BB: NWC: Northwest Conference

[wildcat11]

Catdomealumni.com is going to host a tailgater on Saturday April 18th before the Linfield/Willamette doubleheader.  Setting up at 9 AM.

You can get all the info on our blog: ADvantage Catdome.

Pass the word around and this is a open tailgater so feel free to drop on by if you are a Bearcat (BPress that is directed at you).

[Bearcat Press]

I appreciate that, 11.  I'll try and stop by if I can.

As far as the game itself, I think I've discovered that Willamette has a serious problem this year.  We have no pitching.  None.  After watching George Fox score 22 runs on 22 hits this afternoon, I really question whether we have the stuff to hang with Linfield, PLU, and GFU.  Granted, we graduated almost all of our rotation from last year, but giving up 20+ runs is entering Whitman territory.

[wildcat11]

I appreciate that, 11.  I'll try and stop by if I can.

As far as the game itself, I think I've discovered that Willamette has a serious problem this year.  We have no pitching.  None.  After watching George Fox score 22 runs on 22 hits this afternoon, I really question whether we have the stuff to hang with Linfield, PLU, and GFU.  Granted, we graduated almost all of our rotation from last year, but giving up 20+ runs is entering Whitman territory.

Yeah, if pitching is a problem then it's going to be long weekends vs. PLU and Linfield.  The Bearcats don't have a whole lot of time to build up confidence with their upcoming trip to Parkland this weekend.

On a sidenote,  I wonder what Pacific’s administration is thinking right now?  They build this really nice new diamond but they decided to save some cash and not install fieldturf.  I guess that is working out well since they played a "home" series out in the Dalles, which was 1/4 of their 2009 home schedule. 
 

[cat_fan_08]

The team with the deepest pitching staff is going to win the conference this year. We saw it last year when George Fox ran out of pitching in the 4th game when they had Linfield on the ropes. Obviously you have to be able to score some runs but it is pitching and defense that wins championships.

Pacific not putting field turf in puzzles me too. They put in a nice new soccer field with turf but they couldn't do it for baseball. I mean the first 2 months of the season it's going to rain. The turf allows you to get out and practice on the field in January between storms without having to worry about the field being a mess.

Maybe it had something to do with title 9.

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome cat fan!

Glad to have new posters on here!

[wildcat11]

Well, it's a three team race now that Willamette was done in by the 'Lutes this past weekend.  HUGE series this weekend with GFU and PLU facing off.  Congrats to L&C for getting off the conference Goose Egg.

                       NWC, Overall
George Fox     10-0,  15-4
Linfield            14-2,  17-3
PLU                 10-2,  14-5
Pacific (Ore.)   5-8,    8-10
Willamette      3-7,    5-11
Puget Sound   2-5,   5-10
Lewis & Clark  2-8,   2-13
Whitworth       2-11, 4-14
Whitman         0-5,    1-10

Cat_fan_08,  I don't think Pacific not opting for FieldTurf had anything to do with Title IX.  Yeah they laid down turf on the soccer field but that field is also used for Lacrosse, Track and Field, and my guess I.M.'s and community use.  They probably felt that since multiple sports used the same field it was reasonable to put in turf and not for single sport facilities (baseball and softball). 

However you nailed it...not only is Pacific now missing out on games due to field conditions but I can't imagine all the practice time that has been compromised.

[Bearcat Press]

I think it's going to be a looooooong season at John Lewis Field.  The skid has now reached ten (10!) in a row, and I see at least six more losses this year (two more to Fox, four to Linfield), though I'd love to be proven wrong.  I still feel we have the bats to place fourth, which is right where we were picked in the preseason poll.  But for a team that was legitimately gunning for a conference title, it's definitely disappointing.

Come on Bearcats!  Prove me wrong!

(OTOH, at least we have softball!  The season-ending Willamette/Linfield series there is shaping up to be a dandy.)

[wildcat11]

(OTOH, at least we have softball!  The season-ending Willamette/Linfield series there is shaping up to be a dandy.)

Hey Press, maybe you could answer me something that I've been wondering about.  Why is Willamette softball ranked #8 in the country?  Yeah, they took 3 out of 4 vs Pacific (who is 12-6) but are they really one of the top ten best teams in DIII right now? 

I ask because it seems that they are always ranked high at the start of each season and usually get snuffed at the end of the season and finish anywhere from 4th to 2nd in the NWC.  Am I missing something here?

[Bearcat Press]

(OTOH, at least we have softball!  The season-ending Willamette/Linfield series there is shaping up to be a dandy.)

Hey Press, maybe you could answer me something that I've been wondering about.  Why is Willamette softball ranked #8 in the country?  Yeah, they took 3 out of 4 vs Pacific (who is 12-6) but are they really one of the top ten best teams in DIII right now? 

I ask because it seems that they are always ranked high at the start of each season and usually get snuffed at the end of the season and finish anywhere from 4th to 2nd in the NWC.  Am I missing something here?

That poll confuses me too.  Up until last week, Wisconsin-Whitewater was ranked #1 - without having even played a game!  The best explanation I can come up with is that only eight coaches (according to their website) vote in the poll.  That being said, Linfield moved up to #11 this week, while the Bearcats jumped one spot to #7.  As both teams continue to win, I think the rankings become more and more justified.  Willamette did just go 5-0 over a span of three days.

[cat_fan_08]

Linfield wrapped up a sweep of Cal State Eastbay today. They look to be a force to be reckoned with. Fox split with PLU today and have two more games tomorrow. If things keep going this way it is going to be very tight come the end of April?

Are any of the teams that had games postponed over the last couple of weeks because of bad weather that won't be making those games up?

[Bearcat Press]

Linfield wrapped up a sweep of Cal State Eastbay today. They look to be a force to be reckoned with. Fox split with PLU today and have two more games tomorrow. If things keep going this way it is going to be very tight come the end of April?

Are any of the teams that had games postponed over the last couple of weeks because of bad weather that won't be making those games up?

Willamette and Fox have a doubleheader scheduled for this Wednesday at noon.  The Bearcats swept a tripleheader from Whitworth today (not sure when/if the fourth game is going to be played - rained out on Saturday).

[wildcat11]

Linfield wrapped up a sweep of Cal State Eastbay today. They look to be a force to be reckoned with. Fox split with PLU today and have two more games tomorrow. If things keep going this way it is going to be very tight come the end of April?

Are any of the teams that had games postponed over the last couple of weeks because of bad weather that won't be making those games up?

Willamette and Fox have a doubleheader scheduled for this Wednesday at noon.  The Bearcats swept a tripleheader from Whitworth today (not sure when/if the fourth game is going to be played - rained out on Saturday).

The weather has really put Fox in a tough spot this week.  They have two HUGE games that were pushed into today with PLU (after splitting yesterday) and then have to wrap up the make ups with Willamette on Wednesday.  I guess it's all arms on deck for the Bruins and this just might be the help PLU and Linfield needed.

[Jack Parkman]

Linfield drops game one to Pacific

[wildcat11]

Jack,

My jaw dropped when I saw that score posted up...'Cats just walked in a run in the top of the 6th of the 2nd game and is down 3-2 going into the bottom of 6.  This could be a VERY bad Saturday for Linfield. 

[Bearcat Press]

I know it's only Whitman . . . but WOW!  Down 9-0 with two outs in the top of the sixth inning (of a seven-inning game) in Walla Walla, the Bearcats score NINE RUNS to send the game into extra innings and win 11-9 in eight!

http://www.willamette.edu/athletics/news/article/2009/04/willamette_rallies_from_90_deficit_to_defeat_whitman_in_eigh.xml