BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Started by RedmenFB44, January 05, 2006, 12:14:15 PM

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frank_ezelle

I don't really know much about any of the teams playing in St. Louis except for the Millsaps team.  Because of that, I don't think I could make a claim that the region should come down to just 2 teams, especially two teams that are likely to play each other in the second round.

Carthage looks like the team with the deepest pitching which should make them the favorites but I suspect that several teams are capable of winning this regional.
Millsaps Athletics:  http://www.gomajors.com/
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REDMENFAN

I don't know exactly when Carthage will get lights. I know that their field is starting to get used quite a bit as well in the summer over the the past few years, and will be again this summer. Hopefully in the next year or so they have lights, as well as a pressbox and a new scoreboard.

BigPoppa

Quote from: frank_ezelle on May 15, 2006, 04:30:47 PM
I don't really know much about any of the teams playing in St. Louis except for the Millsaps team.  Because of that, I don't think I could make a claim that the region should come down to just 2 teams, especially two teams that are likely to play each other in the second round.

Carthage looks like the team with the deepest pitching which should make them the favorites but I suspect that several teams are capable of winning this regional.

NEVER underestimate ANYONE at tournament time. I am a Carthage fan, but this regional scares me more than any other I have seen because I know very little about any of the other teams. Some teams may get in simply because they have a nasty #1 pitcher who does not lose and that always causes problems for the top ranked teams.

Anything can happen... and it usually does. This is going to be a great post-season this year due to the high number of unknown varaibles still playing.
Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

Bluejay Blue

Does anyone have an idea who will replace Jones @ Elmhurst ?

Captain Morgan

Quote from: Bluejay Blue on May 15, 2006, 05:29:25 PM
Does anyone have an idea who will replace Jones @ Elmhurst ?

I think Luke Johnson(NPU) would be a good choice. He is an Elmhurst alum and proved he can win at NPU.

I have also heard rumors of a former CCIW player currently coaching in California. I am not sure on the name.

augiefan

I too am sorry to see Augie did not get a bid, but it was not surprising. SuperFan asked me to defend my position that a bid might not have been earned. Here goes:

1. Losing nonconference games to Rockford and Alma (Bad)

2. Losing 2 out of 3 to Wheaton (Really Bad)

3. Losing 2 out of 3 to Cathage (Not bad but it set the stage and ultimately helped confirm Carthage to be the class of the CCIW).

4. Losing to NCC 6-1 at the end of the regular season (Hurt their chances).

5. Splitting 4 games with IWU capped by losing in the CCIW tourney (Virtually guaranteed no bid for Augie with Carthage winning the title game).

6. Other than two excellent pitchers, the rest of the pitching staff struggled big time (Not Good).

All in all a good season for Augie, but not one deserving of a DIII World Series opportunity. I think if they had beaten IWU, they would have been invited, but with the bid on the line they came up short. Regretably the tournament committee agreed. I know some of my posts piss of the Augie faithful, and I would much rather drink Blue & Gold kool aid, but I try to be objective.

Good luck to Carthage. They have the talent to go a long way.


BigPoppa

Quote from: augiefan on May 15, 2006, 07:27:49 PM
I too am sorry to see Augie did not get a bid, but it was not surprising. SuperFan asked me to defend my position that a bid might not have been earned. Here goes:

1. Losing nonconference games to Rockford and Alma (Bad)

2. Losing 2 out of 3 to Wheaton (Really Bad)

3. Losing 2 out of 3 to Cathage (Not bad but it set the stage and ultimately helped confirm Carthage to be the class of the CCIW).

4. Losing to NCC 6-1 at the end of the regular season (Hurt their chances).

5. Splitting 4 games with IWU capped by losing in the CCIW tourney (Virtually guaranteed no bid for Augie with Carthage winning the title game).

6. Other than two excellent pitchers, the rest of the pitching staff struggled big time (Not Good).

All in all a good season for Augie, but not one deserving of a DIII World Series opportunity. I think if they had beaten IWU, they would have been invited, but with the bid on the line they came up short. Regretably the tournament committee agreed. I know some of my posts piss of the Augie faithful, and I would much rather drink Blue & Gold kool aid, but I try to be objective.

Good luck to Carthage. They have the talent to go a long way.



Positive karma for the honesty. True fans see teams for what they are, not what they want them to be.
Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

augie_superfan

Quote from: augiefan on May 15, 2006, 07:27:49 PM
I too am sorry to see Augie did not get a bid, but it was not surprising. SuperFan asked me to defend my position that a bid might not have been earned. Here goes:

1. Losing nonconference games to Rockford and Alma (Bad)

2. Losing 2 out of 3 to Wheaton (Really Bad)

3. Losing 2 out of 3 to Cathage (Not bad but it set the stage and ultimately helped confirm Carthage to be the class of the CCIW).

4. Losing to NCC 6-1 at the end of the regular season (Hurt their chances).

5. Splitting 4 games with IWU capped by losing in the CCIW tourney (Virtually guaranteed no bid for Augie with Carthage winning the title game).

6. Other than two excellent pitchers, the rest of the pitching staff struggled big time (Not Good).

All in all a good season for Augie, but not one deserving of a DIII World Series opportunity. I think if they had beaten IWU, they would have been invited, but with the bid on the line they came up short. Regretably the tournament committee agreed. I know some of my posts piss of the Augie faithful, and I would much rather drink Blue & Gold kool aid, but I try to be objective.

Good luck to Carthage. They have the talent to go a long way.




Well, those are good points and obviously reasons for them not making it.  However, those reasons are not what started this conversation.  You claimed that their PITCHING didn't deserve the bid.  Then I put forth the stats of the 5 most used pitchers.  So, in my opinion, you didn't prove anything by listing these points up here that would verify your original statement.  And I think you point #6 above is just overstated.  You are telling me that the rest of the pitching staff struggled BIG TIME??  That is just crazy.  Did you ever play Division III baseball, have you ever followed it really closely before this message board was created?  A 4.00 ERA in a conference such as the CCIW is hardly BIG TIME struggling for college baseball.  Go look up a team like Rowan, a team that was probably one of the last Pool C's.  They have team pitching statistics that are almost exactly the same as Augustana.  Obviously the selection comittee found them to be deserving.  The difference between Augustana and Rowan was most likely that Rowan played tougher competition throughout the year and that made up for their lower record.  So, if you'd like another chance, please explain to me why the PITCHING was not deserving.

BigPoppa

Watch my karma drop after this one:

I have stated repeatedly on this board that teams that do not get in the NCAAs do not have a reason to complain. They all had a chance to get in on the field and failed. Do I think Augustana should be in?... yes... are they?...no. Who is to blame for that one? Certainly not the NCAA as Augustana simply left their fate in someone else's hands and it did not work out. You are rolling the dice when you do not win your conference. Blame the other favorites that did not win their tourneys and took your at large Pool C bid.

Go ahead and ding me Augie fans... I expect it. Now... I have talked about the elephant in the room that everyone else ignored.

Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

diehardfan

Quote from: someone12 on May 13, 2006, 01:55:19 AM
wow i think wheaton deserves a little more respect than that.  they did have 8 one run games and at least 5 more 2 run games that one less error or one extra hit could have put them in the W category.  not to mention nearly sweeping augustana and pretty much being the only team to hit evosevich well.  neadless to say, i believe wheaton deserves a little more respect than that last post.

Uh oh, I didn't mean that as an insult at all... trust me, I am quite the diehard Wheaton fan... some of these posters can vouch for my insanity over on the other boards  :D Baseball has always been one of my favorite sports to watch, and I went to more than a few baseball games in my day, when they were muuch worse than they were this past year. As a Wheaton alum I'mook forward to the idea of Wheaton's growing competitiveness in a sport I enjoy so much, that's all.

Quote from: Gregory Sager on May 15, 2006, 01:19:51 AM
Congrats to Carthage upon winning the CCIW title.

As I pretty much expected, NPU didn't fare well in the conference tournament. But just making the conference tournament itself was a major victory for a Vikings program that had totally hit the skids over the past few seasons. April posted this weekend about how much Wheaton had improved. Well, try this on for size -- here's North Park's season results over the last six seasons:

2001: 4-17, 5-35-1 (7th CCIW)
2002: 8-13, 11-29 (6th CCIW)
2003: 2-19, 3-34 (8th CCIW)
2004: 0-21, 2-35-1 (8th CCIW)
2005: 1-20, 1-39 (8th CCIW)
2006: 8-13, 14-27 (4th CCIW)

That's a pretty dramatic turnaround for the Park in Luke Johnson's first year at the helm -- and he didn't even have the benefit of a full recruiting period with which to begin reconstructing what had once been a very good CCIW baseball program during the Bosko Djurickovic era.

Well, I hardly think the facilities change hurt? Wheaton improved without it. (Unless, somehow, I missed the news that we actually built a stadium.  ??? :'( I think that's pretty big.

Quote from: BigPoppa on May 15, 2006, 07:50:31 PM
Quote from: augiefan on May 15, 2006, 07:27:49 PM
I too am sorry to see Augie did not get a bid, but it was not surprising. SuperFan asked me to defend my position that a bid might not have been earned. Here goes...
Positive karma for the honesty. True fans see teams for what they are, not what they want them to be.

That's why we love him  :) ;) :D
Wait, dunks are only worth two points?!?!!!? Why does anyone do them? - diehardfan
What are Parkers now supposed to chant after every NP vs WC game, "Let's go enjoy tobacco products off-campus? - Gregory Sager
We all read it, but we don't take anything you say seriously - Luke Kasten


RIP WheatonC

augie_superfan

Quote from: BigPoppa on May 15, 2006, 08:34:33 PM
Watch my karma drop after this one:

I have stated repeatedly on this board that teams that do not get in the NCAAs do not have a reason to complain. They all had a chance to get in on the field and failed. Do I think Augustana should be in?... yes... are they?...no. Who is to blame for that one? Certainly not the NCAA as Augustana simply left their fate in someone else's hands and it did not work out. You are rolling the dice when you do not win your conference. Blame the other favorites that did not win their tourneys and took your at large Pool C bid.

Go ahead and ding me Augie fans... I expect it. Now... I have talked about the elephant in the room that everyone else ignored.



I don't think anyone is going to argue with you BigPoppa....Augustana had a few games over the course of the season that they should have won and they didn't.  I hope you aren't taking my previous post as saying Augie should be in.  I really really wish they were in but we don't have enough selection information to decide if they should've been in over someone else.

BigPoppa

#821
My post was not directed at Augustana, but to all the teams complaining today. It just happened to fall after the post about Augie.
Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

augiefan

Perhaps I was a little unfair to Augie's pitching staff, but it's hard to blame the excellent hitting or fielding for their failure to get a bid. They did have great pitching in the Carthage series, but wasted all their runs in one game. However, of the 3 categories pitching seemed to be the weakness.

Setter, Kuntz and Engle did their part, but the rest of the staff struggled. The good thing is Kuntz and Engle will be back next year. Again we're talking a tournament calibre pitching staff. And yes Wheaton was much improved this year, but the number two team in the CCIW should have won 2 of 3 in that series.

Gregory Sager

Quote from: diehardfan on May 15, 2006, 08:35:54 PM
Well, I hardly think the facilities change hurt? Wheaton improved without it.

Trust me, NPU's baseball field is nobody's idea of a state-of-the-art D3 facility. The dugouts are better than the old ones, and the field now has lights, but the Park isn't recruiting baseball players based upon the primo facilities. I'd be shocked if any of the new players that Luke Johnson brought in this past year cited the baseball field as one of the reasons why they chose to attend NPU.

If anything, the fact that the baseball players have to share the field with their schoolmates on the softball team (different diamond, same field), whose season runs concurrently, means that the cramped facilities at North Park are as much of a drawback as they ever were. The program that benefits the most by far from the Holmgren Athletic Complex makeover is the football team.

Worse, the baseball Vikings are still forced to practice in the gym during inclement weather and in preseason workouts as they wait for the snow to melt. If there is going to be a tangible difference in NPU's ability to recruit baseball players based upon facilities, it'll come after the new Helwig Recreation Center is opened next fall -- since that facility will allow the team to take fielding and batting practice on an indoor Field Turf surface identical to the one at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

irish21

Iron Will