With their record now at 17-11, Fort Dale baseball is preparing for Friday’s double-header against Monroe.

Its playoff time, and the game will the first in a best-of-three series, with play extending to Saturday only if the teams split Friday.

Coach Josh Beverly said they’ve played Monroe twice before, with both ending in victory.

“We have had some success against them, but that doesn’t mean anything now,” Beverly said.

The Eagles beat Monroe 4-2 and 14-6. Still, Beverly said, his team has to go into playoffs with a clean slate.

“Come playoffs, you have throw the season record out the window,” Beverly said. “Everyone is at 0-0.”

Beverly said his boys haven’t been in top shape lately.

“We haven’t been finishing like we normally do,” Beverly said. “I think we were just looking to far ahead.”

Beverly said FDA made the playoffs in 2004 when he started as a coaching assistant but have not made it since.

“We started out building the team when I got here,” Beverly said. “This is the year I thought we had good chance.”

Its all up to his players now, Beverly said.

“It comes down to the team that gets hot at bat and can throw strikes,” Beverly said. “It’s just a matter of how far these boys want to take it.”

Monroe was last year’s runner up in the state playoffs, Beverly said. Beverly wants his team to focus on this, instead of their season record.

“Hopefully, even though we have beat them before, we will take the underdog mentality.”