Weirton will be looking to defend its Steele and Cook Insurance Ohio Valley Baseball League Tournament title tonight when the 8-team playoffs begin with quarterfinal action.
All first-round series are the best-of-3 and have 6 p.m. start times.
The top-seeded Red Dons (16-3) breezed through the regular season after suffering a season-opening setback to Barton, which they swept in last year's championship series.
Weirton will host eighth-seeded Shadyside at Edwin J. Bowman Field. The Casket Makers finished at 5-15.
In other action, Barton ended up with the second seed after compiling a 15-4-1 mark.
The Braves will entertain No. 7 seed West Liberty (11-9) at Henning Field in Crescent.
The third seed went to St. Clairsville, which finished at 15-5. The Titans play host to Belmont County rival Maynard (11-8-1) on the Memorial Park diamond.
In the last quarterfinal series, Neffs (14-6) will host the Wheeling Cardinals (10-7-3) in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup at the old ballyard in Neffs.
Game Two of each series is scheduled for Wednesday night at the lower seed's home field. If a third, and deciding, game is necessary in any of the series, those games will be played Friday.
North can be reached at knorth@timesleaderonline.com
