Baseball:

Gullo’s squad enters the week with an unblemished record in league play, with the only loss of the year on Fredonia’s slate to Harbor Creek, PA. The Hillbillies host Southwestern today and head to Silver Creek on Tuesday, prior to the rivalry game. With the pitch count rule in place, Fredonia has to choose its pitchers wisely throughout the week. There is a good chance that both Reid Tarnowski and Derrick Walters could be unavailable for Fredonia by the time they get to Wednesday’s matchup. That will certainly be a key to watch for in the next couple of days.

Yet, Gullo hardly has a reason to worry when you look at the recent success for Fredonia, especially in league play. The Hillbillies have had dominant outings from three different pitchers on the season — Tarnowski, Walters and Trey Swartz — and with a 10-1 record on the year featuring six mercy rule defeats of league opponents already in 2018, Fredonia will certainly have the odds in its favor.

However, with Dunkirk-Fredonia rivalry games, you throw all the numbers out the window. These games are about more than just the historic run of Fredonia in recent years. The rivalry is much more historic than any streak, and after jumping out ahead early in the last matchup in Fredonia last month, Frank Jagoda’s Marauders have seen that Fredonia is mortal, after all.

OBSERVER File Photo Fredonia's Trey Swartz connects with a pitch during a regular season game earlier this season.

While all eyes will be on Fredonia’s pitcher on the day, don’t overlook whoever Jagoda sends out to the hill for the game, either. Dunkirk has every reason to want to shock the Hillbillies and spoil the day for Gullo’s boys.

Softball:

Before the year began, CCAA’s Division 1 West was full of questions. After key departures from a Fredonia team that has reigned over the division for years, the biggest question was “Who would take the crown this season?” Heading into the final week and a half of play in the regular season, the division is still up for grabs.

The young Lady Marauders enter the week in the driver’s seat, leading the way with a league record of 8-1 on the year. Right behind them, however, are Chautauqua Lake and Fredonia, each with two losses in league play on the year. For Michelle Gilmour’s Lady Marauders to come away with the league title, a win on Wednesday would go a long way. Not only would it put Dunkirk ahead of the Lady ‘Billies, it would also likely set up a chance for Dunkirk to claim the title outright with a win over Maple Grove on Friday in Dunkirk.

Dunkirk’s first game of the week is a big one, as well, as the Lady Marauders travel to Chautauqua Lake. There is even an outside chance that Dunkirk could be playing for a chance to clinch the league title on Wednesday, depending on the results of Monday and Tuesday.

Dunkirk picked up the win over Fredonia the last time the two met, April 23 in Fredonia. Now the Lady Marauders are looking to pick up yet another statement win against Dunkirk’s biggest rival, the defending league champs, Fredonia.

It’s likely that Gilmour will turn to Monica Pokoj in the circle for Dunkirk on Wednesday. The more interesting choice will be Fredonia’s, as Beers has to decide whether to hand the ball to the experienced senior, Grace Pucciarelli, or whether to ride the hot hand of the emerging freshman, Maddy Marsh.

Wednesday will likely be the biggest game of the regular season in Division 1 West. With Dunkirk and Fredonia meeting on the biggest stage of the regular season, it would be wrong to have it any other way.

Twitter: @bradencarmen