BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[cubs]

Seems pretty clear that the WIAC is a two team race this year with Whitewater and La Crosse. While UWO swept Platteville last weeken, La Crosse handled them twice today beating both Brinkman and Walters.

The wheels seem to have fallen off at Stevens Point... After losing three of four to River Falls last weekend, they split with an 0-5 Platteville squad today.

I think UWO probably is the third team in the WIAC Tournament, but I have no clue who will end up snatching the fourth and final spot.

[cubs]

More of the same today...

Whitewater completes four game sweep of River Falls, La Crosse dominates four game series vs UWO by scoring in double digits all four games, Stout sweeps Eau Claire again, and Platteville vs Stevens Point results in a split again today.

[BigPoppa]

Whitewater appears to be the real deal. I always feel the middle of the WIAC is still Top 25 territory, but the middle this season seems down a bit.

[badgerwarhawk]

The WARHAWKS (17-0, 8-0) defeat River Falls (8-9, 3-5) with 69 hits (9 2B,3 3B and 17 HR) outscoring the Falcons by a total of 67-15 in the weekend series.  Obviously pretty much everyone hit the ball hard but hats off to Evan Olson who seeing his first at bat of the season crushed a grand slam and followed up with a solo homer in his second at bat for 5 RBI.  Cade Hansen (4-0) got the win in game one allowing just 2 hits over 6 innings and striking out 5.  Jack Hagen (3-0) took the win in game two surrendering 4 hits and 3 runs with a walk and 5 Ks in his six innings.  Max Huseboe pitched the first 4 innings of game three allowing a single run with 7 Ks before being relieved by Jackson Koening (3-0) who did the next three innings giving up 3 runs with a walk and pair of Ks. Ben Lee was credited with the win in game four though he pitched just 4 innings giving up 4 hits, a pair of walks and striking out 5. Brust relieved him a normal scoring rules should be credited with the win.

The addition of River Falls created a problem balancing home/away games among conference members. So the league changed the format of the midweek games.  Now teams will play one opponent in a midweek series rather than two as we had in the past. Also each team will host one of the two series.  So we play Oshkosh in WHITEWATER this Wednesday and then play the next two in Oshkosh later in the season.

[cubs]

Through two weeks of play, I feel like their is a significant gap from the top two teams in the league (Whitewater & La Crosse) to the third team in the league.  In addition, I don't think the gap from 3rd to 4th/5th/6th is even close to the gap from 1st & 2nd to 3rd...

National Contenders-Whitewater & La Crosse
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.
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WIAC Tournament Qualifier-UWO
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WIAC Tournament Qualifier Contenders-Stout, River Falls, Platteville
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Missing WIAC Tournament-Stevens Point
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Struggle Bus-Eau Claire

[BigPoppa]

Through two weeks of play, I feel like their is a significant gap from the top two teams in the league (Whitewater & La Crosse) to the third team in the league.  In addition, I don't think the gap from 3rd to 4th/5th/6th is even close to the gap from 1st & 2nd to 3rd...

National Contenders-Whitewater & La Crosse
.
.
.
.
.
.
WIAC Tournament Qualifier-UWO
.
.
WIAC Tournament Qualifier Contenders-Stout, River Falls, Platteville
.
.
Missing WIAC Tournament-Stevens Point
.
Struggle Bus-Eau Claire

It would be an incredible feat for UWRF to make the WIAC post-season in their first year in the WIAC. Their proximity to the Twin Cites certainly gives them access to a lot of MN players. 

[cubs]

It would be an incredible feat for UWRF to make the WIAC post-season in their first year in the WIAC. Their proximity to the Twin Cites certainly gives them access to a lot of MN players. 

*In their first year BACK in the WIAC....

I still remember the benches emptying up in River Falls my junior year after the River Falls catcher thought it was a good idea to bounce the ball off the top of the helmet of one of my teammates after recording the third out on a tag play at the plate.  Needless to say, the rest of the series didn't go too well for him and his teammates as we threw a pair of LHP's at them and they combined to score 4 runs in 18 innings.

[cubs]

Stevens Point sweeps Eau Claire, Stout sweeps River Falls, and in the surprise of the day, Platteville eeks out a close 3-2 victory over La Crosse to earn a split.

Whitewater and UWO pushed their DH back to Thursday.

[cubs]

Whitewater strikes out just twice in 17 innings, including none in the opener of the DH, yet still suffers their first loss of the season and are only able to manage a split against UWO today winning 9-2 and losing 6-3.

Whitewater had the advantage in the pitching match-up as they sent Huseboe and Hagen to the mound while UWO went with the committee approach. Everything seemed to point towards a Whitewater sweep, however that's why the games aren't played on paper!

[badgerwarhawk]

We were unable to score on two bases loaded situations in game two.  One with one out and the other with two outs. It was one of those games where we hit the ball ok but we just kept hitting those lazy flyouts.  Most balls that we hit hard we hit directly at someone.

The Titans' pitching strategy was interesting. They essentially used the same pitchers in both games and then brought in Brinkman to finish it.

[badgerwarhawk]

The WARHAWKS (19-2, 10-2) and Eagles (19-4, 10-2) split yesterday's twin bill with the Eagles winning a run ruled 12-1 game one and the WARHAWKS winning game two 8-3. Cade Hansen (4-1) took the loss struggling in his 2 innings allowing 7 runs on 6 hits with a pair of walks and 3 Ks.  Wickman, Tazy and Dupor pitched in relief.  Holland had a pair of hits including a home run for the WARHAWKS only run.  Kaatz (5-1) pitched a complete game for the Eagles allowing 6 hits and striking out 6 with a single walk.

Frank homered and drove in 3 runs while Thies, Scolon, Hopper and Paden all drove in runs in game two as the WARHAWKS took and early 2-1 lead which held till the sixth when we added 5 runs.  Ben Lee (4-1) went 5.2 innings allowing 4 hits, 3 runs with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts for the win. George Hansen and Koening combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings. Hansen had a couple walks and 4 strikeouts.
[/b]/b]

[badgerwarhawk]

The WARHAWKS (21-2, 12-2) take both ends of yesterday's games with the Eagles 12-6 and 4-2 moving them into sole possession of the conference lead.  Eisenbarth returned from an injury to pitch 6 innings for the win in game one.  He allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 3.  Hopper relieved him picking up a 3 inning save after allowing 4 hits, 3 runs and striking out 3.  The WARHAWK bats were on fire pounding out 24 hits. Paden and McVay led the way with four hits apiece while Jackson, Spring, Cootway and Scolon all had 3 hits each and Holland finished with a pair. All of them in addition to Holland and Thies had at least one RBI. Thies, Jackson and McVay each had home runs.

Home runs from Frank (2) and Jackson (1) led the way in the low scoring game two. Huseboe started on two days rest and pitched the first 6 innings allowing a single run on 5 hits and striking out 6.  Koenig relieved him but struggled and was pulled after allowing a pair of hits and a run. Brady Malkow (1-0) got his first WARHAWKS win surrendering a single hit and striking out 2 in 1.2 innings before being relieved by Hagen (S1) who retired the Eagles 1-2-3 to finish.

The wind was howling at Miller Stadium both days and blowing directly out to left field.  Combined the two teams hit 16 home runs over the four games.  I kind of expected more.

[ChickenHoops]

Saw a Point game recently. Not good.

[PauldingLightUP]

It seemed to go very fast, but conference play is already at the halfway mark for everyone.

Whitewater and La Crosse will obviously make the conference tournament, other two spots after that very much up for grabs.