Salpointe Catholic was the only team from Division II to win a first-round matchup as a lower seed.
Photo by Chris Hook
Two singles and double sounds like a good day at the plate.
It also describes the new state baseball and softball tournaments for Arizona's two biggest divisions and those teams began the final stretch run this season Thursday.
After years of a true double elimination 16-team tournament, this year's postseason is a 24-team field with the top eight seeds getting first-round byes. The format for the two smaller divisions is a 24-team single elimination bracket.
For the two large divisions, the first two rounds were single elimination before the Elite Eight start as a double elimination, which got started Thursday.
"The one thing I do like this year is the format," said
Brophy College Prep (Phoenix) baseball coach Tom Succow, who has coached the Broncos since 1974. "I don't like a lot of other things like the section and the schedule, but I like the two singles and a double. I didn't mind the true double elimination, but this gives the top teams a reward for a good regular season."
If the first year is any indication, it is imperative for baseball teams to get into the top eight and receive that bye.
The teams with byes went 15-1 with only No. 10
Salpointe Catholic (Tucson) in Division II being able to knock off a better seed – No. 7 Verrado (Buckeye) – in the first go-around. With pitching depth always a concern, the top eight have their ace on the mound against their opponents' No. 2 starters.
"We didn't have that pressure on Saturday, so we were able to come back to work on Monday,'' Succow said.
Softball is a little different, as many teams have an ace who throws every important inning, but the results were similar. In Division I the seeds held true, but a few lower seeds snuck through in Division II. Overall, the tally was 13-3 in regards to the better seed advancing to the Elite Eight.
How it plays out from here is hard to tell, but the double elimination gives everyone a little wiggle room.
In Division I baseball, it looks like No. 4 Brophy and No. 2
Chaparral (Scottsdale) are on a collision course as the two historic programs appear to be a step above everyone else in the tournament.
No. 1
Pinnacle (Phoenix) and No. 3
O'Connor (Phoenix) have heard all year long that their schedules were a step below everyone else, so their power rankings were questionable. They have their chance to prove otherwise.
Sunrise Mountain (Peoria) is hard to bet against in Division II as the Mustangs entered Thursday's action 24-5 with only two of those defeats coming against Arizona teams, although both those teams –
Sunnyslope (Phoenix) and
Liberty (Peoria) - are in their quarter bracket.
Second-seeded
Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale) isn't as well-rounded as Sunrise Mountain but should make a good run as long as someone else steps to the forefront other than senior righthander
Kelvan Pilot on the mound.
In Division I softball, No. 2
Red Mountain (Mesa), behind pitchers
Breana Macha and
Siera Phillips, looks to win its third-straight title and appears to be just as good as the previous two champions. No. 1
Basha (Chandler) doesn't want to finish runner-up for the second year in a row.
Sunrise Mountain (Peoria), which is ranked No. 22 in the
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National rankings, is clearly the top team in Division II and is looking to win its fourth state title since 2006.
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothill News staff writer, is a 15-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.
