BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Chris, congratulations on the clutch series.

Speaking as the fan of a fierce rival, I look at your season and see an enigma. 

The win over Huntingdon is expected.  However, the series versus Sul Ross State was too close for comfort (5-4, 8-4, 8-5).  (I am sure that McMurry will take those 3 scores right now.)

--You were swept in the 3-game series by Hardin-Simmons.  The Cowboys are looking to lock in a playoff berth next weekend.

--Millsaps, from our arch-rival SCAC, swept you three times in critical in-region matches.  Millsaps only went 5-7 versus the Texas side of the SCAC-West (AC, Southwestern and Trinity TX).

--The Rhodes' win is a very good win, but it looks like you got a scheduling break in that you did not have a conference game in the next weekend, and they were in the middle of an Emory DH (IN-region) , MissColl/Christian Brothers (D-2) set and then on to Sewanee for a conference series.

--The Illinois Wesleyan win was on their spring trip.  That are taking pride in that loss, so that may be a good thing for the Choctaws.

Good luck next weekend.  I don't know what to think about the conference this weekend.  Texas BB is right about this year... no dominant teams.  I think that we need to see whether our Pool A bid goes two-and-home in the Regional (reflecting great mediocrity) or makes some noise about a strong balanced conference.

Errata -- Thanks to Chris Brooks  Rhodes beat Mississippi College, 6-5.   (I was viewing the Rhodes website when I typed that.  ARRGGGHHH!)

[golden_dome]

Ralph,

I'll take the Rhodes win, but we actually blew a two run lead in the ninth to them and lost 6-5.

This season has been hard to figure out, but since that 1-7 start we have gone 20-8. I would say some of the inconsistency, particularly early, came from the fact that we have so many new players. We only returned one regular position player from last year, first baseman Max Parks, and the rest are mostly transfers with a couple of exceptions.

The pitching staff only has two pitchers from last season seeing significant time on the mound. Jonathan Russell is back after missing last season which obviously has been a huge addition, but most of the staff is made up of transfers from the Mississippi JUCO ranks. I think it just took a while for everyone to fit into a role and for the pitching rotation to get settled.

Hopefully, we can continue to improve in the next couple of weeks.

[Ralph Turner]

Chris, thanks for the analysis.

If Mississippi College is peaking at the right time, then they can probably take it all.

I need some UMHB fans to explain CTX's sweep.

McM is "bunged up".  Franco is not back at full speed, and we can see who plays in the SRSU series.  Taking 2 of 3 from the Lobos clinches the #1 seed.

HSU has been quietly working its way back into contention.

HPU fought us hard on Friday night, but we probably took it out of them with the tough series.

[Blackcat00]

The momentum swing of game three of the McMurry series really showed up this weekend for CTX. Great series and hopefully it caries over for a homestand with Schriener.

[TexasBB]

I went to the double header between UTT and Louisianna College yesterday. Holland struggled for the first time this season with his command. He only walked one batter but he hit 4 and struggled the entire time. The defense helped him out of jams but he ended up given up 5 earned Runs in 5.2 innings of work. Not a good day at the office for him. The Patriots saw a 5-2 lead dissapear in the 6th inning as LoColl scored 3 runs to tie the game. Zielger came in and pitched very good in relief stiking out 2 and not allowing a hit in the 1.1 ininnings he worked to pick up the victory. The Patriots ended up winning the game with a walk off home run in the bottom of the 7th by Kyle Braden.

In the second game Louisiana College was vicimized by the home run as the Patriots clubbed 4 of them and scored their first 7 runs off homers. In the meantime Campbell returned to form thowing a complete game shutout. His slider was devestating and he seemed to have full command of all his pitches somethng that has been lacking in 2 of his last 3 outings. I was also impressed with the Patriots defense. Fox is an excellent shortstop with great range and a good glove. He made a couple of great plays in the game. They have a very good defensive infield with Baker at second and Joseph Towns at third. Their centerfielder Chris Goss is short but very fast with great range making them really good up the middle on defense.
The whole team is solid. No big "stars" but alot of very good performers without any real weak bats in the lineup and no defensive liabilities in the field.  They are a very strong team and have now won 10 in row heading into the pivitol series with Mississippi College.  

It would appear that both teams are peaking at the right time.  

[baseballfan24]

I would have a hard time seeing CTX lose any games to Schreiner.  Plain and simple, CTX will likely hit very well against them. 

Where is the series being played at?  Is Concordia still using their old fied or have they moved?

[Ralph Turner]

I would have a hard time seeing CTX lose any games to Schreiner.  Plain and simple, CTX will likely hit very well against them. 

Where is the series being played at?  Is Concordia still using their old field or have they moved?

Last regular season game at the old field.  Sweep the series and you get the crossover series. 

Errata:

A friend of mine reminds me that HSU has the tie-breaker in a 2-way tie for second with CTX.

UMHB has the tie-breaker in a two-way tie with HSU for second.

CTX has the tie-breaker with UMHB in a 2-way tie for second.

Thanks friend and +1!

[Blackcat00]

Concordia will play its final homestand against Schriener at Keller Fatzauld  field on the Concordia Campus. Hate to see field get bulldozed, the atmosphere there right downtown is something you cant beat.

[baseballfan24]

Since the game is the small park Schreiner may hit some excuse me homeruns, but I'll take Concordia to sweep on senior weekend.

[CUAfan]

Here are my picks for the final weekend of the regular season.

Mary Hardin-Baylor takes 2 from Howard Payne
Texas-Dallas sweeps East Texas Baptist
Hardin-Simmons takes 2 from Texas Lutheran
Louisiana College sweeps LeTourneau
Texas-Tyler sweeps Mississippi College
McMurry sweeps Sul Ross State
Concordia-Texas sweeps Schreiner

If that holds true, it makes the crossover round games as follows:

W4 Hardin-Simmons at E1 Texas-Tyler
W3 Mary Hardin-Baylor at E2 Ozarks
E4 Louisiana College at W1 McMurry
E3 Mississippi College at W2 Concordia-Texas

[CUAfan]

And here are the new team rankings after this past weekend's games.

Team DICE
Texas-Tyler - 3.11
Ozarks - 3.78
Louisiana College - 4.03
McMurry - 4.34
Mississippi College - 4.39

Team DBsRA
Texas-Tyler - 3.99
Ozarks - 4.98
Louisiana College - 5.68
Texas-Dallas - 5.72
Mississippi College - 5.75

Team Defense
Texas-Tyler - .707
Texas-Dallas - .677
Ozarks - .668
Mississippi College - .668
Mary Hardin-Baylor - .663

Team Speed
Mary Hardin-Baylor - 8.55
Texas-Tyler - 8.37
Mississippi College - 8.05
Schreiner - 7.82
Ozarks - 7.68

Team BsR/PA
Texas-Tyler - .231
Mary Hardin-Baylor - .217
Ozarks - .216
McMurry - .214
Concordia-Texas - .204

[CUAfan]

CTX beat umhb because they are not any good.  Hate to break the news to y'all but I got the scouting report on them and they have played a brutally easy schedule early on and now its biting them in the butt. 

I wonder, if that is how you explain CTX beating UMHB, how did you react when HPU took 2 from CTX? Seems to me that the reason CTX won was that they finally got an above-average performance from their pitchers as they only gave up 12 runs in 3 games. UMHB very well may have played an easier schedule than most, but I don't think you win 25 games by accident.

[mcm505]

Not to mention, didn't UMHB take 2 of 3 from my McMurry Indians, a team that went on to take 2 of 3 from CTX?  I have never been a fan of UMHB, but give credit where it is due, you don't win games in this conference unless you can play some ball.

[CUAfan]

Here are my new player top 5's after last weekend's games. I also combined all three VORP lists into one, and I have the top 10 players from that; if a player showed up more than once (as in, he hits and pitches) I combined the 2 numbers.

Starter DICE
B. Holland, UTT - 2.12, 67.1 IP
B. Booher, UTT - 2.50, 71.2
T. Koch, UO - 2.77, 55.1
C. Curry, MCM - 2.86, 57.1
T. Williams, MC - 3.15, 47.0

Starter DBsRA
B. Booher, UTT - 3.14, 71.2
B. Holland, UTT - 3.29, 67.1
C. Curry, MCM - 3.35, 57.1
T. Koch, UO - 3.58, 55.1
C. Dixon, UO - 4.39, 54.2

Starter VORP
B. Booher, UTT - 36.81, 71.2
B. Holland, UTT - 33.47, 67.1
C. Curry, MCM - 28.13, 57.1
M. Cox, UTD - 26.21, 70.0
T. Koch, UO - 25.74, 55.1

Reliever DICE
B. Ziegler, UTT - 2.06, 33.0 IP
K. Evans, UTT - 2.67, 12.0
K. Barton, HSU - 2.92, 36.0
J. Alcorn, HSU - 3.03, 32.1
C. Munchrath, UTT - 3.04, 24.0

Reliever DBsRA
B. Ziegler, UTT - 2.50, 33.0 IP
A. Spinn, UTD - 3.08, 19.1
K. Evans, UTT - 3.55, 12.0
K. Barton, HSU - 3.67, 36.0
R. Conley, TLU - 3.78, 31.0

Reliever VORP
B. Ziegler, UTT - 19.30, 33.0
K. Barton, HSU - 16.37, 36.0
R. Conley, TLU - 13.73, 31.0
J. Alcorn, HSU - 13.53, 32.1
T. Staggs, TLU - 11.37, 39.1

BsR/PA
D. David, MCM - .344, 175 PA
T. Williams, CTX - .335, 182
R. Dixon, HSU - .322, 89
K. Fox, UTT - .313, 179
B. Cameron, UO - .309, 138

Speed
J. Kinsey, SRSU - 13.97
J. Villegas, UMHB - 13.15
K. Harvey, TLU - 12.64
D. Roux, LC - 12.40
C. Farra, UTT - 11.57

VORP
K. Fox, UTT - 39.04, 179 PA
D. David, MCM - 38.36, 175
T. Williams, CTX - 32.21, 182
K. Harvey, TLU - 29.11, 168
C. Briggs, UO - 28.24, 157

Overall VORP
B. Cameron, UO - 39.09
K. Fox, UTT - 39.04
D. David, MCM - 38.36
B. Booher, UTT - 36.81
B. Holland, UTT - 33.47
T. Williams, CTX - 32.21
R. Finnell, UO - 30.11
K. Harvey, TLU - 29.11
C. Briggs, UO - 28.24
C. Curry, MCM - 28.13

[Just_Some_Guy]

I was wondering if anybody can explain to me what has happend to TLU since the departure of Miller?  Even with less than steller players some years they still did well.  I really felt like they would be even better with Burnett in there.  Any updates on whats happening in Seguin?

I'd argue that even with "less than stellar" players they still had solid senior leadership, a good core on the bump, and played relatively sound defense.

This year their pitching has been really weak, particularly with Hull battling injuries throughout the year, Yager struggling, and not a very good influx of new arms. The defense has been marginal at best.

They will return some guys that can swing the stick next year, Harvey, Nokelby, Farr (?) (that's a filthy outfield), and Femath though so provided they could get a freshman that could contribute on the mound right away or a couple of decent JUCO guys they could be right back in the mix.

JSG