At last, the baseball postseason is here … and so, apparently, is the wet weather.

Elimination play for the top three classes will begin on Saturday with regionals. The object is to win twice to advance to the Championship Series and its double-elimination.

As usual, the RPI qualifying has raised some eye brows – Pine Creek No. 3 in Class 5A? – and permission is there to play on Sunday – on Mother’s Day? – if there are weather problems, this is Colorado and this is what happens.

Below are the lineups, some names and some facts of what you’ll need to know before watching:

** Times are subject to change due to weather, or other potential delays **

CLASS 5A

Region 1 at Mountain Vista

Mullen vs. Mountain Vista, 12:30 p.m.

Lakewood vs. Legend, 10 a.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 2 at Arapahoe

Prairie View vs. Arapahoe 10 a.m. 

Fort Collins vs. Douglas County 12:30 a.m. 

Winners: 3 p.m. 

Region 3 at Legacy

Highlands Ranch vs. Legacy, 10 a.m.

Rocky Mountain vs. Grandview, 1 p.m.

Winners: 4 p.m.

Region 4 at Fruita Monument

Castle View vs. Fruita Monument, 10 a.m.

Boulder vs. Cherokee Trail, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 5 at Heritage

Dakota Ridge vs. Heritage, 12:30 p.m.

Columbine vs. Chaparral, 10 a.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 6 at Mountain Range

Abraham Lincoln vs. Mountain Range, 10. a.m. 

Loveland vs. Ralston Valley, 12:30 p.m. 

Winners: 3 p.m. 

Region 7 at Pine Creek

Regis Jesuit vs. Pine Creek, 10 a.m.

ThunderRidge vs. Chatfield, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 8 at Cherry Creek

Broomfield vs. Cherry Creek, 10 a.m. 

Rock Canyon vs. Monarch, 12:30 p.m. 

Winners: 3 p.m.

 

Thoughts on 5A Districts

Sure things: Mountain Vista and Pine Creek. Duh!

Place a bet, but not the house deed: Cherry Creek, Heritage, Legacy and Ralston Valley.

What happened here? Abraham Lincoln’s schedule contained several 4A foes and Mullen dropped its past six games, including a victory that was turned into a forfeit.

Bases loaded: Pine Creek senior Justin Olson (Kentucky) is batting .545 with 15 home runs, 33 runs batted in and 22 extra-base hits.

Full count: Mountain Vista’s Sam Ireland, (Minnestoa) a junior, and Jack Liffrig (Utah) a senior, are a combined 17-0, with Ireland 9-0.

Scouting report: These playoffs should be about Mountain Vista and Pine Creek, or, if you prefer, Pine Creek and Mountain Vista. Prove otherwise. They clearly have distinguished themselves – the Golden Eagles in Highlands Ranch are undefeated and the Eagles in Colorado Springs haven’t lost an in-state game. Interestingly, Colorado’s big-school power has been out of the Denver area (see: Rocky Mountain) and it could occur again.

 

CLASS 4A

Region 1 at Windsor

Greeley Central vs. Windsor, 10 a.m.

Pueblo County vs. Canon City, noon

Winners: 2 p.m.

Region 2 at Palisade

Montrose vs. Palisade, 10 a.m. 

Lewis-Palmer vs. Roosevelt 12:30 p.m. 

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 3 at Fort Morgan

Northridge vs. Fort Morgan, 10 a.m.

Mead vs. Cheyenne Mountain, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 4 at Palmer Ridge

Elizabeth vs. Palmer Ridge, 10 a.m.

Falcon vs. Evergreen, 12;30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 5 at Valor Christian

John F. Kennedy vs. Valor Christian, 10 a.m.

Berthoud vs. Thomas Jefferson, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 6 at Denver North

Wheat Ridge at Denver North, 12:30 p.m.

D’Evelyn vs. Holy Family, 10 a.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 7 at Longmont

Standley Lake at Longmont, 10 a.m.

Erie at Discovery Canyon, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 8 at Pueblo West

Durango vs. Pueblo West, 10 a.m.

Glenwood Springs vs. Golden, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Thoughts on 4A Districts

Sure things: Longmont, Roosevelt, Valor Christian, Windsor

Place a bet, but not the house deed: Fort Morgan, Holy Family, Roosevelt, Pueblo West,

What happened here? Denver North, which lost in the first round a year ago, finished 12^th in RPI, yet is hosting.

Bases loaded: Denver North senior outfielder Harris Williams (San Francisco) is batting a robust .652 and Fort Morgan senior Trey McBride, headed to play football at Colorado State, is hitting .633 with 6 homers and 38 hits.

Full count: Palmer Ridge senior J.C. Watne is 9-1 with two saves, and Valor Christian senior Josh Danyliw (Colorado Mesa) is 8-1.

Scouting report: It’s a very top-heavy class. Along with defending state champion Valor Christian, the northern area of the state is salty. But keep in mind two things as 4A hits the playoffs – this class tends to run out of pitching in the postseason that leads to slugfests and it’s Valor’s last year in 4A. The Eagles know how to leave a mark.

CLASS 3A

Region 1 at Lamar

DSST Stapleton vs. Lamar, 10 a.m. 

The Academy vs. Jefferson Academy 12:30 p.m. 

Winners: TBA

Region 2 at Bennett

Brush vs. Bennett, 10 a.m.

Lutheran vs. La Junta, 12;30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 3 at Sterling

Kent Denver vs. Sterling, 10 a.m.

Valley vs. Cedaredge, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 4 at Faith Christian

Bayfield vs. Faith Christian, 10 a.m.

Bishop Machebeuf vs. Resurrection Christian, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 5 at University

Basalt vs. University, 10 a.m.

Rye vs. Buena Vista, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 6 at Delta

Centauri vs. Delta, 10 a.m.

Platte Valley vs. Colorado Academy, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 7 at Eaton

Fort Lupton vs. Eaton, 10 a.m.

Aspen vs. Pagosa Springs, 12:30 p.m.

Winners: 3 p.m.

Region 8 at Alamosa

St. Mary’s vs. Alamosa

Weld Central vs. Peak to Peak

Winners: TBA

Thoughts on 3A Districts

Sure things: Lamar, Sterling, University

Place a bet, but not the house deed: Eaton, Faith Christian.

What happened here? Fort Lupton finished second – to 4A Fort Morgan -- in the 4A/3A Colorado 7, but was credited for winning it. As for its reward? A first-round meeting with host and usual 3A power Eaton.  

Bases loaded: The Academy’s John Zamora, a junior, is batting .579.

Full count: In 33.2 innings, Lamar’s Dalton Chandler (Cal State Northridge) is 4-0, has given up only one hit and amassed a whopping 80 strikeouts.

Scouting report: This Lamar Savages team is bidding to become the program’s best since the 1990s days of Ryan and Scott Elarton. Indeed, the usual suspects will be there to provide the competition, but the name of the 3A game remains chasing, as in chasing the Savages.