Middletown (6-1) @ Appo (9-0). NOON GAME. Hometown rivalries square off in what could very well be for the Conference title. Appo is 3-0 in the conference while Mtown is 4-0. They have 8 conference games total so a lot of things can happen, but the closest team to either of them has 2 losses already. Middletown is on a 5 game winning streak since their 9-0 loss to Cape. The competition in the five games hasn’t been the toughest with Concord, Newark, CR, MT P& Delcastle, none of which are in the top 20. But they have handled their business outscoring those opponents 52-8. Now their schedule gets tougher with Appo, St G and Sussex Tech up next. Mtown is getting pretty good pitching from Dunn, Wooten & Loper. The team has only allowed 23 runs in 7 games. Dunn, Wooten & Loper are all available to pitch I believe, but Mtown does play St G on Saturday. Their bats are especially hot lately and besides the Cape Henlopen goose egg put up, they haven’t scored any less than 5 runs in all their other games. Appo is clearly the top team in the state right now. They are undefeated and they have 5 wins over top 20 teams. Only 1 other team in the state has 5 wins against top 20 teams this year and that’s Sallies who Appo beat 6-0. Appo has one of the deepest pitching staffs in the state. Steckline (2-0), Garrett (3-0), Stamper (2-0) and even Ruhl (2-0). Stamper just pitched on Tuesday so I’m expecting a Steckline/Garrett combination especially since Appo doesn’t play again until next Tuesday. Appo has only allowed 18 runs in 9 games. They held St Marks & Sallies to just 1 combined run. At the plate they are averaging over 7 runs per game. Last year Dunn & Steckline were in a 1-1 pitchers duel before Mtown hit a grandslam in the bottom of the sixth to go on and win 7-1. In 2015, Garrett beat Dunn with Appo having 1 big 6-run inning to win 7-1. In 2014, Appo scored 3 runs late to beat Appo 4-2. In 2013, Appo won 3-2. In 2012, Mtown won 3-2. In 2011, Mtown won 2-1 in extras. I think you get the point. These are usually close games, at least until something happens.
Cape (5-3) @ Smyrna (3-3). 1 PM. They finish their extra innings marathon game tied at 2.
Caravel (6-3) @ Smyrna (3-3). 4:15. Smyrna has a warm up gain earlier with Cape. I’m sure they are hoping for a quick resolution to that game to save some pitching for Caravel. Then Smyrna plays on Saturday versus Newark. Smyrna went on a three game losing streak earlier being outscored by Delmar, Appo & Dover 30-6. They rebounded with a win over Milford,and a big win over Seaford 17-2. Smyrna is a little hard to figure out. They have had some good pitching at times but allowed a ton of runs at times. They have allowed 40 runs so far this year and scored 41 in 6 and a half games. Caravel is riding a three game winning streak after their 3 game losing streak losing by 1 run each game. In the last 3 games over St Marks, Hodgson and Poly they have outscored them 22-9. Silan has picked up two of those wins. Silan had 87 pitches on Tuesday so we wont be seeing him. Caravel is scoring just about 8 runs per game on average but 4 of the games they scored under 5 runs per game and 4 of those games 10 and over. In 2016, Silan and Caravel beat Smyrna 6-2.
Friends (5-4) @ Tower Hill (6-2). Tower Hill blanked Friends 3-0 earlier this month behind a 4-hitter by Hugh Love. Friends is on a two game losing streak after a nice 5-2 start. Tower could put a strangle hold on their conference with a win here. TH is already 3-0 in the conference they play 8 games. Friends and Tatnall are the closest behind them but each has 2 conference losses already.
Newark Charter (6-1) @ St Elizabeth (4-3). Newark Charter are the darlings of 2017. NC is riding a 6 game winning streak, 4 of which were 1-run wins. Most recently they have beaten Archmere, Mt P, Sallies and DMA. Only 5 teams have more wins over Top 20 teams so far this season. Chopko just pitched over a 100 pitches on Tuesday, so it will probably be Kelby or Vivian who are both 2-0. NC has to mindful of its pitching with a game against Caravel on Saturday in the wings. NC has only allowed 23 runs in 7 games. At the plate they are averaging just under 6 runs per game. St Elizabeth is 4-3 but lets keep in mind that 2 of their losses were to St marks and they lost a 6-5 game to Tower Hill. They have allowed just 30 runs in 7 games, keeping in mind that 17 of those were to St Marks in two games. They also are pretty good at the plate scoring 5 or runs per game in all their games except St Marks. In 2016, Kelby pitched a 4 hit shutout with NC winning 10-0.
Cape (5-3) @ Smyrna (3-3). 1 PM. They finish their extra innings marathon game tied at 2.
Caravel (6-3) @ Smyrna (3-3). 4:15. Smyrna has a warm up gain earlier with Cape. I’m sure they are hoping for a quick resolution to that game to save some pitching for Caravel. Then Smyrna plays on Saturday versus Newark. Smyrna went on a three game losing streak earlier being outscored by Delmar, Appo & Dover 30-6. They rebounded with a win over Milford,and a big win over Seaford 17-2. Smyrna is a little hard to figure out. They have had some good pitching at times but allowed a ton of runs at times. They have allowed 40 runs so far this year and scored 41 in 6 and a half games. Caravel is riding a three game winning streak after their 3 game losing streak losing by 1 run each game. In the last 3 games over St Marks, Hodgson and Poly they have outscored them 22-9. Silan has picked up two of those wins. Silan had 87 pitches on Tuesday so we wont be seeing him. Caravel is scoring just about 8 runs per game on average but 4 of the games they scored under 5 runs per game and 4 of those games 10 and over. In 2016, Silan and Caravel beat Smyrna 6-2.
Friends (5-4) @ Tower Hill (6-2). Tower Hill blanked Friends 3-0 earlier this month behind a 4-hitter by Hugh Love. Friends is on a two game losing streak after a nice 5-2 start. Tower could put a strangle hold on their conference with a win here. TH is already 3-0 in the conference they play 8 games. Friends and Tatnall are the closest behind them but each has 2 conference losses already.
Newark Charter (6-1) @ St Elizabeth (4-3). Newark Charter are the darlings of 2017. NC is riding a 6 game winning streak, 4 of which were 1-run wins. Most recently they have beaten Archmere, Mt P, Sallies and DMA. Only 5 teams have more wins over Top 20 teams so far this season. Chopko just pitched over a 100 pitches on Tuesday, so it will probably be Kelby or Vivian who are both 2-0. NC has to mindful of its pitching with a game against Caravel on Saturday in the wings. NC has only allowed 23 runs in 7 games. At the plate they are averaging just under 6 runs per game. St Elizabeth is 4-3 but lets keep in mind that 2 of their losses were to St marks and they lost a 6-5 game to Tower Hill. They have allowed just 30 runs in 7 games, keeping in mind that 17 of those were to St Marks in two games. They also are pretty good at the plate scoring 5 or runs per game in all their games except St Marks. In 2016, Kelby pitched a 4 hit shutout with NC winning 10-0.
