I highly doubt that Spalding will make a run at Webster this year. After the run they had last year at the National level and the progress the team has had over the past years, I don't see any SLIAC team giving them a run for first place in a while, if ever. If I had to make a prediction I think that Spalding will finish 3rd in SLIAC behind Webster and Greenville. Greenville had a very decent squad last year and only lost 2 players if I'm not mistaken. Spalding had a very good year last year also, with being the top seed in their USCAA World Series and winning it, but they graduated quite a few of their dominate players. I, however, do not know what kind of recruiting class either school has brought in so this is all my opinion.

Webster University coming in ranked #9 in the Preseason Poll with 2 teams beaten last year ranked ahead of them. #7 Kean (World Series game 2: 8-7) and #4 Birmingham Southern (Central Regional Semi-Final: 6-1, Central Regional Championship: 3-2)

Looks like they have a tough first part of the season:
#1 Wheaton
#3 SUNY Cortland
#5 Marietta
#14 St. Joseph, ME
Receiving Votes: Washington University, North Park University, and Rhodes University

http://www.websterathletics.com/news/2012/12/21/BB_1221122537.aspx

The Webster University Gorloks finish up ranked #7 nationally in the 2012 postseason poll. Congrats on a phenomenal season and for making it farther than i'm guessing almost everyone expected. Can't wait to follow the team next year and hope you all have an even better season than this year. 

Oh okay. My mistake.

I believe they were supposed to be because it was their 3rd year but from what I heard, they still had some players on scholarship from the previous association they were with before.

Webster's hitting is starting to show up just in time. Currently having a .302 team average and a slugging percentage of .455 and having about 6 of their starters batting .300+. Scoring 39 runs in their last 5 games (12 coming from their game against WashU) Pitching is still going strong for them with a team ERA of 2.84 and giving up only 16 runs (9 in the WashU game) in those 5 games. The pitching staff, however, is not as big as they would like it to be because of injuries but should still be very good in the post season. They have 3 more SLIAC series's left (Eureka, Fontbonne, and Greenville) Webster is currently 22-9 and 14-1 in conference with a region record of 20-4 (from what i have read on here)

Webster went 3-0 in its weekend series with Spalding winning 7-0, 3-2, 4-2. This is Spaldings last year I believe that they are ineligible for the SLIAC tournament.

Spalding posts another SLIAC loss to Westminster. Spalding 6-2 Webster 7-0

Quote from: D3Vike11 on April 01, 2012, 10:33:33 PM

Quote from: BigPoppa on April 01, 2012, 10:29:15 PM
The SLIAC's relatively weak conference kills their member's SoS numbers so I still think the SLIAC will only be a one-bid conference. It will all come down to who wins the tourney. SoS hurts the conference when forced to go head to head at the Pool C table.

Agreed. Although it's still early, I think Spalding will take down Webster's reign as SLIAC Champ.

Yes it is early, but I do not really see that happening this year. Looking at their schedules, Spalding has lost to 2 teams that Webster has beaten, and after the past few years, a loss to MacMurray and playing Eureka so closely isn't that good. Granted from what I have been hearing MacMurray has gotten a lot of good players because of the new coach. But I am predicting Webster taking all 3 from Spalding this year.

Websters shortstop started all 3 games today vs Principia and the third baseman was the starting pitcher in game 3. Webster won 17-0, 9-5, 15-10. Webster is 10-7 on the season 3-0 conference.

Webster ended up going 3-3 in the spring break trip. Pitching seems to be the only thing keeping them in games right now. Hitting hasn't come around yet from what I can tell from the games they lost in Florida (1-0, 4-1, 2-1). Having lost 6 games with a sub 3 ERA, looks like the pitchers will have to start throwing shutouts until the hitting starts getting better if they want to win. Webster has 2 tough match-ups this week playing Washington University tomorrow and Illinois State University on Sunday.

Spalding has definitely stepped up their game. If I remember correctly they had the SLIAC conference title won by 1 game after going 1-2 vs. Webster last year but dropped some key match-ups in their final few conference games to hand the title back to Webster. The Spalding vs. Webster series this year will definitely be one to go watch.

Yes the teams Webster played last weekend were not as good as the Hendrix team they played in Arkansas. However, (not using this as an excuse for them just stating a fact) it is much harder to beat a good team that has already played 9 games on your opening weekend. It looks like in the first two games at Hendrix Webster had them beat, but had one bad inning and couldn't recuperate from it. That being said, I feel if they played Hendrix again down they road Webster would win at least 70% of the time. Webster's spring break trip outcome will show us if Webster will be a good team this year since it looks like they will be playing some good competition. 

Webster ends the weekend with a 4 game sweep in the Cavallo Classic beating Grinnell College 4-1, 4-0 and Millikin University 13-1, 10-2. Webster is now 4-3 heading into their spring break trip to Florida.

Webster will take on top seeded Christopher Newport May 18th at noon. Christopher Newport will be a challenge at 39-5 and ranked #1in the ABCA Coaches Poll and #2 in the D3.Com Poll.