BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[ScrappyMcTavish]

Yeah, that was the worst part of playing a weekend series at Carthage.  We'd have to sit there in cold, windy Kenosha while usually losing and also having to watch the students in LF have a good time and use the "liquid warmth" method to stay warm.

By the way... Carthage is a "dry" campus. Ironic, isn't it?

[RedmenFB44]

Yes Carthage is a dry campus but the school will let students get away with things if they are supporting a athletic team. Your not gonna get nearly as many fans at a baseball game as you would at a football game. So when you have an extra 30-60 fans yelling, screaming, and drinking out in left field the school doesnt seem to mind. Now we all know that isnt right but as students we will take what we can get 

[RedmenFB44]

GO REDMEN!!!

[ScrappyMcTavish]

"Dry Campus" except for Baseball games and Homecoming. Gotta make sure the alums have a good time and continue to donate to the school.

[RedmenFB44]

Hahahaha very true Scrappy

[titan missile]

Yes Carthage is a dry campus but the school will let students get away with things if they are supporting a athletic team. Your not gonna get nearly as many fans at a baseball game as you would at a football game. So when you have an extra 30-60 fans yelling, screaming, and drinking out in left field the school doesnt seem to mind. Now we all know that isnt right but as students we will take what we can get 

That's gonna be true for a lot of DIII schools, especially in the CCIW.  Admin kind of turns a blind eye to students having a few beverages and being loud in support of their school which I think is a good thing as long as the students don't cross the line.  Definitely can add that "homefield advantage" that the athletes, in most cases, appreciate.

Carthage has always had good support for their baseball team.  It doesn't hurt that they are pretty much always in contention. 
I can't remember if it was better or worse that the wind was howling out to left center at 40mph...the wind prevented whatever was being yelled from being heard, but that same wind carried a lot of Carthage fly balls over the chainlink.

[ScrappyMcTavish]

Be thankful that the bushes are now grown in along the outfield fence. When I played for Carthage, the fans would line up couches right against the fence(Bushes were not in yet) and ride left fielders for six hours. I always felt bad for them. Then again, I got it pretty bad at 3B when we played at North Central. I used to look forwrd to hearing new insults every year at NCC.

[RedmenFB44]

Looking at the upcoming starters for the Carthage Redmen this season:

Games played last season/Games started last season
Catcher - 29/27
1st Base - 42/42 .345, 10 doubles, 3 HR's, 34 RBI's
2nd Base - 41/35
3rd Base - Warren Even (My Boy) 43/43 .319 8 HR's 37 RBI's
Shortstop - 43/43
Outfield - 17/0
Outfield -
Outfield -
SP - 9 starts 4-4 record 3.02 49K's 16BB's
SP - 9 starts 8-0 record 2.43 47K's 9BB's
RP - 11 games 2-2 record 4 saves 1.82 24K's 5BB's 24.2INN
RP - 8 games 4 starts 2-0 1 save 5.81 26K's 18BB's

As you can see they have a strong team this year but their only weakness is their outfield. Sould be a great year.

[ScrappyMcTavish]

Looking at Carthage and it outfield, you would have to think that Auugie will plug a stud or two into those spots. Carthage has a long line of All-American caliber outfielders in the program. They will find someone or Augie will just stick a big hitter out there and live with the defense.

[RedmenFB44]

Carthage does have a weakness in the outfield because of their inexperience but Augie always finds players to cover spots. Carthage is going to rely on solid hitting and good pitching.

[cubs]

I noticed that UW Oshkosh and Carthage are meeting up for a DH on their respective Spring Trips to Florida.  Kind of nice to see these teams meet up again (2004) as they are both traditionally great baseball schools.  If I'm not mistaken Augie and Lechnir  have a pretty good relationship off of the field, so it's kind of surprising that they haven't met up against each other more.

[ScrappyMcTavish]

Augie and Lechnir have a great off-field realtionship. The reason they do not play more often is that the WIAC does not play the CCIW in any games anymore outside of their spring trips and post-season games. Carthage used to play Whitewater every year before the conferences put and end to it.

Too bad... they could have some great CCIW/WIAC Challenges for baseball. I am not sure if they play in other sports...??

Carthage and the WIAC school are forced to fill their schedules with the likes of MWC schools and other teams that struggle to compete with the big guns.

[Sweetness]

Look out for the Elmhurst Blue Jays to make a major upset in the CCIW conference this year.  With an outstanding pitching staff and an unbelievable infield and a talented and speedy outfield, which has been together sense their freshman year.  They are going to make some teams very disappointed this year.

My CCIW prediction

1.)   Elmhurst
2.)   IWU
3.)   Carthage
4.)   Augustana
5.)   NCC
6.)   Wheaton
7.)   Millikin
8.)   North Park

[RedmenFB44]

Hyper links to CCIW teams:

Carthage: http://www.carthage.edu/athletics/index.cfm?page=325

Illinois Wesleyan: http://www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/sports/baseball.htm

Elmhurst: http://www.elmhurst.edu/~athletic/Home/baseball.htm

Wheaton: http://www.wheaton.edu/Athletics/baseball/

Millikin: http://www.millikin.edu/athletics/baseball/

North Park: http://campus.northpark.edu/athletics/baseball/

Augustana: http://www.augustana.edu/athletics/baseball/

North Central: http://www.noctrl.edu/x7715.xml

[RedmenFB44]

Here is the hyper link for the CCIW Conference:

http://www.cciw.org/