HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Saturday is going to be a big day for the Hickory Crawdads.
REMAINING GAMES
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: Greensboro, completion of Friday’s suspended game with another to follow.
Sunday, 5 p.m.: Greensboro
Monday, 1 p.m.: Greensboro
Still in the thick of a chase for the South Atlantic League (SAL) second-half Northern Division title, the Crawdads have a game with Greensboro to finish and another battle with the Grasshoppers shortly after that.
Friday night’s game at L.P. Frans Stadium was stopped by rain with the Crawdads ahead 2-0 and batting in the third inning. The game resumes at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Hickory went up 1-0 in the first inning when Alex Kowalczyk and Yohel Pozo singled and, with two outs, an error scored a run.
In the third inning, Eric Jenkins had a leadoff double and Franklin Rollin singled and stole second base with Leody Taveras when rain forced the teams off the field.
The Northern Division race is going to the wire – regular-season play ends Monday – and it’s a three-team battle.
West Virginia (37-30) beat Delmarva (Md.) 4-3 on Friday night to move into first place, a half-game up on Greensboro (72-60, 35-29) and on Hickory (63-73, 36-30).
Hickory and Greensboro play Sunday at 5 p.m. and Monday at 1 p.m., and should they end up tied the Grasshoppers will gain a postseason bid based on winning percentage (they have two rained out games that won’t be made up).
SAL officials confirmed Friday a Crawdads-Power tie would force a playoff game on Tuesday for the postseason bid. West Virginia won a coin toss to gain the home field advantage if that game becomes necessary.