Baseball Playoffs: Apaches Travel To Pacifica For Quaterfinals

The quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 baseball playoffs are no place for inventive game plans and cute strategy. At this point in the season, you go with the guys who got you there. For better or for worse. 

Arcadia coach Nick Lemas knows this, evidenced by his decision to start KJ Edson for a second time this week in the Apaches’ quarterfinal matchup at Garden Grove Pacifica on Friday at 3:15 p.m.

Edson has been the catalyst for the Apaches success all year. He finished the regular season with a 10-1 record and a 0.56 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 75 innings. Edson has started both games for the Apaches this postseason. On Tuesday, he gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings in a win over Alemany, and Arcadia coach Nick Lemas will try to squeeze a few more effective innings from Edson against Pacifica on Friday.

Edson is eligible to throw up to 4 1/3 innings at which point he’ll reach his allotment of 10 innings for the week.

“I think he’s going to start and see how far he can go; see if he can give us three innings,” Lemas said. “He’s done it all year long. He’s worked his butt off to be in this situation. He’s ready.”

In the Mariners, Edson will face arguably his toughest opponent of the season. Pacifica went 10-2 in the tough Empire League (one game behind top-ranked Cypress) and upset No. 7 Chaminade in the second round, 4-3.

The Mariners (24-7) are led at the plate by junior shortstop Trent Chatterton (hitting .444 with three homer runs) and junior Kyle Davis (.352 with five homers). On the mound Pacifica boasts two pitchers in Davis and junior Max Bethel who sport ERAs or 2.27 or lower in at least 65 innings.

“It should be a good game,” Lemas said. “All the teams that are still playing are going to be quality teams. They’re just like everybody else. They’re a good team.”