Spring Sports

Playoff Picture: American Legion baseball down to its final weekend

Three days remain in the regular season for American Legion senior league baseball, and there are five teams battling for the final three spots in the state tournament.

If Goffstown wins all of its final four games, it will get into the tournament.

Three days remain in the regular season for American Legion senior league baseball, and there are five teams battling for the final three spots in the state tournament.

In District B, three of the four spots have been wrapped up, while Dover and Nashua are still alive for the fourth playoff spot. In District A, it’s a little bit more confusing, with three teams going for two spots. And with one – Goffstown – with four games still remaining, a lot can still happen before the regular season ends on Sunday.

District A

Lebanon (13-3)*
Bedford (12-5)*
Sweeney (12-5)
Milford (10-8)

In contention: Goffstown (8-6).

Eliminated: Plymouth (10-8), Concord (9-8), Keene (3-13), Laconia (2-11), Jutras (1-15).

With two games remaining (at Bedford and at Sweeney), Lebanon can finish with no worse than five losses, meaning Post 22 will be in the tournament. What seed it will have remains to be seen, but a win over Bedford on Friday would give Lebanon the top spot in the district. If Lebanon loses both games, than Bedford would the top seed. … Post 54 is struggling, dropping four of its last five games, including Thursday night’s loss to Goffstown in which Post 16 scored a dozen runs in the first four innings. Despite that, Bedford is in the tournament thanks to holding tiebreakers over the other three teams in contention. … Sweeney eliminated Plymouth in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday, but couldn’t clinch a playoff spot in the second game. … Milford finishes the season with games against Jutras and Laconia, but doesn’t control its own destiny, thanks to Tuesday’s blowout loss to Goffstown. If Post 16 wins out, its in the tournament, even if Milford wins both its games.

Games remaining

Friday: Lebanon at Bedford, 5:30 p.m.
Friday: Jutras at Goffstown, 5:15 p.m.
Friday: Laconia at Milford, 5 p.m.
Saturday: Goffstown at Concord, 3 p.m.
Saturday: Milford at Jutras, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Keene at Laconia, 4 p.m. (DH)
Sunday: Laconia at Goffstown, 1 p.m. (DH)

District B

Rochester (14-1)*
Exeter (12-4)*
Londonderry (12-5)*
Nashua (9-6)

In contention: Dover (9-6).

Eliminated: Hudson (6-10), Merrimack (5-10), Portsmouth (7-11), Derry (5-12), Salem (1-15).

Rochester may have a playoff spot locked up, but Post 7 will play a major factor in who else gets in. Post 7 plays Dover twice in the final three days, sandwiched around a game at Londonderry … Exeter needs just one win in its final two games to lock up the No. 2 seed from the district. … Londonderry holds the tiebreaker over both Nashua and Dover, so Post 27 is in and would finish no worse than third. … Nashua already has one win over Dover this season, but the two teams will play again on Saturday night at Holman Stadium. And while Dover finishes its scheduled with two games against Rochester, Nashua will be playing at Merrimack and at Derry to finish the regular season.