BB: ODAC: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[LTBB1971]

I believe Bridgewater will be a lot tougher than people think.  They return 6 starters on offense and their number 1 and 2 SP, along with their closer.  On offense they have (JR) J. Mason,  (SR) J. Thompson and (SO) B. Sanderson coming back and on the mound they are loaded.  I'm expecting (JR) LHP J. Lucas to have a huge year.  In addition they have brought in Cam Stevenson (College of Albermale) and 3 very good freshman arms in Jordan Neff, Corey Armentrout and Derek Fogleman.

[rolln2]

I see that the USAS has had there pre-season preview and picks.  When doe the ODAC come out w/ their pre-season picks?  They start playing this weekend.

[LTBB1971]

Although Eastern Mennonite lost the bats of 1B Jake Norman and OF Chris Harpine to graduation, I believe they will sneak up on some people this year and towards the middle of the pack on the ODAC.  They return really good bats in OF B.J. Mortimer, OF Beau Banglesdorf, C Dylan Smith and 2B Ryan McAllister.

On the mound they return both their weekend starters but just not sure who is going to anchor their back of the bullpen with the lost of Thomas Worley.

[D-BAT]

Although Eastern Mennonite lost the bats of 1B Jake Norman and OF Chris Harpine to graduation, I believe they will sneak up on some people this year and towards the middle of the pack on the ODAC.  They return really good bats in OF B.J. Mortimer, OF Beau Banglesdorf, C Dylan Smith and 2B Ryan McAllister.

On the mound they return both their weekend starters but just not sure who is going to anchor their back of the bullpen with the lost of Thomas Worley.

EMU has two good coaches ... both Jason's will do good work at EMU!  Look for them to compete at an higher level!

[LTBB1971]

Good to hear...while my older son will graduate from NCWC this year, my younger looks like is headed to EMU.

[LTBB1971]

EMU loses 9-6 to Mary Washington yesterday.  Tough one considering offense got on the board early with 3 runs on second inning.  Offensively Freshman CF Bryan Melendez is working on a back-to-back Fresman POW after another 2 hit performance and driving 1 RBI vs MW.  Senior C Dylan Smith remained hot with 3 more hits putting his average at .700 for the season.

Senior Andy Richter was cruising along until the 4th Inning where walks did him in.  Sophomore Adam Posey did a nice job the rest of the way but damage was already done.  Next up is an Averett DH Saturday.

[2RMCFans]

The Jackets are playing UMW tomorrow.

GO JACKETS!!!! 

[LTBB1971]

Tough loss for EMU yesterday 3-2 and 6-5 to Averett in the last at bat...both of them.  1-4 record is very deceiving...they should easily be 3-2.  Pitching has really done a nice job but offense needs to pick it up.  C Smith, CF Melendez and LF B.J. Mortimer are carrying team offensively right now.

[D-BAT]

Tough loss for EMU yesterday 3-2 and 6-5 to Averett in the last at bat...both of them.  1-4 record is very deceiving...they should easily be 3-2.  Pitching has really done a nice job but offense needs to pick it up.  C Smith, CF Melendez and LF B.J. Mortimer are carrying team offensively right now.

Amazing what a new coaching staff can do for a team!

[narch]

Amazing what a new coaching staff can do for a team!

not to be a downer, but isn't it a bit early to proclaim the new coaching staff a success?

5 games in, emu is 1-4...that's a .200 winning %

over the last 5 season, they had a .311 winning %

perhaps at the end of the season, the results will show that the new coaching staff at emu is making measurable strides, but i think 5 games is a pretty small sample size to be using superlatives like "amazing"

[Will2Win]

Narch, they're better...take our word for it. It's only 5 games in and the guys up here familiar with the situation can vouch for it. Whether you believe it or not, I personally don't care. I am fairly familiar with both ex-coach Mace and interim coach Stuhmiller, the latter of the two is by far the more knowledgeable of the two in terms of baseball knowledge...they will be better in the long run. They may not win 10 games this year, who knows...but if EMU retains Coach Stu and gives him time to run a recruiting cycle of his own players through..he'll be just fine.

[LTBB1971]

Bossman,
completely agree with you.  I've watch EMU the past for years and they were not even competitive.  I know it's a small sample of 5 games but the kids on the field have more talent than past teams and they are playing HARD for Coach Stuhlmiller.  That says a lot.

[Will2Win]

LTHSdad,

That is true to some degree, they are definitely better now compared to year's past. The ole ball coach has a lot to do with how successful a team will be. Past teams were more talented than their overall record reflected at the end of the season...It's hard to be successful when the coach doesn't have a plan or system to sell to his student athletes or prospective student athletes. As a coach you can't just expect the kids dust off the ball gloves and take a few pregame hacks or take 2-3 rounds of soft-toss as their daily hitting regimen and expect to win ball games. I experienced college baseball both at the not so successful EMU, and before at a school that was and still is highly successful. **If I knew then what I know now...."* isn't that the way us washed up has-beens look at things? haha.
EMU will be fine, give it time.

[narch]

fellas...please don't read more into what i said...at the end of the day, the emu turnaround may be dramatic, and over the first 5 games, they may already look dramatic...i'm simply saying give this a chance to play out more than 5 games before calling the turnaround amazing - it's a long season

[Will2Win]

I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt Narch...but the kids are buying into Stu's system...more than Mace could say he got his kids to do in the 6 years he was there.