#1 White Sox (20-5) vs. #6 Diamondbacks (13-12)
Season Head to Head:
White Sox won the season series 2-0: 9-5 & 8-6
Playoff Leaders
White Sox:
Brendan Rose .556 Avg, .889 Slug%, 3 2B, 7 RBI, 4 R
Brett Brittany .500 Avg, .600 OBP%, 2 RBI, 4 R
Dirk Dembroski 1-0, 7.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 K, 1 CG
Diamondbacks:
Nolan Handley .889 Avg, 1.333 Slug%, 4 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R,
JP Willner .556 Avg, 0.889 OBP%,1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R,
Shea Koller .417 Avg, .500 OBP%, 1 2B, 7 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB
Preview: The White Sox took care of business over the Twins in a rain delayed Quarterfinals. Their bats put in work as they put up 28 runs in their 2 game sweep. Now their reward is getting a rematch of last years finals in the Semifinal round. Their bats should be able to score some runs here, if their pitching and defense plays well they will be very tough to beat.
The Diamondbacks meanwhile haven’t lost in the first round of the FMBA playoffs since 2011, having made the championship nine times, winning 7 in that stretch. They kept the streak alive outlasting the Guns in a 3 game opening set, and now this round they should have the band back together, as they were down a few of the old boys with commitments to Senior Nationals and Western AAs. Revenge will surely be on their minds. Can they squeeze in one more title run?
Last year’s finals between these two came down to the last out of Game 3. Two really good offenses here; get your popcorn out, this will be a good one.
#2 Giants (18-7) vs. #3 Dukes (17-9)
Season Head to Head:
Dukes won season series 2-0: 13-4, 9-6
Playoff Leaders
Giants:
Bodie Bazillion .429 Avg, 0.500 OBP%, 3 RBI, 2 R, 8 SB
Carter Rain .429 Avg, .500 OBP%, 1 2B, 4 RBI,
Steven Latos 1-0, 7IP, 0.00 ERA, 11 K, 1 CG
Dukes:
Duncan Elgert .455 Avg, 0.538 OBP%, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Drew Davis .571 Avg, 0.857 Slug%, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R
Dylan Jacober 2-0, 14IP, 1.00 ERA, 19K, 2 CG
Preview: The Giants swept the Wolfpack in the Quarterfinals in a couple of close games. They did this despite their bats going to sleep for large stretches of those games. However their pitching was great as always and they did what they needed to do to win. They will need to continue this trend against a tough Dukes team.
The Dukes meanwhile won their series vs the Dinos in a third game where they were missing several vets due to a wedding. This came after the team collapsed in Game 2 blowing a 4 run 7th inning lead, so it says a lot about them to get off the mat and come back strong in that situation. If there was an MVP of the first round it would 100% be Dylan Jacober who was absolutely nails in two CG wins.
These teams last met in the 1st round of the 2024 playoffs which the Giants won 2-1. Honestly a part of me wishes this was the FMBA finals because both of these teams have been very good for a long time in our league but have both come short of snagging a championship. It is a shame one of them will add to that. Probably your best two pitching staffs right here, and in these games runs will be a premium.