[Stardust]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...2/5300355/

Ninth Region baseball coaches have commented all season about the region's parity. And now that the field has been narrowed to eight and the roads to the finals are clearly defined, they're not changing their minds


"It's still wide open," Dixie Heights coach Chris Maxwell said after Saturday's draw. His team, ranked first in the final Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, will play Newport in the tournament's first game Monday at Champion Window Field.

The winner of that game will play either Holy Cross or Conner in the second round. Those two teams were tied for sixth in the final coaches' poll. It's the only first-round matchup featuring two top-10 teams.

"You've got to beat the good teams sooner or later," said Holy Cross coach Mike Holtz. "And we've been rained out with Conner twice this year. Looks like we'll finally get to play them."

Bellevue, making its first regional tournament appearance since 2003, will play Covington Catholic in the first round. The winner of that game will advance to play Boone County or St. Henry.

The semifinals are scheduled for 5 and 7 p.m. Friday. The finals are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.