Perfect Game has a lights-out event in store for this weekend in Greensboro. With 4 of the top 20 10u teams from this past spring competing in the 11u age group, and 5 of the top 10 teams in the final 2017-2018 11u rankings (and the #2 1ou team from this past spring) competing in the 12u age groups, we should see some exciting baseball. The 11u age group will also have a team from South Carolina (PRO Select) and a team from Virginia (Canes Baseball NC - Cheetham) in the field. Here we provide a brief preview of the weekend's games.
11u
The 11 field consists of 6 teams, 4 from North Carolina (Carolina Havoc, Dirtbags Black, Dirtbags Platinum, and West Raleigh Blue), Canes Baseball VA - Cheetham, and PRO Select (SC). Every one of the the North Carolina teams was ranked in our final 2017-2018 rankings this past spring. The Carolina Havoc, who finished 15th in our final 2017-2018 10u rankings, will face PRO Select and Dirtbags Platinum in their pool play games on Saturday. Dirtbags Platinum will take on West Raleigh Blue, who finished #4 in our final 10u rankings last year, in their other pool play game. West Raleigh Blue will take on Canes - Cheetham in their other pool play game on Saturday. Canes - Cheetham is an excellent team from Virginia. They boast a roster with kids from 6 different states (MI, NC, NJ, NY, VA, and WV) and recently scored a win over the 12u NCDB Rivercats, who finished #15 in our final 11u rankings this past year. Dirtbags Black, who finished 8th in our final 10u rankings last year, will take on PRO Select and Canes - Cheetham in their two pool play games on Saturday.
On Sunday, West Raleigh Blue will face PRO Select, Dirtbags Black will take on the Havoc, and Dirtbags Platinum will take on Canes - Cheetham. Based on the results of teams' 3 pool play games, the top two seeds will meet in a one-game championship game so it will be imperative for these teams to get positive results in each of their pool play games if they want to make the championship.
12u
5 of the top 10 teams from our final 2017-2018 11u rankings will be in action in Greensboro this weekend. We won't have to wait long to see some great action in the 12u age group SBA Premier (formerly known as SBA Canes - Ross) finished #1 in our final 11u rankings this past spring. They'll take on Five Star Carolina 2025 - Neyra, who finished #2 in our final 11u rankings this past spring, in their first pool play game. SBA Premier will also face Greensboro National 2025 in pool play on Saturday, while Five Star - Neyra will take on Big game 2025, who finished #8 in our final 11u rankings this past spring, in their other pool play game on Saturday. Big Game 2025 will take on Mission Vipers Black in their other pool play game on Saturday. Mission Vipers Gold, who finished 5th in our final 11u rankings this past spring, will take on Greensboro National 2025 and Canes Baseball NC - Hood, who finished #6 in our final 2017-2018 rankings. Canes - Hood will also face Ultimate Performance Sports Red - Johnson in pool play on Saturday. The 11u TPA Nationals (formerly known as Canes Baseball NC - Gilchrist), who finished 2nd in our final 10u rankings this past spring, will be playing up this weekend and will take on Ultimate Performance - Johnson and Mission Vipers Black in their two pool play games on Sunday.
Sunday will consist of bracket play for all teams. The #8 and 9 seeds will play one another in a consolation game, while the #3 and 6 seeds and #4 and 5 seeds will go head-to-head against one another (3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5) in play-in games to reach the semifinals. The top two seeds will receive byes into the semifinals where they will take on the winners of the semifinal match ups (1 vs. winner of 4/5 game, 2 vs. winner of 3/6 game).