Day Two of Diamond Nation’s Top 25 Showcase Series produced impressive playoff pairings in the Super 15U and Super 17/18U brackets while the Super 16U field moves into its final day of pool play.
The Super 17-18U playoffs begin at 10 a.m. this morning and the Super 15U Top 25 playoffs take flight at 2:15 p.m.
The Crossbridge Raiders won a pair of hard-fought victories over the South Jersey Storm, 5-2, and the NJ Marlins, 3-0, to improve to 4-0 and gain the top seed in the Super 17/18U playoffs. The top seed draws a bye to the semifinals in the six-team 17/18U playoffs. The semifinals are set for 12:15 p.m. and the 17/18U championship game will be contested at 4:30 p.m. on Field 1.
The rest of the 17/18U playoff qualifiers are the second-seeded Dirtbags NY Titanium (3-0-1, 17-12), third-seeded 17U National Sportika (3-1, 19-6), fourth-seeded U.S. Elite 17U Geneux (2-1-1, 18-10), fifth-seeded NJ Marlins (2-2, 17-6) and sixth-seeded CK Cardinals (2-2, 15-20).
NJ Glory Scout had a terrific Tuesday, sweeping its two games in dominating fashion to secure itself the No. 2 seed in the Super 15U Top 25 playoffs. NJ Glory knocked off the PA Shockers, 5-0, and the Crossbridge Raiders, 6-1, with a pair of outstanding pitching performances and timely hitting.
Northeast Supreme White held onto its top spot in the 15U standings despite splitting its two games on Tuesday. Northeast Supreme had opened the tournament at 2-0 on Monday. But 9ers Baseball Club staked its claim to a Super 15U playoff spot when it went 2-0 on Tuesday, including a big 4-2 victory over Northeast Supreme White. Ascent 2024 Gold found its way into the Super 15U playoffs as well with victories over the Raiders, 11-2, and Wladyka Baseball Red, 5-0.
Second-seeded NJ Glory Scout will square off with third-seeded Ascent 2024 Gold and top-seeded Northeast Supreme draws a rematch with 9ers Baseball Club in the Super 15U semifinals at 2:15 p.m. today. The final is set for 4:30 p.m. on Field 3.
The Super 16U field still has some pool play business to tend to today. In fact, its playoff field will not be set until after the 6:30 p.m. games at Diamond Nation.
Five Star NY (3-0, 14-1) and Hustle Baseball Academy (3-0, 20-4) are the high flyers at this point and both have played extremely well to put themselves in ideal playoff position in the Super 16U bracket.
Five Star NY pitched a pair of shutouts on Monday and followed that up with a 4-1 victory over Tri-State Arsenal NAC on Tuesday. Hustle Baseball Academy (3-0, 20-4) was coming off two shutout victories as well, but had to rally late to overcome Knights Nation MXE Academy, 5-4.
The Long Island Body Armor Titans (2-0-1, 21-9) thrust themselves right into the middle of the Super 16U playoff discussion after it followed Monday’s 1-1 tie with Knights Nation by knocking off the West Chester Dragons, 11-1, later in the day and edging Canes NY, 9-7, on Tuesday.
The rest of the current top six teams in the Super 16U field include the Kempton Coyotes (2-0, 9-3), Knights Nation MXE Academy (2-1, 10-5) and Langan Baseball (1-0-1, 14-11).