Marty Testo returns to Keene State staff. KSC building something special. https://keeneowls.com/news/2021/9/8/blood-adds-four-to-baseball-staff.aspx?fbclid=IwAR04A6-bN7a3Vh6ox7mSiTDkAh-iyjOneW2LZrpadpZlb8RDUMhFZNWs4WA

Keene State has named Justin Blood as its new Head Coach. I know Justin and this is a great move for KSC. New sheriff in town - watch this program turn around and become competitive again. Congratulations Justin and go Birds
https://keeneowls.com/sports/baseball

He just updated his FB page to reflect he was coming home.

A tall order indeed. 👍🏽

Coach L. is a great choice. Class guy, highly competitive, great recruiter, highly ethical, relates well to players and parents. He gave a certain family member of mine his first coaching break.

Certainly EConn has a new fan in me.

Good luck Matt.

Now who gets the WNEU job? - Marty Testo? Bob Prince? Brendan Eygabroat? Scott Virgulak? Jim Broughton? Others?

Word

USM - Congrats to the team on a job well done!

Quote from: wordsmith on May 08, 2013, 09:33:28 AM
Something's happening here,
What it is ain't exactly clear,
There's a man with a bat over there,
Sayn' Owls you better beware!

USM over Western
Eastern over Dartmouth
Boston over Keene

Not Chalk today fellas. Word strikes again with the wisdom of a sage. Hear me now and believe me later. 

Tin soldiers and Eastern coming,
They're finally on their way,
This day I hear the drumming,
EConn's gonna have their way,


Eastern over Dartmouth

Something's happening here,
What it is ain't exactly clear,
There's a man with a bat over there,
Sayn' Owls you better beware!

USM over Western
Eastern over Dartmouth
Boston over Keene 

On a scary day in Keene (Fuel tanker was involved in a traffic crash and the cab caught fire. 2 killed. Police report to locals that had the tanker exploded with its 5000 gallons of fuel it would have completely destroyed the city!)

KSC loses two to EConn 13-11 and 6-3.

Answers await:

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3baseball/2013/05/02/second-ncaa-regional-ranking-of-2013/

New England Region
1 Southern Maine 23-3 29-6
2 Wheaton (Mass.) 24-7 27-10
3 Western New England 26-8 27-9
4 Endicott 27-11 27-11
5 MIT 22-7 22-8
6 Amherst 20-7 20-8
7 St. Joseph's (Maine) 26-10 28-11
8 Eastern Connecticut 23-10-1 23-11-1
9 Bowdoin 22-11 22-11
10 Salem State 18-7 21-13

Quote from: WNECalum222 on May 01, 2013, 09:41:46 AM
I think over the last 5-8 years Wheaton and WNEC have become the class of the Northeast and the LEC has been slowly declining. Eastern isn't quite what it use to be and keene has fallen off a bit. Clearly I may have a biased opinion, but that is what I have seen.

I stated on these boards either a year or two ago that I thought State University/College baseball in New England was in a steep decline and I hold to that position. The elite schools over the past 5-6 years have largely been private schools. Trinity (although inconsistent), Wheaton, WENU, and let's not forget St. Joe's. Sure EConn has been there at that level, KSC took a peak into the room but hasn't finished it off, and what can you say about USM. Up and down, but not nearly as dominant as the early 00's or late '90's.

So what are the factors that may have led to this decline? College costs? Facilities? Coaches?

Costs...Private schools like WNEU are running $40k+ a year and many State schools are running $10-$15k Less per year;

Facilities...USM & EConn have premier ballparks that rival any parks in D-III in the country and certainly are an attraction to young ballplayers.

So that leaves Coaches which really what we're talking about is recruiting.  Guys like Will Sanborn (the hardest working man in show business), Matt LaBranche, and The Wheaton Coach (I refuse to speak his name) all work their arses off recruiting and have the distinct advantage of solid academic institutions behind them (not to say that schools like KSC a Josten Award Winner a few years back aren't solid as well).

So is it that simple? Or are there other factors?

Thoughts?

Thought for the day:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

                                                                                   -John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton-

By my calculation (hillbilly math as it were) if USM sweeps tomorrow they host the LEC Tourney with 11 wins giving them a 3 game lead with 2 to play for all teams. Question is who finishes in second third and fourth. Eastern plays KSC for 2nd with UMassB lurking around with a good shot at 3rd.

Next 2 weekends decide the LEC Regular Season Title.
Will KSC win 0, 1,2,3 or 4 games vs USM & TEE.
Will TEE be inspired to "win it all for Coach"?
Will USM get back on track?
Could UMB slid into a top 3 spot?

Regardless this is another down year for the once vaunted LEC. USM is the only sure shot at the NCAA tourney unless someone else gets hot and sweeps through the LEC Tourney.

Check back on Sunday.