BB: NESCAC: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[JustAFan]

The Williams/Tufts DH has been pushed to Sunday but it's still in Williamstown, while Colby/Bowdoin will be playing their DH Sunday at Tufts. Tomorrow is forecast to be a washout everywhere.

[Bostonian]

great pitching by the Jumbos today as they sweep Williams...2-1 and 2-1.

[frank uible]

Or possibly bad hitting by Williams - a superficial examination of Tufts scores this season before the Williams games, by itself, does not reasonably lead to the conclusion that Tufts pitching has been good.

[JustAFan]

Pretty grouchy reply, Frank. No one suggested Tufts pitching has been great this season. But it was very good today, as Bostonian noted, and I wouldn't denigrate the Jumbo's performance on the mound this afternoon by attributing today's results to poor Williams batting. Let's give the Tufts pitchers some credit for some gutsy efforts in two tight games both of which could have gone the other way.  And let's not forget that Williams got some great pitching efforts today as well from Benz and Horwitz. Benz in particular looked very good, and Gustafson did a very job in relief in the second game as well. Two tight, well played and well pitched games by both teams today in breezy 42 degree, and falling, weather.

[frank uible]

Williams 2 games today vs. Tufts plus its game last Wednesday against Springfield underscore 3 possibilities, among others - namely 1) Williams as a team generally will hit poorly against pitching at or above a certain level which can be readily found in Williams' NESCAC and NESCAC-type opposition; 2) Williams hitting is in a slump against such pitching; and 3) a little bit of both (1) and (2).

[Rick Vaughn]

Williams has already displayed that they can hit good pitching this year, hitting Britton (top 3 in the NESCAC) and Maybe, a weekend guy from Keene, around this year.  It is more a mix of a slump and cold weather.  Tufts did throw well, but Williams squandered some golden opportunities in Game 1 of the DH.  Should have been a split, taking nothing away from Tufts.

[Bostonian]

Tufts' pitching has been weak this year, but Protano and O'Donnell have both looked good. If they can get Telian back to his old self, they could be alright. You can't discount what O'Donnell did yesterday. 2 hits with 7 k's against that lineup is a very impressive outing. The 40 degree weather makes it tough to hit, but it sure as heck doesn't make it all that easy to pitch either.

Regardless, it's Trinity and everybody else this year in the NESCAC. Tufts could take 1 of the 3 in that series, but they are going to be almost impossible to beat come tourney time. Their staff is right up there with most Ivy League staffs...

Bowdoin-Tufts this weekend will probably decide 2nd place in the East.
If Williams takes 2 of 3 from Amherst this weekend, they'll have pretty much locked up the West.

[Rick Vaughn]

Williams-Amherst and Tufts-Bowdoin are obviously the big series this weekend, but Wes-Hamilton could have some playoff implications if Wes sweeps. 

Predictions:

Williams 2 of 3 from Amherst
Tufts 2 of 3 from Bowdoin
Wes Tech 2 of 3 from Hamilton
Trinity sweeps Colby

[frank uible]

Those banjo hitters from Williams will need to wake up. With respect to Trinity bring back Moe Drabowsky!

[Rick Vaughn]

That entire post was over my head...Never heard the term banjo hitters and have no idea who Moe Drabowsky is. 

The biggest problem for the Williams bats was an inability to hit in big situations.  Allemand had the lone two out RBI for the Ephs in 14 innings.  As is true in all baseball games, which ever team hits better with runners in scoring position will win the series.  The Ephs lineup will have more chances to hit in those situations. 

Another side story from the Tufts-Williams DH last weekend.  Ragonese had a great week and has, in my opinion, moved ahead of Pinto in the NESCAC Player of the Year talks. NESCAC coaches would never do it, but Kiely should win both Pitcher and Player of the year.  ZERO walks in 34.2 innings.  Wow.

[formerbant10]

That entire post was over my head...Never heard the term banjo hitters and have no idea who Moe Drabowsky is.   

Another side story from the Tufts-Williams DH last weekend.  Ragonese had a great week and has, in my opinion, moved ahead of Pinto in the NESCAC Player of the Year talks. NESCAC coaches would never do it, but Kiely should win both Pitcher and Player of the year.  ZERO walks in 34.2 innings.  Wow.

Drabowsky was a Bantam pitcher who threw for 17 seasons in the majors!  I've also heard that he was quite the practical jokester in the locker room.

Kiely is having another very good season....glad to see the Bants doing well.

[Old Spartan]

Yes, but what is a banjo hitter?

[Pat Coleman]

Picture the power generated by someone hitting with a banjo.

[Old Spartan]

Gotcha thanks, they may not hit it far but perhaps they could string together a few infiedl singles.   

[Rick Vaughn]

Any analysis on the Tufts-Bowdoin game from yesterday?  Most impressive line:  Pat Driscoll 2 innings and 6 K's for the save.  He struck out 1, 2, 3 of the Tufts lineup in the 9th to seal it.