06/09/2006

Prep Baseball Playoff Preview

Trojans look to take a step on Saturday

BY MARK URBAN

murban@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — They've been there before, so playing in Saturday's regional baseball tournament won't be a new experience for Traverse City Central.

Now the Trojans hope to take it a step further and get to the final game.

TC Central (29-9) will try to beat Bay City Western in the Division 1 regional at Bay City Central for its first regional victory.

This is the third time in the last four years the Trojans have reached this stage and coach Ian Hearn thinks he has the right combination to unlock the barrier to the regional final.

"Any team, when you get to this level and the pitching is that good, can beat anybody," Hearn said. "But I feel we have a very strong team.

"We have oustanding pitching and defense and our offense has shattered about every record TC Central has."

TC Central's pitching is in the very capable hands of seniors Andy Pascoe and Robbie Harman.

Pascoe, who should get the start against Warriors, is 8-1 with a 1.19 ERA with 82 strikeouts while Harman is 9-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 84 punch outs. Pascoe averages 9.78 strikeouts per contest while Harman is at 9.19.

The start in game one for Pascoe is what the Trojans have typically done this season.

"We don't have a number one and a number two," said Hearn, who credited pitching coach Pat McDonald. "We have a number one and a number one. They've both been outstanding all year.

"Andy pitches the first game because he catches the second game."

Bay City Western has a top pitcher of its own in right-hander Wes Germain. A finalist for the annual All-Star Game, Germain is 11-0 this season.

"He's a very tough pitcher," Hearn said. "But our kids will be ready."

TC Central won a pair of games from Western this season, 7-3 and 6-5. But Hearn said the sweep will have no bearing because it was back on April 15 and because of the mound matchups.

"We were able to go with our (number) one and two pitchers," Hearn said. "They were sandwiched between league games so we didn't get to see their top pitchers. They had to go with 3 and 4."

DIVISION 3

The four teams at the Divison 3 regional at Traverse City St. Francis have some experience beating — and losing — to the teams in the tournament.

Lake Michigan Conference rivals Kalkaska (23-8) and Elk Rapids (21-8-1) split their two meetings this season as the top pitchers for each team picked up a victory. Jim Peters pitched Kalkaska to a 5-0 victory while Cory William backed the Elks in a 3-2 win.

Elk Rapids plays Roscommon (16-11) in the first game of the regional while the Blazers play Rudyard in the second.

The Elks lost to and tied Rudyard in April while Roscommon was in the Kalkaska tournament, even though the Bucks and the host team didn't play.

"I think (the regional title) is up for anybody's grab," Kalkaska coach Bill Vandergriff said. "Whoever can play well that day and keep the errors down. Everybody has at least one good pitcher."

The Blazers' pitching duo of Peters and Cory Heier are 16-3 this season, including a 9-1 mark by game one starter Peters.

But as much as pitching and defense will be talked about prior to the regional, Vandergriff said hitting might be the difference.

"When you run into good teams now, they're usually good hitting teams," he said. "They've got their eye down. They've seen the heat and they've seen the breaking ball.

"They're settled in and in tune to what's going on."

DIVISION 4

Northwest Conference rivals Glen Lake (26-11) and regional host Frankfort (27-8) face off in the second game of Saturday's Division 4 tournament.

Glen Lake swept the regular-season meetings with the Panthers, but the Lakers had to rally twice, once in extra innings.

"They're very good, very talented,' Glen Lake coach Kris Herman said. "They're one of the most athletic teams we've seen this year."

Herman said Frankfort, which plays freshmen at several spots in the field, puts pressure on the opposition to make plays with its superior team speed.

That being said, Herman said Holton will probably be the favorite at the regional. Holton faces Northwest Conference member Mesick (16-17) in the first regional game.

Holton reached the quarterfinals a season ago before losing to Bellaire.

"They're going to be experienced," Herman said. "They're a tournament-tested team."

There are two ranked teams in the Division 4 regional at Rogers City and they'll meet in the first game of the day.

Rogers City (27-3), ranked second in the final poll, faces No. 10 Johannesburg-Lewiston (28-4) in the first game. Pellston (15-14-1) and Harbor Light Christian (19-6) play in the second.