BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[frank_ezelle]

Trinity is definitely the overwhelming favorite even though this is the year the 1W gets put at a disadvantage because of the schedule.  The top seeds should have the first two games on Thursday with the 2nd seeds having the disadvantage of the late game.  Not that I'm complaining since Millsaps is a 2nd seed.  It would have actually been better for Millsaps to be the 3rd seed, but I think Hendrix felt the same way about being the 3rd seed based on their pitching rotation in the season finale.

My guess is that Trinity will save Klimesh instead of pitching him against OU.  Three reasons for that thinking:  (1) They have some other outstanding starters; (2) OU doesn't have a starting pitcher with an era under 5.00 so Trinity should score runs; (3) and that's the approach Trinity used in 2010.

Based on the stats, the other two games should be toss-ups.  Rhodes and Hendrix are side by side in both the hitting and the pitching.  Likewise with Millsaps and DePauw.  I'll go with the two West teams in these games, partially because I'm biased towards the West, but also because I believe the teams in the West had tougher challenges throughout the season.  

For example, while the Millsaps team was probably disappointed with their 24-16 record, it did include 20 tough conference games along with 2 games with Rhodes, 2 games with Adrian (20-6), 1 with BSC, 2 with Ill Wesleyan (16-8), 3 with MS College (20-14), 2 with Piedmont (24-13), 2 with Huntingdon (19-13), 3 with LaGrange (18-18), and 2 with NAIA Belhaven (36-14).  When you look at the competition, 24-16 isn't too shabby (for the record, the 40th game was against the Ozarks and they are currently 7-28).

But everyone is now back to 0-0.  It will be an interesting tournament and hopefully the weather won't be too big a factor.

[ILVBB]

When you look at this tournament from a distance (ie no horse in the race) it represents the essence of D3 baseball. Anything can and does happen. The reality is once a team gets by the first round, the tournament really begins. Those with pitching a defense can an will hang with the best of teams.

Franks point about being battle tested is true. In spite of Millsaps record, I think they have played the toughest schedule. Trinity as it has in recent years can be very potent offensively. However, in this tournament format all they need to do is run into a pitcher that "doesn't fit their eye" and you are in the losers bracket.

It is hard to tell with the conference format (west teams play each other 5 times vs 3 times in the east) how strong each team really is within the confernece. Because of where some of the teams are geographically you have to measure their ability within their geography. I hope this changes next year when Depauw bows out.

[tigerfan_2001]

Trinity is definitely the overwhelming favorite even though this is the year the 1W gets put at a disadvantage because of the schedule.  The top seeds should have the first two games on Thursday with the 2nd seeds having the disadvantage of the late game.  Not that I'm complaining since Millsaps is a 2nd seed.  It would have actually been better for Millsaps to be the 3rd seed, but I think Hendrix felt the same way about being the 3rd seed based on their pitching rotation in the season finale.

My guess is that Trinity will save Klimesh instead of pitching him against OU.  Three reasons for that thinking:  (1) They have some other outstanding starters; (2) OU doesn't have a starting pitcher with an era under 5.00 so Trinity should score runs; (3) and that's the approach Trinity used in 2010.

Based on the stats, the other two games should be toss-ups.  Rhodes and Hendrix are side by side in both the hitting and the pitching.  Likewise with Millsaps and DePauw.  I'll go with the two West teams in these games, partially because I'm biased towards the West, but also because I believe the teams in the West had tougher challenges throughout the season.  

For example, while the Millsaps team was probably disappointed with their 24-16 record, it did include 20 tough conference games along with 2 games with Rhodes, 2 games with Adrian (20-6), 1 with BSC, 2 with Ill Wesleyan (16-8), 3 with MS College (20-14), 2 with Piedmont (24-13), 2 with Huntingdon (19-13), 3 with LaGrange (18-18), and 2 with NAIA Belhaven (36-14).  When you look at the competition, 24-16 isn't too shabby (for the record, the 40th game was against the Ozarks and they are currently 7-28).

But everyone is now back to 0-0.  It will be an interesting tournament and hopefully the weather won't be too big a factor.

who knows on trinity pitching.  i wouldn't say they can count on anything.  Klimesh had to be pulled in the 2nd last week after walking 5 in 1+ innings.  That is why you play the game.....

[Ron Boerger]

Day 1 of the SCAC championship:  

1E Rhodes squeezes by 3W Hendrix, 5-4 as the Lynx scored all their runs in the bottom of the third.   Austin Carden (4-6) went the distance for Rhodes.

2E DePauw handled 2W Millsaps 7-2.  The eighth inning was the key for the Tigers as they scored six.   Hobs Donovan (5-4) scattered four hits in a complete game for DPU, who got the W despite committing five errors.    Jason Riggins was assessed the loss, his first of the year (5-1).  

1W Trinity had no difficulty with 3E Oglethorpe, winning 10-1.   Franklin Bay and Jonathan Hall combined for five K's in two innings of relief.   Michael Panozzo (5-0) went seven to get the win as Kyle Felix and Kevin Calbick both went yard.  

Tomorrow's schedule:

noon 3W Hendrix (0-1) v 2W Millsaps (0-1) (Elimination)
330p 1E Rhodes (1-0) v 3E Oglethorpe (0-1)
700p 2E DePauw (1-0) v 1W Trinity (1-0)

(5000th post)

[frank_ezelle]

Ron, thank you for that post and the 4,999 that came before.  As noted in your post, Millsaps and Hendrix were both done in by one poor inning with Hendrix giving up 5 of 5 runs in the third and Millsaps giving up 6 of 7 runs in the 8th. 

I'm afraid it was a story that Millsaps fans are use to this season.  A great performance on the mound gets little run support at the plate (and as noted, the run production was low despite 5 errors from the opposition).  An error on a routine grounder to start the 8th opens the door for a big inning.  It certainly isn't a pattern due to any lack of trying by the players, but it is a pattern that been with the team this season.

I'm not sure if Millsaps has the pitching to get out of the loser's bracket and win this thing--not many teams have that depth--but all they can do now is try to win tomorrow and then see what the future brings.  Obviously the same situation applies to Hendrix as well.

[ILVBB]

The All-Conference selections were announced this morning, congratulations to those that were selected. However, the announcement either inferred or pointed out that voting for the player of the year followed an east versus west perspective. I bring this up not to criticize the voting but to make a point as to what is happening not only in the SCAC but in baseball.

The east/west format in SCAC baseball is now 5-years old. During that time my son came and went; over his four years he never played 4 of the SCAC teams and only visited two of the campuses on the other side of the conference.

Everyone knows why this is done; to save money. But you have to ask is it really a conference anymore? The only time that teams really compete against each other is at the conference tournament and then it is generally the same 6-8 teams.

It is my understanding that with DePauw leaving and Dallas joining, the conference will be reconfigured with Millsaps moving to the east. Again, a move that is understandable from a conference financial prospective. It is sad that financial limitations will change a terrific rivalry that has existed between Trinity and Millsaps.

I would really like to see a couple of weekends during the season where 3-4 teams, from both east and west, get together at a host school and play a couple of games. To have an east and west where teams don't compete keeps the conference from being a true conference. It would be nice to have a record which reflects conference games, not just east/west games.

Again, congratulations to those selected All-Conference! I will continue to watch the tournament as it unfolds via the video link (Great Job to those broadcasting the event)!

[Ralph Turner]

Trade Berry for Colorado College, and you can save even more money.

[svbbcoach]

For those that gave up watching, Rhodes vs Oglthorpe is still going in the top of the 19th tied 7-7. The most bizarre plays and umpire calls imaginable! Bases loaded no outs and 1 out at least 3 times in the last few innings. Trinity and DePauw have been waiting to start their 7pm game. It is now 10:15pm. Now bottom of 18 still tied at 7.

[frank_ezelle]

For those that gave up watching, Rhodes vs Oglthorpe is still going in the top of the 19th tied 7-7. The most bizarre plays and umpire calls imaginable! Bases loaded no outs and 1 out at least 3 times in the last few innings. Trinity and DePauw have been waiting to start their 7pm game. It is now 10:15pm. Now bottom of 18 still tied at 7.

That's amazing.  Looks like it is now going to the 21st--I wonder how many people have tuned in--I'm good for the innings in the 20's, may nod off if it gets into the 30's.

[ILVBB]

Rhodes won in the 21st inning. The broadcasters said that it was the longest game in D3 history (somehow I question that). It looks like the Trinity/Depauw game will start just before midnight. The winner will have to turn around and play again at noon Saturday.

Yawn!

[Ron Boerger]

Sorry for no posts yesterday afternoon; it was our 16th anniversary and I had other things on my mind.   

When the schedule was posted, I thought it was pretty tough that the undefeated game 6 winner would have to turn around and play game 7 .... and with Oglethorpe losing that will indeed be the case for Trinity, who defeated DPU 7-4 in the wee hours of the morning.  They have moved game 7 to a 1pm start but not much else they can do to allow the possibility of two games tomorrow.

Noah Solomon (5-2) got the win for TU, allowing all four DPU runs in six innings.   Chris Waldren, Ben Klimesh (!, but not the first time he's provided short relief), and Franklin Bay each pitched an inning in the win.   Bay earned the save, entering the game in the top of the ninth with two on and no out before getting a K and inducing the next batter to hit into a DP.  Jackson and Pappas had home runs, as did DPU's Zach Galyean.   Elliot Ross (6.2 IP, 9H, 6 ER) took the loss for DePauw. 

Today's schedule:

1:00 PM:  1E Rhodes (2-0) v. 1W Trinity (2-0); winner to championship
4:30 PM:  3W Hendrix (1-1) v. 2E DePauw (1-1); loser eliminated
8:00 PM:  1:00 PM loser v. 4:30 PM winner; winner to championship, loser eliminated

As always at this stage of a championship, will be interesting to see who Trinity and Rhodes put on the mound.   Trinity would seem to be in good shape with both Klimesh (9-2, 3.41) and Lucero (5-1, 3.55) available; Rhodes only has one pitcher remaining with over 4 starts, Jackson Baker (3-2, 7.30).  Jacob Long (0-0, 4.26) has four starts in six appearances but no decisions; Andrew Meier (2-0, 5.25) has 3 starts in nine appearances.   Rhodes will also be hurt by their star reliever, all-SCAC Hunter Chandler (4-2, 1.55, 21 app) being unavailable.  He pitched nearly 11 innings in relief last night, facing 50 batters.     Oglethorpe also had a reliever, Cory Leff, throw more than nine innings in that game. 

[Pat Coleman]

Rhodes won in the 21st inning. The broadcasters said that it was the longest game in D3 history (somehow I question that). It looks like the Trinity/Depauw game will start just before midnight. The winner will have to turn around and play again at noon Saturday.

There's no entry in the NCAA record book that says "longest game" but there is one that is "Most Putouts, team" and that has several teams tied at 51. I saw no game listed anywhere in the D-III record book that was longer than 17 innings.

I tweeted to them last night late in the game that it seemed like a record to me.

[Ron Boerger]

According to the feature story on D3Baseball.com, Rhodes' Chandler threw 153 pitches last night.   That's pretty amazing, especially considering in his 20 previous appearances he'd only had about 48 IP (less than three innings/appearance). 

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity is up 4-2 with one out in the top of the sixth, but starter Michael Bentz is laboring having allowed a walk, two singles, and a bit batsman.  Ryan Lucero has just entered with runners at first and second.

Lynx starter Jackson Baker, he of the 7.30 ERA, has held the Tigers to just three hits.   Two walks in the second combined with a hit and a sac accounted for three TU's 4 runs.

[frank_ezelle]

With Millsaps so quickly out of the hunt for the AQ, I'll admit that my interest in the tournament has waned.  However, I think Trinity is the team that would best represent the SCAC in the NCAA Tournament and that's who I would prefer to see as the winner this weekend. 

Of course, Trinity is the only team in the field with any chance for an at-large berth, so maybe an upset winner would get two SCAC teams into the NCAA's, but I think two losses this weekend would leave TU on the bubble at best.