BB: NCAC: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Wayoutwest]

Another new guy here.  My son is an Arizona LHP headed off to Oberlin in a few weeks.  Do you have any idea what their fall schedule is?  Do they play a fall game against another team and if so, would those dates be posted anywhere?  Getting info from an 18 year old is not that easy.  Figured someone here might know.  Thanks. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Welcome Wayout. It will be good to have a Oberlin poster. I am afraid I do not know what Oberlin does. I am not familiar with what they do in the fall.

Oberlin had a very good season last year. I believe they usually go to Arizona in the spring.

Good to have you posting.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Interview with Kenyon Grad/MiLB player Jesse Weiss.

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=29507709&sid=t433

[Dr. Acula]

Welcome aboard TexasDad, I look forward to your input from a Denison perspective. My son played with three Denison players this summer in the Great Lakes League, on the Licking County Settlers. The ended up winning the championship for the league.

On to fall baseball. Understand that Deegan may completely change things. Most NCAC schools start fall ball  after kids have been in class for three to four weeks. Most schools have open try outs so any young man on campus can come. The first week is usually the try out process, running, drills, running, and batting. After that during the week it is typical practice activities and getting a look at the Freshmen. On the Weekends most schools have inter squad scrimmages. OWU concludes the fall schedule with a Red and Black tournament. The assistant coaches draft two or three teams and compete for bragging rights. OWU then has a game against alumni.

I believe D3 allows one week end of competition against another school. Most NCAC schools do not do this. But with Deegan being from Marietta which does this regularly, he mat give it a try. Last year Marietta went out to New York and played Cortland. This year I believe Cortland may be returning the favor.

I wish OWU would play a game against another team in the fall, but they choose not to.

Of coarse they should come to campus ready to start lifting, hitting in the cages and long toss. These activities are on their own or run by the captains, if your team has any. The coaches cannot be involved in these activities, but I can guarantee you they know who attends these voluntary activities and who does not.

I think it's pretty consistent that most of our "local" programs give the kids at least a couple weeks to get settled into classes before starting anything official.  That seems to be the norm.  I know at Mount we went to classes for a couple weeks and then there was just an open meeting that anyone could attend where the schedule, expectations, etc. were laid out and then practice started a week or so later I believe.  We would run normal practices during the week with intra-squad games on weekends and then cap it off with a World Series at the end like most schools do.  Fall ball really is a lot of fun.  You're excited to be back on campus, you're playing ball and hanging out with your friends.  Then you get sent to the fieldhouse to throw off of plastic mounds and hit in a cage for 3 months.  Welcome to Ohio!

[TexasDad]

Thanks for the information. Most helpful. Looks like Denison has a meeting on August 29 (first day of classes) and they start Fall practices on September 10. It also appears the DU has 19 incoming freshman who are either recruited players or walk-ons that the coaching staff knows about to date. Son is looking forward to getting started. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Dropped Son off today, school doesn't start for another week, he is going to be a an orientation Leader for the Freshmen. Stopped by the field. Out field fence, back stop and fence down both lines are down. The block has been delivered for the new backstop. I did not stop to take any pictures, not much to see.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Thanks for the information. Most helpful. Looks like Denison has a meeting on August 29 (first day of classes) and they start Fall practices on September 10. It also appears the DU has 19 incoming freshman who are either recruited players or walk-ons that the coaching staff knows about to date. Son is looking forward to getting started. 

There should be plenty of opportunities for freshmen, DU had a small roster last year with, 24. They lose 6 seniors 5 of which played a big rolls for them last year.
Name                 Pos   Class   BA   GP/GS   AB   R    H   ERA   W-L   APP  GS  CG  IP      
Tim Duxbury      RHP/IF   Sr. .298   27-24   84  17  25 3.40   6-3    12     5   2   42.1
Philip Seay         RHP      Sr.                                         5.45   2-3    17    0   0   33.0 
Lowell Hall          C         Sr.  .286  35-27    98  18  28
Kyle Clemmenson SS     Sr. .384   41-41   151 43   58
Danny Kraus        OF/LHP Sr. .324  41-41  170 43  55  3.42   2-0     7   6   0   26.1
Sam Belisle              RHP    Sr.                                       3.38   0-0     7   0   0   10.2

Pitching they need to replace 11 starts, and 111.4 innings pitched out of 349.8. thats almost a third of total innings piched. I believe Colgain and Murphy are good bets for the starting rotation. With Ian Walsh and Ian Barry, the other POSSIBLE weekend starters.  That leaves open week day starts.

They also lose a lot of Offense, they lose 133 starts and most of the meat of their batting order. Ryan Mulligan will be back,Charlie Apfrlbach, and Andrew Toughey.  Afelbach was a number one hitter most the year, Ryan was in the 4,4, or 5 spot most the year, with Toughey moving around a bit.
Clemson,Kraus, and  Duxburry were in the meat of the order with Hall some where near the bottom of the order.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Some images and an article that includes some Notes about the upgrade to Littick field in Delaware.
http://blogs.owu.edu/connect2/2013/08/29/renovations-refresh-athletic-facilities/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Many teams in the NCAC will be starting fall workouts and intra-squad scrimmages. OWU starts work outs this week and scrimmages on the weekends. I will be going out Saturday to watch. Son will probably not pitch much but a good chance to see the new kids and see how far the sophomores have come.

Good luck to everyone during the fall. 

[TexasDad]

Denison starts tomorrow. Fun times. Too far to drive Will have to rely on reports from afar. However, all I get from the boy is everything is "fine".

I'm convinced that boys don't go off to school; they join the witness protection program.

[Kenworth]

Speaking as a Marietta ex parent, your son at Denison is in great hands.  Coach Deegan was well received by the parents I spoke with last year.  Their only regret was that their sons were Seniors and did not have any years left.

[TexasDad]

Kenworth---I agree 100% re Coach Deegan. We have been extremely impressed with him and frankly Coach Deegan and the entire coaching staff is the reason my son is at Denison. He had other 'warmer' options but was convinced that playing for Deegan was where he would get better and be part of something special.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

More progress on the backstop.
https://twitter.com/OWUbaseball1/status/378182807203229696/photo/1
I am going up to Delaware tomorrow. I am not sure how they are going to have the scrimmages tomorrow but My son says they are on. I will take my camera and get some shots.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Just got back from the first scrimmage. Looks like 9 young men in the Freshman class. Lost a few from last year's freshmen class. Looks like most the kids have hit the weight room.
First day of pitching looked pretty good. They were on;y allowed to throw fastball and change up. Several sophomores looked like they really improved and will help out either in the rotation or bullpen.
Hitting looked decent, but hard to tell when they know that a curve will not be coming.

[NCACfan22]

Just received word that Oberlin is installing an artificial turf playing surface for their field that will be ready for the first game of the Spring. Absolutely huge news for that program