What a difference a split in the Section III Class D playoff brackets can make.
Without it, Hamilton’s baseball team, even with a no. 4 seed and a 15-3 record, must get to work right away on Tuesday, while the softball Emerald Knights have to wait a bit longer. In a 13-team Class D baseball tournament, Hamilton is the highest seed that has to play a first-round game, as it hosts no. 13 seed Remsen on Tuesday afternoon Should the Emerald Knights win, it would advance to Thursday’s quarterfinal against Sackets Harbor or Brookfield. New York Mills, Stockbridge Valley and DeRuyter hold the top three seeds. The finals are June 2 at 4:30 at Alliance Bank Stadium, home of the Syracuse Chiefs. In softball, Hamilton (15-4) saw Class D split up, despite 16 eligible teams. Thus, as the no. 2 seed in D-1, it plays no. 7 seed LaFargeville Thursday at 5 p.m. A win would keep the Emerald Knights home for Saturday’s D-1 semifinal against Oriskany or Remsen. They’ll play the Class D-1 softball final June 3, at Vernon Verona Sherrill, with the overall D final June 6 at the Gillette Road complex in Cicero.