Postseason baseball is underway as the Crest Lancers, the Yates Center Wildcats and the Marmaton Valley Wildcats open their respective regional tournaments Wednesday while the Iola Mustangs and Humboldt Cubs open postseason play Thursday.
After getting on the right side of the win column Monday, the Lancers (15-9) open their regional tournament at Central Heights High School in Richmond against Chase County (8-16). If they win, they could face another local team in Yates Center (2-20), who takes on the second seed Waverly-Lebo Wolfdogs (12-6). Both games are Monday.
Marmaton Valley, the No. 2 seed, will host its regional. The Wildcats (14-8) open the season against Three Rivers League rival the Erie Red Devils (7-15). The Wildcats split their previous series with the Red Devils, winning game one 4-3 but dropping the second game 16-15. If successful, the Wildcats face either No. 4 seed Southeast or No. 5 seed Northeast. The Wildcats previously swept Northeast 11-9 and 15-14, but have not faced Southeast this season.
In 3A action, Iola enters its regional as the No. 5 seed and facing No. 4 seed Anderson County at 5 p.m. Thursday in Garnett. The Mustangs swept the Bulldogs earlier this season, but the 5-3, 12-8 victories were closer than they seemed on the scoreboard. Should Iola advance, they will likely face No. 1 seed Humboldt (20-4), who faces Prairie View (2-18) at 5 p.m. Thursday in Humboldt.
If the Cubs fall to Prairie View, then it may mean smooth sailing for the Mustangs, who previously defeated the Buffalos in a 14-4, 18-2 sweep.
The Mustangs and Cubs have not faced off this season, but with both teams sharing close friends and being future American Legion teammates, should they advance to the semifinals, the Tuesday semifinal game will be a bitter ending for one of them.
