Reporter Joe Saade breaks down the Coastal Conference semifinal baseball games.
Coastal Conference tournament
Semifinals at Kellam High
2. Kellam vs. 3. Ocean Lakes, 5 p.m. Tuesday
The Knights swept the season series, beating the Dolphins in comeback fashion in April and shutting them out 3-0 in May. Kellam has overcome youth and inexperience at key positions and proven it can win games in a variety of ways. Ocean Lakes’ bats have shown flashes of fireworks, while a rotation led by Chase Counts, Corey Hinds and Myles Duncan is deep and efficient. Tournament games generally come down to pitching. Whoever takes the mound on either side has to show control early before bats get hot and the game’s pressure overwhelms.
1. First Colonial vs. 4. Cox, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
The Falcons carry the confidence of being the only team to beat the Patriots this season, splitting the series 1-1. In the game Cox lost, First Colonial needed a seventh-inning rally to grab the win. The Patriots have already clinched a spot in the 6A South Region tournament as Coastal Conference regular season champs. First Colonial has the Beach’s deepest rotation, led by ace Justin Cook, and the conference’s most potent offense (7.3 runs per game). Cox has little margin for error.
