Western, Eastern Set for Regional Championship Showdowns
Championship Saturday has arrived, and two Howard County baseball teams are one win away from earning a trip to the IHSAA semistate. Class 3A No. 3 Western and Eastern (Greentown) will each take the field Saturday afternoon with regional championships on the line after advancing through sectional play last week.
Western will face Class 3A No. 5 DeKalb in the Class 3A Regional at Logansport, while Eastern takes on Class 2A No. 2 Eastbrook in the Class 2A Regional at Kokomo Municipal Stadium. Both teams enter the weekend riding momentum from sectional title runs and will look to continue their postseason success with a spot in the next round at stake.
All rankings referenced in this article are from the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association poll.
Class 3A No. 3 Western (26-2) vs Class 3A No. 5 DeKalb (20-4)
How Western & DeKalb Got Here
Western
Def. Twin Lakes, 9-8 (12 innings)
Def. Northwestern, 12-2 (5 innings)
Def. West Lafayette, 9-5
DeKalb
Def. Garrett, 6-0
Def. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, 5-4 (9 innings)
Def. Angola, 10-5
Class 3A No. 3 Western enters Saturday's regional championship as one of the hottest teams in the state. The Panthers rolled through the Logansport Sectional, highlighted by a 12-2 win over Northwestern in the semifinal, and have continued to show why they've been ranked among Indiana's top teams all season. Western has been tough to beat because it doesn't rely on one player or one area of the game. The Panthers can score runs throughout the lineup, get quality pitching and make plays in the field.
DeKalb has put together an impressive season and won't make things easy on Western, but the Panthers have consistently proven they can handle pressure situations. When Western is at its best, opponents are forced to play nearly perfect baseball to keep pace. Expect DeKalb to put up a fight, but Western's depth, experience and overall consistency make the Panthers the favorite to move on to the semistate.
Winner: Western
Class 2A No. 2 Eastbrook (25-4) vs Eastern (Greentown) (21-11)
How Eastern (Greentown) & Eastbrook Got Here
Eastern (Greentown)
Def. Rochester, 6-5
Def. Wabash, 3-0
Eastbrook
Def. Madison-Grant, 8-3
Def. Blackford, 3-1
Def. Alexandria-Monroe, 2-1
Eastern (Greentown) enters Saturday’s regional championship knowing it will need a near-complete performance to take down Class 2A No. 2 Eastbrook. The Comets have shown the ability to win tight games throughout the postseason, but this matchup will come down to whether they can match Eastbrook’s consistency on the mound and limit free baserunners. If Eastern is going to stay in the game late, timely hitting and clean defense will be essential against a team that rarely gives extra outs.
Eastbrook brings one of the most complete resumes in Class 2A into the regional final, with close wins and steady pitching leading the way through the postseason. The Panthers are comfortable playing in low-scoring games and have shown they can execute in pressure situations. That makes them a tough matchup for any team, including Eastern. The Comets will need to extend at-bats and capitalize on any scoring chances, but Eastbrook’s balance and postseason experience give it a slight edge heading into Saturday.
Winner: Eastbrook
Western and Eastern (Greentown) both enter Saturday with regional championships on the line after strong postseason runs that have each program one win away from semistate. Western will look to continue its dominant stretch against DeKalb, while Eastern faces a tough test against Eastbrook in a matchup that should come down to execution in key moments.
The Kokomo Post Sports team will be on site at Kokomo Municipal Stadium for Eastbrook vs. Eastern to provide full coverage, including live updates, highlights and final results as the Comets look to extend their postseason run.
