BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Gus Sinski]

 Okey dokey, the gauntlet has been thrown and it goes as such for the Hendrix Warriors:

Win next weekend's three-game series against Southwestern in Georgetown and they're in.

Let's throw out a little perspective. The last time Hendrix took a trip to the SCAC post-season, the year was 1999. In 1999...
* Apple debuted the "clam shell" iBook
* Texas Governor George W. Bush announced he would seek the Republican presidential nomination
* A guy named Lance Armstrong won his first Tour De France
* Moviegoers flock to see The Matrix and Fight Club
* David Cone pitches a perfect game for the New York Yankees
* Yours truly shocks several in his community by graduating from high school in one piece, and sends further ripples of surprise by getting into a college without the word "vocational" in the title
* Present-day Hendrix coaches R.J. Thomas, Neil Groat and Jay Mattox were playing high school baseball.

It can't rain forever, right?

[Lou_Brown]

OU swept a doubleheader from Sewanee on a foggy, windy, chilly Saturday. OU was down 1-0 in game one with Sewanee starter Bareski (SP) dominating the Petrels. But once again the Petrels found a way to score a couple of runs in the 7th on some timely hits and Sarisky came in and closed the door.

Game two saw starter Hale throw a CG, six-hitter giving up just one unearned run. OU pounded out 15 hits including 4 from Llano, 2 from Rizzo and 3 from Brazenas.

Petrel pitchers gave up just two runs, one earned in 18 innings. And only walked one batter.

Game 3 was postponed and will be played on Monday (Sewanee can't play on Easter). Of course the weather forecast looks rainy for monday.

[tiger_fan2000]

Trinity certainly came up big this weekend with a sweep that puts them into the SCAC Tournament.  Millsaps is a lock at #1, Trinity is a lock to be in the tournament at either #2 or #3, and the winner of the Southwestern at Hendrix series will be the third representative.  As important as the Trinity at Millsaps series might be to both of those teams, the key series in the West will be the one in Conway.

The East is still a mess with one series rained out and the leader of the division ineligible to go to the SCAC Tournament.  My gut feeling is that the three teams from the West will be stronger as a group than the three teams from the East, but it seems like the gap is closing a little.  That's especially true regarding whoever ends up being the #3 seed in the East.  That's going to be a good team and no pushover for the #1 in the West.

Frank....while it appears Millsaps to be a lock, I think a sweep next weekend by the Tigers puts TU and MC at identical records, with TU winning the series, I think TU would be the #1 seed.  That is a highly unlikely scenario, but so did a sweep of the pirates.

[frank_ezelle]

You are correct about Trinity being able to win the SCAC West Regular season championship with a sweep at Millsaps.  Well, technically I think the teams would be co-champions but Trinity would get the #1 seed.

That could be seen as motivation for Millsaps or motivation for Trinity, but let's face it, both teams will already be 100% focused on these games.  With no disrespect intended for the teams in the East, I'd be willing to say that these three games coming up will be tougher for both Millsaps and Trinity than the first three games that they'll play in the SCAC Tournament.  It should be great fun and I hope the Millsaps faithful will turn out for all three games.

[tiger_fan2000]

You are correct about Trinity being able to win the SCAC West Regular season championship with a sweep at Millsaps.  Well, technically I think the teams would be co-champions but Trinity would get the #1 seed.

That could be seen as motivation for Millsaps or motivation for Trinity, but let's face it, both teams will already be 100% focused on these games.  With no disrespect intended for the teams in the East, I'd be willing to say that these three games coming up will be tougher for both Millsaps and Trinity than the first three games that they'll play in the SCAC Tournament.  It should be great fun and I hope the Millsaps faithful will turn out for all three games.

It is going to be a great two weekends of baseball.  Looking at the bracket for the SCAC tournament.....Looks like it would be better for TU to the be the #3 seed.  The winner of W1/E3 plays the winner of the W2/E2 in the 2nd round.  Because of the wonderful 6 team tournament, the winner of the W3/E1 gets to play the loser of the W1/E3.  Not that I am assuming TU would beat the E1 seed, I am confident enough in the Evan Bronson that I have seen the last 3 weeks to say that I will take him against anyone else's #1 in the SCAC. 

It is going to be fun......

[Lou_Brown]

Two things:

1. Don't count out the East folks....don't do it. There is some damn good baseball being played in the SCAC East.

2. I don't think Bronson pitches the 1st game of the tournament for Trinity. More on that next week.

[tiger_fan2000]

Two things:

1. Don't count out the East folks....don't do it. There is some damn good baseball being played in the SCAC East.

2. I don't think Bronson pitches the 1st game of the tournament for Trinity. More on that next week.

On your #2.....why wait until next week.  I watched him pitch on Friday and he looked fine to me.  Is he hurt?

[donotknowscac]

Hey Lou, Ain't it fun up there on the mountain.  Last year Rhode's game with them was fogged out.  That was a first!

The Lynx went to Birmingham and got just plain ol' beat in two games.  The game in the middle was not for lovers of the game.  I gave up counting errors by both teams at 12.  But at this point of the season a win is a good thing.

I was very impressed with Birmingham Southern's stadium, scoreboard, fans, fan turnout, coaching and of course their baseball team.

In speaking with other coaches, fans, prospective players, etc., they run a great program and have lots of $$$.

BS is gonna be a 2000 lb. gorilla wandering around the SCAC after they get through this reclassification thing.

Looks like the east is boiling down to the last weekend.  Haven't tried to mathematically figure it out, but I'm sure after next weekend the series that was lost due to weather in the East will be a topic of conversation with some team.

[frank_ezelle]

Two things:

1. Don't count out the East folks....don't do it. There is some damn good baseball being played in the SCAC East.

2. I don't think Bronson pitches the 1st game of the tournament for Trinity. More on that next week.

I don't think anyone is counting out the East at all.  Regarding my statement about the toughness of the upcoming Trinity @ Millsaps series, wouldn't you agree that:

1)  Trinity won't face 3 games tougher to start off the SCAC Tournament than facing Millsaps on the road--I think this point is a given.

2)  Trinity is 11-4 over their last 15 games which makes them the 2nd hottest tournament eligible team in the conference right now.  It would be hard to argue that Millsaps will face 3 tougher games to open up the SCAC Tournament.

I wasn't demeaning the teams from the East, just giving a reasonable observation.

By the way, here's the link to the SCAC Tournament website:  http://www.gomajors.com/sports/2009/4/2/BB_0402092119.aspx?path=baseball

[frank_ezelle]

Oh yeah, it would be hard to see the logic in not pitching your #1 on Thursday which would then give him 2 days of rest before coming back and pitching on Sunday.  I would be surprised if Bronson didn't pitch the opening game--just as it would have shocked me if he had pitched against Notre Dame and not Millsaps.

[HeadingForHome]

Hey Lou, Ain't it fun up there on the mountain.  Last year Rhode's game with them was fogged out.  That was a first!

The Lynx went to Birmingham and got just plain ol' beat in two games.  The game in the middle was not for lovers of the game.  I gave up counting errors by both teams at 12.  But at this point of the season a win is a good thing.

I was very impressed with Birmingham Southern's stadium, scoreboard, fans, fan turnout, coaching and of course their baseball team.

In speaking with other coaches, fans, prospective players, etc., they run a great program and have lots of $$$.

BS is gonna be a 2000 lb. gorilla wandering around the SCAC after they get through this reclassification thing.

Looks like the east is boiling down to the last weekend.  Haven't tried to mathematically figure it out, but I'm sure after next weekend the series that was lost due to weather in the East will be a topic of conversation with some team.

Dontknowscac, Rhodes didnt get fogged out they were clouded out and it is appearently a common problem for Sewanee home games.   I am pretty sure that I have only see one sunny and pleasent day in my three trips that I have made up to the mountain.  Fun times.

I do agree with you about BSC they are a very talented team and they just seem to hit everything but does anyone know when they will be done with the reclassification?

I was going to try give a break down on the East bracket but work appears to be getting in my way maybe more to come later.

[Ralph Turner]

...

I do agree with you about BSC they are a very talented team and they just seem to hit everything but does anyone know when they will be done with the reclassification?
...

BSC becomes a full member in 2011-2012.

[frank_ezelle]

Most of you probably already know this, but the poll question above shouldn't include Trinity since they have locked up a berth in the tournament.  Southwestern and Hendrix both have to win twice to have a hope of catching Trinity, and since those teams play each other this weekend, there's no way that both can win twice in a 3-game series.

[HeadingForHome]

Well that breakdown isn't going to come because frankly there are way too many possibilities but I can say that Sewanee has been eliminated unless they make up that game with Oglethorpe and win but from what I hear that doesn't sound like that game will be made up but you never know.

If the Sewanee and Oglethorpe do not play than I can say with some confidence that DePauw, Rhodes, Oglethorpe, and Centre all are mathematically eligible to take the number one spot for the East in the tournament.  So this should turn out to be a crazy weekend in the east.

[frank_ezelle]

Remaining games in East:

BSC (9-3) @ Centre (4-5)
OU (4-4) @ DePauw (7-5)
Sewanee (2-9) @ Rhodes (6-6)

---Obviously Rhodes should win at least 2 of 3 and make the tournament.
---DePauw is playing a tougher team, but they should win 1 of the 3 at least and that's all they should need to get in the tournament.
---Centre is sort of screwed.  They are now a half game behind OU where they really needed Sewanee to beat OU on Monday.  That means Centre needs to do one game better than OU this weekend--the best scenario on that would be Centre taking 1 and DePauw sweeping OU.  Personally, I think OU takes at least one game which would mean Centre has to win 2 of 3 from BSC--I don't see that happening.

If I had to predict the final standings in the East, I'd say:

BSC 11-4 but not eligible for the tournament.

DePauw 9-6 (they hold the tiebreaker over Rhodes)
Rhodes 9-6
OU 5-6
Centre 5-7
Sewanee 2-12