Baseball: West Orange, CFCA prep for playoffs

Just two varsity baseball teams remain from West Orange County following last week's district tournaments, with both the West Orange Warriors and the CFCA Eagles preparing to host regional playoff contests this week.

The Warriors (24-2), after winning the District 9A-3 Championship April 22 with a 10-2 victory over Apopka, will host Freedom (14-13) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Class 9A Regional Quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, by way of participating in the smaller Class 2A, the Eagles (17-6-1) jump right into the Class 2A Regional Semifinals. CFCA topped Vero Beach's Master's Academy 5-2 in the District 2A-4 Final April 22, setting up a regional semifinal tilt against former district rival Trinity Christian (17-11) of Deltona. That contest is scheduled for Thursday at 4 p.m.

Class 9A, Region 1 Quarterfinal

Freedom (14-13) at West Orange (24-2)

7 p.m., Wednesday

Extra bases: The Warriors will come into this playoff opener favored against a Patriots squad that finished just over .500 in the regular season. With the regional semifinals scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, West Orange is free to utilize the entirety of its deep pitching staff with little concern for the next game. Expect Tyler Baum to get the start, with Doug Nikhazy, Cole Beavin and Ethan Jones waiting in the wings if things go awry. The nearly six runs per game (5.9) that Freedom is allowing figures favorably for a Warrior offense averaging nearly nine runs per game (8.8).

Class 2A, Region 2 Semifinal

Deltona Trinity Christian (17-11) at CFCA (17-6-1)

4 p.m., Thursday

Extra bases: Consider this an opportunity for some revenge for the Eagles, who were defeated by Trinity Christian three times in 2015 by a combined score of 28-5. That revenge won't come easy, though, against a visiting team that is allowing just 3.6 runs

per game. That means the Eagles, who will likely give ace Nick Peterson the start, will have to be as close to perfect as they can be on defense. CFCA has allowed 4.3 runs per game this spring. Though momentum isn't too huge a factor in these winner-takes-all playoff games, it does favor the Eagles a bit that Trinity Christian comes in to Thursday's game having lost four of its past five ballgames.

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].