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McCluer High Baseball Classic Is Almost Strictly North County
By Jim Wieners
What is more known as the North County Baseball Classic, the McCluer High Classic is almost all North County with seven out of eight teams from North County, four of them are north of Interstate 270.
Games begin Friday, April 7, 4 p.m. at Hazelwood Central (vs. University City, the only non-north County high school), McCluer (vs. North County Christian), Trinity (vs. Riverview Gardens) and Lutheran North (vs. North Technical). Winners play at Hazelwood Central Saturday, April 8 in 10 a.m. semifinal game and 12:30 games for the championship and third place. Losers play Saturday at McCluer Saturday in 10 a.m. consolation semifinal games and 12:30 consolation and seventh-place game.
Hazelwood Central has two baseball fields with center field facing each other and the number two field is located near the football field. McCluer’s two fields are on the opposite end of the campus with the main field on the east end near Elizabeth Avenue while field two is on the west end between the football field and the Ferguson-Florissant School District Bus Garage.
HAZELWOOD CENTRAL will be defending the North County Classic as well as the Lutheran North Tournament, which will be played April 20-22. Last year the Hawks won their first 19 games but lost five of their last six and was Class Five, District Six Runner Up. Also the Hawks won the first two games of the Fort Zumwalt North Tournament but the third game was cancelled due to rain. Hazelwood Central opened the season with three home games — a 6-1 win March 24 over Fox (Arnold), a 3-1 loss to Maplewood-Richmond Heights and a 32-0 Suburban XII Conference, North Division rout March 29 over Riverview Gardens (thanks to a 22-run first inning). The Hawks were at home April 4 against McCluer North and will have a Suburban XII North rematch Thursday, April 6, 4 p.m. at McCluer North.
McCLUER — Coming off a 5-14 season in 2016 McCluer started 2017 with a 10-0 loss March 29 at Kirkwood and rain postponed games against Ritenour, Trinity Catholic and Jennings. The Comets’ game against North County Christian is the fourth in four days, weather permitting, after visiting Riverview Gardens April 4 and hosting Gateway STEM April 5 before hosting a Suburban XII North rematch with Riverview Thursday at 4 p.m.
TRINITY CATOLIC was 10-16 in 2016, taking third place in the North County Classic, seventh in the Lutheran North Tournament and second to Lutheran North in Class Three, District Five. In 2017 the Titans opened at home — behind Christ, Light of the Nations School — by splitting a March 18 double-header against Lutheran North (winning 6-5 and losing 6-0) then lost 10-9 March 22 at Valley Park. Rain postponed games against Affton, Bishop DuBourg, O’Fallon Christian, McCluer and John F. Kennedy as well as a double-header at Orchard Farm. Weather permitting Trinity was to play DuBourg in Forest Park April 4 and Lutheran St. Charles County April 5 behind Christ, Light of the Nations.
LUTHERAN NORTH was 14-14 in 2016, took third place in their own tournament and won Class Three, District Five before losing 8-0 in the Sectional at Class Three Quarterfinalist Lutheran St. Charles County. After splitting a March 18 double-header at Trinity the Crusaders lost a March 24 doubleheader, 8-1 and 14-4 at Orchard Farm. Lutheran North was to play two Metro League games against John Burroughs, at Burroughs and home
NORTH COUNTY CHRISTIAN won the 2013 Missouri Christian State Athletic Association championship with 11 players in the last two of a five-game season. In 2017 games against Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis, Christian Fellowship, Riverview Gardens and Tower Grove Christian Academy were rained out, suspended or cancelled. The Crusaders were to play a double-header against Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis April 4 at Maryland Heights Ball Park.
NORTH TECHNICAL begins their fourth year of Baseball after finishing 2-11 in 2016, 5-9 in 2015 and 1-9-1 in 2014. North Tech plays home games at Hazelwood Sports Complex including their 2017 opener, which was April 5 against Jennings.
RIVERVIEW GARDENS, 10-10 in 2016, lost the 2017 opener at Hazelwood Central and was to play Ritenour April 3 and McCluer April 4 before visiting McCluer Thursday at 4 p.m.
