2021 Playoffs
https://www.d3baseball.com/playoffs/2021/2021-playoff-field
What I like about this field is that the 5 West Region teams were dispersed to 3 regionals.
The West Region has been outstanding in the last few years: 2013 champ - Linfield; 2016 champ - Trinity; 2017 champ - Cal Lutheran; 2018 champ UT- Tyler ,ow D-2; 2018 runner-up Texas Lutheran; 2019 Champ - Chapman.
I also like the first round game of Trinity and Chapman.
Chapman is my Dark Horse to win it all.
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 06:00:18 PM
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Hi Ronk,
The NCAA has used a standard 6-team bracket for as long as I can remember (~20 years).
Here it is on Page 9 of this year's Championship Handbook.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/baseball/d3/2020-21D3MBA_PreChampsManual.pdf
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:31:29 PM
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 06:00:18 PM
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Hi Ronk,
The NCAA has used a standard 6-team bracket for as long as I can remember (~20 years).
Here it is on Page 9 of this year's Championship Handbook.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/baseball/d3/2020-21D3MBA_PreChampsManual.pdf
IMHO, the #1 seed gets the 2 weakest teams for the 1st 2 games.
#2 seed gets the next weakest 2 teams.
#3 and #4 are in the middle.
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:32:44 PM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:31:29 PM
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 06:00:18 PM
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Hi Ronk,
The NCAA has used a standard 6-team bracket for as long as I can remember (~20 years).
Here it is on Page 9 of this year's Championship Handbook.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/baseball/d3/2020-21D3MBA_PreChampsManual.pdf
IMHO, the #1 seed gets the 2 weakest teams for the 1st 2 games.
#2 seed gets the next weakest 2 teams.
#3 and #4 are in the middle.
Thanks, it's my(Scranton's) 1st experience in the baseball tourney; I should have checked the handbook.
Theoretically, #1 gets the 3rd weakest(#4 seed) in the 2nd game, not the 2nd weakest.
Separately, with a strategy viewpoint, in a 4-day tourney with no starter likely to pitch more than once, do you hold your ace for the 2nd game to go up against the opponent's #2 pitcher to give your team a better chance of winning a round and advancing to the next?
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 07:07:23 PM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:32:44 PM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:31:29 PM
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 06:00:18 PM
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Hi Ronk,
The NCAA has used a standard 6-team bracket for as long as I can remember (~20 years).
Here it is on Page 9 of this year's Championship Handbook.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/baseball/d3/2020-21D3MBA_PreChampsManual.pdf
IMHO, the #1 seed gets the 2 weakest teams for the 1st 2 games.
#2 seed gets the next weakest 2 teams.
#3 and #4 are in the middle.
Thanks, it's my(Scranton's) 1st experience in the baseball tourney; I should have checked the handbook.
Theoretically, #1 gets the 3rd weakest(#4 seed) in the 2nd game, not the 2nd weakest.
Separately, with a strategy viewpoint, in a 4-day tourney with no starter likely to pitch more than once, do you hold your ace for the 2nd game to go up against the opponent's #2 pitcher to give your team a better chance of winning a round and advancing to the next?
Because the 2nd weakest (#5 seed) will have already lost in the first round.
I
really really (did you understand that I said
really?) do not like a 7-team bracket. Having to use one less pitcher is too much of an advantage!
If there were an odd number of teams allocated to the sport for the biennium, I would rather go with a 6-team bracket one year and an 8-team bracket the next than 2 years of 7-team brackets.
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:31:29 PM
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 06:00:18 PM
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Hi Ronk,
The NCAA has used a standard 6-team bracket for as long as I can remember (~20 years).
Here it is on Page 9 of this year's Championship Handbook.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/baseball/d3/2020-21D3MBA_PreChampsManual.pdf
There's actually a different bracket in use because the one listed in the Handbook does NOT have anywhere for Game 5 LOSER (if the 1-0 team loses)....
THIS link to the actual 2021 Regionals explains what happens after Games 1-6:
https://www.ncaa.com/_flysystem/public-s3/files/DIII%20Baseball%20Brackets%20-%20COVID_Regionals_6_Team%20-%202021.pdf
Quote from: Bob.Gregg on May 26, 2021, 11:53:44 AM
Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 24, 2021, 06:31:29 PM
Quote from: ronk on May 24, 2021, 06:00:18 PM
Ralph,
How does the bracketing go in a regional? Ryan offered a layout that doesn't seem reasonable for a seeded tourney: instead of byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds, he has 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5, and 3 vs 4 with the winner of 1/6 playing the winner of the losers 2/5-3/4 in their next round.
Hi Ronk,
The NCAA has used a standard 6-team bracket for as long as I can remember (~20 years).
Here it is on Page 9 of this year's Championship Handbook.
https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/baseball/d3/2020-21D3MBA_PreChampsManual.pdf
There's actually a different bracket in use because the one listed in the Handbook does NOT have anywhere for Game 5 LOSER (if the 1-0 team loses)....
THIS link to the actual 2021 Regionals explains what happens after Games 1-6:
https://www.ncaa.com/_flysystem/public-s3/files/DIII%20Baseball%20Brackets%20-%20COVID_Regionals_6_Team%20-%202021.pdf
Thanks for the additional info. This is fair in the sense that everyone plays once on each of the first 2 days, but I still prefer a normal-seeded tourney with, in a 6-team bracket, byes in the 1st round for the top 2 seeds.
Appear to have delayed MN regional from 11AM to 3 PM according to videostream link.
Quote from: ronk on May 27, 2021, 12:18:08 PM
Appear to have delayed MN regional from 11AM to 3 PM according to videostream link.
It is an UGLY day here in MN... 45 degrees and rain all day... I don't see how ANY games happen in MN today.
Quote from: ronk on May 27, 2021, 12:18:08 PM
Appear to have delayed MN regional from 11AM to 3 PM according to videostream link.
Both MN regionals delayed until tomorrow.
https://twitter.com/d3photography/status/1397992920553246725
Preparing the "2-and-BBQ" roster...
DATES/SITES/SEEDINGS:
Thursday – Sunday, May 27-30
Auburn, New York Region Hosted by Wells College
1. Eastern Connecticut State
Collegeville, Minnesota Region Hosted by Saint John's University (Minnesota)
3. York (Pennsylvania)
6. Scranton
Decatur, Illinois Region Hosted by Millikin University
4. Millikin
6. Illinois College
Hartford, Connecticut Region Hosted by Trinity College (Connecticut)
5. Husson
High Point, North Carolina Region Hosted by Greensboro College and High Point Downtown Stadium Foundation
3. LaGrange
6. Marymount (Virginia)
Marietta, Ohio Region Hosted by Marietta College
4. St. John Fisher
5. Rochester
St. Paul, Minnesota Region Hosted by University of Northwestern-St. Paul
1. Trinity (Texas)
Whitewater, Wisconsin Region Hosted by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
5. Luther
Four of the Regionals go to the 5-team bracket.
Round 3 -- Teams in bold that were eliminated with 1-2 records.
Auburn, New York Region Hosted by Wells College
3. Keystone College
Collegeville, Minnesota Region Hosted by Saint John's University (Minnesota)
2. UT-Dallas
Decatur, Illinois Region Hosted by Millikin University
5. Transylvania
Hartford, Connecticut Region Hosted by Trinity College (Connecticut)
2. Oswego State
6. Johnson & Wales (Providence)
High Point, North Carolina Region Hosted by Greensboro College and High Point Downtown Stadium Foundation
2. Washington & Jefferson
Marietta, Ohio Region Hosted by Marietta College
3. North Carolina Wesleyan
St. Paul, Minnesota Region Hosted by University of Northwestern-St. Paul
2. Aurora
5. Saint Mary's (Minnesota)
Whitewater, Wisconsin Region Hosted by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
4. Penn State Harrisburg
5. Luther
I clicked onto the Adrian UWW game and saw the Bulldogs leading 1-0, with UWW batting in the bottom of the 8th. I stepped away for a few minutes and came back to see UWW had gone ahead 2-1 with Adrian batting in the top of the 9th. I thought, you do not let UWW off the hook that way.
I was jubilant to see that the Bulldogs scored 2 in the top of the 9th and held off UWW to win 3-2.
Looks like blowing the "save" late didn't carry over into the next game, as Whitewater has chased the the Texas Lutheran starter early and hold a 7-0 lead in the 5th inning... Texas Lutheran was actually on their third arm of the game in just the 4th inning.
Round 4 -- Teams in bold that were eliminated with 2-2 records.
Auburn, New York Region Hosted by Wells College
6. Merchant Marine
Collegeville, Minnesota Region Hosted by Saint John's University (Minnesota)
5. Chapman
Decatur, Illinois Region Hosted by Millikin University
2. Webster
Hartford, Connecticut Region Hosted by Trinity College (Connecticut)
4. Salve Regina
High Point, North Carolina Region Hosted by Greensboro College and High Point Downtown Stadium Foundation
1. Salisbury Wins the Regional undefeated (4-0)
4. Lynchburg
Marietta, Ohio Region Hosted by Marietta College
6. PSU-Behrend
St. Paul, Minnesota Region Hosted by University of Northwestern-St. Paul
3. Misericordia
Whitewater, Wisconsin Region Hosted by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
3. Texas Lutheran
Round 5 -- Teams that were eliminated with 3-2 records are in italics. Teams that won the regional in round 5 with a 4-1 record are in bold.
Auburn, New York Region Hosted by Wells College
2. SUNY Cortland (4-1)
5. Tufts (3-2)
Collegeville, Minnesota Region Hosted by Saint John's University (Minnesota)
1. St Thomas won the regional with a 5-1 record
4. Pacific (3-2)
Decatur, Illinois Region Hosted by Millikin University
1. WashUStL wins the Regional with a record of 4-1.
3. Denison wins game 5 versus WashUStL but loses Game 6 (4-2)
Hartford, Connecticut Region Hosted by Trinity College (Connecticut)
1. Southern Maine (3-2)
3. Wheaton MA (4-1)
High Point, North Carolina Region Hosted by Greensboro College and High Point Downtown Stadium Foundation
5. Birmingham-Southern (3-2)
Marietta, Ohio Region Hosted by Marietta College
1. Rowan (4-1)
2. Marietta (3-2)
St. Paul, Minnesota Region Hosted by University of Northwestern-St. Paul
4. Northwestern MN (3-2)
6. Johns Hopkins (4-1)
Whitewater, Wisconsin Region Hosted by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
1. Adrian (4-1)
2. UW-Whitewater (3-2)
Corrections appreciated
First 2 eliminated in Cedar Rapids:
JHU and Rowan.
On day #3, Adrian was eliminated from the top bracket.
In their 5th straight come from behind win, extending back to the 2 Pacific games, the Tommies beat Wash U, 6-4, to win the bracket.
Next up Cortland versus Wheaton MA, in an elimination game for both teams, winner playing Salisbury.
Congratulations to Salisbury for ensuring there will be a defending champion next season in D3.
Congrats to Salisbury on an awesome baseball season and winning their first national championship. 34-4 and undefeated in World Series play is an awesome achievement.
Found this article about the D3 series written by a former Wash U pitcher.
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/jake-mintz-division-iii-world-series-cedar-rapids-washu-salisbury-johns-hopkins
I could see on the webcast that there were hardly any fans there and in addition to some good baseball stuff he has some interesting observations about the event:
"The crowd at Cedar Rapids stands out above the melt. I'd say the average attendance at the ballyard hovered around 200 people, but 95% of those humans were part of the entourage for one of the eight teams."
"And unlike Appleton, Wisconsin, the town that hosted the D-III World Series for almost 20 years before 2019 and treated it like a big event that mattered to locals, the city of Cedar Rapids had practically no idea the World Series was going on."
This made me think back to when two teams from Texas were playing for a championship in the middle of a weekday in Appleton and some on here complaining about the attendance. At least Appleton had a few casual fans and the crowds on the first few days were usually okay. It drew well if there was a WIAC team involved. I don't know what factor Covid played in it, but it looked like every game in Cedar Rapids (in 2019 as well) was a friends and family crowd.
That the game is not adopted by the local fans (they were waiting for the Kernals to return), is a sign that the tour in Cedar Rapids will be short. On the Cleveland.