No Freshman listed on Mount roster..waiting on Otterbein as usual.

Mount still has some good bats coming back but those pitching losses will be huge.  Like last year, BW is the team to beat.  They underperformed all year but were still able to get it done and win the OAC tourney. 

Heidelberg was the biggest surprise to me last year but losing #1 Powers was a big hit.  Otterbein was really young and started multiple Freshman and they had several injuries..still would not have been one of the top teams though.  If they added some pitching, they should be improved.

D3 Region 7 Preview

https://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2026/02/previews/Region-7-preview

I didn't see Jackson Saylor's name on ONU roster???

Muskies Summer Stats (that I could find):

Pitching

Jake Valentine - Zanesville Pioneers of Ohio Collegiate Baseball League
2-1, 25 IP, 18 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 25 K, .840 ERA, .960 WHIP, BAA .189

Weston Hartman - Zanesville Pioneers of OCBL
2-2, save, 27 IP, 28 H, 12 ER, 12 BB, 34 K, 3.11 ERA, 1.481 WHIP, BAA .262

Max Vosters - Syracuse Salt Cats of New York Collegiate Baseball League
5-0, 42 IP, 31 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 45 K, 1.29 ERA, .83 WHIP

Gavin Shultz - Indiana Aviators of Pacific Coast Collegiate League - Indiana Division
2-0, 21 IP, 15 H, 6 ER, 10 BB, 34 K, 2.00 ERA, 1.190 WHIP, BAA .192

Hitting

Aiden Reis - Watertown Rapids of New York Collegiate Baseball League
.293/.400/.387, 18 RBI, 14 BB, 16 K, 2B, 2 HR

Benny Hess - Watertown Rapids of NYCBL
.271/.418/.447, 13 RBI, 21 BB, 27 K, 4 2B, 3B, 3 HR

Grant Mellerson - Baltimore Chop of Maryland Collegiate Baseball League
.357/.509/.381, 5 RBI, 9 BB, 10 K, 2B, 11 R, 12 SB

Jasper Ownens - Indiana Aviators - PCCL
.243/.420/.324, 3 RBI, 11 BB, 10 K, 3 2B, 13 R, 9 SB

https://x.com/d3baseball/status/1935680756401218030

Jake Valentine from Muskingum

https://x.com/d3baseball/status/1934943981965558023

Diego DeCello from Marietta

Quote from: BobcatQB on May 30, 2025, 09:48:01 AMKean vs Endicott - Endicott
Messiah vs Johns Hopkins - JH
Rowan vs Denison - Denison
Trinity vs UW-Whitewater - Trinity

JH vs Denison for the title - JH

Well, that didn't work out.  #1 seed falls in two games and Denison lost last night.

Kean vs Endicott - Endicott
Messiah vs Johns Hopkins - JH
Rowan vs Denison - Denison
Trinity vs UW-Whitewater - Trinity

JH vs Denison for the title - JH

That 1B is tough..poor Melick from Muskingum odd man out.  .351/.429/.608, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 40 R, 7 SB, 90 total bases, .991 fielding...that deserves something in the region.  Especially when you consider that ABCA included 6 1B...two of which are from the same team.  I'm taking Melick over Thomas and Alonso for sure.

Lehman certainly finished his career on a high note..chance to be a 1st team region selection at UT.

Denison and Case still fighting for a shot at the WS.  I think Denison will make their first trip but I think JH is the eventual WS Champ in Babb's last trip.

If I didn't have a golf tourney this weekend, I'd be headed to Mount or Denison..I think both those regionals will be good.

Yes, they have to apply to host.  Rowan has hosted before..several higher seeds have, just weird.  Good for Mount though.  Grove City would never host, facilities wouldn't qualify.  Their new field probably would though..new turf for next year.  Surprised BW hosted last few years with no concession stand, lack of good streaming and tiny restrooms..similar to Mount.  Restrooms are nice but a mile away, streaming stinks and lack of concessions/parking.  I'm sure they will provide some type of food option like BW did w/ food trucks.

Mount Union gets to host..wow.  Might be Hesse's greatest achievement. I guess having his involvement at the national level paid off.

BW has been playing it's best ball and looks like they may have finally figured it out.  Again, on paper, it was always BW's tournament.  Far and away the best roster in the OAC.

Mount and ONU get a chance to keep playing.  Both teams can definitely win some games in the Regionals.

Quote from: Dr. Acula on May 06, 2025, 10:50:11 AMYeah, the Muskie PBP guy mentioned several times that the umps inconsistencies were getting them some jawing from both dugouts and you could hear the groans from the fans on the audio.

Mount used the pen as I expected.  Mayer was going to be first out of the pen if they needed multiple IP because he can go 4+.  When he's throwing strikes he's been dominant and his ability to get strikeouts lets him wiggle out of some jams.  He just didn't have his best command on Sunday.  In close games it's been Mayer and Phillips first up. 

One thing I was curious about was with the DH pushed to Sunday and the OAC tournament starting Thursday AM how did that impact the pitching decisions.  For example, did they not use Lehman in relief because they needed to make sure they had him at 100% to potentially start game 1 of the tourney?  Breeden wasn't throwing his best game with 2 BB and 3 HBP through 3 IP, but it was only 1-0 and he was pulled at 49 pitches.  Is he available to start on 3 day's rest on Thursday?  At 49 pitches I would think he is an option (although Lehman dominated JCU in his start there).

Wilm and Ott were only able to get in 1 of the 2 games.  The Quakers put up 7 runs in the last 3 innings to win 9-6.  The two teams wrap up tied at the bottom at 3-14 in OAC play.  What would the odds have been on a preseason parlay of:

1. BW doesn't finish in the top 2
2. Marietta finishes with a losing record
3. Otterbein finishes last in the OAC
4. Capital splits with the top 2 teams

Breeden will be fine for Thurs.  He was visibly shaken after that HR to Melick and couldn't find the zone.  Kept building with each ball he threw.

Biggest surprise was BW's lack of consistency, Otterbein's falling off the table and the offensive production from Mount Union.

Should be a great tournament.  Hard to pick against BW because of that roster but they have been so inconsistent all year.  Mount has the offense and pitching to seal the deal.  Nobody is talking about ONU and that pitching could be the difference. JCU is the odd team out..not enough there to win it all.