BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Dagger]

I've been puzzled a number of times as to the decisions made on who runs out to the mound for the titans.  Like OshDude mentioned however it is very difficult to question a coach like lechnir who clearly has had a great deal of success over the years.  I would have saved my best two pitchers to face their top guns personally.  I understand the concept of having the top three come around again and getting to face up against ust's bottom half of the rotation, but I guess I would just rather throw the guns against each other and at least make an attempt at grabbing a split, and you would sure think your 3-6 would match up similarly to ust's 3-6 and pull out at least another split there.  Now you're down 0-2, and if you split the second day you just cost yourself dearly in the region when it comes down to at large bids.  I'm still not totally sure what happened in the regional last year and what the thinking was in not throwing your best (the conferences best) pitcher!?! but I'll save that for another time. 

I agree with Big Poppa also that UWW has played some great teams and that no doubt will effect their average, but there's no excuse for it to be that low.  Those are the exact teams that point had played every spring for the last three years and they never came home hitting in the low .200's.  I said in my first post on here that UWW will have to rely on their pitching because they just simply don't have the offense that they have become so accustomed to in the past.  people will simply pitch around zalnis, plus I get the feeling that he's living under a ton of pressure this year trying to match the ridiculously high numbers he put up last year. 

I think the UWSP, UWO, UWW teams this year are all pretty much on the same playing field as far as I can tell from the limited games we have had this year (especially uwo).  usually there is a favorite, but I honestly am having a hard time picking my favorite to take the title.  The pointer in me thinks UWSP is due, but they are defensively weak, and unproven.  UWW has won some great games but have terrible numbers.  They also have a knack for coming up big when they need to though...see last 7 years...UWO is probably still the leader in my mind for conference champs, but time will tell how they stack up this year. 

Conference Tourney 2009
1. UWO
2. UWSP
3. UWP
4. UWW

I don't really believe that UWW will come in at the 4 seed but just for fun and for the possible "I told you so" at the end of the season, I'll put it down in writting now!    Also look for Superior to be battling for the final spot.  I don't believe LAX or Stout have any staying power this year, good starts for both of them and they both will no doubt be good games for anyone (and will undoubtedly steal a couple games in conference from the big guns) but I just don't see them having the depth and quality that you need to make it the end.

[BigPoppa]

I've been puzzled a number of times as to the decisions made on who runs out to the mound for the titans.  Like OshDude mentioned however it is very difficult to question a coach like lechnir who clearly has had a great deal of success over the years.

I thought the same thing last year when Rubens did not see the mound in the NCAA Regional. I find it hard to swallow when you go down and you still have a bullet left in your gun. COnversely, there is a reason that Lechnir is a VERY successful college coach and my college coaching record is under .500.

[Brewers20]

Has anyone heard anything about the WIAC tournament and the new rules that were suppose to come out?

[BigPoppa]

Last I heard it was hosted by Joannes Park in Green Bay.

[badgerwarhawk]

I thought I'd heard that it was returning to the campus site of the team that won the regular season but I wasn't able to find anything on the WIAC website. 

[cubs]

Has anyone heard anything about the WIAC tournament and the new rules that were suppose to come out?

Go back to Page 74 on this thread, and you will find the latest news that has actually been published. 

You would think that the WIAC site would have something up by now since the conference season is almost underway.

Otherwise, just click on the following link:
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/archive/?blogID=30025249&archive=y&startDate=02-12-2009&endDate=02-12-2009

[Brewers20]

I wish the WIAC website would clarify what is going on this year, seems to me that the Commissioner has his mind made up about the format according to that article.  I think if they go back to the regular season champion hosting the tournament, they need to extend it to a third day, because the format of having the lower two seeds be lose one and done is wrong.  The tournament should be a level playing field for all four teams. 

[badgerwarhawk]

The article indicates that given the option "nobody" wanted to extend the tournament to a third day. 

FWIW next year WHITEWATER will have lights.  We would have had them this year but delays extended the football field project so they wouldn't have been able to complete the baseball field in time for this season. 

[Brewers20]

Thats nice that WW will be getting lights.  IMO all of the fields in the conference should have lights.  It would attract a lot more fans for the games during the week, and it would possibly elimiate some cancellations. For example, if the field was wet from a big rain storm the night before, it would have all day to dry and the game could be played at night. 

[cubs]

I thought I had read that Oshkosh would be getting lights at Tiedemann Field as part of the renovations that were taking place.  (I can't seem to find the article anymore...)

If that is the case, I have a funny feeling that that would be the end of the Regionals being played at EJ Schneider, as one would think Oshkosh would put in the bid to play at thier home field, instead of playing across town.

[Brewers20]

I thought I had read that Oshkosh would be getting lights at Tiedemann Field as part of the renovations that were taking place.  (I can't seem to find the article anymore...)

If that is the case, I have a funny feeling that that would be the end of the Regionals being played at EJ Schneider, as one would think Oshkosh would put in the bid to play at thier home field, instead of playing across town.

I'm pretty sure I heard that too.  But not until 2010.

[Brewers20]

Well looks like WW got another big victory today against Otterbien.  I don't know anything about the game besides the score which was 6-2 WW posted on the Otterbein website.  I have to give credit to the Warhawks getting it done against good competition.

[brewcrew2008]

It took me awhile but I thought I'd post my two cents worth on the Pointers Florida trip seeing how I was lucky enough to see it first hand.

First off I was pretty surprised to see the team batting average is only at .293 as it seemed like they were hitting the ball pretty well all week, I realize they also played two games in the dome before the trip which may have lowered it a bit, but overall they hit quite a few extra base hits including 5 home runs the first day and what seemed like quite a few doubles. Another positive was the amount of runs scored late in the games including turning the 2nd game against Greenville from a 4-3 game in the 5th to a 13-3 win and from trailing against Ripon into a 11-4 win. Also the comeback in the bottom of the 7th against Washington & Jefferson with 3 runs in the bottom half, then going on to win it in extras. The pitching seemed to be pretty solid and didn't get much help from the defense and Nix and Berry both worked on short rest to come back and pitch the final day. The defense was shaky, quite a few errors around the infield but for kids like Iverson and Schoch who've never played infield before I think they're just hoping to adjust as the season goes on and hopefully be solid come later in the conference season.

As far as the rotations go they shuffled three catchers all week in Bloom, Considine, and Rennicke so it seems like that might be how it is all year, just ride the hot hand. Schoch was hitting the ball well all week and got most the time at first with Richter playing right, Archambeau playing center and Kobak DH'ing. Thomas and Kakwitch split time at 3rd with Krueger also getting a start. Cummings started the first 4 games of the week at 2nd and struggled a bit in the field and at the plate and got taken out of the 5th game with Iverson coming in and playing the rest of the week, he had some struggles in the final game in the field but overall hit well including the game tying rbi's with 2 out in the 7th against W & J, so it seems like they might split time the rest of the year as well.

All in all a good trip for Point going 7-1 and looking forward to the rest of the season

[BoBo]

Well looks like WW got another big victory today against Otterbien.  I don't know anything about the game besides the score which was 6-2 WW posted on the Otterbein website.  I have to give credit to the Warhawks getting it done against good competition.

Story

Box Score

Aaron Dott strikes out 13 in the 6-2 Warhawk win.  UWW plays the Minnesota Twins Class A team in Ft. Meyers on Thurs. to conclude the spring trip portion of their schedule.

[BaseballFan]

Really suprised no one posted this about the UWO game

http://www.depauw.edu/ath/baseball/2009/stats/032509.htm

20-9 loss is pretty rough even if its to a fairly good Depauw team in my opinion. Now UWO has 4 rough ones with Thomas and Olaf who i think they will at least get splits out of since they have their top 3 to pitch.

Thankfully they get to finish up with a bad Westminster (Mo) team