Baseball: Breaking down the Diamond Classic

Defending champion Eastern earned the No. 1 at-large bid to the 44th annual Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic.

The Vikings, who are No. 2 in the Inquirer's South Jersey rankings behind Gloucester Catholic, face a tough road back to the final on their home field at 5 p.m. on May 21.

Eastern's side of the bracket includes Bishop Eustace -- a second-round foe, if form holds -- as well as Shawnee, the Olympic American automatic qualifier.

If the first two rounds go according to the chalk -- no sure thing in this sport, especially given the complicated pitching considerations as teams manage division races and look ahead to playoff openers -- Eastern and Shawnee would play for the third time this season in the semifinals on the afternoon of May 21.

Eastern and Shawnee has split this season, each winning by 3-2 scores. And the teams could meet again in the SJ 4 tournament, too.

Bishop Eustace has won the Diamond title six times (tied with Gloucester Catholic for the most) and the Crusaders have the firepower to make another run.

BE's last title came in 2015, with a victory over Eastern in the title game.

Shawnee's only title was in 1990, when the Renegades beat Haddonfield for the championship. Shawnee has been one of South Jersey's strongest and most consistent teams this season and could make a run.

Cherry Hill West could be a darkhorse in the top of the bracket. The Lions earned the No. 6 at-large bid and face Cinnaminson, the Burlco Liberty automatic qualifier, in the first round.

The bottom half of the bracket features an intriguing first-round game in Audubon vs. Gloucester Catholic in the 10:30 opener Saturday at Hammonton.

Audubon stunned GC in a Diamond opener a few years ago at Maple Shade and the Green Wave and Rams represent two of South Jersey's most decorated programs.

There's history here, too: Audubon coach Rich Horan was an assistant at GC back in the 1980s under the late, great Al Radano.

GC has won six Diamond titles but none since 2001. The Rams broke what had been a bit of a Diamond jinx last season with a strong run to the title game but were shut down by Eastern's Jesse Barbera, a sophomore who was pitching for one of the new times in 2016.

GC has the pitching depth and the hitters to make a run this season. But so do Washington Township and St. Augustine, which also are in the bottom half of the bracket.

If form holds -- again, far from a sure thing -- Washington Township and St. Augustine would meet in an interesting second-round game, with the winner likely to meet GC in what would be a terrific semfinal.

But don't count out the Holy Spirit-Hammonton winner, which could surprise some people. Both of those squads have been playing strong baseball this season.

If fact, don't count out anybody.

If the Diamond Classic was seeded -- a no-no to tournament chief Joe Hartmann, who wants every team to enter on even footing -- then back in 2011 Buena likely would have a No. 13.

If not lower.

The Chiefs got on a run and then-coach George West's team stunned St. Augustine 9-8 in one of the best final in recent years.

Maybe that's Vineland this year. Or Cinnaminson. Or Haddonfield. Or Haddon Heights. Or St. Joseph. Or Maple Shade.

It seem unlikely but baseball can be a funny game.

Here's another look at the brackets:

May 13

at Maple Shade

Maple Shade vs. Bishop Eustace, 1030

Eastern vs. Vineland, 1

at Deptford

Haddon Heights vs. Shawnee, 1030

Cherry Hill West vs. Cinnaminson, 1

at Hammonton

Audubon vs. Gloucester Catholic, 1030

Holy Spirit vs. Hammonton, 1

at Washington Twp.

Washington Twp. vs. St. Joseph, 1030

St. Augustine vs. Haddonfield, 1

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

-- Follow @PhilAnastasia on Twitter

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