CLASS D
No. 2 seed AVOCA/PRATTSBURGH (16-6/STEUBEN COUNTY)
vs.
No. 1 seed FILLMORE EAGLES (14-3/ALLEGANY COUNTY)
Tuesday, May 31st 5:00 PM Keshequa
How they arrived here: Avoca/Prattsburgh one-upped No. 7 Arkport-Canaseraga (2-1) in the quarterfinals, and outlasted No. 3 Naples (15-2) for a spot in the Class D finals. Fillmore defeated No. 9 Lima Christian (13-4) in the quarterfinals, and survived in shutout fashion against No. 4 C.G. Finney in the semi-finals, to earn their spot in the Class D title game.
Tempo and Trends: Second-ranked Avoca/Prattsburgh scores an average of 8.2 runs and allows 2.5 runs per game. Since May 5, A/P has won 10 of 12 games, outscoring their opponents by an average of 7.8 runs during that stretch. Top-seeded Fillmore averages 10.1 runs and allows 3.9 runs per game. In the month of May, the Eagles are 7-2, outscoring their opponents by an average of 3.3 runs.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class D Far West Regionals.
History 101: Fillmore lost in the Class D1 semifinals in 2021 to Keshequa. Avoca/Prattsburgh won the Class D2 title in 2021, beating Belfast. In 2019, Avoca won the Class D2 finals over Belfast (6-0). A/P head coach, Dennis Miles, has 765 career wins, second most in New York state history, and has won 13 Section V titles at Wellsville and Avoca. This is his third year at A-P, third trip to finals. Fillmore’s Bill NOlan was named 2022 Section V Class D Coach of the Year.
Players to watch for Avoca/Prattsburgh: Pacey Hopkins Sr. (.437 AVG, 18 2B, 1 HR); Ashton McMahon Sr. (.377 AVG, 8 2B, 19 RBI); Jamel Crowder Jr. (.476 AVG); Josiah Stilson (.360 AVG) and Chris Abbott So. (.351 AVG).
Fillmore: Alex Ellsworth Sr. (.383 AVG, 12 RBI, 22 R); Graham Cahill Sr. (.321 AVG, 7 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR); Brent Zubikowski Jr. (.375 AVG, 10 2B, 17 RBI, 23 R); Luke Colombo Jr. (.360 AVG, 21 RBI, 16 R); Aiden Wagner Jr. (.368 AVG, 17 RBI, 17 R) and Nolan Krzeminski Jr.(.426 AVG, 15 RBI, 23 R).
Coaches: Dennie Miles (Avoca/Prattsburgh), Bill Nolan (Fillmore)
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