SIDELINES

Perrysburg tops among area baseball teams in latest state rankings

5/10/2013

Four area teams are ranked among the top 10 in their respective divisions in the latest state baseball coaches poll.

In Division I, Northern Lakes League leader Perrysburg (18-1, 8-0) is ranked No. 4, and Three Rivers Athletic Conference leader St. Francis de Sales (19-1, 7-0) is ranked No. 6.

In Division II, Wauseon (15-3) is ranked No. 7, and in Division III, Liberty-Benton is ranked No. 6.

Perrysburg stayed unbeaten in the NLL by edging Bowling Green 2-1 in eight innings on Monday.

St. Francis stayed perfect in the TRAC by beating St. John’s Jesuit 5-2 on Monday, and last Friday survived a pitcher’s duel for the ages.

The Knights and visiting Clay were scoreless after 12 innings before the Eagles broke through for a run in the top of the 13th. St. Francis then rallied for two runs to win it in the bottom of the 13th.

Sectional tournament draws were held Sunday, and the state-ranked teams know who they face.

Perrysburg, which received a first-round bye, will face the Fremont Ross/Lima Senior winner in a sectional final at Carter Park in Bowling Green next Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

St. Francis also drew a bye and will open with a sectional final against the Northview/Rogers winner at Central Catholic’s Mercy Field at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Wauseon drew a first-round bye and will take on the Bowling Green/Bryan winner at Defiance at 7 p.m. May 17. Liberty-Benton drew a bye and will face the Ottawa-Glandorf/Wayne Trace winner at Patrick Henry on Wednesday at 5 p.m.