MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The Fairhope Pirates hope to give an Oxford education tonight rather than receive one. Fairhope coach Stu Fuller knows they will meet a confident opponent at Paterson Field in the 34-10 Oxford Yellow Jackets at 7 p.m. Friday in the opening game of the 6A state championship series.

“They are a quality ball club,” Fuller said. “But we feel like we can play with anybody on our good days and we haven’t had many bad ones. What we have to be ready for is their pitching corps, three Division I signees. May be the best staff we have faced as a whole. How well we adjust to their speed will be a big factor for us.”

The Pirates are 35-6 and have not lost a playoff game (8-0). The Oxford Jackets defeated Spain Park 4-1 in a third and deciding semifinal game last Saturday after dropping the opener. Fuller said his team prepared as much as they have been, but —as with Central Phenix City— concentrated on the high mph (90-plus) pitching they will see.

“Practice started off well this week,” he said. “The guys are focused. We’ll keep doing what we have been. I feel like our preparation is and has been a key to our success all year. This bunch works hard at getting ready and consequently plays hard. We had a couple of long days early and then tapered back to a pre-game schedule for the weekend. (With) concentration on getting ready for that high-velocity pitching from Oxford.”

Of course the Pirates have a superb pitching staff as well in the “Red-headed duo” of Toby Thomas (11-0) and Ethan Hunt (11-0) along with hard throwing fellow senior Quint Fields (8-3) who, in the right light has a strawberry tint as does reliever Corey Childress and backup right hander Hunter Ellenberg who starts at short-stop.

Fuller also expects Cole Wainwright, who was injured against Central, to be back in the line up along with regulars Chase Domino, Justin and Jerrod Hathcock, Brock Gilheart, Taylor Gradle and Beecher Faust. Dre Chaney made his state-playoff debut last week in place of Wainwright and delivered a pair of runs off two hits.

The coach who posted his 600th win last week added that the 2012 Pirates have a combination of experience and mental toughness that has been tempered by playoff highs and lows over the last few years.

“A lot of these kids were on the field at Auburn when we made it to the semifinals and last year when we lost in the first round to McGill, so I would say we do not lack for big-game experience or emotional peaks and valleys. But now we get our shot at the biggest of them all and we intend to be ready. But I also think that this group’s attitude and work ethic and toughness mentally and physically has been really helpful in his run. They just get after it. They have had challenges but somehow found a way to come through.

“Our main key up there will be to find a way to cut the strike zone, see the ball and of course play defense, pitch well and avoid giving them many freebies. We really can’t afford to give them any extra opportunities. Like us they live and die with their two through six hitters. They are very good, but we’re not bad either so we plan to be ready to go. We just have to maintain the flow for one more weekend.”

Saturday game(s) are set for Riverwalk Park at 4 p.m. And if necessary 7 p.m.