ENID — Pioneer will be facing one of the state’s traditional powers in the first round of the Class 2A state baseball tournament Thursday at Oklahoma City’s Dolese Park.

The Mustangs (30-7) will face No. 3-ranked Dale, the winner of nine state spring championships since 1991, at noon.

“It’s a good draw,’’ said Pioneer coach Dave Riesen. “Anytime you go to the state tournament, you’re going to be playing some good people. We have played some of the teams they played so we know we can compete with them.’’

Dale beat Watonga, 7-6 in the regional finals with a seventh-inning rally. Pioneer split with Watonga, losing the first game 5-3 and winning the second, 8-7.

“We know we can play with them if we go and play our game and not worry about who we’re playing,’’ Riesen said.

The No. 8 Mustangs have won 12 of their last 13 games since a 10-1 loss to Drummond in the Merrifield Office Supply Tournament finals April 10.

They went through the regionals undefeated beating Newkirk, 8-7 and Hennessey, 12-8 and 3-1.

“We’re playing the best ball that we have played all season,’’ Riesen said. “We’re very excited about state. If nothing else, our kids are going to get some good experience out of this.’’

Riesen is undecided about his first game starter. He will go with either junior Edward Layton or sophomores Bret McNaughton and Derek Gabriel.

Pioneer is making its third trip to the state tournament and its first since 2005 when its two senior starters, Haden Hedges and Spencer Regina, were in the eighth grade.

Pioneer is trying to become the first football-playing school since Hobart in 1990 to win the spring crown.

The Mustangs and Lincoln Christian are the only two non-football schools in the field.

“For a football school just to get in the state tournament is almost like winning it,’’ Riesen said. “It’s difficult to compete against the schools that play fall baseball because they play so many more games than we do.

“But in the same token, we’re going there with the idea of winning this. The only way we can to do it to focus one game at a time. Dale is the first one so we’re going after them.’’

The Pioneer-Dale winner will play the Mangum-Oktaha winner at 1 p.m. Friday. The championship game is at noon Saturday at Shawnee High School.

State baseball tournament pairings

Class 6A

Bracket A

At Bixby

Wednesday — 1:30, Edmond Santa Fe vs. Union; 4, Putnam City North vs. Broken Arrow; 6:30, First-round losers.

Thursday — 4, First-round winners; 6:30, 4 p.m. loser vs. Wednesday 6:30 winner.

Friday — 4 p.m., Championship, 6:30 p.m., 2nd championship, if needed.

Bracket B

At Claremore

Wednesday — 1:30, Jenks vs. Edmond Memorial; 4, Owasso vs. Norman North; 6:30,  First-round losers.

Thursday — 4, First-round winners; 6:30, 4 p.m. loser vs. Wednesday 6:30 winner.

Friday — 4 p.m., Championship, 6:30 p.m., 2nd championship, if needed.

Championship game

Saturday — TBA



Class 5A

Bracket A

At Jenks

Wednesday — 1:30, Deer Creek Edmond vs. Tulsa Washington; 4, Chickasha vs.Claremore; 6:30,  First-round losers.

Thursday — 4, First-round winners; 6:30, 4 p.m. loser vs. Wednesday 6:30 winner.

Friday — 4 p.m., Championship, 6:30 p.m., 2nd championship, if needed.

Bracket B

At Union

Wednesday — 1:30, Tulsa Kelley vs. Carl Albert; 4, Collinsville vs. Duncan. 6:30,  First-round losers.

Thursday — 4, First-round winners; 6:30, 4 p.m. loser vs. Wednesday 6:30 winner.

Friday — 4 p.m., Championship, 6:30 p.m., 2nd championship, if needed.

Championship

Saturday — TBA



Class 4A

At Shawnee

Thursday — Noon, Berryhill vs. Metro Christian; 2:30, Hilldale vs. Clinton; 5, Weatherford vs. Newcastle; 7:30, Lone Grove vs. Fort Gibson.

Friday — 5, Weatherford-Newcastle winner vs. Hilldale-Clinton winner; 7:30, Berryhill-Metro Christian winner vs. Lone Grove-Fort Gibson winner.

Saturday — 5, Championship.



Class 3A

At Choctaw

Thursday — Noon, Chandler vs. Eufaula; 2:30, Plainview vs. Bethel; 5, Sperry vs. Beggs; 7:30, Purcell vs. Verdigris.

At Shawnee

Friday — Noon, Sperry-Beggs winner vs. Plainview-Bethel winner; 2:30, Chandler-Eufaula winner vs. Purcell-Verdigris winner.

Saturday — 2:30, Championship



Class 2A

At Oklahoma City Dolese Park

Thursday — Noon, Dale vs. Pioneer; 2:30, Lincoln Christian vs. Latta; 5, Mangum vs. Oktaha; 7:30, Silo vs. Wister.

Friday — 1, Dale-Pioneer winner vs. Mangum-Oktaha winner; 3:30, Silo-Wister winner vs. Lincoln Christian-Latta winner.

At Shawnee High School

Saturday — Noon, championship.