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By John Nolan
Assistant Director of Scouting

Regional Semifinal day is one of the most important days on the Virginia public school schedule, as that is the day where teams around the Commonwealth punch their tickets to the State Tournaments, which will be held June 12 and June 13 this spring, at Radford University (1A and 2A), Liberty University (3A and 4A), and Robinson Secondary School (5A and 6A). Here are quick previews of this important match-ups.

3a east

+Kettle Run vs Lafayette         

Kettle Run is the Conference 27 Champion after defeating Culpepper in the Conference championship game. The Cougars drew John Champe in the first round of the Regional tournament in a rematch of their only loss to a 3A opponent on the season and defeated the Conference 28 runners-up, 9-5. The Cougars are 18-3 on the season and are currently riding a nine-game winning streak.         

Lafayette entered the tournament as number two seed from Conference 25. The Rams have had a strong spring and soundly defeated Conference 26 champion Hopewell in the first round of the Regional Tournament. Lafayette has gone 7-3 since May 1, with all three of their losses coming at the hands of either No. 7 Colonial Heights or 4A rival No. 25 Jamestown, and even then all of those games were one-run games that could easily have gone the other way.

+TBD vs No. 7 Colonial Heights         

Culpepper-Loudoun Valley game postponed to Wednesday         

Colonial Heights is the Conference 27 champion and is undefeated on the season, entering the Regional tournament 20-0. The Colonials won their first round matchup against Thomas Jefferson comfortably to advance to the semifinals despite having it postponed until Tuesday.

3a west

+Christiansburg vs Monticello, June 3, Liberty HS (Bedford), 5:30          

Monticello entered the playoffs as the Conference 29 champions and drew a first round bye before facing off against William Byrd. The Mustangs survived a late comeback by Byrd, which tied the game after trailing 7-3 in the seventh, before Caleb Archer had a walk-off RBI with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.           

Christiansburg is the Conference 32 champions and drew Conference 30 runner-up and 2014 State Tournament participant, Tunstall, in the first round of the Regional tournament. The Blue Demons won, 9-5, to advance to the semifinals. 

+Rustburg vs Staunton River, June 3, Tunstall HS, 5:00          

Rustburg is the Conference 30 champions, having defeated Brookville and Tunstall in the Conference tournament to earn a first round bye in the Regional tournament. The Devils drew Conference 32 runners-up Hidden Valley in their first Regional match-up and won handily to advance to the semifinals.           

Staunton River is the Conference 31 champion and entered the Regional tournament with a 20-2 record. The Eagles drew Turner Ashby, the Conference 29 runners-up, in their first Regional game. The game began on Monday night and was suspended until Tuesday. Staunton River ended up winning the game, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals. 

2a east

+George Mason vs. TBD           

George Mason was the Conference 35 runners-up during the season and drew Conference 36 champ Riverheads in the first round. The Mustangs continued their strong 2015 season with a 3-2 victory, advancing to the semifinals.           

The Maggie Walker vs Nottoway game has been postponed twice and is currently scheduled to be played Wednesday afternoon. The winner will play George Mason. 

+King William vs TBD          

King William is the Conference 33 runners-up, having earned their Regional bid with a 9-8 win over Windsor in the Conference semifinals before falling to Maggie Walker in the Conference championship. The Cavaliers continued their strong postseason as the upset Quad Rivers Conference 34 champion Goochland in the first round of the Regional tournament, 7-0.           

The Wilson Memorial vs Strasburg game has been postponed twice and is currently scheduled to be played Wednesday afternoon. The winner will play King William.

2a west

+James River vs Virginia, June 3, Kiwanis Field, Salem, 4:00         

James River entered the tournament as the River Run Conference 38 runners-up, having beaten Giles in the Conference semifinals to clinch their regional trip before falling to Glenvar in the Conference Championship game. The Knights drew Courthouse Conference 37 champion Dan River in the first round of the Regional tournament and put away a tight game with a five-run explosion in the top of the seventh inning to secure the 8-3 victory.           

Virginia is defending 2A State Champions and entered the Regional as the Clinch Mountain Conference 40 champions, having defeated Wise Central and Lebanon in the Conference tournament. The Bearcats drew Marion in the first round of the Regional tournament and their bats came out firing on all cylinders, scoring four runs in the first inning on their way to an 11-3 victory, which pushes the Bearcats’ 2015 record to 22-2.

+Lebanon vs Appomattox, June 3, Kiwanis Field, Salem, 7:00           

Lebanon is the number two seed out of the Clinch Mountain Conference 40. The Pioneers have had a strong season drew a very good Grayson County squad that is the Southern Empire Conference 39 champions in the first round. Lebanon’s bats had a good night as they led the Pioneers to a 9-6 victory and semifinal appearance.           

Appomattox is Courthouse Conference 37 runners-up, having punched their Regional ticket with a win over Randolph-Henry before falling to Dan River in the Conference championship game. The Raiders drew a tough matchup in the first round against the River Run Conference 36 Champion, No. 22 Glenvar. Appomattox won a tight, well-pitched game, 1-0 to advance to the semifinals.

1a west

+Fort Chiswell vs Radford, June 3, Bastian, 5:00           

Radford is the Western Gate Conference 45 champions, defeating Eastern Montgomery, Auburn, and Bland en route to the conference championship. The Highlanders drew Holston in the first round of the Regional tournament and won, 9-2.        

Fort Chiswell advanced to the Regional tournament with a win over Chilhowie in the Mountain West Conference 46 semifinals. The Pioneers drew Cumberland Conference regular season champion Eastside in the first round of the Regional. The game was originally scheduled for Monday, but Fort Chiswell took care of business on Tuesday, with a 3-1 win, to punch their ticket to the semifinals.

+J.I. Burton vs Honaker, June 3, Bastian, 7:00

J.I. Burton won the Cumberland Conference tournament Championship after finishing second in the regular season. The Raiders bats came alive in the Conference Tournament as they scored double-digit runs in all three of their games. Burton drew Galax in the first round, and after their victory sit at 16-7 on the season.

Honaker is the Crooked Road Conference 47 champions, carrying an 18-4 record into the Regional tournament after winning both of their Conference tournament games by double digits. The Tigers drew Bland in the first round of the Regional tournament and won by a score of 8-4.