D 3 softball

[justafan12]

Interesting notes from the D3 Pre Championship softball manual
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/softball/d3/2021-22D3WSB_PreChampsManual.pdf

"Once automatic qualifiers are identified and the teams from Pools B and C are selected, teams will be grouped in clusters according to natural geographic proximity and assigned to a regional site. A team may be moved to numerically balance the bracket if geographic proximity is maintained (within 600 miles). Flights shall be minimized. Teams from the same conference will not be paired to play one another in the first game of regionals as long as geographic proximity is maintained."

Not really followed by the committee; Virginia Wesleyan, Linfield and Chapman all traveling 600+ miles.


"The championship provides for a field of 62 teams. Four teams each will compete at 15 regional sites, and two teams will compete at one regional site in a double-elimination tournament. The 16 teams advancing from regionals will compete in a two-team, best-of-three tournament at eight super regional sites."

Not true for the 2 team regional as format is not double-elimination.

[justafan12]

It's really hard to understand a 2-team bracket at TLU (wow, they must have pull), especially with the juggernaut bracket at ETBU with three NFCA top 10 teams in it, and two from the same conference.

Belhaven is highly ranked and very good, but I'm not sure they even wanted to host an NCAA. They had to host the conference tourney at Delta State, over two hours away from their campus in Jackson.

Somehow, I assumed Linfield would host George Fox (didn't make it), Chapman and a 4th team. I assumed TLU would host ETBU, maybe UMHB (NFCA #9 that didn't make the tourney) and another team. I assumed Belhaven would get sent somewhere in the south or southern Midwest.

Boy was I wrong.

Regarding the 2 team bracket format here is the Committee minutes from 2019 where they discussed and approved this format:

Format for regionals. The committee discussed the format for the regional tournaments. With a 62-team field, the committee traditionally has assigned four teams to 14 regional sites and three teams to two regional sites. At a three-team site, one team (the lowest seed) is required to play two games the first day and potentially is eliminated the first day. There is no bracket for a three-team site; rather, there is a
formula that identifies pairings based on results of games played. The teams that participate at the three-team sites continue to express dissatisfaction with the format, indicating that it is a less desirable championship experience than that of teams at four-team sites. Teams in the West region have been much more likely than teams from other regions to be assigned to a three-team site, given the mandate to minimize flights during the bracketing process.
The committee reviewed a letter from a coach in the West region whose team had participated at a three-team regional site and who expressed several concerns  regarding the format. The softball committee discussed this issue with the baseball committee, which currently uses a two-team, best-of-five game format for three of its 16 regional sites and has received positive feedback from the involved teams. The
softball committee and the baseball committee agree that the two-team format is a more fair and desirable format than the three-team format, and the preferred schedule for the two-team format is Game 1 on Day 1, Game 2 and Game 3 on Day 2, and Game 4 (if necessary) and Game 5 (if necessary) on Day 3. Based on this discussion and other feedback received, the softball committee intends to assign the 62 teams to 15 four-team regional sites and one two-team regional site beginning with the 2020
championship.

[Gray Fox]

2022 SCIAC Al Conference

https://www.thesciac.org/sports/sball/2021-22/releases/20220502zs0dal

[WLCALUM83]

ETBU/Linfield:  "The Numbers"

Total Team HRs:  Linfield 32, ETBU 30
Team BA:           Linfield .352, ETBU .342
Team ERA:         ETBU 2.12, Linfield 2.21
Fielding Pct:       ETBU .968, Linfield .966

I'd be surprised if Linfield's Tayah Kelley doesn't start today. She has a 23-3 record going in and has tossed 21 complete games. ETBU's Kathryn Reed has the best ERA (1.57) of their starters, but the Texas Tiger squad divides their starting pitching work more evenly between her, Hannah Kelley (2.05 ERA) and Ashley Croft (2.57 ERA). Each ETBU primary starting pitcher has either 10 or 11 wins. Linfield's longball power appears to be balanced around more total starters than ETBU.

Beyond the numbers:  ETBU would love to knock Linfield off for another early potential shot at Belhaven, who on paper is heavily favored over Fontbonne. Texas Tigers:  "Last week we had 2 chances to knock the Blazers off with only 1 win needed and couldn't get it done. We'd like to make a statement, seeing as we're at home!'"  Time will tell how much the Blazers' Kennedy Carruth & Co. have to say about that.
 

[justafan12]

I looked at Fontbonne's schedule and they were 0-4 in 4 games vs. ASC teams (#4 Hardin Simmons and #7 McMurry) with one being a 5 inning game.  Belhaven should be heavily favored but you never know when they get between the lines.

ETBU / Linfield should be a good game.  What I have noticed about Linfield over the years of them coming to Texas is how they handle the heat.  Back in 2018 at SR their pitch dominated UT Tyler for about 12 innings.  Shut out in game 1 and was rolling in game 2 and then she fell apart.  I can only guess that the heat played some part in that.  Weather in Marshall today will be HOT with high humidity. 

If ETBU wins and so does Belhaven it will be game #7 between them.  That is just sad that the NCAA does this.

[WLCALUM83]

Per ETBU stat pre-game line-up, it is, indeed, Linfield's Kelley and ETBU's Reed in the opener. Both coaches are starting with their best pitchers.

[WLCALUM83]

Texas Tigers get it done 7-2 with Reed tossing a complete game to win the opener. Barring a Fontbonne upset, "Belhaven/ETBU 7" will take place tomorrow

[WLCALUM83]

5/13/22 games I'll be keeping a close eye on:

Concordia-WI/Roanoke:  Gina Followell/Jada Karnes pitching matchup should be a good one

All of the St. Benedict bracket:  NE Wesleyan's Kailey Meyer is very versatile. She has a 17-7 record and a 2.67 ERA. and a .275 BA. The Prairie Wolves got a key split vs. Loras and help from Coe to get into the ARC tournament, and then came within 6 outs of the ARC AQ. Kenna Ford has been the other pitcher summoned of late. Should they encounter Wartburg again, they'll need to keep the Knight's high scoring offense at bay. With MIAC power St. Ben and CCIW IL Wes in play, this one's wide open.

TLU Bracket:  How interesting will Chapman make it for the defending '21 runner-ups?

Whatever bracket NECC squad Lesley is in. Hopefully they'll get a win or 2 in the NECC's AQ swan song.

[WLCALUM83]

Early game:  Randolph-Macon's Gracie Ellis (19-5, 1.26 ERA) up against
                    Farmingdale State's Ava Shorr (13-1, 2.00 ERA).
UPDATE:  Ellis gets it done as Randolph-Macon opens up with a 2-1 win. Catcher Sami Davidson drove in the winning run with a 4th inning double and, with the potential tying run on 3rd and 2 outs, Ellis induces J. Prescia to pop up to 2nd to get the win in a tight one.

ETBU Day 2:
Belhaven/ETBU 7:  Blazers' Kennedy vs. ETBU's Croft.
        UPDATE:  Blazers up 2-1, top of 4th.

Hiram's Jeskari Rodriguez (10-6, 3.33 ERA) is listed as going against Piedmont's Martina Maloch (14-4,  1.29 ERA) Piedmont's been hotter of late. Developing. . .

VA Wes is starting Emily Seale vs. U of Rochester in both teams' bracket opener.  Developing.

[WLCALUM83]

UPDATE:  Belhaven 4, ETBU 3 going to bottom of 7th:
              Due up for ETBU: Loya, Bledsoe and Cummings. Tigers need 1 to tie, 2 to win, here we go--
                Carruth in there for the Blazers: 
                     Strike-out --1 out
                     Pop-up to short -- 2 outs
                     Walk (to same hitter who lit up Linfield yesterday) PR inserted.
                     Ground-out to 2nd base-Belhaven's beaten ETBU yet again, and the Blazers appear to be in control of this bracket. Heartbreaker for the home squad. Maddox belted a 2-run HR to left in the 6th to tie it, and then in the Blazers' ensuing at-bat, the go-ahead run scored on a passed ball on a strikeout--Carruth, as indicated above, did the rest. Now ETBU, likely, will need to knock off Linfield later just to stay alive--
                     
Elsewhere. VA Wes 2, U of Rochester 0. (Marlins' defense of their title gets off to a good start here.); Tufts over Muhlenberg 4-1. North Central-IL 5, PSU-Behrend 0 (Nice start for the Cardinals as well.)

Hiram 4, Piedmont 1, going into bottom of 7th. Mild upset if that score holds up; due up Isley, Taylor and McBrayer for Piedmont; here we go:
                  Strike-out looking- 1 out
                  Strike-out looking- 2 outs
                  Fly-out to right field-3 outs
Hiram wins, 4-1, putting Piedmont on the brink of elimination.

Case and TCNJ are going into extras tied at 1--developing--

[WLCALUM83]

IL College is up 3-0 on Alma in the top of the 6th: major upset if that score holds up--developing--

CWRU 2, TCNJ 1, Final 8 innings. Isabella Russo drove in the game winning run with a single to short in this one.

UPDATE:  IL College has knocked off Alma, 4-0 (Grace Frost knocked in all runs with a 3-run HR and single.

[WLCALUM83]

It's Linfield's Kelley vs. ETBU's Kelly in this elimination game. Belhaven only needs to beat the winner once to advance.

[WLCALUM83]

It's the Oregon squad that stays alive.

TLU 9, Chapman 1 5 innings. Bulldogs need 1 win to advance.

Elswehere, believe it or not, DePauw and Piedmont face each other in an elimination game. A Tiger loss guarantees there'll be at least 4 different teams in the '22 Finals. (UW-Oshkosh and BSC didn't make it this year, and St. Thomas-MN is no longer in D3.)

NE Wesleyan 4, St. Benedict 0. Kailey Meyer tossed a 1-hit CG shutout yesterday. Emma Alfieri (who hadn't homered since March 12-in the upset of TCNJ) hit a 2-run HR to provide added cushion. It's "Wartburg/NE Wesleyan 4" later today. Prairie Wolves took the first game, the Knights the last 2.

Concordia-WI 1, Roanoke 0. Gina Followell a complete game win. Falcons get Case later. Case knocked off  TCNJ in extras in what was a real pitchers' duel the first 6 innings.

[WLCALUM83]

5/14 update:
Randolph-Macon 8, MIT 3 (Another Gracie Ellis complete game win).
Yellow Jackets are in their own host-final, opponent needs 2 wins to advance.

More later.

[WLCALUM83]

The first squad advancing to the Super Regionals is (drum roll, please. . . )      Belhaven, who knocked off Linfield 5-3. Kennedy Carruth got her 26th win on the year and the Blazers hit 3 solo HR's in the game.

Concordia-WI's in the Case bracket final after beating the host squad; DePauw stayed alive by eliminating Piedmont 3-2. Amherst eliminated U of Rochester 10-0. (so at least half the field for the '22 Finals will be new teams).

Wartburg/NE Wes 4 went to the Knights, who won on a 2-run HR in the 14th inning. Husson/Amherst currently in progress. Winner needs to beat defending champ VA Wes twice to advance. Bethany Lutheran has been eliminated. Buena Vista/Bethel-MN winner must beat Wash-MO twice to advance.

UPDATE:  TCNJ over Roanoke 4-2. TCNJ/Case winner must beat Concordia-WI twice to advance.

UPDATE:  Chapman has forced a deciding game in its' series with Texas Lutheran.
               J&W-RI eliminates Lesley 4-1 (all runs scored in 7th inning.) Thus ends the NECC season.