The Class AAA Far West Regional features a rematch of a regional game last year that took 11 innings to decide. Fairport will battle Section VI champion Lancaster in a grudge match to see who will earn the right to advance to the state semifinals. Here’s the breakdown:
FAIRPORT RED RAIDERS (18-4/Monroe County I)
vs.
LANCASTER LEGENDS (7-11/Erie County Interscholastic Conference I)
Saturday, Grand Island High School, 7 p.m
How they arrived here: Fairport opened their postseason run with a 7-2 win over McQuaid. The Red Raiders defeated Rush-Henrietta 6-3 to win the Section V Class AAA title. Lancaster beat Jamestown 12-3 before beating Niagara Falls 2-1 in a best of three series to win the Section VI title.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM LAURA ACCIAIO.
Tempo and Trends: Fairport averages 7.5 runs per game on offense and allows 2.6 runs per game defensively. The Red Raiders have won eight of their last nine games. Lancaster scores 5.7 runs per game and gives up 4.5 runs per game. The Legends have won three of their last four games.
Players to watch for Fairport: Sam Miller Sr. OF/P: .424 AVG, 18 SB, 21 R, eight RBI, 38.0 IP, 6-0 W-L, 65 K, 1.28 ERA, BAA .157; Nate VanDeVoorde Sr. OF/P .295 AVG, five XBH, 15 R, eight RBI, 40.2 IP, 5-0 W-L, 40 K, 1.20 ERA, BAA .155; Jackson Rucker Sr. SS .367 AVG, seven XBH, 15 RBI, 12 R; Will Stanek Sr. 3B .294 AVG, eight RBI, 14 R; JD Ostrander Sr. OF .300 AVG, five RBI, four R; Pat Lindquist Jr. DH .267 AVG, six RBI.
Lancaster: Eric Castren Sr. .433 BA, 26 H, 17 RBI, 10 R; Mike Schaefer Sr. .377 BA, 26 H, 12 XBH, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 19 R; Cameron Oddo Sr. .286 BA, 16 H, 4 XBH, 7 RBI, 20 R; Michael Falls Jr. .288 BA, 15 H, 3 XBH, 9 RBI, 12 R, 37 IP, 51 K, 2.65 ERA; Ryan Szychowski Jr. 26.2 IP, 35 K, 5.51 ERA
Coaches: Kieran Murphy (Fairport), Mark Dalfonso (Lancaster)
History 101: Fairport and Lancaster met in the Class AA Far West Regional last season, with Lancaster netting a 1-0 win in extra innings. The Red Raiders last reached the state semifinals in 2006, falling to Section II champion Colonie. Lancaster enters the Far West Regional having won its seventh Section VI championship in 12 years.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class AAA semifinals against the winner of Farmingdale (XIII) and Commack (XI).
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