Mother Nature wasn't kind to the start of the state baseball playoffs.
With a total of 24 sectional games on the docket for Classes 1-3, only nine of them got played to completion Monday. A few others started and will finish today, but the majority never got the chance to take the field.
Included in that list are the only two area schools remaining alive this season.
In Class 3, the Fatima Comets (19-5) never got to take to the field at Lions Field in Westphalia against Holden (18-3).
The squads will now try to play at 5:30 p.m. today.
The victor will play the winner of the sectional game between Maryville (5-10) and Richmond (11-6), as that contest also was pushed back to today.
In Class 2, the Russellville Indians (15-7) will look to play at 6 p.m. today at Harrisburg (13-5), as their contest was pushed back a day.
The winner moves on to play either Canton (12-5) or Elsberry (9-9) in Wednesday's quarterfinal round. Canton and Elsberry were tied at 2 with two outs in the top of the fourth before Monday's action was halted thanks to a rain/lightning delay.
The game will resume at 6 p.m. today.