BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[ILVBB]

This ought to be interesting; this weekend is senior weekend at Trinity. Family and friends of many of the players (most coming from out of state) are heading to SA tommorrow. I am doubtful that with a function paid for and with everyone traveling that they can "stray" to far from SA.

[Ralph Turner]

This ought to be interesting; this weekend is senior weekend at Trinity. Family and friends of many of the players (most coming from out of state) are heading to SA tommorrow. I am doubtful that with a function paid for and with everyone traveling that they can "stray" to far from SA.

Is there a high school field that has astroturf, at least on the infield?

[frank_ezelle]

Since I don't travel to the away games, it never dawned on me about the travel plans of parents and fans OR the fact that this would be senior weekend at Trinity.  All I know about the situation is what was said by Coach Page in the postgame interview last night at about 8:30 Central time. 

While I'll be checking the Millsaps website for information, it seems logical that someone will hear about the new location prior to anything being posted on the Trinity of Millsaps website.  If you do hear something, maybe you could post it here.  If you do hear something and don't have a user account on the message board, you can email me at frankezelle@yahoo.com and I'll post it.

It sounds like both coaches want to get the games played and hopefully a workable solution will be found.

[Ron Boerger]

This ought to be interesting; this weekend is senior weekend at Trinity. Family and friends of many of the players (most coming from out of state) are heading to SA tommorrow. I am doubtful that with a function paid for and with everyone traveling that they can "stray" to far from SA.

Is there a high school field that has astroturf, at least on the infield?

That's a good question, wish I knew the answer.  The closest ballfield I *know* has turf is at UT in Austin.   The minor league facility in SA is natural. 

[ILVBB]

I did some checking; UT-Austin plays Saturday, but is gone Sunday. Concordia has a turf field but they are at home this weekend. The two minor league teams (San Antonio and Round Rock) are both home this weekend. The only turf field in South Texas that is not being used is at Rice (Houston).

The question is who is the turface supplier for San Antonio?

[frank_ezelle]

Here's a cut and paste from the "Breaking News" section on the Trinity athletic website:

"Saturday's games with Millsaps are postponed. A decision on playing games this weekend will be made as soon as possible."

[frank_ezelle]

I've been told the Millsaps players were on the bus and ready to head to Trinity today when it was decided to cancel the Saturday games.  This situation reminds me of a golf tournament on a rainy weekend.  Obviously every golfer wants to win a tournament played over the full 72 holes, but when playing the 4th round is in doubt, it sure is nice to be the guy in the clubhouse with a 1 stroke lead.

This weekend was what a sports fans wants to see, the top two teams meeting head-to-head in the last series of the season to decide a championship.  It's going to be a real shame if Trinity wins the SCAC West championship without having to leave the dorm and Millsaps spends the weekend in Jackson without a chance to earn the crown.

[jekelish]

That would definitely be a shame, Frank. Millsaps deserves a chance to play for te regular season title.

That said, as an observer who has only seen TU and MC versus Austin College, I'll be shocked if anyone beats Trinity this year. I just don't know how you compete with those bats. Not to take anything away from a very good Millsaps team, but Trinity has to be the favorite whether or not the teams play this weekend.

I'm heading to the tourney next week so I'm excited to see how it all shakes out.

[frank_ezelle]

Jekelish--The play of Trinity for the entire season has earned them the right to be the favorite whenever one is talking about SCAC action.  That doesn't mean they have the SCAC Tournament wrapped up, and I don't have to point any further than the 2009 Millsaps team to make my point.  Everyone will be an underdog next weekend at the tournament, with Trinity just being less of an underdog than everyone else.

As for what would have happened this weekend under sunny skies in San Antonio?  There's no way to know.  What I do know is that Aaron Williams for Millsaps is certainly on the short list when it comes to picking the SCAC Pitcher of the Year and he has done very well against Trinity in his last 3 starts.

This year at Millsaps, Aaron held Trinity to 4 hits and 1 run in a 12-2 victory.  Last year Aaron was the winning pitcher in a 14-4 win in Jackson giving up 7 hits and 4 runs, and he lost 3-2 to Trinity in that epic pitcher's dual with Evan Bronson.  While Trinity is dangerous no matter who they face, I gave Millsaps a decent chance to win the first game this weekend.  If that had happened, then the idea of Millsaps winning one of the next two wasn't so far-fetched.  

So I'm not saying Millsaps would have won 2 out of 3, just that Millsaps winning 2 out of 3 wouldn't have been a shocking result.  I've been told that there's still a possibility of a DH on Sunday.  That's a lot of driving for one day of baseball, but the Millsaps players deserve a fair shake at winning the West title.

[tigerfan_2001]

just looking at the radar this morning, there is a nice yellow and green blob that has parked itself over San Antonio.  I have my doubts that Coach Scannell tells Coach Page to get in a bus for the long drive with the real possibility that the games get canceled.  I would love to see them play, but I dont think it happens.-----

just read in the TU site the games have been cancelled and will not be made up. What a shame....

[frank_ezelle]

Good news for Trinity in several ways.  Naturally, this gives them the SCAC West Championship for 2010.  Then they get the favored draw in the SCAC Tournament as the W1.  And finally, I'm not sure if winning home games over Millsaps would really help their regional rankings, and the weather has taken away the possibility of losing to Millsaps which would really hurt their at-large chance. 

While I honestly do think the Trinity players and coaches wanted to play this series, they can't be too disappointed that the rains came in and ended the regular season early.

If you want a silver lining for this situation, then it might be that the SCAC gets two teams into the NCAA if Trinity doesn't take the AQ.  I'd love to see the SCAC have two NCAA representatives this year, and naturally I'd like that to be Millsaps with the AQ and Trinity with an at-large.

[d3baseballnut]

I wouldnt be so quick to assume Trinity (TX) has a pool C bid lined up. You remember what happened to Texas Tyler in 2008.

They were 35-7 going into the ASC tournament. Lost 2 of 3, and got left out of the tournament at 36-9 because the committee didnt think they could put them in the tournament over the teams that beat them in the last 3 games.

They were left out at 36-9. Trinity would be around 30-9 if they lost the SCAC tournament with a 26-8 regional record. Don't rule out their exclusion. Mark my words, if they lose the tournament, its totally up in the air.

You have to figure these Pool C teams are ahead of Trinity just in the West. And the NWC and SCIAC 2nd place teams could very well finish with a better record than Trinity, because they can win out and still be a pool c team due to no conference tournament. Trinity will lose 2 more games to be in this discussion.

Mississippi Col.  27-6 (23-3)
Redlands           27-4 (22-3)*  Only one will be a pool c contender
Pomona Pitzer  25-7  (23-5)*
Linfield              23-8 (21-5)

[tigerfan_2001]

I wouldnt be so quick to assume Trinity (TX) has a pool C bid lined up. You remember what happened to Texas Tyler in 2008.

They were 35-7 going into the ASC tournament. Lost 2 of 3, and got left out of the tournament at 36-9 because the committee didnt think they could put them in the tournament over the teams that beat them in the last 3 games.

They were left out at 36-9. Trinity would be around 30-9 if they lost the SCAC tournament with a 26-8 regional record. Don't rule out their exclusion. Mark my words, if they lose the tournament, its totally up in the air.

You have to figure these Pool C teams are ahead of Trinity just in the West. And the NWC and SCIAC 2nd place teams could very well finish with a better record than Trinity, because they can win out and still be a pool c team due to no conference tournament. Trinity will lose 2 more games to be in this discussion.

Mississippi Col.  27-6 (23-3)
Redlands           27-4 (22-3)*  Only one will be a pool c contender
Pomona Pitzer  25-7  (23-5)*
Linfield              23-8 (21-5)

Trinity really needed these games for their regional rankings.  Not assuming anything, but going 2-3 and entering the tourney at 30-8 is much better than going in at 28-7.  The west has some teams with good records.  I have spoken with some of the players and they really wanted to play Millsaps this weekend.  On to the SCAC. 

[infielddad]

While I honestly do think the Trinity players and coaches wanted to play this series, they can't be too disappointed that the rains came in and ended the regular season early.

Frank,
Next time you speak with Coach Page ask him his view of whether Coach Scannell would rather play or not and whether he would be disappointed.
Coach Scannell  believes in competition, he believes and teaches his players that you get better by competing and giving 100% every time you do, and winning/losing isn't the biggest deal as long as you compete. He isn't too much different than Coach Page on those aspects.
Do you think Coach Page would not be too disappointed if the situations were reversed?  I think he would be  disappointed.
Coaches and players alike love this rivalry and what is does for their teams heading into the Tournament. Trinity and Millsaps players and coaches look forward to this year end set of games year in and year out.
Just my view but I doubt any one is likely happy with this result.
Year in a year out this is the best baseball rivalry in the SCAC with games played at a high level physically and emotionally.

[frank_ezelle]

infielddad--Would I be asking Coach Page to simply verify what I said in the sentence you quoted, namely that "I honestly do think the Trinity players and coaches wanted to play this series"?  Your post seems to confirm my comment while suggesting that I get someone to set me straight on how Coach Scannell feels.

When I say that they can't be "too disappointed", that also indicates a level of disappointment, but Trinity has the silver lining of the rainout locking in an SCAC Championship and the best slot in the SCAC Tournament.  Compare that to the disappointment of the Millsaps team who missed out on the opportunity to gain those things by winning two out of three this weekend. 

It's a matter of degrees.  You agree with me that the Trinity coaches and players are disappointed that these games were cancelled, but it seems like they would be even more disappointed if they were the team sitting one game out of first.  That just seems like a logical observation.