BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[szlongball]

Thought Point got to him in the conference tournament or the regional Championship game.

[BaseballFan]

I guess it all depends on a teams overall goal. Some are to make it the regional and some are to win the regional. Right now it seems like UWOs goal is to make it to the regional. Its tough to win 4 games riding mainly 2 pitchers. Need to have a deep pitching staff for 4 games, more if you lose.

Its different to pitch your horse of your staff on short days rest in the playoffs and its another to be doing it in the regular season. It will be interesting to see how things pan out.

[xyz123]

I highly doubt that UWO would ever be satisfied with, or set a goal to just make it to a regional.  They want to make it, and they want to win it.  Their pitching, like alot of other teams, will have to develop as the season moves along.  And you are correct, it will be interesting to see what happens.

[badgerwarhawk]

The four game weekend series will be changing after this season concludes.  It's my understanding that the league will go to three game weekend series with one game on Friday and a doublehitter on Saturday leaving Sunday open for any weather related problems.  I guess the teams will still play each other four times but I'm unclear on how or when the fourth game would be played.   

[cubs]

Thought Point got to him in the conference tournament or the regional Championship game.

Gerl did not pitch in either the WIAC tournament game that Point won 9-2 or the Regional Championship game that Point won 6-0.  Point beat up on Roos and Mumper in the WIAC Tournament and Rubens and Bolton in the Regional.

[BaseballFan]

The four game weekend series will be changing after this season concludes.  It's my understanding that the league will go to three game weekend series with one game on Friday and a doublehitter on Saturday leaving Sunday open for any weather related problems.  I guess the teams will still play each other four times but I'm unclear on how or when the fourth game would be played.   

That seems odd-meaning they are playing 4 times but only 1 on friday and 2 on saturday so they suppose to travel up and play another time. If they do make the switch either play 2 on friday/2 saturday for 4 games or just play 1 on friday/2 saturday for 3 games i think it will be nice to have that sunday open for weather

[szlongball]

Thought Point got to him in the conference tournament or the regional Championship game.

Gerl did not pitch in either the WIAC tournament game that Point won 9-2 or the Regional Championship game that Point won 6-0.  Point beat up on Roos and Mumper in the WIAC Tournament and Rubens and Bolton in the Regional.

I stand corrected. Thanks.

[Just Bill]

The four game weekend series will be changing after this season concludes.  It's my understanding that the league will go to three game weekend series with one game on Friday and a doublehitter on Saturday leaving Sunday open for any weather related problems.  I guess the teams will still play each other four times but I'm unclear on how or when the fourth game would be played.   

That seems odd-meaning they are playing 4 times but only 1 on friday and 2 on saturday so they suppose to travel up and play another time. If they do make the switch either play 2 on friday/2 saturday for 4 games or just play 1 on friday/2 saturday for 3 games i think it will be nice to have that sunday open for weather

I have a feeling they are going to scrap the fourth game altogether and just play everyone three times.  There's just no way you can justify some of the longer trips (WW to SUP?  PLT to SUP? Stout to OSH?) on a weeknight, to only play one game.

That means teams will have to pick up a few more non-conf games.

[badgerwarhawk]

I agree the scheduling of the fourth game makes no sense.  With it already being somewhat of a scramble to find enough nonconference games adding six to the total isn't going to make anything easier.

From what I understand it's the pitching depth issue that is prompting the change. 

[OshDude]

The four game weekend series will be changing after this season concludes.  It's my understanding that the league will go to three game weekend series with one game on Friday and a doublehitter on Saturday leaving Sunday open for any weather related problems.  I guess the teams will still play each other four times but I'm unclear on how or when the fourth game would be played.   

That seems odd-meaning they are playing 4 times but only 1 on friday and 2 on saturday so they suppose to travel up and play another time. If they do make the switch either play 2 on friday/2 saturday for 4 games or just play 1 on friday/2 saturday for 3 games i think it will be nice to have that sunday open for weather

I have a feeling they are going to scrap the fourth game altogether and just play everyone three times.  There's just no way you can justify some of the longer trips (WW to SUP?  PLT to SUP? Stout to OSH?) on a weeknight, to only play one game.

That means teams will have to pick up a few more non-conf games.

I think the WIAC should keep the four-game weekends for the distant teams, but play shorter games. I don't know if there's ever been talk in the WIAC of playing 7-inning games or a 9/7 split, but many of the nation's conferences play shorter games. In the end, that doubly taxes WIAC teams – not many conferences regularly play four-game weekends, and the ones that do rarely (never?) play four 9-inning contests.

In a way the WIAC schedule prepares its teams for the potentially arduous postseason pitching schedules. But by the time some WIAC teams get to regionals (and often before regionals), WIAC pitching staffs have carried a burden not many other teams in the nation have. I don't have definitive proof of that, but when I look around the nation I don't see many, if any, other teams playing four 9-inning games in two days in the regular season.

Pitching depth is always key for all teams, but there are many other factors (how to use the staff ace, etc.) in the WIAC and that makes it even harder than the leagues that play three-game weekends, sometimes with 7-inning games (I think. Again, this is a knee-jerk response and not based on all empirical data). Going to 7-inning games or using some sort of 9/7 split would go a long way to easing the burden on WIAC pitchers, especially now that Superior is no longer a "bye" where you could use just about anyone.

Is it for "purist" reasons that the WIAC remains a holdout by playing all 9-inning games – most of the time four games in two days?

A final thought: The WIAC teams that have ultimately succeeded in the tournament and won regionals (Point, Whitewater, Oshkosh) have mostly featured ridiculous pitching talent to aid very good offenses (Zimmerman, Reinhard, Tomas..., Timm, Taschner, Glysch, Kimball, Grater, Washburn and other draftees). Without a WIAC team having, by far, the best pitching talent (either individual or team depth), I think the conference will come up short, thanks to its regular-season structure.

[cubs]

I know one coach out there who would never vote for changing to seven inning games.... 

[BaseballFan]

Oshdude I like what you had to say and had some of the same thoughts.

The South and West can afford to play 9 inning games because their games are spaced out over a much longer time and they dont play 4 nines in two days. Its hard on the WIAC to play 4 9 inning games in a weekend. i think they should make the switch to 3 9s or 4 7s

[cubs]

Its hard on the WIAC to play 4 9 inning games in a weekend. i think they should make the switch to 3 9s or 4 7s

Looking at those options, I'd take 3 nine inning games in a heartbeat.....

Seven inning games are for softball, although with the dimensions of some of the WIAC fields, I guess it would fit.....

[Just Bill]

Seven inning games stink for college baseball.  I understand the reasons to do it, but it still stinks.

I'd be fine with three nines and I guess two 7/9 doubleheaders would be OK.  If they went to four 7-inning games that would be REALLY disappointing.

[OshDude]

I know one coach out there who would never vote for changing to seven inning games.... 

Hmm, wonder who that is? LOL. Good point. +1