The opening round of the Maui Adult Baseball League Spring 2023 Playoffs did not disappoint as fans were treated to a pair of exciting games at beautiful Kalama Park in Kihei. In the morning matchup, the La Perouse Pirates defied our experts’ predictions and SABR’s head-to-head victory probability by defeating the 3-time defending champion Makena Royals by a final of 8-6. The game featured a pair of home runs, including John Schnettgoecke‘s 3-run shot to create some breathing room for the Pirates in the top of the fifth. They would need all the cushion they could get as the Royals fought until the final out, putting the tying run aboard in the ninth. The afternoon game was all Upcountry Dirtbags, with James McOwen (3 for 4 with a double, triple, and 3 RBIs) and Matthew Palmer (3 for 4 with a double and 4 RBIs) leading the offense, and Trevor Caughey (6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, and 7 Ks) silencing the Lahaina Warriors‘ bats.
The second round of the MABL Playoffs will begin after the 2nd Annual MABL Youth Clinic this May 21 at Maehara Stadium in Wailuku. The West Maui Brewers (#2 seed, 10-3-1) will host the Dirtbags (#5 seed, 6-7-1) at 2:00pm, with the Kihei Centipedes (#1 seed, 11-3) and the Pirates (#6 seed, 6-8) scheduled to start at 5:00pm. The best-of-three game series will conclude next week, with the opportunity for four games to be held at Maehara Stadium if needed.
The MABL’s panel of anonymous experts pick the Brewers to prevail over the Dirtbags by a vote of 2 to 1, while the Brewers have a 79.5% chance of winning based on each team’s regular season winning percentage. The Brewers led the league in runs scored and run differential this season, and touted the second ranked pitching staff — lead by 8-game winner Andy Michaels. The Brew Crew won the March 5 matchup between these teams, while the April 23 meeting resulted in a tie (due to time constraints) after 10 innings. Both teams played well down the stretch with the Brewers going 3-0-1 since April 16, and the Dirtbags going 3-1-1 over that span.
Based on regular season winning percentage the Centipedes are heavy favorites with a 83.0% chance to advance; our panel of experts gives the 2-1 edge to the ‘Pedes as well. Led by Callen Beeson (3-1, 2.86 ERA, and a league-best .175 opponents’ average against over 28.1 IP) the Centipedes’ pitching staff performed slightly better than that of the Pirates, though the Pirates’ offense outperformed the Centipedes’. The Centipedes outscored the Pirates head-to-head by a combined margin of 21-3 in two wins this season, though despite finishing the regular season with the top seed and the best record in franchise history, the ‘Pedes slowed down the stretch, going 2-2 since April 16. Coming off a huge upset last week, the Pirates are 3-2 over that time frame.
Whether you’re involved in the MABL Youth Clinic, or just stopping by for some playoff games, Maehara Stadium will be the place to be this Sunday! As always, stay up-to-date with everything MABL by following us on Instagram and Facebook. In addition, you can find the full playoff game schedule, and scores, stats, and photos from the entire season on our website.