BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[ShineTime]

Point takes two at ripon today and are now 24 and 9.  Is there any chance point gets an at large if they don't win all 4 at stout? 

[ShineTime]

Whitewater is far and away the best d3 men's program right now it's just not even close or fair May as well chalk up the baseball title to go along with football and basketball titles.

[cubs]

Whitewater is far and away the best d3 men's program right now it's just not even close or fair May as well chalk up the baseball title to go along with football and basketball titles.

After a pair of one run games against lowly Oshkosh today, not sure about that...

[badgerwarhawk]

Whitewater is far and away the best d3 men's program right now it's just not even close or fair May as well chalk up the baseball title to go along with football and basketball titles.

You can probably expect to continue to be equally confused. 

[badgerwarhawk]

Oshkosh: 7
WARHAWKS: 8

The WARHAWKS drew first blood when Mikole Pierce's two run home run cleared the left field fence in the first inning and added another pair of runs in the third on a fielders choice and Casey Power's triple.  The lead increase to 5-0 in the fourth Dylan Friend hit a solo shot clearing the right field fence.  Oshkosh rallied in the sixth inning when five consecutive hits, a walk and double play with the bases loaded pushed four runs across cutting the deficit to a single run.  The WARHAWKS padded their lead in the bottom of the inning when a throwing error allowed the lead off hitter to reach base and Nick Kuhlmann tripled.  Kyle Haen followed with a home run pushing the WARHAWKS lead to 8-4.  But the Titans weren't finished scoring as Trey Delmer's two run home run in the seventh cut the deficit to 8-6 and an RBI single in the eighth made it a one run game.  However that ended the scoring as the Titan's were retired in order in the ninth.  Connor Hurst (5-1) was credited with the win.  Hurst went 5 innings giving up 4 earned runs on 7 hits with a single strikeout.  Curtis Morgan gave up 2 earned runs on 2 hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts in 2 innings of relief.  Colin Grove picked up his first save of the season giving up a single earned run on 2 hits with a pair of strikeouts in his 2 innings of relief.  Friend (2x4, 3 RS, 1 RBI, triple, home run),
Pierce (2x3, 1 RS, 2 RBI, home run) and Casey Power (2x4, 1 RBI, triple) had multiple hits.  Haen (2), Michael Gonzaez (1) and Kuhlmann (1) had RBI.  As a team the WARHAWKS had 7 extra base hits.

James Lacy took the loss while Demler had 3 RBIs to lead the Titans.

Oshkosh: 0
WARHAWKS: 1   11 innings

As the score suggests the second game was a pitchers duel with Ben Messenger and Scott Plaza both controling the others batting order.  Each pitcher threw 9 shutout innings.  Each pitcher allowed only four hits.  Messenger struck out five and walked a pair.  Plaza struck out 11 without a walk.  After each pitcher faced six batters in the first inning over the next eight innings Plaza only faced three batters and Messenger only faced six batters over the minimum.  Plaza retired the side in six innings, Messenger did it in four but neither would factor in the win.  After Austin Jones retired the Titans in order in the 10th and Joe Pavlovich did the same against the WARHAWKS the Titans stranded a runner on base in the 11th.  Haen led off the WARHAWKS at bat with a towering drive to the outfield which appeared to be an out.  However the Titan fielder dropped the ball allowing Haen to reach second.  A sacrifice bunt advanced him to third and the bases filled when Friend was intentionally walked and Pierce waited out a 1-2 count into another base on balls.  And proving conclusively that it is better to be lucky than good the winning run scored when Gonzalez, who had struck out in his four previous at bats, was plunked in the shoulder forcing in Haen. Austin Jones (3-1) picked up the win with his 2 inning 1 hit 3 strikeouts performance in relief.  Pierce (2x3) had half of the WARHAWKS four hits. 

Pavlovich took the loss while Trent Whitcomb led the Titans with 2 of their 5 hits in the game.

LaCrosse beat up on Platteville to stay within 2 games of first heading into the final weekend.  Stout and Superior were unable to play and rescheduled their doubleheader for Friday 5/2 which, if played, will stretch their pitching staffs.   Each has a pair of doubleheaders (Stout vs Point) (Superior vs WHITEWATER) on the weekend as the two programs battle for a spot in the conference tournament.   
   

[cubs]

I'm shocked that Just Bill hasn't gotten any replies to his most recent post!!!   

[badgerwarhawk]

WARHAWKS: 15
Superior: 5
8 innings

WARHAWKS: 11
Superior: 9

Superior opened the scoring with three runs in the first inning of game two but WARHAWKS immediately answered with four runs of their own in their next at bat.  Gregory and Trey Cannon each hit RBI doubles and Fon drove in a pair with single.  Superior tied the game with a run in the third inning.  The WARHAWKS regained the lead 6-4 in the fifth on a passed ball and RBI single from Mierow.  Superior took their second lead of the game 7-6 with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.  The WARHAWKS took the lead for good, 10-7, in sixth inning when, with the bases loaded, Pierce tripled and Gregory hit a sac fly.  Superior cut their deficit to a pair with a run in the bottom of the inning but the WARHAWKS answered with one of their own in the seventh on a fielders choice making it 11-8.  The Yellow Jackets closed out the scoring with a single run in the bottom of the inning.  Curtis Morgan started but struggled giving up 10 hits, 7 runs (5 earned) with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in 4.2 innings.  John Olejniczak finished the fifth inning giving up a single earned run on 2 hits while walking a pair.  Andrew Lowe (1-0) picked up the win surrendering a single earned run on 2 hits with 4 strikeouts in the final four innings.  Fon (2x4), Dylan Friend (3x4, double), Power (2x4, double, triple), Gregory (3x4, double), Mierow (2x5) and Cannon (2x5, double) had multiple hits.  Friend (2), Pierce (1), Gregory (2), Power (3), Mierow (1) and Cannon (1) all drove in runs.

The win coupled with LaCrosse's loss to Oshkosh clinched the conference championship. 

[cubs]

So I wonder how Coach Tomasiewicz and the players at Oshkosh are feeling about right now....

Had UWO gotten their two games in (and won both) against Platteville, Oshkosh would be playing in the WIAC Tournament next weekend.  Instead, Stout will go in as the #4 seed.  (Both would have finished 10-14 in WIAC play, and UWO beat Stout three out of four.)

Would be nice if they just allowed the teams to make games up when scheduling works like they do in the Midwest Conference.

[bleedpurple]

So I wonder how Coach Tomasiewicz and the players at Oshkosh are feeling about right now....

Had UWO gotten their two games in (and won both) against Platteville, Oshkosh would be playing in the WIAC Tournament next weekend.  Instead, Stout will go in as the #4 seed.  (Both would have finished 10-14 in WIAC play, and UWO beat Stout three out of four.)

Would be nice if they just allowed the teams to make games up when scheduling works like they do in the Midwest Conference.

It would probably more productive for them to focus on why they were so terrible this year. With the conference record they had, I find it REALLY hard to feel sorry for them.

[cubs]

So I wonder how Coach Tomasiewicz and the players at Oshkosh are feeling about right now....

Had UWO gotten their two games in (and won both) against Platteville, Oshkosh would be playing in the WIAC Tournament next weekend.  Instead, Stout will go in as the #4 seed.  (Both would have finished 10-14 in WIAC play, and UWO beat Stout three out of four.)

Would be nice if they just allowed the teams to make games up when scheduling works like they do in the Midwest Conference.

It would probably more productive for them to focus on why they were so terrible this year. With the conference record they had, I find it REALLY hard to feel sorry for them.

Maybe the fact that there was little to no recruiting class with the mess the university made of the baseball program this year?  Can't really blame Coach Tomasiewicz, his staff, or players for any of that.

Anyway, it honestly doesn't bother me one bit that UWO missed out on the WIAC Tournament...  Just think it would be nice if the WIAC gave the schools some say in rescheduling games instead of mandating four games need to be done in three days if visiting team has already gotten on the road. 

[ShineTime]

Swift and Polcyn leaving along with Kachel getting hurt really crushed their offense.  I'm guessing they would've been much better.  Will whitewater even get a game at Wiac tourney is the question.

[8404DOC]

Having seen a majority of the UWO games I have to say key players leaving and injuries played a big part in the lack off offense and defense.  It was also painfully clear that the new coach has a tremendous amount to learn.  Repeated examples of trying to be aggresive, guys on first and third with two outs and Demler in a position to tie the game or take the lead with one swing of the bat, no he puts on the hit and run or calls for a staright steal with Demler only seeing one pitch.  Trying several times to get in the old run down at second sending the runner from third, didn't work all year and to be honest if you can't stop that play at this level something is wrong, and if you keep attempting it and don't execute all year you should seriously re-think your gameplan. The most painful aspect of the whole year was a lack of execution of the most basic fundamentals of baseball, making the third out at home or third when you clearly didn't have a shot at scoring, a bunt up the first base line and the pitcher, first base, and second base all standing there looking at each other wondering who is supposed to be covering the bag, didn't help that UWO had a revolving door at the first base position.  The differences in the past coach and the new coach are glaring but I don't think comparing would benefit anybody at this point.
Bottom line is the learning curve will be very steep for the new coach and to be honest if he doesn't make some quick changes to his style I don't see him lasting. I really don't want to be overly critical as I have never coached at the college level but the fundamentals of the game don't change.  I look forward to your thoughts.

[Just Bill]

I'm shocked that Just Bill hasn't gotten any replies to his most recent post!!!   

I did privately. I'm not entirely satisfied with the explanation based on my own knowledge of the situation, but I'm willing to let it pass. If a rule has been broken I'll leave it to those who sort it out to do their job (and if not, so be it). I raised the issue, but it doesn't need to be tried here.

[badgerwarhawk]

If existing rumors are true Oshkosh is bringing in a boat load of recruits next year.  I've heard as many as 20.  If that's the case it sounds like there's going to be some changes up there. 

WARHAWKS: 10
Superior: 6

Mikole Pierce's single drove in a pair of runs in the first inning and Mike Mierow's groundout scored a third as the WARHAWKS jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the fourth inning.  However Superior's bats got going and with a pair of doubles, a pair of singles and a throwing error gave them a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the inning.  Trey Cannon's solo home run in the sixth tied the game but the Yellow Jackets jumped back in front 6-4 with a pair of runs in their at bat.  Dylan Friend's RBI double cut the deficit to a single run and Adam Gregory's sac fly tied the game 6-6 in the eighth inning.  With one out in the ninth the WARHAWKS loaded the bases with one out.  Singles by Cannon and Adam Gregory each drove in a pair of runs making the score 10-6 and sealed the win when the Yellow Jackets were retired in order.  Connor Hurst started giving up 4 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits with a strike out in 4.1 innings.  Austin Jones (4-1) finished the final 4.2 innings allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits with a walk and 3 strikeouts.  Nic Kuhlmann led the 16 hit WARHAWKS offense going 4x5 (3 doubles).  Cannon followed with 3 hits in 5 at bats.  Pierce (2x5), Casey Power (2x5) and Mierow (2x4) each had multiple hits.  Friend (1), Pierce (2), Cannon (3), Mierow (1) and Gregory (3) all drove in runs.

WARHAWKS: 15
Superior: 0

The WARHAWKS jumped all over the Yellow Jackets in game two scoring 6 runs in their first at bat.  They added 2 runs in the second, third and fourth innings and 3 runs in the fifth ending the game by the run rule in seven.  Justin Mortenson (1-0) scattered 8 hits walked 4 batters and struck out a pair in 7 innings to pick up his first win of the season.  Pierce (3x3) homered, doubled and drove in 3 runs.  Mierow (2x4, double) also drove in 3 runs.  Cannon finished the day with 6 runs driven in as he added 3 in game two.  Power (2x3) drove in a pair and Kuhlman (1), Gonzalez (2x4, RBI) and Gregory (1) each had RBI.   

[Just Bill]

Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?