Junior pitchers Cory McArthur, left, and Danny Hobbs show off their blue gloves.

• The brand-new, blue-and-black baseball mitt Danny Hobbs has been waiting for finally arrived this week. Time, and the opinion of doctors, will determine whether he will get to use it in another varsity baseball game this season. The Saratoga Springs junior fractured a bone above his right eye in Saratoga Springs' Section II final win against Shen last week when he was beaned after throwing a pitch. Since then, he's been icing the injury in an attempt to get the swelling down to a point where he can see out of his right eye. Hobbs will likely have to pass another concussion test (like he did immediately after the injury) and be cleared by a doctor to be available to pitch in the Class AA state quarterfinal Saturday. The injury is definitely not the worse-case scenario as far as facial fractures go and the swelling has already begun to abate. He may need facial surgery down the road,for purely cosmetic reasons, once everything heals though.
• The Blue Streaks (18-5) await the winner of Section III in the first round of states scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. The team got a look at each of its potential opponents Sunday when it traveled to OCC to watch the Section III semis. Coach Rich Lofink said the pitching from the winning teams was comparable to what Saratoga has seen in the Suburban Council this season. The Section III final between Cicero-North Syracuse (19-3) and West Genesee (17-5) is scheduled for Wed. night. Saratoga Springs will likely have a presence at the final.
• The Blue Streaks continued their preparation for whatever team ends up on top with a scrimmage against Section II Class A champion Queensbury at East Side Rec Tuesday. Multiple Saratoga pitchers got work (not Hobbs) and both teams had saw some success at the plate. Hobbs and fellow junior Cory McArthur took a minute away from the game to talk about the dramatic win in the final and their perspective from the postgame dog-pile.

Check back each day this week for stories about the team, video interviews and a preview of Saturday's state quarterfinal.