Prep Baseball- The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released the brackets for Class 3A and Class 4A. The brackets for Classes 1A and 2A were released last week. Here’s our local matchups and a bit of insight into the contests. The first round is July 12th at 7 pm with the semifinals taking place on July 15th.
Class 3A
The Southeast Conference runs Substate 5 with five of the six clubs competing in this bracket with two conference matchups to kick off the postseason.
At the top of the bracket, Washington will have to make a road trip to #6 Central DeWitt. The Sabers are the top seeded team for the Substate, but the Demons are no stranger to pulling off an upset with a conference victory over Fairfield midway through the season.
Players to Watch: Caleb Zieglowsky (Washington) and Jacob Maher (Central DeWitt)
The winner of that contest will face off against the winner between Fort Madison and Mt. Pleasant with the Panthers acting as host. Mt. Pleasant has won the past three matchups against the Bloodhounds by a combined score of 36 to 3 at Mapleleaf.
Players to Watch: Ben Newton (Mt. Pleasant) and Luke Hellige (Fort Madison)
On the bottom half of the bracket, Assumption will host Davis County at Iowa City High with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
Waiting for them in the semifinals will be either Fairfield or Keokuk as the Trojans will host the Chiefs in the first round. Of their last 10 matchups, Fairfield is 8-2, including a five-game winning streak over the Chiefs with a run differential of +34.
Players to Watch: Brenton Hoard (Keokuk) and Dain Burkhart (Fairfield)
Class 4A
The last of our local teams will be in Substate 8 with Burlington taking on #10 Davenport North in a road matchup. The series has been even between these two schools with the largest deficit in the past five games being four runs.
Unfortunately, that loss came this year against the Grayhounds, 6-2, after they had won the previous four matchups.
Players to Watch: Christos Kantzavelos (Burlington) and Brandon Bea (Davenport North)
If you would like to see the matchups for Class 1A and Class 2A, then follow this link: Classes 1A and 2A Postseason Brackets