BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Lou_Brown]

Oglethorpe ran their winning streak to 8 games after a dramatic come from behind win. Trailing 8-1 in the 4th the Petrels shut down the North Central offense for the next 7 innings. Right hander Kennedy put in some nice work in middle relief and Sarisky did it again striking out 8 over 4 innings and picked up the win.

The Petrels DH Farrey hit a 3-run opposite field HR in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs to send the game to extras where a HBP forced in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th.

Fine win for the Petrels who are back in action Tuesday night against the same North Central team...

[FlightofthePetrel]

Great comeback win for Oglethorpe...  It was the first game (actually the last 2 innings)  but this Petrel team is quite a bit different from years past.  Not sure about the quality of the opponents they are playing but the look and feel is of a team that has confidence that they can beat any team out there.  There is skill at every position and quality pitching (and depth) which hasn't been there in years past.  It will be interesting to see how they fair once conference play finally starts against BSU this weekend.  Hopefully the Petrels will live up to some of the hype they've been forecasted over the past few years.  These are the young Petrels that can and/or should win this year... these guys have been here for a few years now and it's finally time to put it together.


GO PETRELS!

[frank_ezelle]

"Oglethorpe ran their winning streak to 8 games after a dramatic come from behind win."

It must be nice for an OU fan to get the opportunity to write such a sentence.  At the beginning of last year it seemed like the OU program had turned around and then they hit that extremely difficult 20 game stretch where things just fell apart.  It sounds like this year the combination of talent and experience has gotten them over the hump. 

The games with Birmingham Southern will be a strong test.  From what I've seen, the SCAC East is going to be a real dogfight between Rhodes, DePauw, and BSC for the top spot and I think it's going to be hard for the other three to break into that group this year.  Of course, since BSC isn't eligible for the tournament, being 4th isn't so bad this year.

BSC did get votes in the top-25 poll this week.  The Millsaps loss at Hendrix kept them out of the top 3 as they ended up tied for 4th and just 3 points behind the number 3 position (505 votes to 502).  I beleive Millsaps will get an at-large berth if their losses stay at 10 or less and they are at 3 losses plus 2 that would be tacked on if they don't win the SCAC Tournament and therefore need an at-large berth.  Things look good but there's not much room for error when you are trying to keep the safety net of an at-large berth opportunity.

[Ron Boerger]

I didn't realize BSC baseball was non-provisional.    Looking at their history, they had a D1 team but it was disbanded after 2006 and so I guess they got a fresh start in 2008.

Edit:  The 2008 BSC media guide says "Panther Baseball returns to Striplin Field in 2008 after the 2007 season was cancelled.  BSC was granted a one-year exemption by the NCAA to suspend the season after the remaining players transferred to other schools following a decision to reclassify from NCAA Division I to NCAA Division III in May of 2006."

[donotknowscac]

Rhodes played down in Winter Haven Florida this past week.  It was an exciting atmosphere.  When the Cleveland Indians pulled out of Winter Haven and went to Arizona, MattRuss baseball stepped in and brought 200+ teams that played over 600 games to the facility the Indians left.  All divisions were represented.
Got to see Rhodes play a tough schedule.  Rhodes went 3-2.  Got beat by Wisconsin Stevens Pointe in a tight game and got beat by Anderson in the last inning on two errors.
The good news is that Andy Holt is still dealing, a freshman stepped up and pitched a complete game shutout and it looks like a new defensive alignment may be in place to solve the fielding woes Rhodes has faced this year.
The bad news is some of the relievers may be a little tired or ouchy. Some Rhodes relievers have appeared 13 or 14 times in 26 games.  Now with the conference games beginning and no middle of the week games on the schedule hopefully everyone will get over their knicks and bruises.
The big buzz down there was Denison knocking off #1 Trinity in a double header. 
Also, in speaking with fans and other coaches, they were wanting to know how good Millsaps is.
I've seen Rhodes play Millsaps, Wisconsin Stevens Point, Marietta, Ripon, and assorted other good teams and it seems to me that at any time one team could beat the other.  I believe that Millsaps stands above them though, due to the ability to just crush the ball and any time. 
An example is that Rhodes beat Franklin and Marshall 17-14.  Franklin and Marshall swept Denison in a double header.  Denison then sweeps #1 Trinity.  Go figure!
Good luck Rhodes this weekend.  Time to end the home field curse!

[Lou_Brown]

Oglethorpe blasted North Central 24-4 tonight to win their 9th straight...Llano had 2 HR's, and I think 7 RBI's...

Big test for them this weekend as they travel to BSC. ..should be a fun series with both teams playing extremely well. SCAC East will start to shape up here in the next couple of weeks...

[infielddad]

Well, maybe Trinity isn't done after all.
Following Evan Bronson's 5 hit shutout on Sunday, Noah Solomon and Eric Binder combined to give up 2 hits and 2 runs over 8 innings to TLU.
Trinity won 14-6 in a game not nearly that close.
Binder has a very impressive arm but has struggled with control/command.  He is 92-93 based on what I saw against Notre Dame.
Klimesh, the freshman, is also a higher velocity kid who is improving.
Solomon has been quite impressive.
This team can hit.
I listened to Coach Scannell on the SCAC podcast and he talked about the team forgetting last year and recognizing they are good but last year doesn't count.
I wonder if they got counted out too early.
This weekend will provide the answers I think.

[frank_ezelle]

If Trinity got counted out too early, it was only by the Trinity fans or it was in regards to their chances for an at-large bid which would seem to be nil at this point in time.  Considering that Trinity has split all 4 of their 2-game series, that means they have always been at .500 after an SCAC weekend and it would be hard to count a .500 team out of the running for the top 3 in a 5 team league.

When one looks at the SCAC standings, it is obvious that the 3-2 win in the pitching duel between Bronson and Williams was a huge game.  There's a lot of difference between being 4-4 as opposed to 3-5, especially with 9 of your remaining games on the road.  That win is what puts Trinity ahead of Hendrix right now, but Hendrix could eliminate that lead by winning 2 of 3 at home this weekend.

Without a doubt, Trinity still has work to do just to get to the SCAC Tournament, but I really never doubted that they would turn around their season.  Millsaps had some bumps in the road last year in the first half, but losing has a way of bringing a team together and sharpening the focus.  Millsaps was a much different team in the second half of last season and I expect the same from Trinity this year.

[Lou_Brown]

A little quite on the board in the last couple of days. But with big SCAC games upcoming I have a feeling that will change quickly.

Quick Note:

I talked with someone familar with the OU program and b/c of a few rainouts OU will play D1 Georgia State April 1st at Georgia State. This is the same Georgia State that just beat #3 Georgia Tech 10-1 this week. I can't imagine OU having a ton of pitching for this game as they play Rhodes April 3-5... Georgia State is not Notre Dame but nonetheless they are D1.

[tiger_fan2000]

A little quite on the board in the last couple of days. But with big SCAC games upcoming I have a feeling that will change quickly.

Quick Note:

I talked with someone familar with the OU program and b/c of a few rainouts OU will play D1 Georgia State April 1st at Georgia State. This is the same Georgia State that just beat #3 Georgia Tech 10-1 this week. I can't imagine OU having a ton of pitching for this game as they play Rhodes April 3-5... Georgia State is not Notre Dame but nonetheless they are D1.

That is awesome.  Not that OU needs it, but if you look at the TU game v Notre Dame, that would be a turning point for this TU team.  The talk amongst the players was that they deserved to be on the same field as ND.  Since then, the Tigers have played good baseball, with confidence.  Good luck to OU......

[tiger_fan2000]

Are there any Hendrix fans on the board?  I know they got some rain this week, but how much?  I think they are currently getting some, but it is supposed to move out late tonight and be windy.  How does the field drain? 

this is a crucial series this weekend as whomever wins 2 games will have the tie breaker.  Both Hendrix and Trinity have key games in the future, but this series could go a long way in determining who makes the Tournament.  Two wins by Trinity and that gives them some breathing room.  A sweep would be great, but winning 2 would be awesome as it would separate the two teams by 4 in the loss column. 

[Ralph Turner]

I didn't realize BSC baseball was non-provisional.    Looking at their history, they had a D1 team but it was disbanded after 2006 and so I guess they got a fresh start in 2008.

Edit:  The 2008 BSC media guide says "Panther Baseball returns to Striplin Field in 2008 after the 2007 season was cancelled.  BSC was granted a one-year exemption by the NCAA to suspend the season after the remaining players transferred to other schools following a decision to reclassify from NCAA Division I to NCAA Division III in May of 2006."

Handbook

The Handbook has not listed BSC as an eligible member of the SCAC in the South Region of D-III.  See page 38.

The new football program at BSC was not allowed to skip the provisional process.

I am well aware of the numerous inaccuracies that arise in the Handbook, but for now, I will consider BSC baseball as a provisional member of the NCAA.

[frank_ezelle]

I was at Millsaps during lunch and the baseball team was planning to leave at 1:00.  There's some questions about the playing conditions tomorrow in Sherman and the possibility of the series becoming a DH on Sunday.  Here's the lastest forecast for the Austin College area:

Tonight(Friday): Mostly cloudy skies. Low 36F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Tomorrow(Saturday): Variable cloudiness and windy. High around 50F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph.
Tomorrow night: Clear. Cold. Low 32F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, diminishing to 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 50s.

[Ralph Turner]

I was at Millsaps during lunch and the baseball team was planning to leave at 1:00.  There's some questions about the playing conditions tomorrow in Sherman and the possibility of the series becoming a DH on Sunday.  Here's the lastest forecast for the Austin College area:

Tonight(Friday): Mostly cloudy skies. Low 36F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Tomorrow(Saturday): Variable cloudiness and windy. High around 50F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph.
Tomorrow night: Clear. Cold. Low 32F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, diminishing to 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 50s.

Light rain now in the far north Dallas southwest Collin County region  50 miles southwest of Sherman

[Ron Boerger]

The TU website says that today's tennis matches at AC have been postponed due to "weather damage at the Austin College Facilities."  If memory serves the courts are pretty close to the ball field; hopefully they came through OK. 

Edit:  The AC web site shows the tennis matches canceled but the baseball games are still on. 

Good luck to OU next week against Georgia State!