Heading into the most important week of its season, Cary American Legion Post 67 is starting to play some of its best baseball. Standing at 14-6 and third in the American Legion Area 1 West Conference through Sunday, Post 67 is coming off one of its most impressive wins of the season, a 13-3 10-run rule win at Benson last Wednesday.

"We're playing well," coach Neil Woodall said. "Bryan Booth and Ben Goldston pitched really well [Wednesday]. It was an eight-inning game and we beat them by ten. That was a league game, that was big."

With just one week remaining in the regular season, this week's games will be important in terms of seeding for the conference tournament, which starts July 1.

Post 67 was scheduled to play Clayton in a home-away series Monday and Tuesday, and hosts Apex tonight, Wednesday.

"Those three games are going to tell the tale for the playoffs," Woodall said.

A high seed in the conference tournament will be vital for Post 67's long-term goal of playing for a state championship.

"I really expect us to be able to compete at a high level within our conference," Woodall said. "After that? Anything after that is a plus. If we get through our conference then we will have beaten some of the best teams in the state."

Fortunately for Woodall, his club is coming together at the right time. Post 67 has battled injuries all season and is starting to find its footing after losing three of its better players -- Michael Jerhico, Brad Scarlett and Kenny Martin.

"They have come together to face adversity as well as any team that I've ever been associated with," Woodall said. "They just keep right on digging and that's really how the whole season can be summarized."

Scarlett recently returned to the lineup, while Jericho may be next. After losing the talented trio, though, the less experienced players turned to experienced teammates Michael Rooney, Bryan Booth and Cory Harrilchak for guidance.

"They've helped a tremendous amount in terms of being leaders," Woodall said.

Booth has been one of Post 67's top pitchers and the team has relied heavily on the bats of Rooney (.386 batting average) and Harrilchak (.417).

The injuries have forced Woodall to shake up his lineup and put some players at new positions.

"Bryan Booth is playing some first base for us," Woodall said. "Harrilchak is playing centerfield and pitching some. We've been playing Ben Goldston in left, Ben's done a good job in left. We've had guys that have had to step up and play positions that they're not necessarily all that familiar with but they've played well."