Baseball: Scouting the MSL title game

Baseball: Scouting the MSL title game

When: 4:45 p.m. Thursday at Barrington

Records: Buffalo Grove (24-5, 15-1), MSL East champions. Barrington (19-6-2, 13-3), MSL West champions.

History: Buffalo Grove has not been in the MSL title game since 2002. The Bison shared the East title in 2003, but did not advance to title game. Barrington has appeared in five of the last six MSL champsionships games and is the defending champion after beating Prospect last year.

Probable starters: Buffalo Grove's Zach Fricke, Barrington's Rami Fakhoury

Previous meeting: You only have to go back to Tuesday of this week, when Buffalo Grove beat Barrington 2-1.

Buffalo Grove coach Tim Miller says: "It is nice to break records, especially when it is 16 years since being in the conference title game. We have had a nice runs the past few years. We have had some really good talent and good pitching, which helps. The kids have responded real well to the things we are doing. We have been pretty successful on the field and we hope to continue that. Any time we step on the field our expectation is that we are ready to play. It is exciting for us and for our school."

Barrington coach Pat Wire says: "We are the underdogs and we are OK with that. We don't have an all-conference starting pitcher but we have good starters and have a great bullpen. Rami hasn't pitched in over a week, so he is ready. We have played against the best pitchers in the East in all our championship games. That is part is deal and we would not want it any other way. We are still about the tradition of it. We are looking to have fun. We are always going to have high expectations. Our job is to compete for MSL championships and state championships. This group has put together the best winning percentage we have had in the last six years."

- Dick Quagliano