BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

HOLY COW!

Hendrix 11, Trinity 1  (7)

[Ron Boerger]

Congratulations to Hendrix on their first-ever SCAC championship.

[frank_ezelle]

As you all know, I wanted Millsaps to win the SCAC Tournament.  Unlike past years, I'm not going to worry about the chances of getting an at-large bid and post a lot of pros and cons over the next couple of weeks.  The NCAA will do what every they want to do and my posting won't change that.  I will say this however: 

It seems like a grossly flawed system if a team can be a top 5 team in the nation and also #1 in the South by the NCAA standards, and then they lose a 2-run game and a 1-run game and now they aren't good enough to play in the NCAA Tournament?  That thinking seem highly illogical and I hope it proves to be highly illogical.

What we do know is that Hendrix is going to the NCAA Tournament and the only real question I have about their team is how on earth did they finish under .500 for the season (I believe that correct since they have 4 wins over non-NCAA Central Baptist).  To answer my own question, I know the record is skewed because they played what has to be one of the toughest 3 weeks of baseball in D3 in March and their win-loss record really took a dive even though they were playing very well.

Regarding Hendrix as the AQ from the SCAC, I think they will represent the SCAC well with the only problem being that they draw the ace from the #1 seeded team to open the NCAA Tournament. At least it's my assumption that they will be seeded at the bottom of their region or next to last just like Austin was when they won the SCAC AQ in 2007.

Also regarding Hendrix, I was extremely impressed by the comments of the head coach and the players after the game.  When you think about what the Hendrix seniors have been through, you have to be happy for that bunch even while being disappointed for the players on your favorite team.  Once again the Hendrix players proved to me that the vast, vast majority of student-athletes in the SCAC are really quality young adults.  I wish them well in the playoffs.

[Lou_Brown]

Great weekend for Hendrix...I tried to watch most of the games and they just outplayed every team. The diving/ game saving catch the CF made against Trinity on Saturday was the play of the tournament in my opinion.

If you said Hendrix would finish #1 in the SCAC and Centre would finish #3 at the beginning of the year or shoot the beginning of the tourny everyone would have called you crazy..congrats to both teams.

No way Millsaps is left out of the tournament, no way. Baseball is a marathon and even though they had a tough weekend, they were clearly the best team in the SCAC over the entire season.

let the waiting begin...

[Ralph Turner]

All of the South Region action will be completed by the May 7th Regional Rankings.

We will know then how close to the bubble that Millsaps is.

[Gus Sinski]

 Before the energy of the past 72 hours drains from my pretty much sleep-starved and sunburned body, here are a few thoughts from the action in Jackson.

* I'll leave the number crunching to those better educated, but my $0.02 is that the NCAA will not regret handing an at-large berth to Millsaps. It would also, I think, be damned illogical to shut the door on a team that was very recently ranked No. 1 nationally. Regardless, the Majors are a team fully capable of making a push, and I for one hope they'll get the chance to prove it.

* On that end, maybe someone can enlighten me: Does it at least help their cause that they lost to the eventual tournament champion, one that only, gee, let's see, run ruled the runner-up?

* Speaking of Trinity...the best moments in sports are often the ones people don't see. So I felt privilaged to witness Tim Scannell descreetly taking Danny Ward aside after today's game, shaking his hand and telling him what an honor it's been to compete against him. He didn't do it out of obligation, and he didn't do it to get attention. He did it because that's the kind of person Tim Scannell is.

* Caleb Schallawitz.

* If you've watched sports even a bit, you have probably heard announcers talk about how hot artificial surfaces get in warm weather. You may even think you know how this would feel. I submit that you do not. Walking onto the field after the final out of the championship game, I was gripped by two thoughts. The first was My God, what an absolutely amazing feat for a program that's been buried in mediocrity for a decade. This is why I still love sports. The other was Wow, my shoes are melting.

* Hendrix alums from across the lower 48 followed the action this weekend, and all agreed: Whoever does the play-by-play on the Millsaps broadcasts is a consummate pro.

* Caleb Schallawitz.

* When dining in Jackson, dine at The Pizza Shack. Good pizza, $5 pitchers and some of the friendliest stray cats around.

* This is by no means an attempt at rubbing salt on the wound, but it appears Trinity has some issues to address as far as pitching goes for next season. Noah Solomon looks to be the next great Tigers pitcher, but with Bronson graduating there seems to be a drop-off. That said, there will be enough returning pop in the lineup to make Trinity formidable next season, but if and only if some weekend help is found.

* All glibness aside, and on a personal note: Folks, it's always fun to accomplish something major and have your back patted. But it's ultimately more enriching to be the one doing the back patting. I've been lucky enough to succeed at a few things in my life, but few of those moments made me feel as good as watching one of my dearest friends celebrate like a little kid after the final out of the 2009 SCAC baseball championship. Congratulations, Neil. I won't forget it anytime soon.

* Caleb Schallawitz

[frank_ezelle]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS:

With all the excitement generated by Hendrix and the fine play of Centre, keep in mind that with the plans now in place, these two teams would not have been at the tournament.  The new plan is for only the 1st and 2nd place teams from each division participating in the SCAC Tournament in baseball and several other sports.

This rule has to be changed and everyone interested in these SCAC athletes needs to talked to the coaches, the athletic directors, and especially the school presidents who made this decision.  I understand the need to save money, but there have to be better ways to cut costs rather than denying deserving and capable teams and athletes a shot at an SCAC Championship. 

Silence from the fans, parents, etc. on this is a real disservice to the student-athletes of the SCAC.

[infielddad]

To follow on some of Frank's observations:
Congratulations to the Hendrix players and coaching staff!  What a day, what a tournament, what a season!!
For me, this day has some special meaning that might help others have  a glimpse of what this day means at Hendrix.
In 2004,  TU won the SCAC's and our son had a wonderful season.  Through another message board, I received a very nice email.  It was from a 2004 Hendrix player/graduate I had never met.  Included in the email were some thoughts about how our son played the game with respect for his opponents.
In 2004/2005/2006, we continued to email, he continued to follow our son, and even went to see him when Jason played a Milb game near is home in Illinois.
Through these communications, I was impressed with the  love for the game, the love for Hendrix and Hendrix baseball, and that  there was a true appreciation  that while his team struggled, he and his teammates were treated with respect.
Through further emails, I learned the player was thinking of becoming a coach at Hendrix.  He provided glimpses of what he thought they could accomplish and the dream he had for others, that he had not experienced.
Well, that player is now an assistant  coach.
His name is Neil Groat.
Yesterday, he saw his players fulfill the dream he emailed about in 2004/2005.  To the credit of Neil and the Hendrix staff, they created the dream so that others could experience what they did not.  They then did the recruiting and the coaching so this team could share  the dream Neil helped create.
Congratulations to Neil Groat for dreaming big, for standing in your dream, for doing the work to make that dream become real, and for helping others experience what you only dreamed.

[Ron Boerger]

It seems like a grossly flawed system if a team can be a top 5 team in the nation and also #1 in the South by the NCAA standards, and then they lose a 2-run game and a 1-run game and now they aren't good enough to play in the NCAA Tournament?  That thinking seem highly illogical and I hope it proves to be highly illogical.

Agreed.   Here's to Millsaps getting an at-large bid.

[Tojo Buttafuoco]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS:

With all the excitement generated by Hendrix and the fine play of Centre, keep in mind that with the plans now in place, these two teams would not have been at the tournament.  The new plan is for only the 1st and 2nd place teams from each division participating in the SCAC Tournament in baseball and several other sports.

This rule has to be changed and everyone interested in these SCAC athletes needs to talked to the coaches, the athletic directors, and especially the school presidents who made this decision.  I understand the need to save money, but there have to be better ways to cut costs rather than denying deserving and capable teams and athletes a shot at an SCAC Championship. 

Silence from the fans, parents, etc. on this is a real disservice to the student-athletes of the SCAC.

Frank, I could not agree more with this sentiment. As a very, very proud Hendrix alum, I am sad that this is the kind of cost-cutting measure that just deprives deserving kids. It seems to be that there are other ways to cut budgets without taking away opportunities like those that Centre and Hendrix just had.

You would also hope that these private colleges, when their teams get such opportunities, will find the money to support them with donations and fundraisers.

To follow on some of Frank's observations:
Congratulations to the Hendrix players and coaching staff!  What a day, what a tournament, what a season!!
For me, this day has some special meaning that might help others have  a glimpse of what this day means at Hendrix.
In 2004,  TU won the SCAC's and our son had a wonderful season.  Through another message board, I received a very nice email.  It was from a 2004 Hendrix player/graduate I had never met.  Included in the email were some thoughts about how our son played the game with respect for his opponents.
In 2004/2005/2006, we continued to email, he continued to follow our son, and even went to see him when Jason played a Milb game near is home in Illinois.
Through these communications, I was impressed with the  love for the game, the love for Hendrix and Hendrix baseball, and that  there was a true appreciation  that while his team struggled, he and his teammates were treated with respect.
Through further emails, I learned the player was thinking of becoming a coach at Hendrix.  He provided glimpses of what he thought they could accomplish and the dream he had for others, that he had not experienced.
Well, that player is now an assistant  coach.
His name is Neil Groat.
Yesterday, he saw his players fulfill the dream he emailed about in 2004/2005.  To the credit of Neil and the Hendrix staff, they created the dream so that others could experience what they did not.  They then did the recruiting and the coaching so this team could share  the dream Neil helped create.
Congratulations to Neil Groat for dreaming big, for standing in your dream, for doing the work to make that dream become real, and for helping others experience what you only dreamed.

What an exceptional post. Your son was indeed a classy, accomplished player on an incredibly tough team. And Neil is indeed one of the finest people you'll ever meet, absolutely committed to this program and the development of these players.

It's incredible that this Warrior team accomplished what it did for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that for the better part of a decade, it was a program that unfortunately had some coaching instability and some splintering among team members. I think it's safe to say that behind the leadership of RJ Thomas, Neil Groat and Jay Mattox, you now have a bunch of guys who see themselves as a single unit and plays the game day in and day out with vigor and enthusiasm. Hendrix's team stats this year weren't necessarily impressive, but they fielded the ball almost flawlessly, and their pitchers didn't put guys on base like they used to do in the past. Add in the fact that you had a very strong lineup that really started pounding the ball in April, and a shut-down type of reliever in Wheeler Gnat, and the formula for a conference championship team was in place.

Millsaps, incidentally, is absolutely one of the best teams in the country and deserves an at-large bid. After all, they lost three one-run games to Hendrix this year, and now those are quality losses when you consider what the Warriors have done. Jim Page is all class, all the time, and his team merits the bid without question.

[Gus Sinski]

 This probably won't win me any love letters from either the board or my friends in the Hendrix baseball family, but here goes.

As memorable and fun as this past weekend was for all of us who follow the Hendrix program, and knowing full well such a moment would never have happened under the new format, I for one support the conference's proposed changes.

Not because I think they will help, but because I think they're necessary.

The effects of the economic crisis have been worse than anyone initially imagined, and it's hard to find anyone who hasn't been affected directly or indirectly. Even areas that used to be considered sturdy shelters in the midst of unpredictable fiscal winds - like higher education - have been hit and hit hard. Just recently, a private Division II school here in Arkansas that only a year ago was playing for the baseball national championship laid off three athletic department staffers, including their SID. Meanwhile, all assistant coaches in every sport except football were told their contracts would not be renewed.

And of course we have heard of the hard decisions that recently had to be made at Colorado College.

I say this to say that many private universities are presently experiencing near-harrowing drops in endowment. Much as advertising fuels newspapers and consumer confidence fuels car manufacturers, endowment fuels small private colleges.

The choices many of these schools must make to create a sustainable budget often involve reducing costs that do not directly impact a student's academic experience. This forces these schools to make hard decisions on what truly is necessary and what is not.

I understand the argument here is that athletics are part and parcel of the liberal arts college experience. Believe me, you are pontificating to the choir. But the central driving force of these schools is academics. At the end of the day, that's what we love about the colleges we support and discuss here on this board. We're all proud to represent schools that do things the right way.

But right now, the SCAC is a monster covering three time zones. That would create a heavy travel budget for a well-heeled mid-major Division I university, to say nothing of Oglethorpe and Hendrix. In the best of times, traveling in the SCAC was a pricy process. Now it may be untenable.

I would love to see the conference eventually go back to its old baseball tournament format if these rough seas ever calm down. But I am also mindful that these changes are made by the college presidents, and many of these presidents are operating in crisis mode.

Does it break my heart to know another team and another group of fans won't get to experience the unforgettable ride we folks with Hendrix baseball have been on? You bet. But I would gladly give the wonderful weekend I just had away if it means even one student could continue to get the same quality education he expected to receive at a SCAC institution.

There are colleges that are quite literally having to make that choice right now, and to their credit, they consider the academic experience to be sacred when it comes time to make cuts. Unfortunately, that makes for painful cuts in other areas. But like it or not, there's a central mission that unites the colleges of the SCAC, and I believe that mission should remain a top priority no matter the cost.

[frank_ezelle]

Gus,

You won't find a person on the board or at any college in the SCAC who doesn't agree that times are tough and sacrifices need to be made.  The question is which sacrifices.

Let's look at the 2008-09 men's basketball season.  Halfway through the season it was obvious that Millsaps wasn't going to be in the top 2 in the West, but they could still make the SCAC Tournament and get a new beginning.  That gave them motivation for the entire season and it was a tremendous positive for the team.  In the SCAC West and East, every team had this motivation up until the last weekend or two except maybe Rhodes.  On the women's side it was much the same way.

Now under the new system, some teams might be eliminated from the league championship by mid-season.  The majority could very well be eliminated with 2-3 weeks to go.  I don't see where this is good for the athletes or the sports programs at the different schools. 

Maybe instead of eliminating one day of games at the SCAC Tournament, they could instead eliminate one of the crossover weekends.  Heck, eliminate both crossover weekends if you want to really save money--that would save a lot more than cutting the basketball tournament down to 4 teams.  I'm sure their are other things that could be done to save money that wouldn't involve sucking away the motivation to play hard and continue to improve in hopes of a championship.

I understand the need to save in this economy.  I just think the school presidents have decided to cut the tap root instead of pruning the branches.

[Ralph Turner]

I don't know when Centenary College decides that trips to Fargo ND, Brookings, SD, Fort Wayne IN, Rochester MI, and Cedar City UT are too expensive.

I don't even know if they see D-III as an option.

I do think that splitting into two 8-team conferences under an appropriate administrative umbrella that increases the number of AQ's that a mega-conference can receive might be an option.

Who was the D-II school? Ouachita Baptist?  The ASC would love to have them!  We have numerous peer institutions to Ouachita Baptist...Mississippi College, Louisiana College, ETBU, UMHB, Howard Payne and Hardin-Simmons, and that is just the Baptists!

[svbbcoach]

---Okay, put your hand up if you thought Hendrix would be 4-3 after opening with 7 road games--2 at Millsaps, 3 at Austin, and 2 at Trinity?  Both my hands are still on the keyboard.  With 10 of their remaining 13 games at home, you have to believe that Hendrix has a good shot at coming to Jackson for the SCAC Tournament.

What a year for Hendrix Baseball. I laughed my butt off when I read the post above. My son told me about it and that is when I started following the message Board. After only winning 3 conference games last year, I dont think anyone expected this year.

Millsaps, incidentally, is absolutely one of the best teams in the country and deserves an at-large bid. After all, they lost three one-run games to Hendrix this year, and now those are quality losses when you consider what the Warriors have done. Jim Page is all class, all the time, and his team merits the bid without question.

And on the same line, did anyone ever think that Millsaps would be using the competition against Hendrix as a positive point towards getting into the regionals? I understand that this was not the Millsaps team making this comparison. It would be an absolute crime if Millsaps is not included! I believe there are 34 automatic berths out of 54 total berths? You cant tell me that there are 20 higher ranked, more qualified, better (or whatever scenario you chose) than Millsaps. Even if they were to fall to #21 in the country, are all 20 teams above them not earning an automatic bid?

On a final note, I want to shout out to Coach Page as one of the most sincere and respectful baseball coaches I have met. A top class individual and he ran a fantastic tournament this weekend. With an almost 50 player roster, I saw him Sunday morning with a broom in his hand sweeping down the bleachers with his staff. I was honored to meet him before the tournament and thank him at the end of the tournament. His demeanor was no different and just a geniune great guy!

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome svbb!

A point of clarification...

There are 35 conferences that have automatic bids as the SCAC does.  Only 4 do not have a post-season tourney to determine the automatic bid.  And, yes you are correct.  There may 15 teams that are not as good as Hendrix or Millsaps.  They won their conference bid.  They get in.  D-III is about equal access.  It was the SCAC which chose to have the tourney.

There are 355 schools that are in D-III baseball.   The NCAA funds one playoff bid for every 6.5 schools that sponsor the sport.

There are 303 schools in those 35 Pool A conferences.  That gievs a ratio of 1:8.65 (called the access ratio) to determine that the 52 schools not in Pool A conferences get access to 6 Pool B bids.

After those 41 bids have been determined, the remaining (355 - 41) 314 schools are evaluated for 13 at-large bids from the 8 regions.  The criteria are in the Handbook.

http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/champ_handbooks/baseball/2009/3_baseball_handbook.pdf

Last year, D3baseball.com predicted 5 of 6 Pool B's (the 6th being vigorously debated) and 12 of 14 Pool C bids, the 2 that were missed were in the last group of 8 teams considered.  (Two of the fourteen Pool C bids went to teams without a post-season tourney.)

http://www.d3sports.com/dailydose/2008/05/12/2008-ncaa-d-iii-baseball-championship-release/#comments

On Sunday May 10th, D3baseball.com will evaluate the 13 Pool C bids to predict whom the Committee will select.

My guess is that Millsaps needs to be ahead of the best Pool C candidate from the USA South.

I cannot overstate the parity that we have in D-III behind the best 8-15 teams.  There are plenty of qualified teams that are sitting on the bubble.

I wish Millsaps luck, but it will be an anxious 13 days.