Some call the postseason a "second season" and that's how the Three Rivers baseball team is going into the best-of-three Sub-Regional against Jefferson College this weekend.

"Postseason is a good time of year and it's like a new season," Raiders coach Tyler Smith said. "I think we got a good draw with Jefferson and I think we match up well with them."

The Raiders faced the Vikings back in March and were swept in four games.

"When we faced them in March, they were all close games," Smith said. "We've got Noah Burkey starting Game 1 for us and Michael White starting Game 2 and we need two good starts from those guys and score some runs to be where we want to be."

White and Burkey have been the top two arms in Smith's rotation this season with White sporting a 4-3 record with a 3.24 ERA and a team-leading 60 strikeouts. Burkey has a 5.88 ERA, but he's been able to rack up the strikeouts with 51 on the season.

Offensively, the Raiders know how to get on base with a team on-base percentage of .393.

"We walk a lot and we have the fewest strikeouts in the region," Smith said. "Hunter Gray leads off for us and tied the single-season stolen base record (41) this year, so he'll be a threat when he gets on base and Cade Cancilla and Kolten Poorman are able to drive him in."

Cancilla leads the team offensively sporting a .364 average and slugging .601 while Poorman is hitting .273 and slugging .491. Both players lead the team in home runs with seven apiece.

For Jefferson, they have seven hitters averaging over .300.

"They have some guys that can swing the bats and we're pretty evenly matched offensively," Smith said. "They have one good arm with Tanner Perry, who has 70 strikeouts this year. We just need quality starts on the bump and get on base."

The Raiders will play at 1 p.m. Saturday and a possible doubleheader Sunday if three games are necessary. The winner of the series will move on to the Region XVI Tournament in Joplin starting on Thursday.

"Right now our goal is to get to Joplin," Smith said. "Once we get there, then we can look towards the District Tournament and the National Tournament."

Robert Augsdorfer - Daily American Republic