#19 Sussex Central (11-8) @ #3 St Marks (15-3). These two didn’t play each other this year.
Central is coming off a 6-2 win over Concord in the first round. Central had an up and down season. They started 4-0 with wins over Tech and Delmar in there. Then lost 3 straight to CR (5-4), Cape (13-1) and Dover (3-1). They reeled off 5 straight wins over mostly lesser teams…then lost 2 straight to Milford and Caravel. They beat a weaker Woodbridge team 5-1, then lost 6-2 to IR. They pull off a win over Sallies 6-5, but then get trounced by Poly in their last game 13-3. Not sure what to make of them. They are only averaging 5 runs per game but only allowing 4 runs per game. Collins and Hollenbach have pitched well. Central is no stranger to the post season. They have made it 28 times now and amassed a 19-25 record. They have won the championship once, in 1989. And lost the championship more recently in 2009. They have faced Concord 3 other times in the tourney, but they were in 1981losing the Semis, in 1985 beating them in the first round and winning in the 1989 quarters on the way to their championship.
St Marks is coming off a great year at 15-3. They finished the season with 5 straight wins. They are 10-2 against the other playoff teams. Their only losses were to Tech, St E and Caravel. They only allowed 57 total runs this season and 29 of them came in their 3 losses. Dubecq was 5-1, Venti was 4-0, Tomovich was 3-1. At the plate they averaged 7 runs per game. I think everyone knows of St Marks post season successes, but I will remind you. This is St Marks 37th post season appearance in 49 years. They are 14 time state champions…been to 20 championship games. They have a post season record of 87-22. That’s the most games played in and the most wins of any team (next highest wins – Sallies 60). St Marks is 3-0 in the post season against Central.
Prediction: I think St Marks is the strong favorite in this one.
Central is coming off a 6-2 win over Concord in the first round. Central had an up and down season. They started 4-0 with wins over Tech and Delmar in there. Then lost 3 straight to CR (5-4), Cape (13-1) and Dover (3-1). They reeled off 5 straight wins over mostly lesser teams…then lost 2 straight to Milford and Caravel. They beat a weaker Woodbridge team 5-1, then lost 6-2 to IR. They pull off a win over Sallies 6-5, but then get trounced by Poly in their last game 13-3. Not sure what to make of them. They are only averaging 5 runs per game but only allowing 4 runs per game. Collins and Hollenbach have pitched well. Central is no stranger to the post season. They have made it 28 times now and amassed a 19-25 record. They have won the championship once, in 1989. And lost the championship more recently in 2009. They have faced Concord 3 other times in the tourney, but they were in 1981losing the Semis, in 1985 beating them in the first round and winning in the 1989 quarters on the way to their championship.
St Marks is coming off a great year at 15-3. They finished the season with 5 straight wins. They are 10-2 against the other playoff teams. Their only losses were to Tech, St E and Caravel. They only allowed 57 total runs this season and 29 of them came in their 3 losses. Dubecq was 5-1, Venti was 4-0, Tomovich was 3-1. At the plate they averaged 7 runs per game. I think everyone knows of St Marks post season successes, but I will remind you. This is St Marks 37th post season appearance in 49 years. They are 14 time state champions…been to 20 championship games. They have a post season record of 87-22. That’s the most games played in and the most wins of any team (next highest wins – Sallies 60). St Marks is 3-0 in the post season against Central.
Prediction: I think St Marks is the strong favorite in this one.
