How do top seeds do in Arizona's baseball and softball playoffs?
May 12, 2016 by MaxPreps, AZPreps365
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See the high heat coming out of Oklahoma
The crooked numbers are having their say during the postseason on the diamond. As the baseball and softball seasons are down to a few precious outs, it has become clear that being the top seed hasn't meant a clear path to a championship.
It's nothing new.
The No. 1 seed usually has good performances and makes it deep into the tournament, but winning has never been a guarantee by any means. That has become especially clear in the top two divisions, which are played under a double-elimination format after the second round.
"There is just a lot of parity," Mountain Pointe baseball coach Brandon Buck said after his eighth-seeded Pride were eliminated by No. 14 Chaparral to make the final four in Division I. "There were a lot of good teams, but none that you could point to and say they are head and shoulders above everyone else."
It probably goes a long way in explaining why the highest seed remaining is No. 4 Sandra Day O'Connor along with No. 5 Mountain Ridge, No. 6 Hamilton and Chaparral.
Here is a look at how the No. 1 seeds have done entering Wednesday's Arizona playoff action. Click here to see the Arizona baseball playoff brackets and click here to see the Arizona softball playoff brackets.
Photo by Jim Willittes
Baseball
Division I
Basha (Chandler) eliminated with a 1-2 record.
Division II
Thunderbird (Phoenix) eliminated with a 2-2 record.
Division III
Alhambra (Phoenix) alive in Friday's semifinals.
Division IV
Desert Christian (Tucson) in Friday's semifinals.
Division V
Bagdad in Saturday's championship game.
Softball
Division I
Desert Vista (Phoenix) has a 2-1 record heading into the consolation bracket's second round on Thursday.
Division II
Canyon del Oro (Tucson) eliminated with a 1-2 record.
Division III
Cibola (Yuma) lost in semifinals
Division IV
Benson lost in semifinals
Division V
Ray (Kearny) won it all by beating No. 2 Santa Cruz Valley, 7-5 on Monday.
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic sports writer and current Prep Sports Director for Times Media Group, is a 20-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com.
See the high heat coming out of Oklahoma
The crooked numbers are having their say during the postseason on the diamond. As the baseball and softball seasons are down to a few precious outs, it has become clear that being the top seed hasn't meant a clear path to a championship.
It's nothing new.
The No. 1 seed usually has good performances and makes it deep into the tournament, but winning has never been a guarantee by any means. That has become especially clear in the top two divisions, which are played under a double-elimination format after the second round.
"There is just a lot of parity," Mountain Pointe baseball coach Brandon Buck said after his eighth-seeded Pride were eliminated by No. 14 Chaparral to make the final four in Division I. "There were a lot of good teams, but none that you could point to and say they are head and shoulders above everyone else."
It probably goes a long way in explaining why the highest seed remaining is No. 4 Sandra Day O'Connor along with No. 5 Mountain Ridge, No. 6 Hamilton and Chaparral.
Here is a look at how the No. 1 seeds have done entering Wednesday's Arizona playoff action. Click here to see the Arizona baseball playoff brackets and click here to see the Arizona softball playoff brackets.
Photo by Jim WillittesRay won it all in the Division V softball tournament.
Baseball
Division I
Basha (Chandler) eliminated with a 1-2 record.
Division II
Thunderbird (Phoenix) eliminated with a 2-2 record.
Division III
Alhambra (Phoenix) alive in Friday's semifinals.
Division IV
Desert Christian (Tucson) in Friday's semifinals.
Division V
Bagdad in Saturday's championship game.
Softball
Division I
Desert Vista (Phoenix) has a 2-1 record heading into the consolation bracket's second round on Thursday.
Division II
Canyon del Oro (Tucson) eliminated with a 1-2 record.
Division III
Cibola (Yuma) lost in semifinals
Division IV
Benson lost in semifinals
Division V
Ray (Kearny) won it all by beating No. 2 Santa Cruz Valley, 7-5 on Monday.
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic sports writer and current Prep Sports Director for Times Media Group, is a 20-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com.
