BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

[gatekeper43]

No, Chapman has three starters, and Wayde Kitchens (9 starts, 58.2 IP, 0.31 ERA) was injured early in the season.  Yacko is the go-to reliever (12 saves in 20 appearances).  Matt Luzar has three starts and John Semel has one start.

I think that Chapman is vulnerable in their 4th and 5th starters, from a World Series perspective.  If someone can put Chapman into the losers' bracket, then someone can beat them.

I've stopped betting against Chapman. It just doesn't pay dividends. Granted, away from Hart Park they may be a bit vulnerable, but it seems like the last two years I've been saying, get them in the losers bracket and they're done with their lack of pitching depth... and it just doesn't happen.

Sigman and Clear haven't been great, but they've been good enough to win, and if Luzar is indeed healthy now -- that's four decent starters. In '06 they brought back Klovstad and Drag after they both threw complete games only a few days before. Last year Drag threw a complete game on the 16th, then another on the 19th. UTD hit Kitchens fairly well in 7 innings on the 17th, so he decided to come back and throw a complete game shut out against Pac Lu on the 19th.

Are they putting those guys careers at risk ? Perhaps, provided they have one. But must be nice to have some horses that want the ball and can compete at that level.

JSG

I am not betting against Chapman. If they stay in the winners' bracket, they will win the regionals.  I don't think anyone has the pitching to beat them twice on the last day of the regionals.   Let's see.

Great to see your back JSG.  Chapman knows how to win. period end of story!!! There pitching has always been there dominant feature. This year they have an offense that also knows how to win and get the key hits when needed, just look at the # of wins they have with double digit scores and that alone will tell you that the new hitting coach they have in Koosed has done his job and got this team on the offensive side of the game as well. There pitching coach is the best in the nation and there head coach well his record speaks for itself.Now add defense plus offense and you get a team that knows how to win.
    Kitchens who was injured at the beginning of the season forced Chapman to work there pitching staff unlike years past where they depended on there top two with a strong third pitcher, there pitching staff is far more formidble and they have a number of horses that can beat you. There ace Kitchens with a .31 ERA after coming off an injury that alone speaks for itself, to come back from being hurt and dominate like he has, Clear is a Stud he might get hit but will beat you his record speaks for itself, Sigmond who is a freshman also gets hit but watch out for his off speed it will suprise you if your not ready for it, then Luzar who is healthy will pitch no doubt in my mind, now you get any of these guys into the 7th inning and then you have to deal with the second lowest ERA in the nation Yacko who's major league slider is just about unhittable. The thing about Yacko's slider is you know it's coming and there is nothing you can do about it, just stick you bat out there and hope that it makes contact  by mistake
   There is one other factor that needs to be taken into account and that is the core of this team has the experience of the post season at the regionals and at the CWS.
I am not saying that it can't be done and there is a ton of teams out there that would love to knock the Panthers off the top shelf and there is a lot of Texas teams that would have bragging rights if they can do just that. Will it be McM or UTT or Concordia who knows we will just have to wait and see. But with all said in the end I have to agree with All American the West is definitly better than the East this year.  The crown is coming out west with one of the power houses whomever it is. whether it goes to Texas who will represent the west in formidble fashion.

[Blackcat00]

I would Def put McMurry in the top 25. There are alot of teams North and East of the ASC that just  breeze their way through conference and easily win there conference tourny. I think the West hammers and beats each other up like a heavy weight bought each game. If you cant agree with me on this one , then you are not watching or following baseball to hard. I really beleive McMurry, UTT and CTX are top 25 calibers but just dont get the respect or recognision of being in probably the best and having the most paridy conference in the country. May I add that CTX really surprised alot of people this year, even some alumni on this board. This team is going to be solid, next year.  And if it werent for the injury to NAIA all american Garrett Morris, theres no telling were they could have ended up.
Good luck to McMurry.

[All-AmericanFan]

 A few points from past posts....
1) TexasBB said UTT should have realized that more than four pitchers would be needed to win the conference tournament. McMurry only used 5 and one of those came into a game winning 10-2. TLU only used five pitchers last year to win the ASC. Pitching depth is great, a team like HSU had many guys they were comfortable with bringing in at any period in time, but I think I would still choose three proven ACES and one STOPPER in the bullpen, where as HSU had two STOPPERS then some quality guys.
2) I do believe Chapman is beatable, but it will have to be a grind it out, leave everything on the field effort. Kitchens has only lost 2 games in the last two years... but one of them was to MCM 5-1, and I believe MCM was in position to sweep Chapman this year, but showed up thinking they were playing 7 inning games because they lost two in the last  two innings.
3) I believe HSUID was trying to state how much balance the conference had when he said you take the top four teams from the West and mix them with the top three from the East and anything could happen any week. I disagree, MC just figured out how to win about 4 or 5 weeks ago, and in these five weeks they were beat by the good teams they played (lost two of three at home to UTT and two and out in the tournament). UTT in a different week? Maybe but I still stand by they would have to figure out how to beat MCM and CTX, not the other way around. MCM has quality front in guys, and CTX are good enough to give their powerful offense a chance to win the game. UTT relies solely upon their pitching, they simply do not have enough weapons (speed and power) to be an offensive juggernaut against good teams. UMHB, they might have a month and a half ago, but they have been terrible down the stretch the last two years. I guess after they win a few games and get some ink in the D3 poll they would rather sit at home reading about it rather than practice and keep improving. Better luck next year.

From what I saw this weekend and in the past, McMurry and Concordia were hands down the best teams in the ASC. Maybe I just saw McM on good weekends, not Sull Ross weekends, and maybe CTX is really the team to beat? Good question, but McM took 4 out of 5 games against CTX, two at home and two on the road. The nod goes to McM, but a very quality team hanging out in their shadows.

[All-AmericanFan]

and 4) it was mentioned that in the first round of playoffs, the East won 6 games to the West' 4. Check out the ASC tourny, the West won 3 to the East 0.

[atlas385]

I agree w/ your assesment on MCM and CTX being strong contenders. Both teams can hit the ball hard and often. Unfortunately for CTX they couldn't capitalize when they had runners on base while MCM did. Dakota pitched a great game in the championship game. Don't underestimate the ASC teams playing in the regionals.

[TexasBB]

All American thinks that UTT does not have offense or speed. Wrong they lead the ASC in batting average, runs scored and RBIs.

Comparing MCM, CTX and UTT offensively.

           BA          R        HR       3b       2b      RBI

CTX   .328     405       73         7        94      380
MCM  .347     421       75        12      114     384
UTT   .362     435        65        21      103     394

UTT had 2 players with 10 home runs one with 9 and 3 others with 7. Nobody like David but more balance. No team speed? They had 21 triples 3 times as many as CTX.

[Ralph Turner]

Regional Rankings...

UT-Tyler is way out on the bubble.

[tiger_fan2000]

How does a record of 33-9 in region put you not ranked.....I dont understand it.  I wonder if Coach Vilade made some people mad.....

Didnt he go 37-3 at UDallas and not get a bid either.......

[atlas385]

I guess it's a matter of what have you done lately... Any thought on CTX getting a Pool C bid?

[atl7]

How does a record of 33-9 in region put you not ranked.....I dont understand it.  I wonder if Coach Vilade made some people mad.....

Didnt he go 37-3 at UDallas and not get a bid either.......

idk i think d-3 does not understand how to rank teams...McMurry is #2 in the region now how is that possible they have the worst in region record of all the teams ranked and the one team that is not ranked now UTT
wow they won the tourny but i just dont see how they can jump that high those games were homes games for them as well....i still think UTT will get into a regional a top 15/10 ten team in the nation plus a divison champion just cant be sitting at home during the post season that is just not logical at all and it would be obivous that the playoffs did not have the best teams in the nation fighting for a chance to play in the college WS....and it would be offical that Division 3 baseball is a joke and the D3 committee are a bunch of fools who dont understand baseball

[atlas385]

I believe when he was a coach at UTD they were still on "probation" and not allowed to play in the tournament. They were in the final year of dropping down to D3.

[hsusid]

He was at UD and yes they were eligible for the tournament.

[All-AmericanFan]

How does a record of 33-9 in region put you not ranked.....I dont understand it.  I wonder if Coach Vilade made some people mad.....

Didnt he go 37-3 at UDallas and not get a bid either.......

idk i think d-3 does not understand how to rank teams...McMurry is #2 in the region now how is that possible they have the worst in region record of all the teams ranked and the one team that is not ranked now UTT
wow they won the tourny but i just dont see how they can jump that high those games were homes games for them as well....i still think UTT will get into a regional a top 15/10 ten team in the nation plus a divison champion just cant be sitting at home during the post season that is just not logical at all and it would be obivous that the playoffs did not have the best teams in the nation fighting for a chance to play in the college WS....and it would be offical that Division 3 baseball is a joke and the D3 committee are a bunch of fools who dont understand baseball

Keep in mind last year was the first year the ASC had both division winners in the West Regional, and it will be hard to give the bid to UTT over CTX after they beat UTT twice down the stretch. Will three teams get in? I think it would be great for the ASC and I hope to watch all three of them in it, but I dont see that happening. I do not know how many pool B bids there are, but if Chapman is the only team to be granted one from the West then UTT has no chance. They already have a slim chance with George Fox being the first team on the list for a pool C and Concordia will have to see if they get one. Either way Sunday will be interesting but I have a feeling UTT will be playing Nintendo baseball with me while those other teams are getting ready to play.

[All-AmericanFan]

I'm sorry I forgot to mention why I say they have no chance if the West only has one pool B team (Chapman), the reasoning for this is now Cal State East Bay will be in the mix trying to get a pool C, and if they are trying to get a pool C then CTX has a slim chance and UTT's chances would surely deminsh.

[Ralph Turner]

I'm sorry I forgot to mention why I say they have no chance if the West only has one pool B team (Chapman), the reasoning for this is now Cal State East Bay will be in the mix trying to get a pool C, and if they are trying to get a pool C then CTX has a slim chance and UTT's chances would surely deminsh.

Cal State East Bay may earn a Pool B bid, too.