Frigid temperatures and soggy field conditions have dominated the discussion through the first 10 days of the high school baseball season. To add some perspective, they've already played eight games in the Cook Inlet Conference. That would be the Cook Inlet Conference in Anchorage, Alaska.
But we'll assume baseball will be played in the days ahead, so our first Monday edition of “This Week in high school baseball” takes a look at a handful of top-level games this week.
Chambersburg at State College (Today): While this one might get decked due to weather, it's still an intriguing battle between two programs expected to contend in the Mid-Penn Commonwealth. Both did a season ago before falling two games shy of Red Land. While the Trojans always place a high premium on controlling their neighborhood, Chambersburg's last title run came in 2008.
Palmyra at Middletown (Tuesday): The Cougars are coming off a splendid 3-2 victory over Keystone rival Hershey. The Blue Raiders, eager to climb the Keystone ladder, is searching for its first victory over the young season. You've seen what young arms like Nathan Ocker and Zach Sims can do, and Middletown could use one of those special efforts against Palmyra.
Hershey at Lower Dauphin (Thursday): There's always a high-degree of interest when the boys from Hummelstown host the boys from down the street. The Falcons, who finished their 2013 season in State College, are absolutely the team to beat in the Keystone Division. The Trojans, meanwhile, are no strangers to winning baseball.
Halifax at Upper Dauphin (Friday): Not only is this one of the better small-school rivalries in the district, Halifax will hit Ralph Lehman Park in Elizabethville with a new skipper, Tim Pritchard. Plus, the Wildcats and Trojans have either won outright or shared the Tri-Valley League title for the last four years.
Ephrata at Cumberland Valley (Saturday): While Ephrata, the defending L-L Section 2 champ, did lose a handful of league all-stars to graduation Adrian Shelley's crew will still be a threat. For Cumberland Valley, it's another opportunity for its proven pitching staff to heat up before the meat of the Commonwealth schedule.