Cream Rising to the Top? You Never Know.

With 14 teams currently undefeated within pool play across the country, it would be a good assumption that eight of them should make it to Williamsport. In the day and age of pitch counts however, everything is a strategy and you never know if a loss was earned or not. When do you throw your ace? How long do you throw him for? Do you keep him eligible for the semifinals or burn him for a regional final? These are all questions that every manager is still asking himself.

In the West region, Arizona saved its ace against Utah and took an important loss. In the next game, Arizona beat perennial power Hawaii by burning its ace for the remainder of pool play. Other teams around the country are using their ace sporadically to maximize the amount of games their ace can affect. With two-third of the teams advancing to the semifinals of their regions, it's really hard to get yourself eliminated. That reason may keep teams otherwise left for dead within perfect range of an upset and a spot in Williamsport.

New England

Goffstown, NH put a target on its back after beating Fairfield American, CT 9-7 in a great game. Connecticut is in a hole currently in a must-win game with Maine today. New Hampshire is sitting pretty with its ace available in the semifinals. Today, Massachusetts gets to take on Vermont, and New Hampshire gets another test with Rhode Island.

Mid-Atlantic

Paramus, NJ took care of business with a random selection of arms against Northwest Washington, DC setting themselves up for a semifinals berth because its ace Hiro Mizutani can pitch on Tuesday against currently undefeated Delaware. Keystone, PA survived against Great Kills American, NY to stay undefeated as well.

Southwest

Colorado took control of its pool in the Southwest with a victory over Mississippi, but I don't think anyone is expecting a finals appearance over Lafayette, LA or Pearland, TX.

West

Ocean View, CA and Central East Maui, HI had a dual no-hitter through 4 innings, but Ocean View scratched a run across in the first inning, and added two more late in the game to remain one of the favorites in the whole country.

Northwest

North Bothell, WA continues to give up a handful of runs, but pour on even more as the favorites in the Northwest. There's a crapshoot of 1-1 teams behind them. It's still a fairly wide open regional.

Great Lakes

Golfmoor, IN pounded out 23 hits and 22 runs against Michigan to remain the favorite in the Great Lakes. Elijah Dunham is batting 1.000 in three games with four homeruns. That is somebody who should get a free pass to first base every time up.

Midwest

Grandview, IA and Harney, SD remain on a collision course in the midwest with matching 2-0 records. Iowa continues to do it with pitching and defense. South Dakota does it any way it can.