3A Baseball

A few years back I saw D.H. Conley and C.B. Aycock in a first round game with Alex White against Garrett Davis (wow). Conley won 2-1 in 9 innings and went on to win the state championship. I can't imagine a better 1st round game and if not for an error CBA wins 1-0 in 7 and makes a run at the finals.

 

That Conley/Aycock matchup was the last year of the old format playoffs. Really good first round matchups were much more commonplace then. Of course Aycock rebounded nicely the following year.

 

How hard is it to win a championship?

Let's look at some recent history. Sorry, this may be painful for some of you. Who can forget in 2007,when NEW 6 runner-up Rocky Mount lost to #3 seeded Harnett Central out of the Cape Fear Valley Conference, by a 5-1 score in the first round. Harnett Central went on to upset Triad #1 Rockingham & Mid-State #1 South Granville before finally losing to NEW 6 Champ Northern Nash in the Eastern Semi-finals. Wilson Fike, #3 seed from the NEW 6 also caught fire & made it to the Eastern Semi-Finals as well before losing to eventual State Champ C.B. Aycock. Last year, #3 seeded South Central made it to the Eastern Semi-finals with a losing record!

 

how bout last year first round of playoffs lake norman played #1 team s.e guilford and beat them 6-5. Lake norman threw their specialist in lomascola and he shutdown the #1 team, through 4 and 2/3 giving up 1 unearned run at their place. before turning it over to the bulpen where the final ended up being 6-5 in lkn favor. S.E 2nd best pitcher cockman gave up 3 hrs. 2 back to back in first inning. The best part about that game was bottom of the 7th 1 out bases loaded guilford hitting, lkn winning 6-5 and lake norman got the 2nd out by a 3-1 count. then the next batter guilford star freshman ss vs lakenorman lefty sophmore. 3-2 count the ss fouls of 3 pitches before grounding out to the 1st baseman. TALK ABOUT A GAME> lkn was the 6th and last seed out of their respected npc conference. that was a game to see! Proves anybody can win on a given night

 

Pre Determined

Thats what baseball has. We already know that the #1 seed from conf X is going to draw the #3 seed from conf X. Teams are only seeded within their conference not overall. So sometimes you can get a better draw by being a #3 seed than being a #1 seed. It happens all the time. The #3 team in the New-6 will be stronger than some conference #1 seed champions in the east. Those scenarios happen all the time. You can run across a #3 seed that is a #3 seed when everyone else is pitching but when their ace is on the hill they are a #1 seed. So you will burn up your #1 arm or you might be going home early.

Winning your conference and getting a #1 seed could give you an easier first round game. But it might not. Finishing #2 in your conference might give you a tougher first round game but it also could afford you an easier second round match up. In other words seeds mean very little and can be very misleading. Some teams are 12-12 going into the playoffs. But they are 12-0 when that guy your facing in the first round is on the hill. Now is it going to matter what seed they are?

 

thats a great point.... thats how most are got their one main guy some are lucky to have a 1-2 punch some have more. great point

 

In the Piedmont Triad, it will be a 4-horse race between Glenn, Southeast Guilford, Reagan, and Parkland. Perhaps no state championship contenders here but all 4 are solid teams.

In the Mid Piedmont, Ragsdale should take care of business rather easily in the conference but I question their pitching depth, as far as them making a championship run. Randleman will probably be the 2nd best team in the MPC

In the North Piedmont, East Rowan seems like the strongest team in the West to me. Corbin Shive is going to be very tough for anyone to beat and they have other quality arms as well.

Not sure about the South Piedmont, but I heard Marvin Ridge returns most of their team. They won it last year.

 

Hey Mavs,,,, I'll give Marvin Ridge respect, I could see you guys "competing" with the top 4 teams of the NPC, but nobody else from the SPC would. Problem you guys have getting respect is that the South Piedmont Conference was MAJORLY WEAK last year, too many teams down at the same time. Historically Piedmont brings good baseball also so hopefully they'll be back, and Sun Valley/Anson has been good in the past, Kannapolis should be ok,,,,,, but honestly if your looking for respect, good luck against nonconf teams, because THAT is probably how you'll be judged and compared.

Speaking of ONE and DONE (current playoff format),,,,, I wholeheartedly agree with Coach27,,,, good example is 2002 East Rowan team which many agree "could be" one of the top 2-3 most talented East Rowan teams in 30 years. 2002 East featured 3rd round draft pick Cal Hayes Jr (St.Louis Cards), Spencer Steedly(now in Minn Twins organization), Bobby Parnell (now with Mets), Nick Lefko(Catawba College), Julian Sides(UNCC), Drew Davis(Elon),,,,,, these boys were LOADED, yet they lost 1-0 in the first round playoffs to a 4th place team (Parkwood) who simply had a good pitcher who had a good day. That is one and done baseball at its finest.

 

Many examples

There are many examples of teams that were loaded with outstanding players that did not win a state championship. Back in the early 80's South Granville had three pitchers on its staff that were flat out studs. One went on to pitch in the ML with the Yankees. One was drafted by the Angels and made it to Dbl AA before opting for the ministry. The other set records at Mount Olive. The fact is you dont have to be the best team that year just the best team for 2 hours that day.


I do believe that Rocky Mount was the best team last season in 3A. And I believe East Rowan was the second best 3A team. Thats why I think it was such a great matchup and great series.

 

Coach,

I think you could see the same matchup again this year.

TPH