BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

[dahlby]

I don't know if this applies here, but a few years back Pomona College (SCIAC Conference) dropped out of the conference for football and became an Independent for a few years, before rejoining the conference at a later date. Also, didn't U of Dallas join a confernce in just a few sports a couple of years ago?

If they did split, would there be a waiting period before an automatic bid would apply? Maybe they could pick up an extra Pool B bid if they needed to wait a year or so.

[swbaseball3]

When current AD former head coach Bill Miller moved into the TLU AD job, I thought I heard talk that TLU would put lights on Katt-Isbel.  Is that still on "one of the burners" at TLU, back burner or otherwise?

It is getting dark as we go to the 10th.

Called due to darkness.  Restart at 11AM  tomorrow.


MC   102 001 112  -  8
TLU  002 201 102  -  8

What a game!

Lights are on the to-do list.  As many kow, they cost in excess of $500K and that's a ton of jack in today's economy.

[Ralph Turner]

As I understand it, Centenary should be a re-classifying member of D-III in 2011-12.  They should be a full member in 2015-16.

Some time between now and then, I would hope that the ASC would have 8 teams split into a separate conference and earn its own AQ's, spending 2 years in Pool B for those sports.

I want the new conference to construct affiliation agreements that will maximize the AQ's.

I think that the AQ sports include FB, VB, BB and SB; Men's and Women's Soccer, Basketball, Tennis and Golf.

[golden_dome]

IMO whoever comes in second tomorrow in the ASC championship should get the Pool C bid. All 3 of the teams have won well over 30 games and 2 of the 3 were ranked in the top 25 and the third TLU should have been. When you are forced to play in a double ellimination tournament with 3 outstanding teams it means the second place team will have lost 2 games against opposing teams that have won more than 32 games this year - real tough competition. It also means they had to beat some real tough competition to get there. The 2nd place team will overall in the tournament finish no worse than 4-2 and if it is the looser bracket team could end up 5-2 overall if they win the first game tomorrow. Who ever looses tonight is out of Pool C consideration even if it is MC. You have to make to the finals to have a Pool C chance.

I agree all three are solid teams, but MC should not be on the pool c bubble regardless if they win or not. Let's say MC loses and TLU moves on to lose to a Tyler team with rested arms.

MC would be 31-6 regionally and they would have split with TLU at their place.

TLU would be 30-13 regionally with all other criteria very similar including SOS.

If it was close I could see your point, but seven more losses isn't close. MC has had a much better overall season to date. If anything, the three games against great teams will significantly improve MC's SOS, and they should remain in the #4 spot in the West Region rankings ahead of Trinity.

Having said that, I think TLU has played great baseball this weekend and has a very solid bunch. Regardless who gets in, as usual there will be very good ASC teams who get passed over for pool c selection.

EDITED: I wanted to add this about Tyler today. I saw them a month ago in Clinton and frankly they did not look very good. They managed to salvage the third game with a dramatic homer. But today they were completely different, they hammered the ball and pitched well. They'll be tough for anyone to beat tomorrow if they continue to play like that.

[dp643]

I agree with chris that miss college should be a lock for a pool c. I would really have liked to see
this team with all of their pitching healthy.

If Mississippi college pulls out against tlu this morning I would expect to see seaman and underwood start if it goes that far. Them 2 and cowart will have some tired arms going into the regional if they get there.

Ut Tyler seems to be peaking at the right time. Chitwood has only thrown one out this weekend so he should be available for alot of work today, which doesn't bode well for tlu or mc

swbaseball... Will we see Logan hull if you guys win? Is orosey avl for an inning?? 

[dp643]

MC beats TLU to advance to the finals vs UT Tyler.

I would not be surprised to see Seaman and Underwood both pitch in the next game (or 2).

Tyler has to be considered the favorite because I would assume Cowart isnt available after throwing 5 innings on Friday and 4 innings yesterday. This should be fun.

I think MC is without a doubt a pool C shoe in if they dont win. I hope they can get Prescott back in time for the regional.

[swbaseball3]

Congrats to MC but give it to TLU for battling into extras twice only to come up short.  I thought it was very appropriate that the game came down to Bell and how he doubled in the clutch.  That was the game.  The best MC player really stepped up.

As a sidenote, Nockelby ends up the All-Time hits leader for the ASC this past weekend and that really puts a stamp on his ability to hit.  A four-year starter and one of the few at TLU ever.

In the end, though, I believe we would all agree that the best two teams, right now, are in the finals for the crown.  MC played great early in the season, lost a little momentum in the UTT series only to rebound at the time they needed it.  As for UTT, well, they have really poured it on after the mid-season mark.  Assuming both will advance to the Regions, the ASC should be well represented.  Now we all become MC and UTT fans.

[Ralph Turner]

MC 3 UTT 3 going to the top of the 10th of Game 6.

Tyler Seaman went 9 innings.. 7hits  3R 3ER 6K 134 pitches (about 90 K's about 45 B's)

McKay in relief for the Choctaws.

MC gets out of 1st & 3rd one out jam with a caught pop-up on a bunt attempt and a 4-3 ground out.  3-3 going to the bottom of the 10th.

Shane Bennett singles to left field, one out.  Bennett is pick off by 4 feet after a failed bunt attempt.  Caught him leaning the other way.  TLU gets out of the inning, 1hit, no one LOB.

Going to the 11th.

MC gets out of a 1-out bases loaded jam.  Tied at 3

UTT's Logan Chitwood takes the mound in the bottom of the 11th and gets them out 1-2-3.  Tied at 3.


2-run triple in the top of the 12th. UTT leads 5-3.

Chitwood retires MC 1-2-3.

UTT wins, 5-3 , to clinch the AQ. 

[Ron Boerger]

That's what the ASC wanted.  Cannot imagine MC being left home with a 36-9 overall record and excellent in-region record, and the games this weekend should help their SOS out too.

[DavidNichols]

In the end, though, I believe we would all agree that the best two teams, right now, are in the finals for the crown.  MC played great early in the season, lost a little momentum in the UTT series only to rebound at the time they needed it.  As for UTT, well, they have really poured it on after the mid-season mark.  Assuming both will advance to the Regions, the ASC should be well represented.  Now we all become MC and UTT fans.

How do you figure on the losing momentum in the UTT series?

[TexasBB]

UTT wins in 12 5-3. A great game with alot of drama. MC will get a bid they had to beat TLU twice in extra innings and forced UTT to 12. They just ran out of gas, UTT has a very good team and are a desrving champion. That is the second year in a row that they had to beat their division rival to win the ASC. Congratulations to both teams and also TLU desrves recognition as they are also a very good team. A good tournament again but we shall see how much MC has left for the regional.

Having to run to the regional this weekend does not give the pitching staff much recovery time.

It MC is not given a bid it would be a major travesty and I would loose all faith in the NCAA selection process.

[DavidNichols]

I think the regionals don't start until the 19th, so if MC were fortunate enough to receive a bid, they would have a week and a half off.

http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-basebl/champpage/m-basebl-div3-index.html

[TexasBB]

That is good because they need Tyler Seamon and he threw a tremendous amount of pitches this weekend. The cummulative effect on a pitcher is very hard to determine. They may look and feel good but then just can't hit the spots or loose a little velocity and all of sudden they are not the same and hittable. 130 plus pitches on top of what he threw on Friday is scarry.

[golden_dome]

That is good because they need Tyler Seamon and he threw a tremendous amount of pitches this weekend. The cummulative effect on a pitcher is very hard to determine. They may look and feel good but then just can't hit the spots or loose a little velocity and all of sudden they are not the same and hittable. 130 plus pitches on top of what he threw on Friday is scarry.

Seaman threw about 70 pitches Friday so it wasn't a typical start for him, it's not unusual for him to throw 100-120 pitches. I'm sure the plan wasn't to throw that many innings today, but he was dominant. After UT-Tyler strung three hits together in the 4th, Seaman only allowed two hits the rest of the game and was better the second half. I don't see this week affecting a regional that is a week and a half away, and MC has a very good athletic training staff that closely monitors and treats players.

Shane Bennett also threw great this weekend in his first innings this year. He allowed one hit and no earned runs in 3 2/3 huge innings to end both games today. Adding him makes the staff better for a regional. Cowart was good and I thought Chris Ferriss threw well in his start, and potentially Prescott could be back.

There were opportunities today but we just didn't make plays. We can swing it a lot better than we did this weekend and I think they will. Particularly considering the upcoming off-weekend, I could see this weekend being great preparation for a regional because those were four great games against solid opponents.

[Just_Some_Guy]

Some Observations From the ASC Tourney:

• With all due respect to Hardin Simmons they're not at the same level as the other three teams. Save for Berlin & Dixon there's a lot of different ways to get the rest of that lineup out.
• Why hasn't Shane Bennett (Miss) been on the bump all year? Throws it in there pretty good and was a good tool to have in the back pocket.
• Speaking of Bennett, he came up big twice for Miss at the plate. In fact, there's no way I don't put him on with a base open once I go 2-0 against him in the 11th. Easy to say in retrospect and from the sidelines though.
• Bo Bell can swing the stick. I know he was 0fer against UTT in the final game, but the kid can flat out hit. Class act too.
• MOST everyone exuded class save for one Miss SS.

-- Ralph you can edit if you must...

• TLU's Orosey is a special player, no doubt, but he seemed like he might be battling a bit of late season fatigue.
• TLU had a hand full of seniors that didn't even dress for home games their freshman year that ended up having great careers, and others that made significant contributions. And when their job was done, they were the guys in the dugout keeping the other guys up and focused. Was a pleasure to watch.
• Cowart is good. Really good. Seamen battles as well. I hope they still have live arms a week and a half from now.
• I don't think they're (Miss) quite as good at the plate as their #'s indicate. Bell and Herrin are tough outs, and Bennett can beat you with the hard and straight, but I think their performances this weekend are more in tune with what you could expect at a regional.
  
• UT Tyler executes well at the plate and plays great defense. If their starters can keep it close long enough to give it to Chitwood/Schimpf they usually have a good chance to pull it out.

Best of luck to UTT and Miss in the regionals. I'd love to see TLU sneak in as a #6 seed and see what Orosey does against a #1 seed, but I just don't envision the ASC getting 3 bids when they've only received 2 once before. IF Miss gets shipped to a different region I expect they'll give the nod to Pac Lu (or the Redlands) regardless of what the numbers dictate.

JSG