BB: GNAC: Great Northeast Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome to the Baseball Message Board for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference  (GNAC).


(I am looking for a volunteer to monitor the board.  Please email either Pat Coleman or me.)

[soxfan42585]

Anyone know who figures to be top dogs in the GNAC? and Next year when WNEC leaves- how does Saint Joseph's look to fair?

[TheGNAC]

Today marks the start of the GNAC Playoffs.

The first game of the day is between #1 seed Western New England versus #4 Rivier. That game will be played at 3:00 pm at WNEC. On the hill for the Golden Bears should be ace Eric Smolin (5-1, 1.80 ERA, 45 K) ,and Isaac Burkett (4-3, 1.73 ERA, 42 K) will counter for Rivier.

Game two will be a rematch of last year's opening round game, as #2 Suffolk hosts #3 Johnson and Wales in Quincy, MA. Steve Durant (4-1, 3.38 ERA, 37 K) will throw for the Rams, and Erik Hufnagel (5-1, 2.27 ERA, 43 K) will take the mound for JWU.

I expect the top seeds to win their respective games today, setting up a showdown on Saturday at Holman Stadium in Nashua, NH between Suffolk and WNEC.

Comments?

[Paul Heering]

Here are my thoughts for each team.

Rivier

Why they can win?

• Have shown they can play with the other teams (beat Suffolk and JWU this year--Beat Suffolk and hung with WNEC until late in the game last year in the playoffs)
  Home cookin--Saturday and Sunday in Nashua

Why they can't win?

• Have never won tourney before
  Lost to WNEC today 13-4

Johnson & Wales

Why they can win?

• They can hit with anyone
  They beat Suffolk last year in this same spot, if they can get into the winners bracket you never know

Why they can't win?

• Not enough pitching
  Season record vs 3 other teams, 2-4

Suffolk

Why they can win?

• From looking at the stats, looks like they have two very good starters and then there is a drop off, the fact this tourney is so spread out may help them
  They have atleast one win against everyone in the field

Why they can't win?

• After Durant and Jackson, who pitches?
  

WNEC

Why they can win?

• Pitching depth, a team that can run out Smolin, Anderson, Blanchard, Pizzoferrato (seems to be back), and Richardson.  Will fair well in almost any tournament especially the GNAC

Why they can't win?

• Pitching depth may be negated by tournament being spread out, throw in a rain out (always a possibility) and pitching depth doesn't matter
  They aren't going to mash and put up huge offensive numbers, coming into the tournament they put up 6 runs per game vs tournament field this year.

So basically i am saying everyone could win, and everyone could lose, so i am basically saying nothing.

[Bob Maxwell]

But it was interesting to read....

 

[Stump]

good read indeed! would be nice to see more of this for other conferences

[TheGNAC]

Nice post Don. Spot on, I think.

WNEC took care of Rivier after a 7-run seventh inning, winning by a final score of 13-4. Blanchard picked up the win in relief, going to 5-1 on the year. I'd assume Smolin didn't start for WNEC? Perhaps Pizzoferrato?

In the nightcap, Johnson and Wales hung on to beat Suffolk by a final score of 7-6. JWU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the first, and were up 7-4 going into the bottom of the 8th. Suffolk mounted a comeback, scoring two, but couldn't push across the much-needed 7th run to tie the game. Erik Hufnagel picks up his league-leading 6th win of the season, allowing 4 runs in 7 innings while striking out 13. Steve Durant took the loss for the Rams, falling to 4-2.

Tough loss for Suffolk, I expected them to advance to the winners bracket. They now face an uphill battle, having to win 4 games over a 2-day span, and they're not a team with a lot of pitching depth.

I still think Suffolk makes it to the finals though, but I don't think they can beat WNEC twice. Look for WNEC to beat JWU on Saturday, and Suffolk to take care of Rivier.

#2 Suffolk vs. #4 Rivier - Saturday, 12:00 pm, Holman Stadium, Nashua, NH
#1 WNEC vs. #3 Johnson and Wales - Saturday, 3:00 pm, Holman Stadium, Nashua, NH

Winner of the 12 pm game advances to face the loser of the 3 pm game on Saturday night at 6:00 pm.

[soxfan42585]

Why is the GNAC tounry in Nashua?  Are the other sports tournys in the GNAC held at (semi)neutral sites?

WNEC has some strengths as does Suffolk and JWU but Rivier is just too young this year to do anything.

[Paul Heering]

Hey TheGNAC,

You seem to know a lot about who these games. 

Do you happen to know who JWU threw in their game on Tuesday? 

Who do you think they will pitch on saturday?

Who pictched for Suffolk last night?  i assume one of their top two and the other will go vs Rivier on saturday

I would guess WNEC throws Smolin tomorrow  (Anderson and Blanchard pitched yesterday)  you have any guesses of who throw for the other three teams?

Rivier threw Burkett (complete game) on tuesday and Goulet threw thursday?  who is left?  do they come back with burkett?

have i asked enough questions

[TheGNAC]

Don, I just typed a nice long preview of the games tomorrow, clicked post, and got an error message. Post is lost.

Anyway, here's a condensed version, let me try and recap.

Byron will throw tomorrow for JWU, Smolin for WNEC.

Jackson will throw for Suffolk, I'd assume Burkett comes back for Rivier.

Durant pitched for Suffolk last night, got roughed up a bit. If Suffolk wins tomorrow, I'd assume Dimarco will throw tomorrow night for Suffolk.

I like Suffolk in the first game against Rivier, and WNEC advancing to Sunday's championship. That would leave a Suffolk-JWU rematch tomorrow night under the lights, and it should be interesting.

[Paul Heering]

WNEC rolls through the tourney, combined score in three games 34-6 (21-2 this weekend in NH).  So lets revisit my silly explanations of earlier this week.

Here are my thoughts for each team.

Rivier

Why they can win?

• Have shown they can play with the other teams (beat Suffolk and JWU this year--Beat Suffolk and hung with WNEC until late in the game last year in the playoffs)
  Home cookin--Saturday and Sunday in Nashua

Why they can't win?

• Have never won tourney before
  Lost to WNEC today 13-4

Johnson & Wales

Why they can win?

• They can hit with anyone
  They beat Suffolk last year in this same spot, if they can get into the winners bracket you never know

Why they can't win?

• Not enough pitching
  Season record vs 3 other teams, 2-4

Suffolk

Why they can win?

• From looking at the stats, looks like they have two very good starters and then there is a drop off, the fact this tourney is so spread out may help them
  They have atleast one win against everyone in the field

Why they can't win?

• After Durant and Jackson, who pitches?
  

WNEC

Why they can win?

• Pitching depth, a team that can run out Smolin, Anderson, Blanchard, Pizzoferrato (seems to be back), and Richardson.  Will fair well in almost any tournament especially the GNAC

Why they can't win?

• Pitching depth may be negated by tournament being spread out, throw in a rain out (always a possibility) and pitching depth doesn't matter
  They aren't going to mash and put up huge offensive numbers, coming into the tournament they put up 6 runs per game vs tournament field this year.

So basically i am saying everyone could win, and everyone could lose, so i am basically saying nothing.

Team by team

Rivier
Hung with WNEC for a while again, but lost
Apparently the kitched was closed, no home cookin, lost 3-1 in Nashua Saturday

I was off, but honestly i was stretching for ways they could win

Johnson & Wales
Said they could hit but pitching would be a problem, well they put up 13 runs in two  games vs Suffolk (blanked by WNEC) but the problem was in three games they gave up 24 runs

I was pretty close--except for Smolin shutting them down Saturday

Suffolk
Said they had two good pitchers but then would need help.  Once they lost that first game to JWU it was over, judging by the 11 runs they gave up Sunday looks like pitching was done

WNEC
Said pitching depth was the key, but i said they wouldn't put up huge offensive numbers, well, they scored double digits each game, i was off.

WNEC heads to NCAA tourney, You would think JWU and Suffolk would be get ECAC bids, and Rivier looks forward to a new look GNAC next year.  Should be interesting with WNEC out and St. Joes Maine in next year.  Should be interesting. 

[Catch08]

WNEC was easily the most balanced team in the league by far. They had the best pitcher in the league Smolin while Riv had the best thrower in Burkett. Riv would be nothing without that kid. The only way they beat any teams were when he pitched. Their hitting was terrible. The league will be wide open next year when WNEC leaves but it will still be a quality up and coming league. Suffolk was good this year but their pitching depth wasnt there but they could swing the bats with anyone. JWU was a scrappy team but i would like to see how they handle losing Hurley who was nasty his whole carrer at JWU. AMC is bringing a good team back with only losing 4 seniors and Emmerson did a nice job first year coming back from being a club team.

[MSG77]

Where is WNEC going?  Independant or joining another league?

[Paul Heering]

WNEC is going to the CCC

[MSG77]

Why?  I would think the CCC is weaker than the GNAC.  Also, aren't GNAC schools closer than the CCC schools, which are all along the coast, no?  Doesn't the CCC already have 13 schools?  While the GNAC is only 8?

I don't get it.  Anyone explain?