BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[frank_ezelle]

While I don't think any team has technically clinched a spot in the West, the Austin sweep of Millsaps plus Trinity taking two of three from Hendrix greatly increased the probability that the three teams from the SCAC West will be Austin, Trinity and Millsaps.  For that to change, either Hendrix or Southwestern would have to win just about every game and one of the current top 3 would have to lose just about every game.  A possibility, but not a probability.

While I hate to say it, you have to give Austin credit for this weekend.  Last week I was writing about giving Southwestern credit for coming back on Austin and keeping their hopes alive.  This week Austin did the same to Millsaps, winning the DH on Saturday with 7 runs and 3 runs in the bottom half of the last inning to come from behind for victories.  I have a longer post about Austin and Millsaps, something from the first time these teams met, and I might get to that later when I have more time.

For Millsaps, now is the time to regroup and not the time to panic.  It is two weeks and five games before the next SCAC games, a 3 game series with SW at Millsaps.  It's a nice break of games that the team would like to win, but doesn't have to win.  A nice stretch where the team can iron out some of the problems that cropped up in Sherman, TX.

[ILVBB]

After watching games this weekend and seeing the results both in Sherman and San Antonio; it is clear to me that teams have adjusted to what they say the first time through. It may be in how players are defensed or the approach that pitchers take with certain batters; change is occuring.

How it continues to occur and the success that teams find as they continue to make adjustments will have a far greater impact than what occured the 1st half of the season.

But then again; I may be nuts?

[frank_ezelle]

So how would Millsaps respond to a 4-game losing streak including being swept 3-0 at Austin this past weekend?  How about with a 19-7 victory over 10th ranked MS College in a game ended after the top of the 7th.  (MS College is currently 10th in the D3baseball poll and 4th in the coaches poll.)

The webcast was video only and I started watching in the top of the third with Millsaps leading 6-4.   MS College had a runner on 2nd and no outs (maybe a runner on 1st as well).  John Marshall Pemberton was just finishing his warmup pitches.  Here's what I saw from that point on:

---John Marshall, a junior who got somewhat lost in the shuffle early in the season, had one of the best pitching performances of the season considering the competition.  He allowed a 2-run homer in the 6th and was tagged for a run in the top of the 7th while going 4.2 innings.  Boomer Hudson came in and got the last out to end the game via the 10-run rule.

---Jason Riggins, a junior,  was rewarded with the DH spot after going 3 for 5 (2 doubles) in his first start of the season last Sunday.  He responded with a 2-run homer and 3-run triple in the at-bats that I saw.

---Tyler Berry, the current offensive player of the week, got another home run to raise his total to at least 9.

---And last but not least, camerman Stephen Gates did a great job of keeping the viewers aware of the count, score, etc, throughout the game.  I'm sure he would rather be healthy and out on the field, but we certainly appreciate the job he does on the camera.

It was a very good and much needed victory for the Majors.

[Ralph Turner]

So how would Millsaps respond to a 4-game losing streak including being swept 3-0 at Austin this past weekend?  How about with a 19-7 victory over 10th ranked MS College in a game ended after the top of the 7th.  (MS College is currently 10th in the D3baseball poll and 4th in the coaches poll.)

The webcast was video only and I started watching in the top of the third with Millsaps leading 6-4.   MS College had a runner on 2nd and no outs (maybe a runner on 1st as well).  John Marshall Pemberton was just finishing his warmup pitches.  Here's what I saw from that point on:

---John Marshall, a junior who got somewhat lost in the shuffle early in the season, had one of the best pitching performances of the season considering the competition.  He allowed a 2-run homer in the 6th and was tagged for a run in the top of the 7th while going 4.2 innings.  Boomer Hudson came in and got the last out to end the game via the 10-run rule.

---Jason Riggins, a junior,  was rewarded with the DH spot after going 3 for 5 (2 doubles) in his first start of the season last Sunday.  He responded with a 2-run homer and 3-run triple in the at-bats that I saw.

---Tyler Berry, the current offensive player of the week, got another home run to raise his total to at least 9.

---And last but not least, camerman Stephen Gates did a great job of keeping the viewers aware of the count, score, etc, throughout the game.  I'm sure he would rather be healthy and out on the field, but we certainly appreciate the job he does on the camera.

It was a very good and much needed victory for the Majors.

Who pitched for Mississippi College?

[frank_ezelle]

Good question Ralph.  With it being a video only game, I really have no clue on who MS College used in the game.  It was an important game for MS College from the standpoint of ranking and keeping pace with Belhaven for the Maloney Trophy, but I recognize that both teams might have been going with less than their top 3.  I'll keep an eye out for a box score this evening and post it if I find one before going to bed.

[frank_ezelle]

Chris may post something before I get through with this post since I see he is logged on the board.  Here is a link to the Millsaps story and it has a link to the box score:

http://www.gomajors.com/news/2010/3/30/BB_0330104817.aspx

[golden_dome]

Who pitched for Mississippi College?

Craig Mackay started, Preston Necaise, Bubba Davis and Daniel Cowart relieved. Mackay has been a weekend starter most of the year after Brandon Martin went down but struggled for the second straight start after getting one out against UTD last weekend. Necaise and Davis haven't had a lot of work this year but have both pitched well. Cowart has been great all year but we were already buried when he came in, and he wasn't bad to be honest.

I'll say this about Millsaps, they barreled about everything they swung at.  Mackay actually beat them earlier this year with a good start but they roughed him up pretty good tonight.  I'm sure they were embarrassed after last weekend, and got after it tonight. MC had given up 47 earned runs in 196 innings, and gave up 18 earned runs tonight in six innings. We swung it well, but just couldn't slow them down at all. Humbling is probably the best way to describe tonight's game for the Choctaws.

[Ralph Turner]

Who pitched for Mississippi College?

Craig Mackay started, Preston Necaise, Bubba Davis and Daniel Cowart relieved. Mackay has been a weekend starter most of the year after Brandon Martin went down but struggled for the second straight start after getting one out against UTD last weekend. Necaise and Davis haven't had a lot of work this year but have both pitched well. Cowart has been great all year but we were already buried when he came in, and he wasn't bad to be honest.

I'll say this about Millsaps, they barreled about everything they swung at.  Mackay actually beat them earlier this year with a good start but they roughed him up pretty good tonight.  I'm sure they were embarrassed after last weekend, and got after it tonight. MC had given up 47 earned runs in 196 innings, and gave up 18 earned runs tonight in six innings. We swung it well, but just couldn't slow them down at all. Humbling is probably the best way to describe tonight's game for the Choctaws.

We don't get much info from the sweeps of Schreiner (on the road) and Concordia (in Clinton) about how good Mississippi College is.

The UTT games (winning series at SRSU 2-1, winning the HSU series in Tyler 2-1, losing 2 each to TLU and UMHB) make me think that UTT has not put it together yet.

I am trying to figure if Mississippi College has the pitching depth to go far in the tourney.  Pitching has been the weakness of the ASC in the NCAA's.

[frank_ezelle]

Millsaps will webcast their DH with LaGrange today and the single game tomorrow:

Starting time for Friday's DH is 1:00 Central time and approximately 4:00.  The singe game on Saturday starts at 11:00.

Link for webcast:  http://atwsportscast.com/Colleges/Players/Millsaps%20College.htm  (it really does take about 45 seconds for the video to start)

Link for live stats:  http://home.lagrange.edu/athletics/stats/Baseball/live/xlive.htm

Link for LaGrange stats:  http://home.lagrange.edu/athletics/stats/Baseball/teamcume.htm

Link for Millsaps stats:  http://gomajors.com/custompages/Baseball/10Baseball/stats/teamcume.htm

[frank_ezelle]

Am I correct that a loss this evening would eliminate Hendrix from any shot at the SCAC Tournament?  Hendrix is currently 5-10 in the SCAC and are holding a 7-3 lead over Austin after 6 this evening. 

If Hendrix loses:  (1) They can't catch Trinity who will be 10-10 at the very worst; (2) they could only tie Millsaps and Austin who could do no worse than 9-11 if Austin wins tonight--and Millsaps and Austin would have the tiebreaker over Hendrix.

Southwestern is now at 4-10 after losing to Trinity today so they are on life support when it comes to making the SCAC Tournament.  They just about have to go 6-0 which would mean winning tomorrow at Trinity, sweeping Millsaps 3-0 in Jackson, and then winning 2 at home over Hendrix.

[frank_ezelle]

Regarding the Austin at Hendrix series, I see that today's game was halted after 6 innings due to heavy rains.  The teams will complete game 1 tomorrow, and then follow that up with a 7 inning/9 inning DH.

[tigerfan_2001]

Am I correct that a loss this evening would eliminate Hendrix from any shot at the SCAC Tournament?  Hendrix is currently 5-10 in the SCAC and are holding a 7-3 lead over Austin after 6 this evening. 

If Hendrix loses:  (1) They can't catch Trinity who will be 10-10 at the very worst; (2) they could only tie Millsaps and Austin who could do no worse than 9-11 if Austin wins tonight--and Millsaps and Austin would have the tiebreaker over Hendrix.

Southwestern is now at 4-10 after losing to Trinity today so they are on life support when it comes to making the SCAC Tournament.  They just about have to go 6-0 which would mean winning tomorrow at Trinity, sweeping Millsaps 3-0 in Jackson, and then winning 2 at home over Hendrix.

That is how I read it as well.......

Going to be interesting to see if Hendrix can win 3 games in one day, with the game from last night being finished today.

[frank_ezelle]

It's Saturday morning so there's time for me to give my viewpoint on the state of Millsaps baseball at the moment.  It's a little long, but what else in new for one of my posts:

Coach Page got thrown out in the top of the 9th of yesterday's second game with Millsaps trailing 7-2.  Was he trying to rally the troops or was he really highly irritated over the ump's strike zone?  Maybe it was one of those things, but I don't think so.  I think he exploded Friday because Millsaps had only registered 7 runs and 13 hits in 17 innings, numbers that look puny compared to the 19 runs and 17 hits Millsaps hammered out against MS College in 6 innings Tuesday night.

I'm going to take a stab at something, just my opinion and certainly one that could be 100% wrong.  It isn't a criticism, just an observation.  I think Coach Page is frustrated because this team is too nice.  Again, my opinion and it might be 100% wrong.  There's nothing wrong with nice, I consider it a positive and valuable trait, but sometimes it helps to mix in a bit of nasty.

My thoughts go back to the team of 2006.  The 8 players who started almost every game were:  Hunter Abrams, Garner Wetzel, Luke Morrow, Justin Carter, Jason Hadley, John Pacillo, Derrik Boland, and Nick Crawford.  What a lineup of talent--and yet, that team had a .338 BA and .476 SLG% which is great, but not better than the current .336 BA and .508 SLG%.  That tells me that the 2010 team has what it takes at the plate to be on par with what might have been the best team in Millsaps history.

As for pitching, it would be hard for any team to match the 2006 duo of John Fox and Todd Kindler who combined for a 19-3 record on a team that finished 37-13.  Still, neither won the SCAC Pitcher of the Year and their ERA's were 3.83 and 3.45, so it's not like the current staff doesn't have guys capable of replicating those types of performances.  As a team the 2006 staff had a 4.07 ERA compared to the current 6.07, a decided advantage, but maybe one that should be expected with so many freshmen getting thrown into the mix from the very start this season.

So when it comes to hitting and pitching, the 2010 team isn't really so different from the team of 2006 that came so very close to making the World Series.  Admittedly, the 2006 team performed much better defensively and that's something the Millsaps team has to improve on in April in preparation for the post season.  I believe progress is being made in that area.

Hitting, pitching, and fielding--the 2006 team has an edge in 2 out of the 3 over the 2010 team.  However, that's not the big difference I see between the two teams.  The 2006 team had guys who really hated to lose.  Now all athletes hate to lose, but I'm talking about REALLY hating to lose.  Maybe that explains why the worse losing streak they had in 2006 was 2-games, once to Illinois Wesleyan and then the two games they lost in the championship games at regionals.  By the way, those 4 losses were by a total of 6 runs.

All year my prediction has been that Millsaps would find a higher gear in the second half of the season.  My thought was that the game with MS College was that moment.  Based on the lethargic performance at the plate Friday, it appears that the MS College game was not that moment.  Maybe Millsaps will rebound today and this will be the moment.  At some point this Millsaps team has to get a little more of a chip on their shoulder.  At some point a few of these freshmen pitchers are going to have to find that little bit of nasty that Aaron Williams brought to Millsaps for his freshman year.

I still have high hopes for this 2010 team.  Maybe I'm just a hopeless optimist, but my gut feeling is that the 2010 Majors are very close to bumping up to a higher level of play.  It's April and every game becomes important from here on out.  Today's game with LaGrange might not have any value regarding SCAC standings or winning an at-large berth, but it is important.  I'm hoping that we'll see the Millsaps team that took the field this past Tuesday and that today's game will be the start of a great stretch run for the 2010 season.  Time is running out to find that higher gear.

[frank_ezelle]

Millsaps didn't exactly come out on fire today, trailing 3-0 going into the top of the 7th against LaGrange.  That's when things got interesting:

---Millsaps used 6 hits in the top of the 7th to take a 4-3 lead.
---That looked good for an inning, but then Millsaps gave up 5 in the bottom of the 8th to fall behind 8-4 with only 3 outs remaining.  It was a situation where a team certainly could have given up and started thinking about the bus ride home.
---Millsaps got it rolling in the top of the 9th, with just about everyone getting in on the act as the Majors plated 11 on 11 hits for a 15-8 lead.  That turned out to be the final score.

It's the kind of game that can be a turning point in a season--just as the game with MS College could have been.  I guess we'll see when Huntingdon comes to town this Tuesday and Southwestern visits next weekend for a 3-game series.

[Ralph Turner]

Millsaps didn't exactly come out on fire today, trailing 3-0 going into the top of the 7th against LaGrange.  That's when things got interesting:

---Millsaps used 6 hits in the top of the 7th to take a 4-3 lead.
---That looked good for an inning, but then Millsaps gave up 5 in the bottom of the 8th to fall behind 8-4 with only 3 outs remaining.  It was a situation where a team certainly could have given up and started thinking about the bus ride home.
---Millsaps got it rolling in the top of the 9th, with just about everyone getting in on the act as the Majors plated 11 on 11 hits for a 15-8 lead.  That turned out to be the final score.

It's the kind of game that can be a turning point in a season--just as the game with MS College could have been.  I guess we'll see when Huntingdon comes to town this Tuesday and Southwestern visits next weekend for a 3-game series.

Valuable win for the Majors.