BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

EttaFan1 · April 23, 2017, 06:52:05 PM

Kudos to mount as barring a total flop against a pretty bad Wilmington team will host the oac tourney

BrowardRaider · May 01, 2017, 02:42:40 PM

Congratulations to Coach Hesse and Mount on winning a regular season championship, best of luck as the second season starts

Dr. Acula · May 01, 2017, 06:08:36 PM

First OAC title since 1970. Wow. Congrats to the entire team and Coach Hesse. And also the assistants, Evan Knott and Cory Douglass. Those guys deserve a lot of praise as well for a job well done. This team just kept finding ways to win close games. Again and again. Hopefully the campus gets behind them as they host the OAC tourney.

EttaFan1 · May 02, 2017, 08:53:52 AM

Good season for Mount Union. They were impressive.

1. Mount 15-2 (clinched top seed)
2. Marietta 12-4 (clinched #2 seed)
3. Otterbein 9-7 (@MUSK)
4. JCU 9-7 (@CAP)

5. BW 10-8 (Season Complete)
6. Berg 8-8 (WILM)
7. ONU 7-9 (@MAR)

The race for third.

Right now Otterbein has the tie breaker over JCU (Otterbein is 1-1 vs. Mount and JCU is 0-2, they split the regular season). Ott plays at Muskingum. JCU plays at Capital. Both make the tourney with sweeps on Saturday.

Berg makes things interesting if (when) they sweep Wilmington to go to 10-8.

So then we get to the potential mess of 10-8 teams.

OTT is 1-1 vs JCU, 0-2 vs. BERG, 1-1 vs. BW
JCU is 1-1 vs. OTT, 2-0 vs. Berg, 1-1 vs BW
BW is 1-1 vs. OTT, 1-1 vs JCU and 0-2 vs. Berg
Berg is 2-0 vs. OTT, 0-2 vs. JCU and 2-0 vs. BW.

FOUR WAY TIE
This means OTT and JCU each split, and Berg sweeps Wilmington.

BERG is 4-2 vs the four teams,
JCU is 4-2 vs. the four teams.
OTT is 2-4 vs. the four teams.
BW is 2-4 vs the four teams.

By my understanding (which could be wrong) this would eliminate OTT and BW, and JCU would be the 3 and Berg the 4.

THREE WAY TIES
JCU-Berg-BW (otterbein sweeps and clinches the 3, JCU splits)

JCU is 3-1
Berg is 2-2
BW is 1-3

JCU is #4

OTT, Berg & BW (JCU sweeps clinches the 3, ott splits)

BERG is 4-0
BW is 1-2
OTT is 1-3

Berg is the 4

BW-JCU-OTT (JCU and OTT both split, Berg loses at least one to Wilmington).

BW is 2-2
JCU is 2-2
OTT is 2-2

So now we go to record vs other teams....BW is 0-2 against Mount, JCU is 0-2 against Mount, OTT is 1-1 against Mount.

Ott is the 3.

For the fourth seed....Both are 0-2 vs. mount, both are 1-1 vs MAR, both are 1-1 vs. OTT, JCU is 2-0 vs. Berg, BW is 0-2 vs. Berg.

JCU is the 4.

Northern gets to sniff around tie break scenarios if they sweep MAR, JCU and BW get swept, and Berg loses one to Wilimington.

JCU's chances to make the tourney are strong.
OTT's chances are pretty good.
BW needs a lot of help ( OTT and JCU getting swept and not being in a tie break situation with Berg).
Berg needs two win two and get a little help.

Clear as mud.

Dr. Acula · May 02, 2017, 10:44:34 AM

I can't believe Ott is in the position they're in. Splitting with both Mount and Etta they should already have been in easily. And JCU being in the best position to make it in is equally as perplexing to me. Just a very strange year all around. Nothing would shock me this weekend or next.

joelmama · May 02, 2017, 11:14:50 AM

Quote from: EttaFan1 on May 02, 2017, 08:53:52 AM
Good season for Mount Union. They were impressive.

1. Mount 15-2 (clinched top seed)
2. Marietta 12-4 (clinched #2 seed)
3. Otterbein 9-7 (@MUSK)
4. JCU 9-7 (@CAP)

5. BW 10-8 (Season Complete)
6. Berg 8-8 (WILM)
7. ONU 7-9 (@MAR)

The race for third.

Right now Otterbein has the tie breaker over JCU (Otterbein is 1-1 vs. Mount and JCU is 0-2, they split the regular season). Ott plays at Muskingum. JCU plays at Capital. Both make the tourney with sweeps on Saturday.

Berg makes things interesting if (when) they sweep Wilmington to go to 10-8.

So then we get to the potential mess of 10-8 teams.

OTT is 1-1 vs JCU, 0-2 vs. BERG, 1-1 vs. BW
JCU is 1-1 vs. OTT, 2-0 vs. Berg, 1-1 vs BW
BW is 1-1 vs. OTT, 1-1 vs JCU and 0-2 vs. Berg
Berg is 2-0 vs. OTT, 0-2 vs. JCU and 2-0 vs. BW.

FOUR WAY TIE
This means OTT and JCU each split, and Berg sweeps Wilmington.

BERG is 4-2 vs the four teams,
JCU is 4-2 vs. the four teams.
OTT is 2-4 vs. the four teams.
BW is 2-4 vs the four teams.

By my understanding (which could be wrong) this would eliminate OTT and BW, and JCU would be the 3 and Berg the 4.

THREE WAY TIES
JCU-Berg-BW (otterbein sweeps and clinches the 3, JCU splits)

JCU is 3-1
Berg is 2-2
BW is 1-3

JCU is #4

OTT, Berg & BW (JCU sweeps clinches the 3, ott splits)

BERG is 4-0
BW is 1-2
OTT is 1-3

Berg is the 4

BW-JCU-OTT (JCU and OTT both split, Berg loses at least one to Wilmington).

BW is 2-2
JCU is 2-2
OTT is 2-2

So now we go to record vs other teams....BW is 0-2 against Mount, JCU is 0-2 against Mount, OTT is 1-1 against Mount.

Ott is the 3.

For the fourth seed....Both are 0-2 vs. mount, both are 1-1 vs MAR, both are 1-1 vs. OTT, JCU is 2-0 vs. Berg, BW is 0-2 vs. Berg.

JCU is the 4.

Northern gets to sniff around tie break scenarios if they sweep MAR, JCU and BW get swept, and Berg loses one to Wilimington.

JCU's chances to make the tourney are strong.
OTT's chances are pretty good.
BW needs a lot of help ( OTT and JCU getting swept and not being in a tie break situation with Berg).
Berg needs two win two and get a little help.

Clear as mud.

That is a lot of work you did there. I appreciate it very much.

Dr. Acula · May 08, 2017, 10:03:11 AM

The field is set:

#1 Mount vs. #4 JCU
#2 Etta vs. #3 Ott

One thought I had was that Etta got their final DH in a day earlier. If Ott throws Prince it will be on 3 day's rest.

For special awards I'd assume two of the three are no brainers. Hesse is going to win COY. Phil Mary is going to win the Tekulve award. He's 9-0 with 2 saves and an ERA (0.88) more than a run better than the 2nd best guy (2.12). This is like one of those years when Gasser or Blaski won and it's just a foregone conclusion. POY is definitely debatable as no one had a "wow!" year. Donnelly (JCU) and Long (Berg) have to be in the conversation. Bias aside, Goodall (UMU) has to be a favorite as well.

EttaFan1 · May 08, 2017, 04:08:41 PM

Phil Mary has first team AA type numbers this year. That 0.88 ERA is insane. He may be a candidate for national pitcher of the year. Watched him pitch, and he is not a a power guy, but is ridiculously effective. Locates well and keeps hitters off balance. He is very deserving.

I think Hesse is a shoe in for Coach of the Year.

I really can't speak to any one particular player who stood out to me as a dominating force this year which I saw. (It won't be someone from Marietta).

Jim Dixon · May 10, 2017, 10:36:49 AM

Quote from: EttaFan1 on May 08, 2017, 04:08:41 PM
Phil Mary has first team AA type numbers this year. That 0.88 ERA is insane. He may be a candidate for national pitcher of the year. Watched him pitch, and he is not a a power guy, but is ridiculously effective. Locates well and keeps hitters off balance. He is very deserving.

I think Hesse is a shoe in for Coach of the Year.

I really can't speak to any one particular player who stood out to me as a dominating force this year which I saw. (It won't be someone from Marietta).

Very much in the mode of Tim Kiely from Trinity (Conn.)

Dr. Acula · May 11, 2017, 01:17:29 PM

Mount leads JCU 1-0 after 2. JCU opted to go with freshman Fred Moore on the mound.

Still 1-0 after 5. After 4 perfect IP from Mary JCU got a 1b from Mittiga in the 5th. Mount needs to get the bats going and give Mary a little breathing room.

Mount plated a pair in the 6th and the 7th. 5-0 after 8. Mary is cruising as he just fanned the last 2 batters in the 8th to give him 8 K's on the afternoon.

5-0 FINAL. Mary throws the CG 4-hit shutout with 9 K's.

Dr. Acula · May 11, 2017, 04:06:44 PM

Tough start for Etta. 2 errors in the 1st lead to 3 Ott runs.

After 6 it's still 3-0. Prince is stifling the Etta bats so far. As Harry Doyle would say "1 hit? That's all we got was 1 god d*mn hit?!"

joelmama · May 12, 2017, 10:31:41 AM

Mount throwing away the lead. 3 errors and wild pitch in the first few innings 2-1 Ott in the 4th. Mount has only given up 1 hit through 4, yet still trail.

Dr. Acula · May 12, 2017, 10:53:54 AM

It stings even more considering that 2nd run was scored by a guy that singled and advanced to 2nd on an error by the LF. Then went to 3rd AND scored on wild pitches. You can't give away runs when your offense is not exactly on fire of late.

Dr. Acula · May 12, 2017, 03:24:23 PM

What is it with wild pitches today? JCU blows their win when they allow the tying run to score with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th on a wild pitch. They're now heading to the 11th.

Dr. Acula · May 15, 2017, 11:23:12 AM

As expected, Mount did not get a pool C bid. I think everyone was in agreement that the OAC was a one bid conference this year so they needed to beat Ott twice on Saturday to make it. I do feel a little bad for Ott as they got a tough draw being sent out of the Mideast. D3.com's projected field with them in the Mideast was a much kinder draw.

Thoughts on Mount's season:

The program had never won 30 games and hadn't won the OAC regular season in almost 50 years. They did both. Very special season thanks to a team that never ever quit until the 27th out.

Congratulations to Phil Mary and Billy Goodall as they indeed swept the Tekulve and Fisher awards, respectively. Another program first. And best of all, they're both back next year. With those two plus Keleman, Satovich, Skladan they have a nucleus of All-OAC talent returning.

One of my favorite under-the-radar things about the season was Koski. He struggled mightily for what seemed like forever to him I'm sure. Hitting below .200 for a long while. But then he got hot. And he kept hitting to the point that he was moved from 9th to leadoff late in the season. He ended up hitting just under .300 on the season. That's how you want a senior to finish it out.

The biggest question marks for 2018 are first and foremost replacing the entire infield excluding Satovich at 1b. Secondly, replacing your two main bullpen arms in Taylor (usually first out of the pen) and McCristal (who also doubled as your #3/4 starter). They also need one of the catchers to grow into that role offensively. You can't have your catchers hitting under .200 for the season. Both guys were sophomores so they have time to develop.

Overall, absolutely a joy to follow this 2017 team.