BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

I swear I'm going to do a full Mideast region test but I'm willing to bet Mount is the only school in the region without their 2025 roster up.  I know they're the only OAC school.  I checked the first 10 in the region and all have them up.  Hopefully the roster is up by the time OAC play starts.

[BobcatQB]

I swear I'm going to do a full Mideast region test but I'm willing to bet Mount is the only school in the region without their 2025 roster up.  I know they're the only OAC school.  I checked the first 10 in the region and all have them up.  Hopefully the roster is up by the time OAC play starts.

Looks like they are working on it today..I see a 2025 roster drop down.

[Dr. Acula]

The D3 guys coverage has fallen off in recent years, particularly the weekly podcasts. There are only two guys and they just can't cover it like they did due to their jobs. It's a shame, because it's still the only place to find general D3 baseball news.

Marietta did get hammered by the portal, but will still be a contender. Otterbein has POY Perebzak back but lost Quincel to graduation. Need to see who returns for Mount. They should be solid. Muskingum has speed and likes to play small ball but I don't think they have the pitching to win big that way.
BW has the best pitching top to bottom with Walker, Dolcemaschio and Heatherington all All OAC last year. While they lost their top two HR guys, they have three returning starters who were All Region in the last two years in Kolenich, Kilbane and Marousek, plus another All OAC starter in Ritlinger-Nirider. Add in two transfers each from Ohio U, Marietta and Wooster, a great freshmen class and they have depth all-around.

I expect BW and Marietta to be there at the end. Mount probably the third team and ONU, Muskingum and Otterbein fighting for final tourney spot.

I'm speculating here since the 2025 roster still isn't up (opener is in two days, but who's counting?) but I think Mount will need to replace C and 2 OF spots.  And the 2 OF spots are Mazza and Schilling so the bulk of their power from last year's lineup.   

If everyone is back from last year their pitching should be solid.  They bring back their top 5 guys in IP and 11 of the top 12.  Breeden and Hansen are a solid 1-2 SP both with ERA's and opponent BA in the low 2's last year.  Warner was coming back from injury last year I believe so I'd like to see how he is fully healthy for a full season again.   

Mount's roster is posted.  Everyone is back as expected, but not on my list was not one but both catchers are back as grad students.  So scratch C off the list of open spots.  They do still need a couple of OF to step up this spring, but otherwise everything else returns.

[BobcatQB]

The D3 guys coverage has fallen off in recent years, particularly the weekly podcasts. There are only two guys and they just can't cover it like they did due to their jobs. It's a shame, because it's still the only place to find general D3 baseball news.

Marietta did get hammered by the portal, but will still be a contender. Otterbein has POY Perebzak back but lost Quincel to graduation. Need to see who returns for Mount. They should be solid. Muskingum has speed and likes to play small ball but I don't think they have the pitching to win big that way.
BW has the best pitching top to bottom with Walker, Dolcemaschio and Heatherington all All OAC last year. While they lost their top two HR guys, they have three returning starters who were All Region in the last two years in Kolenich, Kilbane and Marousek, plus another All OAC starter in Ritlinger-Nirider. Add in two transfers each from Ohio U, Marietta and Wooster, a great freshmen class and they have depth all-around.

I expect BW and Marietta to be there at the end. Mount probably the third team and ONU, Muskingum and Otterbein fighting for final tourney spot.

I'm speculating here since the 2025 roster still isn't up (opener is in two days, but who's counting?) but I think Mount will need to replace C and 2 OF spots.  And the 2 OF spots are Mazza and Schilling so the bulk of their power from last year's lineup.   

If everyone is back from last year their pitching should be solid.  They bring back their top 5 guys in IP and 11 of the top 12.  Breeden and Hansen are a solid 1-2 SP both with ERA's and opponent BA in the low 2's last year.  Warner was coming back from injury last year I believe so I'd like to see how he is fully healthy for a full season again.   

Mount's roster is posted.  Everyone is back as expected, but not on my list was not one but both catchers are back as grad students.  So scratch C off the list of open spots.  They do still need a couple of OF to step up this spring, but otherwise everything else returns.

Well, they should be able to find some OF..68 players on the roster.  That would be tough to manage.

[BobcatQB]

Weekend schedule changes starting to roll in.  BW's weekend is a wash.  MC game cancelled today and weekend changes.  Muskingum DH pushed to Sun and game cancelled w/ PSU-Behrend.  ONU weekend cancelled.  JC weekend cancelled. Heidelberg weekend cancelled.  Cap games pushed to Sun.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount's roster is posted.  Everyone is back as expected, but not on my list was not one but both catchers are back as grad students.  So scratch C off the list of open spots.  They do still need a couple of OF to step up this spring, but otherwise everything else returns.

Well, they should be able to find some OF..68 players on the roster.  That would be tough to manage.

Haha fair point.  You'd hope there are a couple OF in there somewhere!  They've had rosters of 60+ Hesse's entire tenure.  Years ago his philosophy was that if a kid loved baseball and was willing to put in the amount of time you have to commit to do it in college he would not cut them.  Numerous kids went through the program and never even dressed for a varsity game. 

In the past the large roster was managed by basically running varsity and JV practices.  I'm not sure if that's still the case, but I would assume it is.

[BobcatQB]

Mount's roster is posted.  Everyone is back as expected, but not on my list was not one but both catchers are back as grad students.  So scratch C off the list of open spots.  They do still need a couple of OF to step up this spring, but otherwise everything else returns.

Well, they should be able to find some OF..68 players on the roster.  That would be tough to manage.

Haha fair point.  You'd hope there are a couple OF in there somewhere!  They've had rosters of 60+ Hesse's entire tenure.  Years ago his philosophy was that if a kid loved baseball and was willing to put in the amount of time you have to commit to do it in college he would not cut them.  Numerous kids went through the program and never even dressed for a varsity game. 

In the past the large roster was managed by basically running varsity and JV practices.  I'm not sure if that's still the case, but I would assume it is.

I had this discussion a few weeks ago with a MC parent.  They usually have 40-45.  It's hard to turn away tuition $ just to play ball.  Good enough to play or not, that's crazy to turn away $. But there are different philosophies.

[BobcatQB]

Muskingum now cancelled for the weekend.  Travel to NC next weekend for a 3 game series w/ William Peace.

[Dr. Acula]

Etta is still on for their NC games, correct?  It's still on their schedule on their website.  I was gonna put them on one of my screens at the office this afternoon.  Need a little taste of baseball on a 20 degree day.

[BobcatQB]

Etta is still on for their NC games, correct?  It's still on their schedule on their website.  I was gonna put them on one of my screens at the office this afternoon.  Need a little taste of baseball on a 20 degree day.

Yes, they start at 3:00 today.  They are in Greensboro and you can watch via boxcast.  I would guess the same as last year for this weekend series..no sound.  Really stinks. My son hit one off the scoreboard there last year and it was a bullet and loud..but no sound when I watched the replay later

Headed home now to watch it.

[Dr. Acula]

Yeah, I'm at the office and wanted to listen to the audio while I worked.  Stinks that it's video only.  Good start so far up 3-0 on Cortland.  Three freshmen in the lineup for the opener surprised me a little, but not shocking with the transfers.

[BobcatQB]

Yeah, I'm at the office and wanted to listen to the audio while I worked.  Stinks that it's video only.  Good start so far up 3-0 on Cortland.  Three freshmen in the lineup for the opener surprised me a little, but not shocking with the transfers.

Local radio station covers every game but they aren't synced to this boxcast.  WMOA is station.

https://us7.maindigitalstream.com/2183/

[Dr. Acula]

Mount opened the season with a solid 9-5 win over #14 CWRU.  The score is a little misleading in both directions.  Mount was up 9-1 going to the 9th, but their 9 runs were aided immensely by CWRU walks/WP/PB.  The Spartans walked 11 on the day.  Seemed like a lot of what you'd expect in an opener played in 33 degrees at Grand Park.

I was interested to see how it went with a couple SP who were all-region picks last year in Breeden and Saunders.  Breeden was excellent for Mount, especially against that lineup today.  7 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 8 K.  Saunders struck out 7 in 3.0 IP.  He did allow 2 ER on 2 H, 4 BB.

[Dr. Acula]

Yeah, I'm at the office and wanted to listen to the audio while I worked.  Stinks that it's video only.  Good start so far up 3-0 on Cortland.  Three freshmen in the lineup for the opener surprised me a little, but not shocking with the transfers.

Local radio station covers every game but they aren't synced to this boxcast.  WMOA is station.

https://us7.maindigitalstream.com/2183/

I didn't realize they did the out of state games.  I always flip on the Etta radio feed in hopes of getting some Wharffy. 

[Dr. Acula]

Mount beat Monmouth 12-6 earlier today.  Ickes set the tone with a 3-run homer in the 1st.  Freshman catcher Daniel Tomes made the start and went 2-5 with 2 RBI and threw out the only attempted base stealer.  Lehman was 4-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI.  Mount is playing RHIT currently trailing 1-0 in the 5th.  I like that the way the opposition schedules have fallen Mount has faced all three opponents' #1 SP.  That's good for them.

BW dropped their opener 6-1 to Witt today.  Looking at the box score it does not look like the Jackets got much going with the bats.

Etta convincingly beat #11 CNU yesterday 9-1.  They dropped a tough one to #9 Lynchburg today 4-3.  I was listening to the latter game and the Lynchburg SP was dealing the first few innings.  Of note to me was that freshman C Will Loftus hit 3 hole in both of those games.  Freshman OF Cam Russell hit 5th today.