If you want to lose a game, put Sidney Ferry in the game...that's all he does for the past 2 years.

Granted, Bryce Ehr should shoulder most of the blame this first game.  This team is unbelievably frustrating, season will be over shortly though.

I've wanted to say this for the longest time but honestly didn't have high expectations for the team this year when I found out Logan Mattson was done and Canterbury wasn't using his Covid year. Then when the season began and no Jacob Boos for several games or JD Schultz and Mason Weckler all season for Mason and 1 inning pitched for JD. With either of them fully healthy the season goes a little better with both I'm all but positive they make regionals just bad luck. Pickering also has been hit or miss but surprised me yesterday with a strong outing vs the best team in country. Seems he can't throw the first inning well but settles in after. To be completely honest yesterday showed me that if Point plays their absolute best and Whitewater relaxes for WIAC tournament Point could potentially make a run in the tournament problem is I don't know the lineup can score enough against Berendt or hit OshKosh's stud they didn't touch him this year. They do seem to be able to hit any of La Crosses pitchers except Madl so you never know and I have no clue if JD pitching an inning means he's going to be ready for WIAC tourney or even today but even if he could be the closer it would help a ton.

Either way the conference is so good and pointers had a lot of underclassmen playing. I don't know if Camden Olver got injured or is just struggling but he was the man at end of last season. The most difficult thing about the season is Comer using his Covid year I'm assuming thinking they could make World Series and he's tearing it up for a lost cause. Making the WIAC tournament in best conference in nation after losing possibly your top 2 starting pitchers and your all American closer not getting the job done has killed Pointers season. I wasn't expecting Pointers to even be able to compete vs Hawks this season and they had game 1 taken and were ahead 3-2 in the 7th. Is Ferry having arm troubles does anyone know or did teams just figure him out? Ehr is doing great as a freshman but has to have a little better 2nd pitch and develop a circle change!

I hope someone will respond to this question if they read the novel but where does Comer rank among best Pointer players ever? I went to UWSP and followed Pointers hard from 1996-2003 then didn't get to any games until Jordan Zimmerman freshman year and have followed since. I thought Steve Wijzek was the best hitter until I seen Aaron Simmons but is Comer best ever? I know there have been so many great players including Chuck Brehm, Peyton Nelson, Doug Coe, Cody Koback, and list goes on. I'm also talking best hitter Jordan Zimmerman is best Pointer player ever obviously based on his accomplishments at Point and after.

I truly do wish all 4 teams the best in WIAC tournament and was hoping Pointers could miraculously split this weekend and avoid Hawks first game. Unfortunately even though La Crosse is ranked pretty high they may have some work left to do based on what happened to Hawks last year and getting the shaft. Imagine where the titans would be had they not had their best player leave program!

Quote from: PauldingLightUP on May 01, 2024, 07:20:27 PM

Quote from: cubs on April 27, 2024, 08:29:59 PMLa Crosse hangs on and wins the series finale 8-7 to split the series with Stevens Point...

Platteville sweeps Eau Claire and could use another sweep tomorrow to make their series with UWO next weekend a little more interesting...

A sweep by Platteville tomorrow would mean they'd need to take three out of four from UWO to earn the #4 seed in the WIAC Tournament. A split tomorrow would mean they'd need to sweep UWO next weekend.

It's scenario two at play this weekend in Platteville. Pioneers will need a sweep this weekend to make the tournament after the Blugolds comeback in today's nightcap.

Weather wise Friday looks great and afternoon rain Saturday. Could see some move ups to 10am starts Saturday morning.

Platteville came back in game one today 5-4, but Oshkosh run ruled 11-1 in game two to clinch the final tournament spot.

Still two more held over games in Platteville tomorrow.

Pointers split with Whitewater to earn the 3 seed and avoid playing them first round but task won't be much easier trying to beat La Crosse. In the end their path is definitely better this way and Oshkosh is capable of playing very well and have an a true ace also so hopefully Pointers can pull off upset and Titans also win so La Crosse or Whitewater would be eliminated and Pointer if beat Oshkosh would avoid facing Whitewaters 2nd pitcher if Eagles can Knock them out. 4 very capable teams but unfortunately I don't see Whitewater losing twice at home when the games matter. Really makes me angry that the Pointers didn't take Lawrence or Ripon seriously and got embarrassed on home field that shouldn't ever happen and now having split with La Crosse and Whitewater and with a win over the #1 team in nation they would've at least had a chance at an at large bid if they were currently 27-13 instead of 25-15.

Quote from: ShineTime on May 05, 2024, 10:56:47 PMReally makes me angry that the Pointers didn't take Lawrence or Ripon seriously and got embarrassed on home field that shouldn't ever happen and now having split with La Crosse and Whitewater and with a win over the #1 team in nation they would've at least had a chance at an at large bid if they were currently 27-13 instead of 25-15.

Stevens Point was a Pool A or nothing team from about the middle of April on after they lost four straight to Stout and UWO....  They weren't getting a Pool C bid even if they beat both Lawrence and Ripon as they'd still be sitting at 28 or 29-15 with a a pair of losses at the WIAC Tournament.

Quote from: ShineTime on May 04, 2024, 11:18:59 AMI hope someone will respond to this question if they read the novel but where does Comer rank among best Pointer players ever? I went to UWSP and followed Pointers hard from 1996-2003 then didn't get to any games until Jordan Zimmerman freshman year and have followed since. I thought Steve Wijzek was the best hitter until I seen Aaron Simmons but is Comer best ever? I know there have been so many great players including Chuck Brehm, Peyton Nelson, Doug Coe, Cody Koback, and list goes on. I'm also talking best hitter Jordan Zimmerman is best Pointer player ever obviously based on his accomplishments at Point and after.

Comer's numbers "skew" things slightly as he has a full extra season of games compared to a lot of the other guys....  When you look at the numbers, Ryan Jones, Gary Kostuchowski, and Sam Molski probably belong in the conversation as well...

Quote from: ShineTime on May 04, 2024, 11:18:59 AMImagine where the titans would be had they not had their best player leave program!

UWO finished 19-19 this year...  Had Platteville not blown a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning to Eau Claire on Wednesday, UWO would be on the outside looking in and watching the WIAC Tournament with all of us. I doubt one hitter is going to turn a .500 team into a National Contender....    

Edit: I know the four game series with Platteville might have looked a little different from UWO's pitching standpoint had Platteville won Wednesday as Waco probably starts a game on Saturday knowing they needed to split the series instead of just taking one game...

Whitewater and La Crosse hold strong #1 and #2 respectively in the third set of Region IX Regional Rankings that were released last night...  Stevens Point stays in the rankings, but drops a spot to #6 after their split against Whitewater and loss to below .500 Ripon squad.

Region IX   In-Division Record   Overall Record
1   Wisconsin-Whitewater   32-8   32-8
2   Wisconsin-La Crosse   29-11   29-11
3   Luther   26-14   26-14
4   Buena Vista   27-12   27-12
5   Coe   26-14   26-14
6   Wisconsin-Stevens Point   25-15   25-15
7   St. Olaf   27-11   27-12

Stout first baseman Jacoby Endreas has entered the transfer portal....  Endreas was tied for the WIAC lead in HR's (14) and third in Slugging % (.731) at the end of the regular season. 

It goes without saying that if Endreas ends up departing from Stout, it would leave quite the hole in the middle of the Blue Devils lineup for the 2025 season.

Michael Hilker picks up right where he left off to start the postseason for Whitewater as he throws a CG in a 5-1 victory over UWO in the WIAC Tournament opener.  Hilker struck out 10 while improving to 8-0 and lowering his WIAC best ERA to 1.32 in ten starts this season.

The WIAC Pitcher of the Year award should be Hilker's in an absolute runaway this season!

He's the reason they most likely end up top 4 in the nation! He and Berendt are difficult 1-2 combo but I can't lie if Point had healthy JD Schultz or Mason Weckler they'd have a loaded starting pitching staff. Please Endreas make the decision to be a Pointer and realize it's always a great day to be a Pointer!

His home run total would be well over 20 If he played for Point!

Quote from: ShineTime on May 09, 2024, 09:10:41 PMPlease Endreas make the decision to be a Pointer and realize it's always a great day to be a Pointer!

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that his decision to enter the transfer portal is to move up to the scholarship level (D1 or D2) (a la Scherrman and Vomhof last year) and not just an intra-conference move...  I'd venture to guess if Endreas is playing in the WIAC again next next year, it will be with Stout.

Nick Paulsen follows up Hilker's "gem" in the opener yesterday with one of his own in the nightcap as Stevens Point knocks off La Crosse 3-0 yesterday.

Whitewater and Stevens Point will square off with the winner advancing to the WIAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, while La Crosse and UWO will meet this morning in an elimination game...

La Crosse breaks out the sticks and cruises to a 17-9 victory this morning and in the process eliminates UWO.

UWO finishes the season with a losing record, at 19-21...  Ten years into the Tomasiewicz era, UWO sits with a 226-186-1 record (counting the six game COVID shortened 2020 season) and UWO has now won ZERO regular season WIAC Titles, ZERO WIAC Tournament Championships, and qualified for Regionals just one time.  If you calculate that out, the average season for UWO over the last 10 years is 22-18.

It's amazing to me that such a run of mediocrity from a once storied program is being accepted...  That said, I guess when the guy still in charge of the athletic department is the one that hired Tomasiewicz in the first place, he'd have to admit fault if he made a change...

Berendt practically matches his teammate Hilker through the first six innings today, giving up just a pair of solo HR's (one being of the inside the park variety) but runs out of gas in the 7th. 

Four of the first five Pointer hitters reach base as Berendt's pitch count eclipsed 100 pitches and Stevens Point closed the gap to 10-6.  That's as close as they would get however as Cade Hansen retires the final seven batters he faces to help Whitewater advance to the WIAC Tournament Championship.