The Cooperstown baseball team received the second seed in the Section Three Class C-1 sectional tournament, and will host a first round sectional game today (Thursday) against seventh seed Lowville at Doubleday Field.

Cooperstown enters the game with a 12-3 overall mark, while Lowville is 12-8. The teams did not meet during the regular season. If Cooperstown wins Thursday, they will play at home again on Saturday against the winner of the Herkimer-Hannibal first round contest. The C-1 championship will be played at LeMoyne College in Syracuse on Memorial Day at a time to be determined.

CCS baseball coach Frank Miosek said senior Greg Lott will get the start on Thursday, with sophomore Brian Dibble the likely starter Saturday. Lott was 6-1 during the regular season, while Dibble was 5-1. Senior Ryan Hill (2-0) gives the Redskins a third dependable arm.

Cooperstown clinched the second seed with a hard-fought, eight inning 7-6 win over Westmoreland Friday in the season finale. Ryan and Brad Hill, Nate Smith and Jake Saracino all had two hits in the victory, while Brett Wilhelm had three hits and scored the winning run. The Redskins pounded out 14 hits in the game, while Lott pitched all eight innings to pick up the win.

"We needed to win that game to be home until the finals, which is a nice advantage for us," Miosek said. "I don't anything at all about Lowville's baseball team, but I'm trying to get some reports from the internet."

Nate Smith led the team with a .549 batting average this season, including three home runs, 12 runs batted in and nine stolen bases.

Saracino, a catcher hit .451 with a team-leading 17 RBI and threw out nine baserunners; Brad Hill hit .446 with three triples and 18 stolen bases and three triples; Ryan Hill hit .404 with five doubles, a home run and 11 RBI and leadoff man Luke Sittler hit .385 with nine RBI and eight stolen bases.

The Redskins, who lost two of their first three games before reeling off 11 wins in their final 12 games, lost to only Mt. Markham and C-1 top-seed Canastota during the regular season. The teams could meet again in the final.

Two years ago, Cooperstown won its first ever Section Three Class C crown, and made their first state appearance, while last year they lost in the second round.