BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[AO]

I was wondering if St Scholastica would be included.  Ten losses is quite a few though they'll probably get an automatic bid when they win their league.  The St Scholastica team I saw play us wasn't anything like the Saint teams I've been accustomed to seeing.

You are correct in your assessment that this years saints team has not played the type of baseball their teams have played in the last few years.  They have had their best schedule SOS wise in years though playing uww, Webster, conc c, st. Thomas... But have not really beaten anyone good.  I have not seen them play yet this year (4 more inches of snow in Duluth today) but word on the street is that they are young and missing some offense compared to the last few seasons.

With all that said... My guess is they would love to be the associate member of the wiac baseball conference... Playing against the best makes you better.

I agree that playing against the best makes you better but this year's schedule proved you can do that in the non-conference schedule.  They wouldn't have been regionally ranked without their SOS.   They have found plenty of ways to play against the best of the WIAC without joining the conference.

[therocket21]

True, they have found plenty of ways to play against the best of the WIAC early in the season, but what about the quality of the teams they face the few weeks leading up to the regional? CSS would benefit from playing those WIAC teams later in the season when it gets closer to regional time. Some years I feel CSS isn't ready for the regional games because they play non-regional opponents the last 3 weeks of their season.

[AO]

True, they have found plenty of ways to play against the best of the WIAC early in the season, but what about the quality of the teams they face the few weeks leading up to the regional? CSS would benefit from playing those WIAC teams later in the season when it gets closer to regional time. Some years I feel CSS isn't ready for the regional games because they play non-regional opponents the last 3 weeks of their season.

If you believe in the poll the Saints have overachieved in the regional the last 3 years.

[therocket21]

Can't argue with that. Good point.

[ShineTime]

Stout beats whitewater game 1 point clobbers platteville Jp fired 1 hitter.  Looks like lacrosse is spanking superior also.  This league is hard to figure out

[ShineTime]

Game 2 is why whitewater is a championship team wow.

[cubs]

Platteville leads Point 12-4 in the 8th inning...

Cue shinetime blow-up in 3, 2, 1, ..........

[cubs]

Impressive showing by Stout's pitching staff this weekend....   They held Whitewater to 13 runs in four games (that includes a seven run "outburst" in Game #3) while managing to split with the Warhawks.  They have six games left (two with Superior and four with Point.)  If they get a pair of wins against Superior they likely secure a spot in the WIAC Tournament. 

[ShineTime]

Point lost game 2 in five innings I don't see way they make tournament just playing awful.

[cubs]

Point lost game 2 in five innings I don't see way they make tournament just playing awful.

WIAC Tournament?

Somebody has to lose between Stout and Superior, so I don't think there is any way they miss out.  If they lose all four at Stout next weekend, I still think they get in.

[ShineTime]

I'm planning on point maybe winning one if lucky 2 just can't get timely hitting and base running is horrendous. 

[badgerwarhawk]

Saturday

Stout: 3
WARHAWKS: 1

Stout took the early lead with an RBI single in the first inning.  The WARHAWKS tied the game with Trey Cannon's RBI single in the second. After that the WARHAWKS stranded runners in scoring position in the third, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings when we were unable to get the clutch hit.  Stout's bats heated up in the ninth when they got a pair of seeing eye singles and a double to push two runs across the plate and secure the win.  Scott Plaza (5-2) pitched well enough to win had he gotten any kind of run support.  Plaza went 8.1 innings scattering 8 hits while striking out six and walking a pair.  All three Stout runs were earned.  Colin Grove relieved walking one and striking out one in .2 inning.  Casey Power (double) and Mike Mierow each had a pair of hits

Brent Mueller held the WARHAWKS to just five hits while picking up the complete game win.


Stout: 3
WARHAWKS: 4

Game two started like game one in that Stout got on the board first with an RBI single in the third inning.  The WARHAWKS tied it on Nic Kuhlmann's sac fly in the sixth.  The Blue Devils regained the lead in the eighth 3-1 in the eighth when they got a pair of doubles and an RBI single.  This time the WARHAWKS were able to rally in their last at bat.  Kuhlman and Kyle Haen opened the inning with back to back singles and the bases were loaded when Jared Fon was hit by a pitch.  Dylan Friend drove in the first run with a single and Mickole Pierce's single drove in a pair when the Stout outfielder misplayed the ball which allowed the second run to score unearned.  Though we got the clutch hits in the end the WARHAWKS stranded runners in scoring position in three innings and a total of twelve in the game.  Connor Hurst started going 8 innings allowing 8 hits, 3 earned runs with walk and 6 strikeouts.  Austin Jones (2-1) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout.  Friend, Pierce, Cannon and Mierow (double) each had a pair of hits.  Friend, Pierce and Kuhlmann (double) each had a single RBI. 

A fund raiser for the American Cancer Society was successfull in raising $3500-$4000 (don't know the exact total) on Saturday with the game uniform jerseys still to be auctioned off. 

Sunday

Stout: 4
WARHAWKS: 7

After being retired in order for the first two innings the WARHAWKS took the lead with a four run third inning in Sunday's first game.  Haen, Fon, Friend and Pierce all drove in runs with three singles and a triple respectively.  Stout got on the board with an RBI single in the sixth but the WARHAWKS matched that and added a pair with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.  Adam Gregory and Kuhlmann each had RBIs in the inning.  Stout cut the deficit to three runs with three runs in the seventh but that was as close as they would get.  Brock Liston (6-1) went 6.1 innings allowing 10 hits, 4 runs (3 earned) with 8 strikeouts and a pair of walks to pick up the win.  John Olejniczak made his first appearance on the mount giving up just a single hit in 1.2 innings of relief.  Austin Jones picked up his second save of the season allowing a single hit and striking out two batters.  Haen, Michael Gonzalez, Gregory (double) and Kuhlmann each had a pair of hits.  Kuhlmann drove in two runs while Haen, Fon, Friend, Pierce and Gregory drove in a single run. 

Stout stranded 9 runners on base in this game.


Stout: 2
WARHAWKS: 1

The WARHAWKS got a single run in the third inning when Gregory led off with a double, advanced to third on Haen's single and scored when Friend singled.  That run stood until the ninth inning when Ryan Frietag hit a towering home run over deep left center to tie the game.  After getting the next hitter out Brett Vavra singled but his pinch runner was picked off of first for the second out.  A hit batter gave the Blue Devil's another runner and he advanced to second on a passed ball. It looked like the WARHAWKS would get out of the inning when the next batter hit a routine ground ball but a throwing error allowed the runner to score from second giving the Blue Devils the 2-1 lead.  The WARHAWKS were able to get the lead off hitter on base and advance him to third in their at bat but a fly ball out to right field ended the game.  Curtis Morgan pitched well scattering six hits while walking one and striking out four in 8.2 innings.  Morgan was charged with both runs (one earned).  Donnie Manke (0-1), .1 inning,  was given the loss though I'm confused how that can be the case when Morgan was charged with both runs.  Once again the WARHAWKS bats were silenced as the team only got 5 hits in the game with Haen and Gregory each having two of them.  Friend had the only WARHAWKS rbi.

It was a disappointing weekend which allowed LaCrosse to move to within a pair of games of the lead though it's actually three games considering the tie breaker which is held by the WARHAWKS.  The WARHAWKS got good enough pitching that could have allowed us to sweep the series but credit to the Stout staff too as they pitched well enough that they could have taken 3 of the 4 games themselves. 

[badgerwarhawk]

This league is hard to figure out

That will happen when you take isolated events and exaggerate their significance. 

[Just Bill]

This league is hard to figure out

That will happen when you take isolated events and exaggerate their significance. 

+1

[Just Bill]

That's interesting. I'm pretty sure you can't redshirt in Division III. I'm guessing the reporter meant to say "spent a year where he was on the pseudo JV/club team where he had absolutely no contact with varsity coaching staff"

"Instead of making an instant impact on the Whitewater program, Haen spent a redshirt year refining his swing and changing his offensive approach."

Or wait, he did have contact with coaching staff...

The year away from the game was difficult for Haen. But the Whitewater staff made sure their player knew he was important to them. Haen went along on trips and last year’s team welcomed the outsider to the program.

“It was great for me,” Haen said. “I worked hard, the coaching staff worked with me in the fall and spring on swing mechanics and on just getting better as a player. I was in the weight room a little more, added some strength and quickness and that was probably the best thing for me.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/sports/college/state-and-regional/whitewater/wiac-baseball-madison-edgewood-s-kyle-haen-reinvents-himself-at/article_b0d5e543-9dfa-50ef-905b-20dfca57b8f3.html#ixzz30NRPVYR0

I think UWW might have some explaining to do to the WIAC office. That looks fishy as anything.