference favorite and leader, holds down the No. 9 spot in Division III.

The top-ranked teams are Grove City (19-2) in D-I, Defiance (20-1) in D-II, Ontario (21-0) in D-III, and Hopewell-Loudon (19-1) in D-IV.

SOFTBALL

CL playoffs dates

The City League softball playoffs will be held Tuesday and Wednesday at Scott Park.

The No. 4 seed will face the No. 1 seed, and the No. 3 seed will face the No. 2 seed, both on May 15 at 6 p.m.

The championship game is set for May 16 at 6 p.m.

Blue Devils at No. 6

Preseason NLL favorite and league leader Springfield is rated No. 6 in Ohio in Division I.

The top-ranked teams this week are North Canton Hoover (D-I), LaGrange Keystone (D-II), Liberty Union in (D-III), and Tuscarawas Central Catholic (D-IV).

Contact Steve Junga at: sjunga@theblade.com 419-724-6461, or on Twitter @JungaBlade.