BB: Regionals (Central) Rock Island '08, '10, Moline '09, Bloomington IL '11

[mr_b]

Final from Bloomington: BVU 7, IWU 6

The Titans rallied for 4 in the bottom of the 8th to tie it, but the Beavers scored one in the ninth and held on for the victory.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Alas, the season ends.   Anthony Kopp deserved better - he was the most effective of the Titan pitchers today, but he takes the loss.

BV is now 3-0, with all three wins against the CCIW.   Revenge is sweet, Carthage - go get 'em twice!

I confess that I underestimated BV (like the selection committee ); I am having trouble registering that we lost to them twice.

[mr_b]

I'm baffled by the choices of some starting pitchers.  Thomas More started their best reliever after he'd pitched 1+ innings in the previous two games.  IWU started a pitcher with 10 innings of work (instead of McCullough, who had several starts during the season).  Of course, I don't know all the thinking that went into these moves -- match-ups, injuries, hunches, gambles, saving your ace for the next game, etc.  But it would seem that you'd go with proven starters at this point of the season.

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU used 4 pitchers, none of them McCullough.  I don't know, but I'd guess he must be hurt.  IF they had prevailed today, I assume Pankau would have returned tomorrow.

Kerber looked like a good choice for the first three innings.

[mwunder]

Nice season by the Wesleyan 9.  Too bad they couldn't pull it out today.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ypsi- I guess since the "world is ending tomorrow" it is just another sign of the end of times

If the world ends, does the regional winner still get to go to Appleton?

(Alas, the question is irrelevant for my team. )

[Mr. Ypsi]

With no outs in the bottom of the third, BV takes a 4-3 lead with two singles and a HR.

[Mr. Ypsi]

No further damage by BV in the third; in the top of the fourth, Carthage ties it at four, but squandered a golden opportunity: with the bases loaded and 1 out, Joey Aiello hit into a DP.

A good omen for Carthage?  After four innings in the field, BV has 3 errors; after 3, Carthage has none.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Middle of the 7th, now 7-7.

[Mr. Ypsi]

It's the top of the 8th, and BV just brought in their third pitcher of the half-inning!  BB, HBP, BB, and fielder's choice, means a run in, men on first and third, and only 1 out (notice NO hits required!).

BV's 4th error of the day brings in another run, still 1 out, men at first and third (STILL no hits!).

WOW!  BV's 5th error brings in two more runs (and STILL not hits; 4 runs!).

OMG, after 3 days of near perfect baseball, BV has completed imploded!  Their SIXTH error (3 on consecutive plays), brings in yet another run - now 12-7!

After all that, BV gets a DP to end the carnage.  How often have you seen 5 runs on no hits?!

We'll see if Luke Watson can make the lead stand up.

[Ralph Turner]

The agony of defeat!  Those guys will remember the inning from Hell for the rest of their lives!

[mwunder]

1 more Red Men....1 more W to get to Appleton!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Let's play two!!

Luke Watson finishes off an heroic performance - he pitched the last four innings, yielding two hits and two (unearned) runs.

The final is 12-7.

I'll be missing the final game (alas) due to a prior commitment.  Since BV was the home team for the first game, will Carthage be home for the final, or do they flip a coin?

[mwunder]

I'll be missing the final game (alas) due to a prior commitment.  Since BV was the home team for the first game, will Carthage be home for the final, or do they flip a coin?

Coin flip...team who was home team prior calls it.

[mwunder]

Carthage puts up 5 runs in the top of the first on 3 hits.  BV started a sophomore, but after a couple of hits and a couple of walks, they went back to Probasco who held Carthage to one run in game 2 of the regional.

Freshman Sam Wilhelms on the bump for Carthage.