BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

dbat · April 14, 2012, 10:02:33 AM

Here is some notable news. Brad Orosey broke the ASC career wins record yesterday. What a great feat, 31 wins with TLU. I can remember watching him his freshman year as a little 5'8" 150lbs soaking wet. He didn't look like much on the mound but he has proved a lot of critics wrong. He has had an incredible career and definitely worth noting.

TexasBB · April 14, 2012, 10:08:50 PM

UTT swept LeTourneau to improve to 28-8 overall and 11-4 in the East.
The first game was a pitching duel won by the Patriots 1-0 with the only scoring occuring in the 3rd inning.

UTD is still in the drivers seat and should win the East.
Going into this weekends series with Centenary Colllege they have won 8 straight and have a conference mark of 12-3. They hold the tie breaker against UTT as they won 2-3 from the Patriots in Tyler earlier in the season.

By getting swept at home LeTourneau hurt its chances of making the playoffs. However, it is very tight with East Texas Babtist, Mississippi College and LA College. It will come down to the last series next weekend. That is what makes things exciting with 4 teams battling for 2 spots.

Texas BB

Ralph Turner · April 16, 2012, 03:43:02 PM

Great series by CTX at McMurry.

We needed 2 out of 3 and the most likely candidates for that happening were the two 1-run losses!

Oh so close....

Congratulations to the Tornados.

Just_Some_Guy · April 16, 2012, 07:55:30 PM

Can someone explain to me why Concordia's ASC record is listed as 14-2 on the ASC website and 15-2 on the CUA website!?

I'm not very good at math, but I have them at 16-2 in conference play (playing 18 games like the rest of the conference).

It looks like maybe the DH with Schreiner on April 6th wasn't counted.

JSG

Ralph Turner · April 17, 2012, 12:04:04 PM

Welcome back. Good to see you posting again.

Quote from: Just_Some_Guy on April 16, 2012, 07:55:30 PM
Can someone explain to me why Concordia's ASC record is listed as 14-2 on the ASC website and 15-2 on the CUA website!?

I'm not very good at math, but I have them at 16-2 in conference play (playing 18 games like the rest of the conference).

It looks like maybe the DH with Schreiner on April 6th wasn't counted.
JSG

Yes, the Schreiner games

Ralph Turner · April 17, 2012, 11:41:43 PM

McMurry can clinch the 3rd spot with 2-win series vs UMHB this weekend.

UMHB can clinch with a 2-1 series vs McMurry.

HSU can clinch if they win the HPU series.

McMurry has a 1-2 record versus HSU.

HSU has a 1-2 record versus UMHB and 2-1 record versus McMurry.

McMurry could sit at home with a 12-9 conference record (and tied for 3rd), having lost the tie-breakers to UMHB and HSU.

A week ago, winning instead of losing the 1-run games versus CTX would have had us 13-5 and in contention for a co-championship in the ASC West and hosting the first round.

Ralph Turner · April 17, 2012, 11:44:26 PM

McMurry can clinch the 3rd spot with 2-win series vs UMHB this weekend.

UMHB can clinch with a 2-1 series vs McMurry.

HSU can clinch if they win the HPU series.

McMurry has a 1-2 record versus HSU.

HSU has a 1-2 record versus UMHB and 2-1 record versus McMurry.

McMurry could sit at home with a 12-9 conference record (and tied for 3rd), having lost the tie-breakers to UMHB and HSU.

A week ago, winning instead of losing the 1-run games versus CTX would have had us 13-5 and in contention for a co-championship in the ASC West and hosting the first round.

dp643 · April 18, 2012, 07:26:37 AM

Ralph, McMurry is in with one win against umhb. If McMurry gets to 12-9, the best umhb can do is 11-10. Umhb does not clinch with a 2-1 record as Hardin Simmons could sweep Howard Payne and that drops McMurry to the 4 spot and hsu to number 3.

Ralph Turner · April 18, 2012, 08:37:45 AM

Quote from: dp643 on April 18, 2012, 07:26:37 AM
Ralph, McMurry is in with one win against umhb. If McMurry gets to 12-9, the best umhb can do is 11-10. Umhb does not clinch with a 2-1 record as Hardin Simmons could sweep Howard Payne and that drops McMurry to the 4 spot and hsu to number 3.

Thanks for double-checking my post.

The terror that was engulfing me was clouding my ability to manipulate the possible outcomes!

+1!

TexasBB · April 18, 2012, 02:13:26 PM

From the UT Tyler website:

TYLER -- The No. 18 UT Tyler baseball team lost to Mary Hardin- Baylor, 5-4, in eleven innings on Tuesday night at Irwin Field. The Patriots are now 28-9 on the season, as UMHB improves to 19-17.

In a possible American Southwest Conference tournament first round matchup, the Patriots and the Cru took it to the wire, as the Cru held the lead going into the bottom of the ninth, but the Patriots stormed back to tie it up before UMHB re-took the lead in the eleventh and eventually held on for the victory.

TexasBB

CrashDavisD3 · April 18, 2012, 06:57:24 PM

So is possible that teams that have overall losing records get into the ASC Tournament?

Maybe it should be 1 round top 2 teams from each division.....I just don't think it makes sense rewarding a losing season.

http://www.ascsports.org/standings.aspx?standings=105&path=baseball

Just_Some_Guy · April 18, 2012, 07:54:23 PM

Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on April 18, 2012, 06:57:24 PM
So is possible that teams that have overall losing records get into the ASC Tournament?

Maybe it should be 1 round top 2 teams from each division.....I just don't think it makes sense rewarding a losing season.

http://www.ascsports.org/standings.aspx?standings=105&path=baseball

I *think* inclined to agree with you, particularly because the 3 game series offers another opportunity to drop an in-region game; however, in the past the ASC has had a lot of parity near the top half and this new format (it used to be top 2 teams from each division in a double-elimination tournament) enables one division to have have more representatives should their side be stronger. The old format made the regular season games more significant.

As far as the losing record goes, it was only 2 short years ago that a 19-19 Illinois Wesleyan team reeled off 12 of 14 to claim the national title. A .500 team rather than having a losing record, but still...

JSG

Ralph Turner · April 18, 2012, 08:18:22 PM

Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on April 18, 2012, 06:57:24 PM
So is possible that teams that have overall losing records get into the ASC Tournament?

Maybe it should be 1 round top 2 teams from each division.....I just don't think it makes sense rewarding a losing season.

http://www.ascsports.org/standings.aspx?standings=105&path=baseball

I covered this in a previous post.

The current format of top 4 from each division serves this format over the previous Top 2.

1) It keeps teams in the middle of the standings in the race. #4, #5 and #6 still have a chance going into the last 2 weekends. Going into the last weekend, the driving force then becomes the last series of the season/career....an equal opportunity motivator. #1, #2 and #3 almost always sweep #7 and #8. It is those mid-division foes that mess up the seasons for teams.
2) The division format does allow the stronger division to have more representation. Last year, #4 West McMurry beat #1 East UTT in 2 games at Tyler in the first round! UTT had to sweat getting a Pool C bid. They were one of the last teams to come off the table by most projections.
3) The extra week in the series gives another week of games, to extend the season for players.
4) It allows the younger players, freshmen and sophomores, another week to develop.

McMurry is 17-12 in-region. They are 1-7 against NAIA, D-2, Centenary coming down from D-1.

Ralph Turner · April 18, 2012, 08:29:54 PM

Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on April 18, 2012, 06:57:24 PM
So is possible that teams that have overall losing records get into the ASC Tournament?

Maybe it should be 1 round top 2 teams from each division.....I just don't think it makes sense rewarding a losing season.

http://www.ascsports.org/standings.aspx?standings=105&path=baseball

I covered this in a previous post.

The current format of top 4 from each division serves this format over the previous Top 2.

1) It keeps teams in the middle of the standings in the race. #4, #5 and #6 still have a chance going into the last 2 weekends. Going into the last weekend, the driving force then becomes the last series of the season/career....an equal opportunity motivator. #1, #2 and #3 almost always sweep #7 and #8. It is those mid-division foes that mess up the seasons for teams.
2) The division format does allow the stronger division to have more representation. Last year, #4 West McMurry beat #1 East UTT in 2 games at Tyler in the first round! UTT had to sweat getting a Pool C bid. They were one of the last teams to come off the table by most projections.
3) The extra week in the series gives another week of games, to extend the season for players.
4) It allows the younger players, freshmen and sophomores, another week to develop.

McMurry is 17-12 in-region. They are 1-7 against NAIA, D-2, Centenary coming down from D-1.

CrashDavisD3 · April 18, 2012, 11:01:19 PM

Ralph you do a great job explaining why the ASC doe it the way they do. i just disagree with 8 teams going into a tournament for the Pool A bid. It takes away the effort during the Regular Season.

Reminds of the NHL where everyone almost makes the playoffs. I am for rewarding the TOP 2 teams in each division in single site 4 team double elimination tourney for a Pool A bid. I hope the SCIAC goes to either a 2 team or 4 team tourney.