What? You didn’t think we’d forget there’s other baseball going on this weekend outside of the Top Gun Winter World Series, did you? Not many teams going in AAU this weekend, so here’s your brief preview of this weekend’s AAU events.
Clemmons
8u
#8 Spartans – Allen will be in the field in Clemmons this weekend and will face GRIT and Summerfield Stars on Saturday. The Spartans are 8-3 in AAU play this fall with a win over the Summerfield Stars two weeks ago. The Summerfield Stars will also look to make some noise in this tournament, going up against Spartans – Allen and SW Colts on day 1.
10u
With none of our top 20 in the field this weekend, this 4 team field should be wide open. The Carolina Spinners are 6-2 this fall, but these will be all new teams for the Spinners. They will be facing Spartans – Speaks and the GBC Prospects on Saturday. It’s a bit hard to know what to make of Spartans – Speaks, GBC Prospects, or the Summerfield Stars. It appears all these teams will be new to each other, and the Spartans, Prospects, and Stars all have losing records against various competition in USSSA.
12u
This is a big, 14-team field comprised of both 11u and 12u teams. None of our top 20 at either age is in this field, so again this should be pretty wide open. Spartans – Campbell are 9-9-2 this fall and will face the Chatham Crusaders and WM9 American on Saturday. Hutters 11u will be playing up and might find some trouble with Spartans – Keaton and WM9 American on Saturday. Spartans – Keaton will also face Colts – Chappell 11u on Saturday, and WM9 American will go up against Spartans – Campbell.
Oxford
9u
There are only two teams in the 9u field, the NW Warriors and the Carolina Tide. I expect the Warriors to roll here.
10u
The 10u field is probably the best field at any AAU site this weekend. 10u #7 Carolina Thunder, #8 Alamance Patriots, and #12 Youngsville Heat will all be in the field. In addition, the North Wake Elite and the Carolina Outlaws are both in the field as well. The Thunder will face the NW Bombers and the Outlaws on Saturday. The Patriots will go against Carolina Tide and the Youngsville Heat, which should be the best non-Top Gun WWS game in the state on Saturday. The Heat will also play against Diamond Jaxx on Saturday. I would expect the Thunder and the North Wake Elite, who play the Diamond Jaxx and the Carolina Tide, as well as the winner of the Alamance/Youngsville game to be undefeated after Saturday, so the seeds for Sunday could be very interesting and will go a long way in determining who has the easiest road to the championship game as only the top seed earns a bye on Sunday. If the Outlaws are able to defeat the Patriots on Saturday, I would expect them to be undefeated as well, and they could slide into the discussion for the top seed.