This summer's Mississippi Athletic Conference baseball race hasn't been airtight, but it's certainly been interesting.

Davenport Assumption still leads Clinton by a game with four league dates left, but there are undoubtedly other squads that will have a say.

Assumption lost to Davenport Central in startlingly convincing fashion (7-1) in the back end of a doubleheader at Assumption on Monday.

I liked the Blue Devils when I saw them sweep North Scott last week, and Monday's showing against the Knights proved how good their pitching and hitting is.

The Bakeris brothers - Nick and Tony - are as good a 1-2 pitching tandem as the MAC has to offer. Entering play Monday, the two held the first and third best ERAs in conference play.

Central sits four games back at 9-5, but the Devils could host Bettendorf on July 6, a doubleheader they could potentially sweep. The Bulldogs are no pushovers, but they have two other tough dates left against Clinton (Thursday - I'll be there) and a respectable Davenport West team.

The River Kings rolled through much of the season, achieving the top spot in the Class 4A state rankings before Burlington swept them.

But Burlington isn't without its flaws, having been swept at home by North Scott. Take nothing away from the Lancers (ace Greg Daniels is filthy), but the Grayhounds don't possess overpowering pitching.

Dan Reid has his Burlington players locked in mentally, though, and they aren't prone to a prolonged slump.

During the coming week, teams will approach the 30-game mark used for substate seedings. Even the lower-tier teams (Muscatine, Davenport North and Pleasant Valley) aren't easy wins. The Muskies upset Bettendorf for their first MAC win Monday.

Winless in the MAC, PV has played several teams close, and in the game of baseball, sometimes that's all you need.

I still like Assumption as the team with the best shot at state, particularly in a Class 3A field. But a strong run by Bettendorf, Central, Clinton or even North Scott wouldn't leave me stunned.

In a few more weeks, conjecture will give way to reality.