BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[pickleshiner]

Whitewater also came up with a huge win in game 2 coming from behind in the 9th.  Hopefully Point can get a split this weekend since their at home but I'm a little concerned with all the injuries.

[badgerwarhawk]

well it's not like the WIAC is different from any other conference at any level.  Competitive sports across all levels and all different types, use playoffs to determine the "best" team.  Based on that format, those that find ways to win in the postseason are the best team, period.  Maybe not necessarily the most talented team, because it's no secret that the most talented teams don't always win, but the best TEAM.

There's where we're having different opinions.  I think the "best" team is the most "talented" team whether they win the conference tournament championship or not. 

How about this scenario.  Team A beats team B 4-0 in conference play and wins the conference championship.  Team B finishes third.  As the 3 seed team B beats team A in the conference tournament championship and wins the automatic invite.  Then you would say team B is the better team despite the fact they were beaten 4 out of 5 times by team A. 

It's true that the most talented team doesn't always win but I don't think that means, based on the outcome of one game of five, they are the better team.  The better team that day perhaps but not the better team based on the overall body of work.  That just doesn't make sense to my way of thinking.

But to each their own.  Everyone has an opinion and the fact two vary doesn't mean one is correct and the other is wrong.  It just means that they are different.

[cubs]

In all my years I know we were better than Oshkosh.  Bold statement,  I know, but I believe that we were the better team, and we proved it time and time again in the WIAC tournament and in the Regional in 07. 

Yet if you look at the scores, Oshkosh won the season series against you in 2008?  Hmm....

Then we sh** on them the first game of the WIAC tourney 10-0 in 8 innings in 2008...hmm

And yet still lost the season series 3-2....  How does that happen if as you put it, they were "the better team?"  Hmm....

[badgerwarhawk]

WARHAWKS win a pair of 7 inning affairs 21-6 and 15-3.  In the first game the WARHAWKS led 18-0 after four innings.  Jason Hooper (2-0) got the start gave up five hits striking out four in four innings for the win.  All of Stout's runs came against a pair of freshman pitchers, Andrew Bauer and Brock Liston, who pitched the final three innings.  Jordan Stine led the 18 hit WARHAWK offense going 5x5 with 5 RS and 5 RBI.  Daniel Putnam (3x4, 3 RS, 3 RBI) and Rob Coe (2x4, 2 RS, 2 RBI) each hit home runs.  Jeff Donovan (2x4, 2 RBI) and Matt Beyer (2x2, 2 RS, 2 RBI, Double) also had multiple hits. 

Jeff Donovan (1-0) got the start and the win in game two.  Stout scored a run in the first inning and two in the second however the WARHAWKS scored five in both innings to lead 10-3.  Donovan allowed five hits, all in the first two innings, and then retired 12 consecutive Blue Devils in the third through sixth innings. He finished with 4 strikeouts.  Bryan Dominick put the Blue Devils down in order in the seventh.  Donovan also led the WARHAWK offense going 3x4, 2 RS, 5 RBI which included a double.  Ben Kuhlmann went 3x4, 3 RS, 1 RBI on a solo home run.  Stine (2x3, 3 RBI) and Ryan Leavitt (2x4, 2 RBI, Double) had multiple hits.  Mike Kenseth (2 RBI, Triple), Matt Beyer  (2 RBI, Double) and Rob Coe (2 RBI) had multiple RBIs. 

[Barber Greene]

WARHAWKS win a pair of 7 inning affairs 21-6 and 15-3.  Jason Hooper gets the win in the first one and Jeff Donovan gets the W in the second game.  More to follow once the box score becomes available.

That's how you conserve your pitching when you play double headers for three straight days....just play seven inning games!

[badgerwarhawk]

Point takes both ends from Platteville 14-5, 11-10
Oshkosh splits with Superior 10-8, 3-11

[pickleshiner]

I was at the Point DH today and can say "It was a great day to be a Pointer"  The wind was blowing out about 25-35 MPH and both teams took advantage.  Point had 11 HR'S in the 2 games.  Lorenz looked good for the most part in game 1 and gave up a pop up grand slam that made the score 6-5.  Fritz and Surman had huge days at the plate.  This is certainly another typical Point team relying on home runs.  I'm guessing they'll throw Williams and Delorit tomorrow but who knows.  I don't think Platteville will have much pitching so perhaps Point will throw Archie 1 of the 2 games and have Williams finish up the Oshkosh game he started and start the 2nd game on Wednesday assuming Point 10 runs Oshkosh the game their up 11-1.

[badgerwarhawk]

I was at the Point DH today and can say "It was a great day to be a Pointer" 

So I take it that you are you off the Findlandia bandwagon now.    

[BoBo]

I was at the Point DH today and can say "It was a great day to be a Pointer"  

So I take it that you are you off the Findlandia bandwagon now.  

That depends on which way the wind blows tomorrow!!  

The wind was blowing out about 25-35 MPH and both teams took advantage.  Point had 11 HR'S in the 2 games. 

10 home runs in the DH sweep for Point and only 2 for Platteville. From a HR standpoint, not sure how both teams took advantage of the gale force wind blowing out on this day!! Were the majority of UWP's 16 hits in the 2 games of the wind blown variety?

The Pioneers weren't quite as hot as their bus on this day.

[pickleshiner]

I always will be a Pointer fan win or lose.  It was nice to see the sweep but a little concerning that they rely so much on the HR.  I know both teams had the wind but I would like to see Point string more base hits together and score the traditional way.  It's going to be scary when Richter and Spurney get going.  I still can't see Whitewater losing more than 2-3 games in conference if any at all.  Their pitching is too deep and no one has the pitching in the WIAC this year to contend.  Williams and Delorit maybe can keep them in check but who else will be able to hold them down?

[badgerwarhawk]

WARHAWKS take both ends of the double hitter from Stout today 10-3, 5-0.

Pitching on one days rest Riley Tincher (7-0) got the start in the first game and went 4.1 innings giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking one.  Kyle Lee was sharp in relief of Tincher facing the minimum eleven batters in 3.2 innings and striking out four.  Freshman Tom Kernt finished the ninth giving up a single hit.  Rob Coe went 3x3, 3 RS, 1 RBI.  Jordan Stine (2x4, 1 RBI), Nick Rechlitz (2x3, 1 RS, 2 RBI) and Matt Kenseth (2x3, 1 RS, 3 RBI, Double) all had a multiple hit game.  Ryan Leavitt (2 RBI) and Matt Beyer (2 RBI) had multiple RBIs.  

The real story of the day though was Jason Hooper (3-0) who starting for the second consecutive day hurled a complete game NO HITTER.  Hooper walked three but a double play kept the batters faced to two over the minimum twenty nine.  Matt Kenseth made the defensive play of the game when he raced to his left, dove to snag a grounder and then got to his feet and threw out the Stout player by half a step at first.  Ben Kuhlmann made some nice plays at second and Jordan Stine ran down a couple of well hit balls headed the gap in right center.  

Neither team scored in the first two innings before the WARHAWKS plated a single run when  Jeff Donovan's single drove in Stine who had doubled to lead off the  third inning.   WHITEWATER scored four more in the seventh when Kuhlmann drove in three with a bases loaded double and Ryan Leavitt drove in Kuhlmann with a single. Both Leavitt and Kenseth finished 2x3.

Weather conditions were a little unusual for Prucha today as a strong wind was blowing in from right field.  Kenseth (2), Kuhlmann, Donovan and Putnam all hit balls that ordinarily would have been home runs any other day.

Hooper's no hitter was the first thrown by a WARHAWK pitcher since 1993 when Todd Genke against Carrol College.  Adam Dominick and Steve Hedgepath combined to pitch one against Superior in 2008.  (Credit to WHITEWATER Sports Information staff.)    

Superior and Oshkosh split again today.  Oshkosh won the opener 13-5 and Superior smoked them 21-4 in the second game.
Point beat Platteville 8-5 in the first game and 11-6 in the second one.  

[GBMAN]

The first no hitter I have ever witnessed in person.... All I can say is WOW.....

[UWP SID]

UW-Stevens Point and UW-Platteville actually split today, with UWSP winning game one 8-5, and UWP taking the second 11-6.

[pickleshiner]

Here are some of my thoughts from today around the league starting with Point-Platteville.  I had no idea that Iverson was a pitcher and I'll tell you what he looked more impressive too me today than Archie, Fritz, or Seidl.  Point may have a diamond in the rough in that kid.  I'm certainly never happy to see Point lose but I'll take 3 out of 4.  Too much inconsistency in the lineup right now but a lot of hard hit balls right at people.  I know it's early but I just get that feeling that everyone in the WIAC realizes Whitewater will take the regular season unless they have a serious injury like Point had in losing Koback.  Point should lock down 2nd but who knows.  How about Superior piss pounding Oshkosh the last game today?  I never thought in my lifetime I would see Oshkosh lose by the mercy rule to Superior?  Congrats to Superior on splitting with Oshkosh even though Oshkosh is way down this year.  Great coaching by Whitewater to turn around and throw Tincher and Hooper again today and congrats on a no hitter to Hooper.  Stouts lineup 1-6 is really good so that's a rather impressive feat.  I'm still scratching my head a little on why Point brought Delorit in for the save today but didn't start him for the final game.  I've heard he takes a while to recover but my point is he shouldn't have come in at all if he wasn't going to be available for the last game.  Point absolutely must win all 3 at Oshkosh on Wed and all 4 home next weekend vs Superior if they even want the Whitewater series to have meaning for a conference title.  The only other thing I would like to vent about is why is Eric Fritz on the mound?  That's a huge risk to put arguably your best player/infielder on the mound and risk an arm injury.  I realize they have tons of depth in the infield with Jirsch, Douglas, Tuschen, but it just doesn't make sense to me.  Not like he's a bad pitcher or anything but they have tons of arms that are just as good or better.  They can't afford for him to get a tired arm and not be able to make the tough throws from short.  What a weekend for Fritz by the way!  Richter had some tough luck once again hit 2 balls today right on the dot at the pitcher and to the wall in center. 

[Brewers20]

I was at the Point/Platteville DH on Saturday and I have to say that Fritz is the hottest hitter for the Pointers right now.  Everything he swung at seemed to be hit hard.  Great to see his stick is coming around.  The D was a little shaky at times, they'll have to clean that up before they play the Warhawks.  I talked with two of the assistants on Saturday evening and both said that there is no way in he** Oshkosh should even come close to beating them.  Sounds like they're down more than we think.  Both assistants were disappointed when the poor UWO team walked away with a victory last Wednesday.  Sounds like Point will have something to prove this Wed. 
Fritz pitching...the assistants i talked to said that he just pounds the zone and makes guys put the ball in play.  I too am a little hesitant on putting too much stress on the shortstop, but I don't think Blooms intentions are to throw him a ton, I'm sure he just wanted to get him some innings in case they need to use him in tournament play, because we all know,
if you get in that losers bracket the pitching can get pretty thin.  All in all Ty Lorenz looked great.  The grand slam that was hit off of him was VERY wind aided to say the least.  On a day with no wind thats a shallow flyball to left, the kid just hit it high enough and with enough back spin for the wind to carry it over the wall.  Walking away 3 out of 4 this weekend was a little bit of a disappointment, seeing that the Platteville team was not very impressive.  But thats why you play the game.  I remember we lost a game to a 4-17 team in Stout my senior year.