D3 Softball 2024 Non-Top 25 Poll related

Started by WLCALUM83, February 20, 2024, 02:12:40 PM

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WLCALUM83

#3 Berry and #6 Moravian will be great early season gauge games for the Dutch.
"When you come to the fork in the road, take it."


phil

Some thoughts on the NFCA Leadoff Classic...
Rain threw off the schedule, but many teams still got 5 of their 6 games in - with extra games scheduled on Thursday evening in anticipation of a lost day to Friday's rain. The other thing that threw off the schedule - negating several games between top 25 teams - was Texas Lutheran dropping out because of the "weather forecast" (though Chapman managed to travel from California and Linfield from Oregon, along with Moravian, Concordia, Illinois Wesleyan, Wartburg, Depauw, etc...).

#16 East Texas Baptist was undefeated - notably taking out #13 CWRU 4-1, #3 Berry 13-5 and #8 CNU 3-1. CNU went on to defeat defending national champion Trine - 4-3 - while CWRU beat #9 Virginia Wesleyan 4-2.

While ETBU lost their two top pitchers from last season, they've picked up two JUCO transfers whose pitching might have put them into the national championship conversation.

Lots of great games were played out in Georgia. It's a real head-scratcher as to why #15 Texas Lutheran decided to stay home at the last second - especially since they will not play a game outside of Texas the rest of the regular season - and since they do not play East Texas Baptist - they likely will not play a top 25 team the entire season.

NFCA Leadoff Classic results: https://nfca.org/diii-leadoff-classic-tournament-central

justafan12

"Lots of great games were played out in Georgia. It's a real head-scratcher as to why #15 Texas Lutheran decided to stay home at the last second - especially since they will not play a game outside of Texas the rest of the regular season - and since they do not play East Texas Baptist - they likely will not play a top 25 team the entire season."

TLU could now pick up some games since they have a 6 game hole in their allotted 40 games. Not sure who they would find to play but they could find some games.  I doubt ETBU and them would hook up given they will more than likely be  regional or super regional opponents.
Regarding not playing a top 25 team, in 2016 St. John Fisher never played a ranked team until they got to the National Championship tournament.  I believe they finished 3rd at the tournament and finished ranked #2.

WLCALUM83

"When you come to the fork in the road, take it."

WLCALUM83

"When you come to the fork in the road, take it."