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PLAYOFF PREVIEW
With 24 games now officially in the books, the 2023 regular season has come to close for senior men’s baseball in Niagara once again. The stage is now set for the big dance!
The playoff format will return to a bracket style with teams facing off in three-game series until a champion is crowned. The league tournament will span over the next calendar month or so, with OBAs nestling itself tightly in between a jam-packed schedule down the stretch. Only the most complete teams can fight their way into September. Let’s break down every first-round matchup and see who has the competitive edge against their opponents.
In each segment, we’ll breakdown how every team stacks up in their three-game set. Who has the edge? We’ll take a look at head-to-head matchups and how team’s stack up against their opponents and the rest of the league alike. We’ll also post schedules at the bottom portion of each section. (an “*” indicates a game that will be featured in our LIVE stream segment. Look for us on google and follow @NDBAsenior on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to catch all the action)
(2) Beamsville Yellow Jackets vs. (7) Thorold Anchors
The Yellow Jackets enter this series as heavy favourites to move on, with an artillery of fire power on both sides of the baseball. With the schedule condensed, Anchors will play host to game one before the series shifts to Beamsville for games two and possibly three. Here’s the comparison:
As you can see, the two teams are on opposite ends of the spectrum in many categories on both offense and defense. It is likely the Yellow Jackets will toss their two workhorse starters in Tyler Rose and Alex Davy – a proverbial one-two knockout punch. Matt Holman’s 35 RBI is tops in the league by a longshot, putting him firmly in the MVP conversation. Meanwhile, the Anchors offense has all but dried up in recent weeks and the team feels the need to perform well, especially defensively to make up for their woes. Anchors have scored four runs or less in five of their last six games.
The Jackets can roll in confidently to this series, but should be wary of Luke Edwards, who is having a vintage season by his standards. The veteran has spun 35 innings this season and finished the regular season with an even 3.00 ERA.
EDGE: Yellow Jackets
SCHEDULE:
Thursday, August 10 – 7:30 p.m. @ McMillan Park
Friday, August 11 – 7:30 p.m. @ Beamsville Lions Park
Sunday, August 13 – 7:00 p.m. @ Beamsville Lions Park
(3) Fort Erie Cannons vs. (6) St. Catharines Cobras
Staking their claim at back-to-back NDBA titles are the Fort Erie Cannons, who draw into this year’s dance as the No. 3 seed and will take on the Cobras in round one. On paper, it may seem like the Cannons have an easy sweep in this series, but there’s a bit more to unravel. Here’s the facts:
The Cobras have two things going for them at the moment. Number one is, they have arguably the best pitcher in the NDBA in 2023 in Matt Skubel. He’s been nearly untouchable this year and could propel the team to a win on any given night. Second is their offense, which is starting to show some life after putting up double-digit runs in back-to-back games. In a three-game series, every inning is important. The Cobras will need to capitalize on their opportunities against this high-octane Cannons team who love to hit the long ball in their park.
That said, the Cannons will set the standard for run production in this series without question. There are too many playoff performers. With the headliners of Nick Weglarz, Cam Hall, Spencer Edwards, Zach Fernandez and Geordan Dennahower just name a few. Still, it’s possible Fort Erie’s firepower will be put to the test against one of the best pitching teams in the league. Who will answer the bell?
EDGE: Cannons
SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, August 9 – 7:30 p.m. @ Oakes Park (FE)*
Friday, August 11 – 7:00 p.m. @ George Taylor Field
Monday, August 14 – 7:30 p.m. @ Oakes Park (FE)*
(4) Merritton Alliance vs. (5) Niagara Falls Expos
The tale of two teams on different wave lengths is here and it does not bode well for the underdog. The Alliance are winners of five of their last six games, while the Expos have not tasted victory in over a calendar month. It’s been tough sledding for both teams at certain points this year, let’s see how they compare side by side:
This is by far the most even matchup of the three. Head-to-head Merritton outscored the Expos 22-20 as they split the series at two games a piece. Even statistically, the Expos carry an edge in team ERA, but are bolstered by the arm of Liam Jacques, who is unavailable for the duration of the playoffs. The team will rely on their other two quality starters in Jason Baldinelli and Dallas Smith to get the job done quickly. On the other hand, the big bats in the Merritton lineup are starting to awaken.
Dave Davidson has five hits in his last six games and has picked up seven of his team-leading 12 RBI over that span. Merritton sounded off for 28 in their final two games, including a 13-7 win over the Expos last Friday where things ended with a bit of controversy. The two rivals will not have to wait long to rekindle pleasantries, as the series kicks off on Thursday night at George Taylor Field.
EDGE: Alliance
SCHEDULE
Thursday, August 10 – 7:30 p.m. @ George Taylor Field*
Friday, August 11 – 7:00 p.m. @ Oakes Park (NF)
Sunday, August 13 – 1:00 p.m. @ George Taylor Field*
