BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

[hsusid]

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.

With all due respect, every starter had at least one hit in both games and the Cowboys pounded out 26 hits in two games, I don't think HSU's offense was the problem. Throw in the fact that the leadoff hitter (Brian Weeks) and catalyst of the offense played with a broken hand on Friday and couldn't go on Saturday that changes the lineup a ton.

To say they are not on the same level is crazy talk when they lost 5-4 to the champion. [/list]

[Just_Some_Guy]

With all due respect, every starter had at least one hit in both games and the Cowboys pounded out 26 hits in two games, I don't think HSU's offense was the problem. Throw in the fact that the leadoff hitter (Brian Weeks) and catalyst of the offense played with a broken hand on Friday and couldn't go on Saturday that changes the lineup a ton.

To say they are not on the same level is crazy talk when they lost 5-4 to the champion.

1.) I told a friend at the tournament, Coleman always finds a way to get to the ASC tournament with what I believe are less talented teams. Kudos to him and the university for that achievement.
2.) Brian Weeks is a very good player that displayed a lot of heart playing on Friday. Sam Walker also pitched exceptionally well.
3.) They had a really good shot at winning game 1 against UTT, but they didn't. The score of one game isn't a good measure of a team's capability.
4.) The fact that they were 2 games over .500 while the other three teams won over 30 games is telling.
5.) I also think they were fortunate LA College beat UTD down the stretch and earned the #3 seed, because I'm not sure HSU takes 2 of 3 from UTD.
6.) In watching the team I never felt like they were going to win, I never felt like they thought they were going to win, so many balls fell in front of CF that should be caught if you get ANY semblance of a read off the bat. There were a number of factors that contributed to my opinion -- none of which were necessarily influence by the score of the games.

JSG

[swbaseball3]

The ASC Tournament was just a ton of fun.  Every game, save UTT/MC first go round, was a thriller.  Hats off to HSU for battling UTT to 5-4.  Everyone knows I'm a TLU guy so know that I am very proud of the boys for two extra inning affairs with MC.  Think about it, TLU had both of those games won and MC figured out how to stave off the wolves.

My thoughts as the regions begin:

- UTT really poured it on after their early season slump. (Predicted, BTW, in a post about 45 days ago)
- How about UTT with a lame-duck coach?  They could have cratered.
- Bell is a special kind of kid.  Clutch.  Classy.
- Walker pitched to his potential and that was fun to watch
- Orosey looked to get tired late season
- Congrats to Nockleby for the All-time hits crown
- TLU never gives up and that's not common in most teams
- Bennett has big ones.  How clutch was he?
- Seaman has a big arm/heart.  To pitch like that on Sunday.  Wow!

[dp643]

Thanks for the synopsis. I have to disagree with the comment that TLU had both games vs MC virtually won. I think that kind of takes away from how MC played to basically assert that TLU gave them the game. I watched the whole first game and that was hardly the case. Maybe it was in the 2nd game (didnt catch that one), but definitely not the first.

The all time hits leader in the ASC is just one of the things Nokelby will be remembered for. He was as solid as they come as an all around player and a real class act on the field. Im just glad I was fortunate enough to compete against him.

Time to root for MC and UT Tyler in these regionals. We need one to win the regional to get more respect for this conference!

[swbaseball3]

Well, it's pretty simple.  Top of 8 in game one, TLU was up 5-4 with two outs and two on.  Orosey on the mound and he HITS two batters.  A 1st Team All-American and he hits two batters?!?

The second example is in the second game, it's 8 to 8 in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on first and 3rd and Childress at the plate.  He's probably the hottest hitter for TLU and he K's.  So, TLU was 90 feet minus the lead at third away from the win.

Now, one could argue that they didn't have it won but I would.  Also, I did say that MC figured out a way to win and good for them. I would stand by that comment based on that line score.

Finally, I am an ASC homer.  Go MC and UTT!  I hope they meet in the finals and it goes extras.  Just please knock off Chapman.

[dp643]

Maybe we forgot how TLU scored to take the lead against MC's two best pitchers?

[golden_dome]

Some Observations From the ASC Tourney:

• 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.
• 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.
  

JSG

A couple of answers and comments. Bennett was arguably the best starter in the Fall along with Seaman. He's an upper 80's guy with three quality pitches, throws strikes, but he had some arm issues to open the Spring and I don't think the coaches wanted to take a chance on losing his bat. His arm is fine now, as everyone saw this weekend. That's a big addition.

With Brandon Martin transferring in at the break, the coaches thought they could have a very special DIII pitching staff. Seaman, Martin and Bennett all great arms, along with Chris Ferriss who had a solid year, Daniel Cowart has been great the last six weeks and has a rubber arm, coaches knew Terrell Prescott was good but he was a pleasant surprise to be that good. Then Bennett has arm issues, Martin is lost for the year, and Prescott goes down. It's better to be lucky than good sometimes and MC didn't have much luck this year with pitching.

Bo Bell will be missed in the lineup next year. He's had another great year, but he can carry a team when he's swinging it well.

Agree with your comments on Seaman and Cowart. Those guys were awesome this weekend. What Seaman did Sunday on short rest and against a good hitting team was tremendous, wish we could have gotten him the win.

I can see your opinion on the overall ability at the plate based on this weekend, and would probably say the same if that's what I had to go on. But having seen them all year I have no doubt they swing it better than that, particularly considering they roughed up the same Tyler pitchers a month ago. They've been hot for about six weeks now and were batting .399 in their last 19 games entering the tourney, it was bound to slow down at some point, you just can't stay that hot. Other than Orosey and Chitwood, they didn't face any dominant pitching, they just didn't perform well. I hope they find it again before the regional because they are capable of big numbers.

As long as they are in different regionals, I'm as big a Tyler fan as MC. It would be nice to have a couple teams represent the ASC well, and hopefully advance.

[TexasBB]

The UTT team that won the ASC this year on paper is not nearly as good as last years team but probably will represent the ASC better than last years team. The team last year had on paper great starting pitching, a great closer and one of the best and arguably the most balanced hitting team in the ASC. Yet they underperformed in the regional tournament and were not that impressive in the ASC championships even though they came from behind and won it. Last year's team was 6-2 in the ASC tournament with a loss to MCM in the opening round and a loss to MC in the double ellimination round. They were only 1-2 in the regionals. This year's team was 5-0 in the ASC tournament and I expect them to do better than 1-2 in the regionals this year.

At the begining of the season I was sure this was a rebuilding year for UTT. They lost their entire pitching staff and 3/4 of their starting position players. The way they started at the begining of the season they sure looked like a team that was rebuilding. However, they slowly improved and by the end of the season became a real solid team. They don't have the stars that last years team had but are playing more like a cohesive unit. This club just might have the right chemistry to do something special.

[swbaseball3]

So, how in the world does TLU get ZERO position players on the 1st Team West All Conference?  BTW, I am not a big believer in sharing the wealth and making sure that every team is represented.  How do you win 15 games in the west, win by 2 games and believe that the players had not much to do with that?  Token 2nd team jesture...

The fact that Nockelby and Femath are sitting on second team, a joke.  This year, not a single team wanted Femath at the plate when he needed to get on.  As for Nockelby, he got as many clutch hits as any player in the conference.  Splain me that?!?  Oh, Femath hit .394/59 runs/21-22 SB's/1.000+ OPS.  Nockelby .414/72 hits/50 Runs/42 RBI's/1.100 OPS

[baseballfanatic]

I agree with swbaseball3, You win the conference and only get two pitchers on the first team. Nockelby was the best clutch hitter in the conference & Femath not only had good numbers on offense, but was also the best defensive second baseman in the conference. I guess this year they went with the popular vote & not the best all-around position player (both offense & defense).

[dp643]

Ill explain:

Player                       avg    gp-gs    ab    r    h    2b    3b    hr    rbi    bb    hbp    so    sb-att
Brennyn Smith      .427    35-35    150    35    64    12    0    11    47    6    0    19    2-3
Andrew Femath      .394    45-45    175    59    69    11    2    4    27    24    10    26    21-22

Joseph Villegas      .420    40-40    150    32    63    12    6    2    36    28    3    14    18-22
Jake Mullin            .462    38-37    132    44    61    19    1    11    44    33    4    21    4-5
Javier Arrieta              .404    35-35    141    39    57    14    1    12    45    18    0    11    13-21
Ryan Nokelby              .416    45-45    173    50    72    16    4    2    42    28    4    10    7-8


Someone had to draw the short straw. Pretty cut and dry though.

[baseballfanatic]

Exactly, those are just offense numbers, what happened to the best all around position player. If you compare the defensive plays that Femath made, to the plays that Smith made, their is no comparison. Femath got to balls that no second baseman in the conference could get too. I believe Femath had 2 conference errors & 6 all year long ( to include the playoffs), with alot more chances (covered alot of ground).

[hsusid]

Sometimes two or more great players play a position. That is part of it.

There is no doubt that Femath is a great player, but Smith's numbers were significantly better than his all the way around. Smith had three more errors 9-6, but he is a freshman. That is not a huge difference.

Same thing in the OF. Villegas, Arrietta and Mullin all had monster years. They are three of the best players in the conference. Nokelby and LeJuan Edwards from HSU had great years and in most years the years they had would have earned them first team honors.

TLU didn't win the West because they had the best players, they won because they were the best team. They pitch, make most of the plays and come up with the key two-out hits. It's the same formula they have been using for years. I was telling someone at the game on Friday they made more miscues in one inning (the 10th against MC) than I had ever seen them make total in my 11 years watching them play HSU.  

[dp643]

Not that its right, but I think most if not all of the coach's probably just look at offensive stats. Regardless, even if Smith made 20 errors this year, I dont think thats enough to trump those offensive numbers he put up. He had a beast of a year.

[baseballfanatic]

I would rather have a player like Femath on my team (all confernce team) that gets 69 hits and scores 59 runs ,than someone that hits 11 homeruns and only scores 35 runs.