BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[cubs]

Region 9 Regional Rankings (Week #2)

1   Buena Vista   29-7
2   Wisconsin-La Crosse   24-8
3   Wisconsin-Oshkosh   24-8
4   Bethel (Minnesota)   22-6
5   Wisconsin-Stevens Point   23-9
6   Wisconsin-Whitewater   21-11
7   Loras   24-13

Will be interesting to see how the WIAC teams get shuffled in the next release of the Regional Rankings, with UWO going 0-5, Stevens Point going 6-0, which included a 4-game series sweep of previously #3 UWO, Whitewater going 7-0, and La Crosse going 4-1 since the previous release.

Does Stevens Point leapfrog La Crosse by virtue of their regular season WIAC Championship?  Would seem like that's a "no-brainer" considering the overall records are practically the same....

[cubs]

WIAC Tournament begins on Thursday....

#1 Stevens Point vs #4 UWO (Schultz or Paulsen vs Waco?)
#2 La Crosse vs #3 Whitewater (Katz vs Bernedt?)

Should be some great weather for the WIAC Tournament this year and excited to see what the pitching match-ups are for the opening round games!

[cubs]

Region 9 Regional Rankings (Week #3)

1   Buena Vista 29-7 (N/C)
2   Wisconsin-Stevens Point 29-9 (Up 3 Spots)
3   Wisconsin-La Crosse   28-9   (Down 1 Spot)
4   Wisconsin-Whitewater 28-11 (Up 2 Spots)
5   Bethel (Minnesota) 26-8 (Down 1 Spot)
6   Wisconsin-Oshkosh 24-13 (Down 3 Spots)
7   Coe   22-15 (New Entry)

[ShineTime]

I honestly don't know how they'll approach it but also believe you're right in that it has to be one of those 2 guys starting. I know you had said the best way to make regionals is to win your conference tournament and I obviously agree but I also feel if the Pointers win at least 1 game and don't go 2 and done there's no way possible the regular season conference champion is staying home! If they win it though they're in and hosting a favorable couple of games I'd think and the last thing I want to see is for Whitewater to get in just seems they've hit their stride now and are very dangerous! They probably absolutely have to win the tournament right or what if they make the finals and lose? Anyways good luck to all teams and my guess is there will be some bombs hit so should be entertaining

[cubs]

WIAC Tournament begins on Thursday....

#1 Stevens Point vs #4 UWO (Schultz or Paulsen vs Waco?)

Paulsen vs Brinkman it is....

Paulsen beat UWO 9-1 last weekend giving up that lone run in seven innings of work, while the Pointers defeated Brinkman 7-2 in the series opener.  Brinkman allowed all seven runs to score in his six innings on the mound.

Will history repeat itself, or will the outcome be different today?

I'll definitely be keeping an eye on when/if Waco throws this weekend.  If he doesn't, it makes me think there might be an injury after he didn't throw a single pitch last weekend.

[cubs]

I honestly don't know how they'll approach it but also believe you're right in that it has to be one of those 2 guys starting. I know you had said the best way to make regionals is to win your conference tournament and I obviously agree but I also feel if the Pointers win at least 1 game and don't go 2 and done there's no way possible the regular season conference champion is staying home! If they win it though they're in and hosting a favorable couple of games I'd think and the last thing I want to see is for Whitewater to get in just seems they've hit their stride now and are very dangerous! They probably absolutely have to win the tournament right or what if they make the finals and lose? Anyways good luck to all teams and my guess is there will be some bombs hit so should be entertaining

Does this count as the annual ShineTime "kiss of death?"

No doubt Whitewater has a dangerous lineup, but I'm still a little skeptical....  I don't think they have the pitching depth to make a run this year, and let's not forget that their offensive spike (which coincides with their current 11 game winning streak) was against Edgewood, Carthage, Carroll, Stout and Platteville.  Edgewood is probably the best team of that bunch and all three of their potential opponents this weekend have stronger squads than Edgewood.  There's a reason Whitewater combined to go 3-9 this season against La Crosse (0-4,) Oshkosh (2-2,) and Stevens Point (1-3.)

[cubs]

Anyone know what's wrong with Logan Mattson or am I the only on one who thinks it's a massive loss? Is he injured or just replaced?

Now that the WIAC Tournament has started and the lineup is out, I'll share that Mattson was hit by a pitch in the face against Eau Claire....  There was a concern that there might be some facial fractures, so he went and visited a specialist last weekend.  His availability moving forward is literally a week-to-week thing.  Obviously the longer the Pointers season goes, the odds of him returning increase, however I wouldn't get my hopes up....

[PauldingLightUP]

Long road back in the losers bracket for the hosts as Oshkosh beats Point 5-3. Fifth time was the charm.

[cubs]

Stevens Point pulls Paulsen after just four innings and a 2-1 lead....  UWO greets Beyer with a three-spot in his one inning of work, capped by a 2-run HR from Shiu, and makes it hold up for the 5-3 victory.  (Shiu added a solo HR in the 8th inning off of Carpenter.) 

Stevens Point had a chance to tie it up but stranded the bases loaded in the 8th inning after Logan King struck out Homolka on a full count pitch.

Brinkman was outstanding for UWO, making just a pair of mistakes in the fourth inning (a double to Canterbury which was immediately followed by a 2-run HR by Oliver.)

[PauldingLightUP]

I think I maybe posted the same thing last year. But, I'm of the belief that the day one winners should play first on day two, so they have some rest time for game 5 if they lose the 1-0 game.

[cubs]

WIAC Tournament begins on Thursday....

#2 La Crosse vs #3 Whitewater (Katz vs Bernedt?)

Katz vs Huseboe to start Game #2....

Interesting choice going with Huseboe, although he did give up just a single run over 8.2 IP in a pair of relief appearances against the Eagles earlier this season...

[ShineTime]

All 4 of these teams in my opinion are top 10-15 teams in the nation when they're hot and it's not shocking the Pointers fell to the titans today especially given the fact Oshkosh has some outstanding pitchers. Point now is looking at facing Whitewaters best but the way Point pulled Paulsen after 4 kind of makes me wonder if they're plan going in was to only throw their top 4 pitchers x amount of pitches who knows but going 0-2 in your conference tournament has to hurt where you play next week.

[PauldingLightUP]

La Crosse walks off Whitewater on a two run error, 14-4 in seven.

[cubs]

Despite not hitting on either pitching match-up yesterday, I 'll say we see Schultz vs Berendt in the elimination game this morning at 10:00 AM between Stevens Point and Whitewater and then Anderson vs Walters (assuming Waco is unavailable) in the Winner's Bracket game that sees La Crosse taking on UWO...

Should be a fun filled day of WIAC baseball with three games on the schedule for today!

[cubs]

I think I maybe posted the same thing last year. But, I'm of the belief that the day one winners should play first on day two, so they have some rest time for game 5 if they lose the 1-0 game.

From a players standpoint, I'd much rather play the second game on Day #2 of the tournament as a winner.....

1.  I get a chance to "sleep in" instead of being up at 6:30 for breakfast before heading to the field for BP with the 10:00 start.
2.  If we lose, I'm not sitting around waiting for an entire game to be played and then going through the entire process of "warming up" again...
3.  We've played DH's all season, and that is essentially what you are doing if you lose your first game today and play the next game.

Since 2002, when the current format was adopted, the loser of Game #4 (Winner's Bracket Final) has a 13-3*** record in Game #5 where they turn around and play right away.  It's safe to say that playing back-to-back hasn't been much of a disadvantage?

***No WIAC Tournament in 20018 or 2020
***Format in 2010 and 2011 had only the Top 3 teams qualify for the WIAC Tournament
***Format in 2009 had #3 vs #4 in a single elimination game to open the tournament