WR grad Bly takes Mason baseball back to state

COLUMBUS — The state tournament pairings are set for this week's Ohio High School Athletic Association baseball state tournament. In Division I, No. 7-ranked Mason (19-4) has advanced to the state semifinals for the fourth time. The Comets are coached by Curt Bly, a 1993 Western Reserve graduate. The Comets take on Perrysburg at 7 p.m. Friday in the second of two semifinal games. Twinsburg takes on No. 4 Delaware Olentangy Berlin at 4 p.m., with the two winners slated to meet at 1 p.m. Sunday in the state championship game. Mason defeated defending big-school state champion, Cincinnati Moeller (30-3) with a no-hitter from starting pitcher Michael Bilo in the 3-0 win in a regional championship game on May 31. Bly — in his 11th season as coach of the Comets — has guided the team back to Canal Park for the state championships for a third time over the past seven seasons. Bly started coaching at Mason as a junior varsity and later varsity assistant for legendary coach Ken Gray. Gray won 768 games at Mason — the second-most wins in Ohio history. The baseball state tournament begins Friday morning at Canal Park in Akron. Tickets for all state tournament games are available at OHSAA.org/tickets. ----------------------------- State baseball pairings Home team listed first. All games at Canal Park, Akron, and will be aired on the NFHS Network and the OHSAA Radio Network. Pairings shown with final state rank by Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association. DIVISION IJune 7Twinsburg vs. No. 4 Delaware Olentangy Berlin, 4 p.m.Perrysburg vs. No. 7 Mason, 7 p.m.State championship: 1 p.m. June 9 DIVISION IIJune 7Parma Padua Franciscan vs. No. 6 Hamilton Badin, 10 a.m.Wintersville Indian Creek vs. No. 12 Beloit West Branch, 1 p.m.State championship: 10 a.m., June 9 DIVISION IIIJune 8Minford vs. No. 4 Millbury Lake, 10 a.m.No. 2 Heath vs. No. 20 Apple Creek Waynedale, 1 p.m.State championship: 4 p.m. June 9 DIVISION IVJune 8Fort Recovery vs. Jeromesville Hillsdale, 4 p.m.No. 1 Berlin Hiland vs. No. 4 Russia, 7 p.m.State championship: 7 p.m. June 9