It's been quite the pitcher's dual in the game today.  Carthage is up 2-0 going into the 9th.  Wheaton has had 7 baserunners, but haven't been able to do anything with it... Trey Martin is still pitching in the 9th and has given up 1 earned run with 0 BB's and 8 K's.  Danny Dahm has had quite the outing as well, 8 innings, no runs, 1 bb, 4 k's.

Day of truth for Wheaton and Carthage.  Whichever team loses drastically hurts their chances of making the tourney, and I believe Carthage is mathematically eliminated if they lose... Wheaton can still get in with a loss, but they are going to need a LOT of help if they do.

It would take just shy of a miracle for Carthage to get in with a sweep, but Wheaton also probably needs to sweep to have reasonable chance as well.  Both teams are needing some help, and I just can't see either team sweeping this series.  It's possible, with the kind of pressure they have to make the tourney, that one team will just crack under the pressure but I doubt it.  It should be a dog fight.

The commissioner, or whoever figures this stuff out, better get his rule book out.  Could be a crazy weekend.

Quote from: Viking Blue on April 28, 2012, 06:49:21 PM
The CCIW site is reporting TWO 2-1 victories for Millikin over Carthage.  Misprint, or unbelievable truth?

Misprint.  According to live stats, Carthage is up 7-5 in the 5th inning of game 2.

Wheaton takes care of business and finishes out the series sweep over NCC.  They've put themselves in a position to really have a shot at the tourney.

What's really crazy is that if Augie wins game 2 today against IWU, and Elmhurst splits with NPU tomorrow... we could have a 4 way tie for 2nd going into the last weekend... with Elmhurst, Augie, Wheaton, and IWU all being tied at 10-8 in CCIW play.  Wheaton is at a clear disadvantage because they've lost the series to all 3 of those teams.  What a finish next weekend will be regardless of what happens this weekend!  It appears that Augie will lock up a tourney spot with a 2nd win this afternoon, having Millikin in the last series.  It's possible that Wheaton might end up having to sweep Carthage to get in, something I'm not sure they've ever done.  Even though they could be tied for 2nd in the conference after this weekend, record wise.

Quote from: BigPoppa on April 24, 2012, 11:12:50 AM
A true Carthage fan, while having no fear of another team, feels general disdain for IWU, not NPU. When I played, North Central was our biggest CCIW rival, but we did not hate them... we still hated IWU. (And you can +K or -K me based on the honesty of that statement.) Ask Augie who he cannot stand and the answer will always be IWU.

I would say that is true of a lot of teams in lots of sports.  From the perspective of Wheaton in the 2000's I know there was respect for Carthage and IWU, and while North Central was the closest and theoretically should have been our natural rival... Augustana was always the big rival... we made Beat Augie shirts, never anything for NCC. 

Quote from: D3Vike11 on April 20, 2012, 10:28:05 PM
Augustana beats Wheaton 1-0 in a pitcher's duel out in Rock Island. Augustana struck for a run in the bottom of the 4th on an RBI double from Joe Cecchi. That would be all that Mike Trotta needed as he goes the distance, scattering 4 hits, striking out 4 and walking 1. Wheaton couldn't get a runner to third base until the 7th, but then got gunned down at the plate trying to score on a grounder to third. Augustana improves to 7-6 while Wheaton drops to 6-7. The two teams face off tomorrow in a double header at Wheaton's home field.

One heck of an outing for Trotta.

It makes a lot of sense to tell someone to stop insulting people by insulting them.

Quote from: CCIWFAN6 on April 19, 2012, 01:51:50 PM
Average football field is around 85k-90k square feet.  An outfield, depending out dimensions and foul territory (which Carthage has a considerable amount of both) can be over 100k square feet. 

Thanks for the data CCIWFAN, I was definitely wrong about the outfield dimensions!

Quote from: CCIWFAN6 on April 18, 2012, 02:43:43 PM
My understanding is the mound will be dirt/clay with the batter's box being turf.

The added cost to do the oufield would be between 400-500k.  It is not an insignificant amount.

I'm glad the mound will still be clay.  And that is a lot more money for the outfield than I had anticipated.  I know some respectable companies have gotten football fields down to a respectable ballpark of $750,000, so I assumed an outfield wouldn't be terribly expensive, but I was obviously wrong!

Quote from: BigPoppa on April 18, 2012, 12:36:35 PM
By the way, I got my official intro to the new Carthage stadium in the mail yesterday. It will be called Augie Schmidt Field (honoring both Augie III and Augie IV in the process). A fully turfed infield to go with the upgraded stadium seating, lights  and new pressbox will be a welcome addition to the campus starting this summer. It should be ready by next spring. I think this addition makes Carthage a viable host for Central Region tourneys in the future. I amlooking forward to visiting it once it is finished.

Turf only on the infield?  Does that include the mound?  I think it will be a nice upgrade, even though Carthage already has a pretty good baseball facility for the North.  But, I'm glad they're staying ahead of the curve.  Stadium seating would be great for them.  How many will it seat? I don't necessarily understand turfing just the infield, I think the extra money you save in cost for upkeep of grass returns itself for just a little bit more turf to put it on the whole field... but maybe I'm wrong.  I do agree that either way, it will put them in contention for hosting a regional. 

Quote from: Gregory Sager on April 17, 2012, 10:24:44 PM
Baseball's a funny game. After beating up on North Park pitching last weekend, Augustana (18-10) could only muster five hits in a 2-1 home loss to a Loras (15-13) team that they had beaten twice in Florida earlier this season. Augie's second and third errors of the game, which came on a play with two outs and a Duhawks runner on second in the top of the ninth, cost the Doggies the ballgame.

It is indeed. Something about Augie the past few years, I think they've had the talent to make the conference tourney every year... they've just struggled mentally.  They should get back on track today with Knox.  That shouldn't be a tough win for them.  If not, they better watch out with a Wheaton team coming to town that's won 6 straight and coming off a very quality win.  Could be ugly for Augie.

Wheaton (17-12) upsets Concordia, IL (21-8) today 12-10.  Good win for the Thunder as they try to build momentum going into a tough stretch of games.  Also, Trey Martin appears to be pitching a couple innings again, but only in relief.  Makes me wonder if he was having some shoulder issues to start the year?

Quote from: jester13 on April 15, 2012, 07:18:46 PM
The Park needs someone to step up. Now is the time they are missing the senior leadership they had last year. Did i see that they made 14 errors? Unexcusable.

Not to rub salt in a wound, but I believe it was 15... 4, 5, and 6 in the games.  I can only imagine what was going through Coach Johnson's head!  I know what would be going through mine if I were the coach...

Quote from: D3Vike11 on April 15, 2012, 06:45:20 PM
3 Predictions:

1.) North Park versus Wesleyan this weekend is a crucial series. Winner will win the conference.

2.) Carthage will make the tourney. No doubt in my mind.

3.) Elmhurst has the toughest remaining schedule (Carthage, North Park, Wesleyan), but if they can avoid getting swept and maybe win one of those series, they make the conference tourney.

I agree with the first two but for #3 it's certainly been a crazy year, and I'm no mathematician to know the chances, but I don't see Elmhurst winning one of those series... but hey, look at my predictions from this week. Haha.

Quote from: izzy stradlin on April 14, 2012, 08:40:16 PM
Should be a great second-half of the conference race.   Anyone want to predict 1-4 at this point? 

Nope, that way I don't look like a fool at the end when I probably would get it WAY wrong   It's such an unusual year in the CCIW!  Elmhurst tied for 2nd with IWU with 3 series to play, who called that one at the beginning of the year?  Even if they don't finish there, it's still crazy!

Cornell and Simpson split their DH tonight.  3-0 win for Cornell and an 11-0 win for Simpson.  Excellent pitching performance for Ruehle as he threw a 1 hitter.  Cornell allowed 16 freebies in this game, and with Ruehle's pitching performance they never really had a chance.  But, the first game was a great pitchers duel with both pitchers from Cornell and Simpson throwing CGs.

Wheaton puts a complete game together in beating Millikin 12-2 in 7 today.  Evan Rahn gave up just 4 hits and the Thunder scored 12 runs on 17 hits, including 2 home runs. 

Hopefully the weather will hold off tomorrow so we can get some CCIW action in!