BB: NWC: Northwest Conference

[wildcat11]

Interesting day today.  UPS takes two from PLU.  UPS is a scrappy squad this year.  Linfield takes two from Whitworth, manhandling them in game two.  Whitman split with GF, winning 3-2 in game one on a on a walk-off hit, then losing game two in the 10th, after relinquishing a 1-0 lead with two outs in the 9th on a run-scoring wild pitch/passed ball. 

No easy days at the park in the NWC this year.

Yup.  Linfield needs to get that sweep tomorrow.

[Piobark]

While not of interest in the league leaders race, LC finally got its first conference win over Willamette... Making it a very interesting weekend for that team. 

[wildcat11]

With the sweep Linfield still maintains their slight NWC lead at the 1/2 way point and sends Whitworth into a tie for 5th.

We learned that we can win on a national level. We belong there, that Whitworth baseball is going to continue to go to Appleton year in and year out"

Whitworth Head Coach Dan Ramsay (May 31, 2012)

Yup.

[Westside]

Whitman beats George Fox 7-5 to win the series (Their first NWC series win since last March).

Linfield now has a two game lead over the 2nd place Bruins.

[Spence]

Interesting day today.  UPS takes two from PLU.  UPS is a scrappy squad this year.  Linfield takes two from Whitworth, manhandling them in game two.  Whitman split with GF, winning 3-2 in game one on a on a walk-off hit, then losing game two in the 10th, after relinquishing a 1-0 lead with two outs in the 9th on a run-scoring wild pitch/passed ball. 

No easy days at the park in the NWC this year.

Yup.  Linfield needs to get that sweep tomorrow.

For me, Linfield is the #1 team at this time by some margin. Playing very very well against a solid schedule.

[D O.C.]

Somebody better break it to Brosius this is a football school. 

[CrashDavisD3]

Somebody better break it to Brosius this is a football school. 

Not really...How many times has baseball times have won and headed to the NCAA championship series in Appleton. Seems baseball has been getting deeper more in the playoffs than football has.

[108 Stitches]

Somebody better break it to Brosius this is a football school. 

No offense but the best DIII football teams would be CREAMED by a mid major D1 football team, and the best DIII baseball teams would give most mid major D1 teams a game day in and day out.

[wildcat11]

Linfield's lead shrinks to a single game as the 'Cats drop one to UPS and Fox sweeps Whitworth (Rats have just fallen off the map this year).  Fox and Linfield both have PLU but I have a feeling the conference title is going to come down to that Linfield/Fox series.

[D O.C.]

...and I was being facetious having read the NWC basketball board recently.

[playball]

Somebody better break it to Brosius this is a football school. 

He is being sarcastic.  He doesn't like to add much to conversation besides outdated views on Linfield, which in turn, he probably hasn't been on campus in many years.  Its tough to have two cents about anything being so far removed and enjoying the retired life in Orange County.

Now, time for something that will add to the boards.

I am surprised that Whitworth has fallen off this year. However, with a big year they had last year (Overachieved?) They most likely won't see benefits of recruiting from it for a couple years.  Freshmen sometimes make big differences however, not very often.

In breaking news, Linfield pitching finally gave up a homerun.  Usually not a huge deal, but this was a grandslam late in the game (8th inning).  Tough break for Huckins and tough break for Speyer's ERA.  The Linfield-Fox series will decide the conference champion per usual.  I'm glad things are getting back to normal after last years missed playoffs.  Hopefully neither team will overlook their PLU series and Fox needs to watch out for UPS, who seems to be sneakily good some weekends.

As for D3 baseball challenging mid majors, that is completely justifiable.  It owes to how the game is.  One bad pitch, one hop going either way, some pitcher being a little off, or whatever it may be allows for anyone to beat anyone on any given day (However cliche that is, its true!) 

Predictions: Fox will lose one game in each of the next two series and will need to sweep Linfield in the final conference series of the season.  Flashback: Fox was put in this same position a couple of years ago and almost pulled it off save for Linfield figuring it out in the last game.  I love this time of year.

Last thing:Wylie for MVP?  The kid is on fire

[(509)Rat]

Whitworth definitely didn't get "lucky" last year. Overacheived, yeah it certainly seems like it.

They just aren't getting the production from as many people in the lineup this year and the pitching hasn't been as reliable. They were out of it after the Linfield series, but GF was icing on the proverbial cake.

They have a bunch of winnable games left. Just need to get through the rest of conference play and finish in the top half to maintain whatever confidence this team had heading into this year. Hopefully a steady HC, good recruiting, and a remodeled facility help them to be more consistent so that they can be thrown in with Linfield, GF, and PLU as yearly contenders. Would hate to see them go back to the league cellar-dwellers that they've been in the past.

I guess I'll just have to be content with a 6th straight all-sports trophy 

[wildcat11]

I guess I'll just have to be content with a 6th straight all-sports trophy 

HAHAHAHA. You're a gem, Rat. 

D O.C......I'll see you up at the 'Catdome this fall (multiple time) just like I have for years and years.

[D O.C.]

I remember slipping on my ass in Whitewater too.
Perhaps the heat of Thousand Oaks blotted that memory out.
I've always got Redlands to fall back on.
But let's get back to baseball...all the Chapman / LINFIELD Regionals I watched years ago down here in Orange always came down to opportunities seized and risks taken. LINFIELD now takes risks. I like that-as a fan.
Do they have the pitching necessary for the Midwest tournament? I expect so. Ranked #1 with 4 losses is a hint.

[playball]

Listening to the Linfield/PLU game online and these guys doing the broadcast are quality!