Region baseball, softball tournaments start Monday

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Head Coach Rob Coffey has guided the Highlands softball team to a 15-0 mark in 9th Region action this season.

The 9th Region softball and baseball pairings have been set.

The Highlands Ladybirds softball team (21-10 overall) is 15-0 against the region and opens the tournament Monday at 1 p.m. against Covington Holy Cross at Vets Field in Newport. The winner takes on either Dixie Heights or Boone County on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.

Highlands finished 8-0 against the opposition. The game against Holy Cross scheduled for April 23 was cancelled. The Ladybirds did not face Boone County this season.

The region semifinals and title game will take place at Northern Kentucky University. The championship game is Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

The Highlands baseball team (20-17 overall) drew the night game of 7 p.m. against Covington Catholic at University of Cincinnati Health Ball Park. The Bluebirds beat the Colonels two times out of three meetings during the regular season. They finished 6-4 against the rest of the 9th Region field. They had two games against 33rd District champion Conner rained out.

Highlands won its first region title since 1997 last year. The Bluebirds then finished state runner-up to West Jessamine.

The winner faces Ryle or St. Henry on Tuesday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

The semifinals will take place Tuesday with the championship game Thursday at 7 p.m. back at UC Ball Park in Florence.