As long as none of the early round playoff games fall on a Monday, the Marissa Meteors should be in good shape.
The Meteors, about to embark on their first Class 1A playoff run in the new four-class system, are 0-3 on Mondays and 23-0 on every other day of the week.
Marissa's next potential game on a Monday would be the Carbondale Super-Sectional, just a win away from the state tournament.
"Obviously you'll take your chances if you get to that level," Marissa coach Jason Smith said. "If we're in that, we'll treat it like a Wednesday or whatever."
Smith's 23-3 squad will open play Wednesday at the Marissa Regional carrying a 13-game winning streak with victories in 18 of its last 19 contests. Marissa also won the title Cahokia Conference's Kaskaskia Division.
Many of the current senior starters took their lumps with a squad that finished 9-22 two years ago, a group that included six sophomores and a freshman. The experience paid off and the Meteors now are reaping the rewards of a patient approach.
"We didn't know if this group was ever going to get there, but we had high hopes," said Smith, who has tried to inspire the current squad with comparisons to Marissa's sectional finalist squad of 2004.
He now admits this may be his best team in six seasons at the school and one of the best since Marissa won its only state baseball title in 1986.
"This group hates the comparisons," Smith said. "I'm still a young coach and I don't have a lot to compare them to, but they probably get sick of hearing that (2004 stuff) from me."
The Meteors' only losses this season are to Trico, Lebanon and Metro-East Lutheran.
Marissa's strength is pitching depth, strong defense and a balanced lineup that relies on more that just one or two sluggers.
"We've got to play great defense," Smith said. "Our pitching has shown all year that we'll be able to keep teams down, but we've got to be able to catch the ball."
Senior Cale Wine, close to signing with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville after originally committing to Lincoln Trail Community College, is 8-0 with a 0.33 ERA as a pitcher and 61 strikeouts in 42 innings.
"He's a total package guy," Smith said of Wine, who can throw four pitches for strikes --including a baffling knuckleball. "He's got really good late movement and he gets a lot of ground balls, a lot of strikeouts, too."
Wine also is hitting .406 with eight doubles and 25 RBIs, striking out only two times this season.
The Marissa mound staff also includes Ricky Weber (6-0, 2.33 ERA), Joseph Phelps (4-1, 1.89 ERA) and Craig Place (5-2, 2.14 ERA).
"Our pitchers and hitters have been doing a great job, but since our defense has been playing well is what's helped us play our best ball," Smith said.
The potent Meteors' lineup is led by Michael Lloyd (.500, seven doubles, 16 RBIs), Craig Place (.449, nine doubles, 26 RBIs), Ricky Weber (.406, 28 RBIs), Wine, Andrew Vasquez (.393, 20 RBIs, 12 stolen bases), Sam Hodges (.342, 16 RBIs) and Ryan Weber (.307, two homers, 22 RBIs).
"Craig Place had a stretch where he was 10-for-10 over four games," Smith said. "He's continued to stay pretty hot, but obviously not that hot."
Hodges, a senior second baseman, is headed to McKendree along with both Webers, senior twins. Ricky Weber will run cross-country for the Bearcats and Ryan will play baseball.
Place, a 6-3 left-hander, is said to be leaning toward Greenville College.
Smith expects a tough ride through his own regional and says there are plenty of other worthy 1A competitors out there in Southern Illinois. The list includes Trico, Carrier Mills, Okawville, Goreville, Shawnee and Steeleville.
Trico has an ace hurler in Jake Carlock while Okawville has Lucas Blumhorst (2-5, 3.26 ERA and sluggers Bill Segelhorst (.357, six homers, 13 RBIs and Nick Dressler (.317, four homers, 16 RBIs).
Several of Marissa's games against top-flight competition this season were rained out, but Smith couldn't control the weather.
"We haven't really seen upper-echelon pitching and we'll have to see that in the sectional if we get there," Smith said.
Hardin Calhoun Regional
The Lebanon Greyhounds (13-10) are the top seed at the Hardin Calhoun Regional, which also contains local teams Valmeyer (7-10) and Dupo (2-18). Carrollton figures to give the Greyhounds the biggest challenge to win the title.
Lebanon's potent lineup is led by Brett Schubert (.455, two homers, 29 RBIs), Blake Zurliene (.433, nine doubles, two homers, 13 RBIs) and Blake Wood (.362, six doubles, three triples, 24 RBIs).
Wood (6-2, 1.79 ERA) and Zurliene (4-2, 1.55 ERA) give the Greyhounds a strong 1-2 punch on the mound.
Contact reporter Norm Sanders at nsanders@bnd.com or 239-2454.
