| Salisbury has not lost two
consecutive games at any point this season. Salisbury athletics photo |
Follow this regional
May 15: All times Eastern Final - 10 innings
Methodist 4, at Huntingdon 3
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By Jim Dixon
D3sports.com
Before the season started, the likes of Christopher Newport, Shenandoah and Birmingham-Southern were talked about being at the top of the region but the 2013 season saw all miss a playoff bid.
This year’s regional field features Pool A qualifiers Salisbury, Randolph-Macon and Methodist, Pool B teams Huntingdon and Millsaps, and at-large team Bridgewater (Va.). Bridgewater dominated the ODAC but slipped up in the championship final, needing an at-large bid to make the South Regional. Salisbury was the model of consistency and is one of the favored teams to advance.
Huntingdon was abandoned by the rest of the GSAC this year but found a route to the South Regional as an independent. SAA champion Millsaps needed a Pool B bid as the conference will not qualify for an automatic bid until 2015. The longest shot has to be Methodist, which avoided playing Christopher Newport in the USA South tournament and has a 0-6 record against regionally ranked teams.
South Regional schedule
Wednesday, May 15
Game 1 - No. 1 Huntingdon (30-9) vs. No. 6 Methodist (24-20), 12
p.m.
Game 2 - No. 2 Salisbury (30-7) vs. No. 5 Randolph-Macon
(23-17-1), 3:30 p.m.
Game 3 - No. 3 Millsaps (34-11) vs. No. 4 Bridgewater (Va.)
(33-11), 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 16
Game 4 - Huntingdon vs Randolph-Macon, 12 p.m.
Game 5 - Methodist vs Bridgewater (Va.), 3:30 p.m.
Game 6 - Salisbury vs Millsaps, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 17
Game 7 - Methodist vs Millsaps, 12 p.m.
Game 8 - Huntingdon vs Bridgewater (Va.), 3:30 p.m.
Game 9 - Salisbury vs Winner Game 7, 7 p.m.
If two teams remain after game
9: Saturday, May 18
Game 10 - Winner Game 8 vs Winner Game 9, 12 p.m.
Game 11 - Repeat of Game 10 (if needed), 3:30 p.m.
If three teams remain after game
9: Saturday, May
18
Game 10 - Winner Game 8 vs Loser Game 9, 12 p.m.
Game 11 - Winner Game 9 vs Winner Game 10, 3:30 p.m.
Favorite
Salisbury has been at the top of the rankings all season. The expectations have been huge for the Sea Gulls and they have come out and won their conference, the end of the season tournament and is our pick to make a return trip to Appleton. With a 1-2 pitching combo that is 18-0 on the season, look for Salisbury to go deep in the regional.
Most likely to disappoint
Back at the end of March, Huntingdon was a respectable 16-9, looking at missing the playoffs. A 14-game win streak has the Hawks the top regional team. A streaky team at the end of the season, they will need to avoid a losing streak after coming off a two-week stretch with no games. With the season Huntingdon has had, anything less than its first trip to the D-III World Series would be a disapointment.
Cinderella
Randolph-Macon needed two wins over Bridgewater (Va.) in the ODAC tournament, a team that had not lost two conference contests all season. The Yellow Jackets took two wins on a damp field and find themselves with a chance for a spot in the D-III World Series. No stranger to battling tough teams, Randolph-Macon had the 58th toughest schedule and is in position to sting a higher-seeded team.
Players to Watch
SP - Dan Fein, Salisbury (9-0, 3 saves, 1.17 ERA)
C - Joseph Odom, Huntingdon (.388, 13 HR, 57 RBI)
UTL - Brandon Thigpen, Methodist (3-1, 2.08 ERA, .293 BA, 7 HR, 37
RBI)
CF - Jeb Weymouth, Randolph-Macon (.348, 35 R, 34 RBI, 1.000
FLD%)
RF - Jonathon Mason, Bridgewater (Va.) (.329, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 10
SB)
C - Wes Perkins, Millsaps (.420, 4 HR, 56 RBI)