BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GBMAN]

   



Consider UW-Whitewater and St. Norbert party crashers.

Both teams failed to win their respective conference tournaments over the weekend but both secured at-large berths in the 54-team NCAA Division III baseball field released Monday morning.

Whitewater (26-17), which finished third in the national tournament last season, was seeded third in the Central Regional in Moline, Ill.

St. Norbert (23-13) was seeded fourth in the Midwest Regional in Oshkosh.

They joined automatic qualifiers Carthage (32-6), UW-Stevens Point (29-14) and Beloit (28-7).

Regional play begins Wednesday.

Carthage, which won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin regular-season and tournament titles, is seeded No. 1 in the Central Regional.

Stevens Point, which beat Whitewater in the final of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament, was seeded fifth in the Midwest Regional.

Beloit, which beat St. Norbert in the Midwest Conference title game, was seeded sixth in the Midwest Regional.

[cubs]

If I remember correctly Gerl also quit for one season because he couldn't take Lechnir riding him about everything.  He rejoined the team because he loves baseball not because he likes Lechnir.  Who wouldn't take the opportunity to be first base coach for a D3 program?  I would do it even if I didn't agree with how Lechnir runs the show.  Let's face it Lechnir cares about himself and himself only.  It's proven by the way he uses his pitching staff.  It's not safe to throw a guy 4 innings one game and 9 the next.  That's not baseball!!  I actually do know a lot of people that played for Oshkosh and the majority didn't have much good to say about Lechnir's style.

You couldn't be more wrong.....  But hey, at least you are consistent, as you have been wrong pretty much all season!!!!

[ShineTime]

You can say I'm wrong but I think I've been right more than wrong.  My ripping on Point was for a good reason as you can see now.  They were coasting at the beginning of the year and playing to the level of the competition.  It's frustrating as a die hard fan to watch a group of guys so talented almost get 10 runned by Ripon and almost get swept in a DH by Stout.  Point has guys on their bench that could be starting on any team in the conference so I'm sorry I have such high expectations.  At least Bloom finally has his batting order correct.

[badgerwarhawk]

Congratulations, UWW

Yes, a big pat on the back for the Warhawks - and a #3 seed at that...I really didn't see that coming!!     

I have to admit that I told everyone who asked "no way."  I should have listened to ex-WARHAWK coach Jim Miller who told me that "stranger things have happened."  When will I learn? 

[ShineTime]

I'm happy Whitewater made it in but I personally thought their were better teams left out.  The WIAC has to have 2 teams in every year though.  The conference is just too tough top to bottom to only have 1.  Really sucks for Oshkosh and Whitewater with all the injuries this year or we may have seen a WIAC team playing for the title.  There's just not a standout team this year in D3 and it's more up for grabs than I've seen in years.

[Dagger]

You can say I'm wrong but I think I've been right more than wrong.  My ripping on Point was for a good reason as you can see now.  They were coasting at the beginning of the year and playing to the level of the competition.  It's frustrating as a die hard fan to watch a group of guys so talented almost get 10 runned by Ripon and almost get swept in a DH by Stout.  Point has guys on their bench that could be starting on any team in the conference so I'm sorry I have such high expectations.  At least Bloom finally has his batting order correct.

I can't say that I remember a single time that your were right about anything this year!  and If your sources for uwo and lechnir are twice as credible as the ones you 'have' at point I still would not think twice about believing a word they say!  everytime you post a ridiculous comment I ask people right away before I respond, people who have a clue mind you, and they all laugh really hard everytime.  Being a die hard fan of the program you should understand at least a little bit by now how things work.  Instead you jump on and off the bandwagon about 3,595,090 times during the season.  One week you hate the whole team and coach, and the next they're a top 15 team in the country!  Get a clue.  If you want to be a good fan to the program, try backing them all year long and not tearing them apart.  All programs have ups and downs, it's part of the season and it's what makes the team better in the end.  In order to find the lineup that is best you need to experiment a little and tinker with guys, to your disliking.  Not to mention the only reason you like it as it is right now is because they are producing runs and winning.  If they weren't, you'd be on here saying the lineup is crazy and this and that.  seriously I'm not even sure why you post on here anymore....

[Dagger]

...and in other news

congratulations to point for taking the tourney title again, must still have a little 'witter field magic' left in the tank.  Very exciting year all around the conference, hopefully we can sneak somebody through to the series again, it's been a long time since the WIAC wasn't represented in appleton!

[Brewers20]

With Stevens Point's pitching staff, they have a legit shot in making it to the series.  I'm still waiting for their lineup to hit it's potential, I know it's far better than what they have shown thus far.  I mean only two players hitting over .300 is not at all what that team is capable of.  If they start sticking like they can and the pitching staff keeps up what they have been doing, I would not be surprised to see them take the regional.  I expect them to go with the same pitching rotation they went with in the WIAC tourney.  Williams, Barry or Delorit, then have Zielke, Lorenz, and Koback in relief.  Nix will most likely get a start as well but I'm not sure when, he might be the anchor and put on another show like he did last year in the WIAC tourney against WW.  He definitely is one of the best on the team if he's on.  I guess it all depends on how they do in the first couple of games. They may only need 4 starters if they win out. 

I don't know what to think about WW down in Il.  They're a good enough team to be in the regional, but not the 3 seed, but seeding shouldn't matter in the long run.  They will have to step it up to get out of the regional, but I would love to see them make the series if Point does, because that would be awesome to send to teams from the WIAC to the Series. When is the last time that happened?

[badgerwarhawk]

Say what you want about Stevens Point and Witter Field but the fact of the matter is that Bloom has won 5 straight.  That isn't something that happens by chance.  He has to be doing something right.  Perhaps they have their ups and downs during the season but when it really counts they get it done.  As much as it pains this WARHAWK fan you have to respect that and give credit where it is due.  

[Dagger]

Say what you want about Stevens Point and Witter Field but the fact of the matter is that Bloom has won 5 straight.  That isn't something that happens by chance.  He has to be doing something right.  Perhaps they have their ups and downs during the season but when it really counts they get it done.  As much as it pains this WARHAWK fan you have to respect that and give credit where it is due.  

...I was saying witter field magic just as a reference to all those who thought that was the only reason point was winning the conference tourney the past four years (which it had little to nothing to do with).  Point fans/players have equal respect for the club down in WW as much as it may not show when the two teams play!  UWSP UWW first round matchup in the series would be very interesting...I'm thinking an attendance record would be broken for the series at that game!

[titan2000]

Rumor has it that a number of WW football players just ran on the field and demanded to be cheered for while they delayed the between inning warm-up.   Apparently the school paper came out to take pictures and was denied access to the field.   

So what happened there....did they get those guys off the field or was their any further incident ?

[badgerwarhawk]

It turns out they were actually soccer athletes so the Royal Purple was granted access.  They wrote a front page spread, mailed it to all of the major media outlets in the state and said it was fun. 

[d3baseballnut]

Does anyone know what happened to so many underclassmen from the 2008 UWW team and why they are not playing this year.

Especially:

Joe Munn

Jeff Donovan

Jordan Stine

Greg Donovan

[Dagger]

not sure on Munn...

stine had a season ending injury (I believe to his throwing shoulder?)

The donovans, and I'm not sure which one is which...but one of them got a 0.32 gpa and was declared academically ineligible, and the other one was kicked off the team by vo for some off field actions that didn't mesh with the team and what they stand for.

[d3baseballnut]

wow....

those are some serious losses.