With field set, Double-A sectional finals to open Friday.

Gerani Colón and the Leones de Patillas will face the Azucareros of Yabucoa in the Southeast when eight Double-A sectional finals series open on Friday night.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Double-A Superior Baseball League will begin its sectional finals series with eight games on Friday after the field of competing teams was finalized over the past weekend.

Game times on Friday are 8 p.m. Another eight games -- Game 2 of each best-of-seven sectional finals series -- are slated for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Additional information is available at the Double-A website (beisboldobleapr.com).

Last Sunday, the Leones of Patillas, Tigres of Hatillo and Cafeteros of Yauco completed the group of qualifying teams.

In the Southeast section, Patillas shut out Maunabo, 4-0, knocking the Jueyeros out of contention thanks to a combined pitching effort by Ryan Muñoz and Yaniel Heredia, who allowed just four hits between them.

Muñoz pitched the first seven innings and struck out six batters to earn the victory. Offensively, Joel Santiago drove in three runs, while Elerie Rivera collected three hits.

Patillas will face the Azucareros of Yabucoa in the section final.

In the North, the Tigres defeated the Atenienses of Manatí, 7-2, in an elimination game, relying on 6.1 innings from starting pitcher Rawell Rivera and a save from Jonathan Pacheco.

Jay Feliciano blasted a home run and Jonathan Nieves drove in two runs for the Tigres, who will face the Titanes Florida in the Northern final.

In the Southwest, the Cafeteros edged out the Petroleros of Peñuelas, 8-7, to advance. Rafael Oliveras drove in three runs, and Ian Velázquez scored three times.

Yauco will face the Petateros of Sabana Grande in the sectional final.