BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[cubs]

You are correct sir. Not sure on the year it happened, but I was playing for Carthage at the time, so it had to be between 1993-96.

I'm pretty sure it was 1995, the year after UWO won the National Championship.  Dan Johnston took a ball in the face during warm-ups, which forced Luepke to play and "use" his redshirt.  I believe that was also the year that UWO and Carthage played in the first round of the World Series in Salem, with the Titans winning.

[OshDude]

I completely understand needing a field with lights, but the best field in Oshkosh gets used for BP. I don't understand why they don't use the campus field and use EJ if there's rain or night games. Had a chance to see a few games of last years regional and EJ is no friend to lefty's. Not going to complain though, most anything beats the band box in Wisc. Rapids!

Since there's no more 4-team regionals, all the NCAA Regionals require night games. The NCAA won't let you split the regional games between two fields.

May have been just plain luck, but lights were not even close to being needed at EJ last year.

And if you play 3B at EJ, you're either brave or you don't know what you're in for. I did it several times, but I always hoped I wouldn't get killed. Things happens VERY quickly over there. But the rest of the IF is sweet. Granted I have not played at EJ in years, but SS and 2B were a pleasure to play at EJ. There's a lip at SS that one pregame fungo session will prepare you for, but whenever I played 2B there the IF was so fast that I played 5 feet into RF with the bases empty. I guess I had the experienced knowledge of the quirks, but I loved that IF. Everywhere but 3B, that is. If you've ever played 3B during the twilight hours on a clear day at EJ, you know it's almost impossible. Downright scary.

[OshDude]

Don't know if everyone saw that all schedules are up. Noticed the home-and-homes for nearby schools are gone this year. Not sure how I feel about that, but I don't think I like it.
Schedule edge to Point with WW and UWO at home. Schedule deficit to WW with road series at UWO and Point.

Oshkosh
Home: WW, LAX, PV
Road: Point, Sup, Stout
Noncon: Spring games (Fla.), Marian (H)

Whitewater
Home: LAX, Sup, PV
Road: UWO, Point, Stout
Noncon: Spring games (Fla.), St. Mary's (Dome @ 10 p.m.), St. Thomas (Dome @ 10 p.m.), Carroll (H, still called a college on WW site. It's now Carroll University ...), Marian (A), CUW (A) (betcha Marian and/or CUW get cancelled ...)
HC John Vodenlich was recently named the state College Coach of the Year by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. Not a big shocker, but thought I'd pass it on.

Stevens Point
Home: UWO, WW, Stout
Road: LAX, Sup, PV
Noncon: Spring games (Fla.), St. Olaf (Dome), St. Norbert (A), Ripon (H), Edgewood (A)

Superior
Home: UWO, Point, Stout
Road: WW, LAX, PV
Noncon: Spring games (Fla.), Hamline (Dome), Loras (Dome @ 6 a.m.), Augsburg (Dome), Northland (H)
Not in-region: Concordia-St. Paul (Dome), Viterbo (A)
Superior on the road for first 3/4 or so of the year (3/4-4/19), home for last 1/4 (4/21-5/2). Three Supes captains have a blog this year. Also, two P's featured in Baseball Newsletter.

La Crosse
Home: Point, Sup, Stout
Road: UWO, WW, PV
Noncon: Spring games (Ariz.), St. Scholastica (Dome @ 11:45 p.m.), St. Mary's (H), Gustavus (A), St. Olaf (H)
Not in-region: Viterbo (H)

Stout
Home: UWO, WW, PV
Road: Point, Sup, LAX
Noncon: Spring games (Ariz.), St. Thomas (A), Lawrence (A)
Not in-region: Minnesota-Crookston (Dome @ 6:45 a.m.)

Platteville
Home: Point, Sup, LAX
Road: UWO, WW, Stout
Noncon: Fontbonne (A), Maryville (A), Loras (A), Wisconsin Lutheran (A), St. Norbert (H), Edgewood (A)
Not in-region: Birmingham Southern (A), Huntingdon (A), Piedmont (A), St. Ambrose (A)
Kendall Murray Field will see action on just seven days this year. PV's on the road for the other 17 scheduled dates.

[Slinger45]

nice work osh, just to clarify we only have 2 captains currently, and yours truly might drop in with a blog post from time to time as well.

[OshDude]

nice work osh, just to clarify we only have 2 captains currently, and yours truly might drop in with a blog post from time to time as well.

Who are the two captains? The newsletter said all three – Schlangen, Cummings and Ryan – were captains.

[Slinger45]

nice work osh, just to clarify we only have 2 captains currently, and yours truly might drop in with a blog post from time to time as well.

Who are the two captains? The newsletter said all three – Schlangen, Cummings and Ryan – were captains.

Just Schlangen and Cummings, Ryan has left the team for personal reasons I think.

[wailaucm]

I completely understand needing a field with lights, but the best field in Oshkosh gets used for BP. I don't understand why they don't use the campus field and use EJ if there's rain or night games. Had a chance to see a few games of last years regional and EJ is no friend to lefty's. Not going to complain though, most anything beats the band box in Wisc. Rapids!

Since there's no more 4-team regionals, all the NCAA Regionals require night games. The NCAA won't let you split the regional games between two fields.

May have been just plain luck, but lights were not even close to being needed at EJ last year.

And if you play 3B at EJ, you're either brave or you don't know what you're in for. I did it several times, but I always hoped I wouldn't get killed. Things happens VERY quickly over there. But the rest of the IF is sweet. Granted I have not played at EJ in years, but SS and 2B were a pleasure to play at EJ. There's a lip at SS that one pregame fungo session will prepare you for, but whenever I played 2B there the IF was so fast that I played 5 feet into RF with the bases empty. I guess I had the experienced knowledge of the quirks, but I loved that IF. Everywhere but 3B, that is. If you've ever played 3B during the twilight hours on a clear day at EJ, you know it's almost impossible. Downright scary.

Looking at the different fields that the Regionals could be played on, EJ is obviously not one of the best fields for the NCAA Regionals. If OSH or WW would get their lights up they would be the best places for a regional which is what oshdude has said.  So in the mean time, why not Wisc. Rapids.   Now being a part of the entire thing as a player and listening to all the talk, the community loves baseball and does so much for the WIAC and the NCAA the year it was there.   Its not like the fences get moved back when one team hits vs another, plus, the town just put almost 6 figures into that field to redo the infield and various little things around the park.  Isnt that what teams and people want, is to play in a NCAA Regional where the community cares that the tournament like that is there in their city and goes that far above normal to put on a great tournament for the athletes. 

[ballfan55]

I understand WIAC tourney is not in WI Rapids this year but has been moved to Green Bay's Joannes field.

[cubs]

I understand WIAC tourney is not in WI Rapids this year but has been moved to Green Bay's Joannes field.

I can't say I have heard anything about this....  All the WIAC baseball teams still have TBA listed on their schedules for the 2009 season.

Any chance you have a link?

[cubs]

So in the mean time, why not Wisc. Rapids.   Now being a part of the entire thing as a player and listening to all the talk, the community loves baseball and does so much for the WIAC and the NCAA the year it was there.   Its not like the fences get moved back when one team hits vs another, plus, the town just put almost 6 figures into that field to redo the infield and various little things around the park.  Isnt that what teams and people want, is to play in a NCAA Regional where the community cares that the tournament like that is there in their city and goes that far above normal to put on a great tournament for the athletes. 

I guess my thing is is why not play on a field that is similar to what you will be playing on in the World Series?  Witter Field and Fox Cities Stadium couldn't be more different as far as how it plays.  If you hit a HR at the World Series you have truly earned it, where as as Witter Field, some lazy fly balls are able to carry out for a "cheap" HR.

In 2007, Point had four different players hit a total of 6 HR's in five games at the Regionals, but were unable to hit even one until their fourth and final game of the World Series when Zimmerman hit a pair.

In 2006 it was even more drastic, as eight different Pointers accounted for 16 HR's in six games in the Regionals, but were only able to muster two in the World Series (Zimmerman and Brehm each hit one) in three games.

Now obviously the pitching is better at the World Series, which accounts for some of the difference, but the 16/2 number is VERY eye-opening.

[wailaucm]

So in the mean time, why not Wisc. Rapids.   Now being a part of the entire thing as a player and listening to all the talk, the community loves baseball and does so much for the WIAC and the NCAA the year it was there.   Its not like the fences get moved back when one team hits vs another, plus, the town just put almost 6 figures into that field to redo the infield and various little things around the park.  Isnt that what teams and people want, is to play in a NCAA Regional where the community cares that the tournament like that is there in their city and goes that far above normal to put on a great tournament for the athletes. 

I guess my thing is is why not play on a field that is similar to what you will be playing on in the World Series?  Witter Field and Fox Cities Stadium couldn't be more different as far as how it plays.  If you hit a HR at the World Series you have truly earned it, where as as Witter Field, some lazy fly balls are able to carry out for a "cheap" HR.

In 2007, Point had four different players hit a total of 6 HR's in five games at the Regionals, but were unable to hit even one until their fourth and final game of the World Series when Zimmerman hit a pair.

In 2006 it was even more drastic, as eight different Pointers accounted for 16 HR's in six games in the Regionals, but were only able to muster two in the World Series (Zimmerman and Brehm each hit one) in three games.

Now obviously the pitching is better at the World Series, which accounts for some of the difference, but the 16/2 number is VERY eye-opening.

Very good points Cubs, first I want to comment on the WIAC Tourney. 
Rumor has it and it hasnt been finalized yet because of some administrators not liking it but the new WIAC tourney could be the top four teams again playing but #1 vs. #4 and #2 vs #3 in a 3-game series played at the higher seeded team.  No more double-elimination tournament at least that is what is proposed.  So the tourney could last a week. 

For the field being part of those numbers I will agree that playing there pads your stats and is the opposite of Fox Cities Stadium.  I agree that games should be played on a bigger field but until the other fields get the money/lights up play it at Witter.  The pitchers at the World Series are that much better then the regional however WW proved your point slightly wrong because they didnt hit very many at all at Witter during the WIAC Tourney but went on a homerun hitting streak in Osh and App.  So you cant really say the field is that much of a difference. 

[OshDude]

I understand WIAC tourney is not in WI Rapids this year but has been moved to Green Bay's Joannes field.

I can't say I have heard anything about this....  All the WIAC baseball teams still have TBA listed on their schedules for the 2009 season.

Any chance you have a link?

The Superior Baseball Newsletter has the Green Bay WIAC tourney listed.

[BaseballFan]

My personal opinion and experience is that when you play on shorter fields, players basbeball swings tend to be more condusive to the field. In other words they hit more fly balls cuz they know they will go out. Just happens to be that most fields in wisconsin are really short. In minnesota the fields are on the larger side and some of those homeruns in WI are just routine outs in minnesota.

I definately think it affects the game and gives an advantage to some teams despite both teams playing on the same field. It would be nice if they could alternate the site between WI and MN every year. Too bad no one in MN wants it so we will just have to be satisfied with WI.

One last thing, Wisconsin Rapids is a great host, but not a field for a regional. glad to hear they fixed the infield, but the field is just too short. Regional site should not be played at a crackerbox.

[janesvilleflash]

Hey, it's 55 today. Let's play ball.

[badgerwarhawk]

The WARHAWKS are the only WIAC program ranked in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's DIII pre-season poll.....

http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2008/12/26/2009-collegiate-baseball-newspaper-preseason-division-3-poll/#more-8481