BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

[FranElia]

Congratulations to former Marietta ace Matt DeSalvo for his impressive major league debut last night with the Yankees (three hits, one run allowed over seven innings vs. the Mariners). Too bad he ended up with a no decision.

I remember Matt striking out about a thousand batters vs. Salisbury in the 2001 Div. III World Series. Great to see him succeeding on the major league level.

Fran Elia
Cortland SID

[Spence]

Speaking of strikeouts, did you ever think he'd put up those numbers in his debut with ZERO strikeouts?

I had to laugh when they took him out after 89 pitches. I'm thinking "heck he's just getting going!"

[ScotsFan]

Finals from day one of the OAC tourney:

Ott beat Marietta by the final of 7-3 and it was Cap over Heidelberg 8-7.

This sets up a really interesting losers bracket with 'Etta taking on the Berg to see who's post-season hopes remain alive. 

Interesting that the Berg came in as the #1 seed in the OAC and they could be 2 and done!

[Spence]

I don't know that it's a battle to stay alive for postseason for Marietta. It may be, but it may not be. Otterbein was ahead of them in the regional rankings, and Transy lost their first game as well. W&J may be Pool B in which case what they do wouldn't matter much either.

It certainly would be advisable for Marietta to win, but not sure it's lose and you're out for sure.

[ScotsFan]

I was just of the opinion that going 0-2 in the OAC tournament could be pretty damaging.  Maybe not quite as much so to Marietta, but if Hiedelberg were to lose, I don't see them having much of a shot at a Pool C.

[Spence]

Agree. Heidelberg won't get a Pool C.

Going 0-2 in the OAC tournament would be damaging, but not sure it would be terminal.

[JK]

Congrats to Capital for a great season.  I know the record was sub-.500, but to make it to the OAC championship game is pretty impressive.  Looking through their results from the season, there were a lot of close losses.  I saw them play at Transy in the cold in early April, and I certainly saw a good ball club that hung with a nationally ranked (at the time) team.  Coach Weyrich certainly has that team headed in the right direction, and with the improvements being made to Clowson field and in other areas, it seems that the Crusaders are a team on the rise.

What stings is that Cap had the upper hand in the OAC tourney and only had to win one more game.  Instead they get swept by the hated Otters.  I would definitely have been a first for Cap to have made the NCAA's in Football, Basketball, and Baseball in the same season.  It isn't just a baseball team on the rise, it is the whole athletic department.

[JK]

I posted this on the football board (my regular board):

The OAC has sent two representatives to the NCAA D3 tourney in each of the three "big" men's sports:  Cap and Mount in football, Cap and JCU in Basketball, and Etta and Otterbein in baseball.

I know the OAC gets its props for being a great football conference, but it would seem that we are starting to be recognized in other sports as well.  Let's hope this trend continues.

[ScotsFan]

JK,

The OAC hasn't just recently started to establish itself as a power conference in basketball and baseball.  It has been one of the top 3 to 4 conferences in the country in basketball  for a while now with Ott, ONU and JCU all making trips to the Final 4 in the last 10 years and Ott winning it all in the '01-'02 season.  Not to mention BW's and Cap's recent appearances in the NCAA's. 

As for baseball, it's hard to top Marietta's success on the diamond with all of their National Championsips.  The NCAC might have challenged the OAC as the top baseball conference in the region, but over the past couple years with the weakening of a couple of NCAC schools, the OAC is arguably the best conference in the region now. 

The OAC is just a quality sports conference in the so-called 'big' sports and it's been that way for quite some time.

[JK]

ScotsFan,

I completely concur.  As a Cap grad and an OAC "homer,"  I have always felt the OAC was a top league in all sports.  I never meant to insinuate that I didn't think that.

Despite your and my opinion, however, it seems that the OAC, at least outside of Football, has had a hard time getting more than their AQ into certain NCAA championship tourneys.  I can recall the year OTT won the basketball championship that Cap only lost three league games, all to Otterbein, and was left out.  There was a lot of talk on the basketball boards this year about the OAC not measuring up as a conference, and whether or not JCU would get in after losing the AQ to Cap.
 
In baseball, outside of Marietta, which is pretty nationally known, there doesn't seem to be a lot of respect for the OAC outside of the region.

Maybe I am wrong, as I don't follow Basketball and Baseball as much as I do Football, but I can't recall a year that the OAC put two teams in each touney in the same school year in the big three mens sports.  I think that says that while a lot of people familiar with the OAC and this region have felt that the OAC was one of, if not the top league, that the powers that be are starting to recognize that as well and rewarding it with a second bid to the tourneys.

[ScotsFan]

I totally remember that Cap team getting jobbed by the selection committee.

I think part of the problem when it comes to getting 2 teams in, at least in basketball, has to do with the competitiveness of the league.  When you look at the NCAC, Witt and Wooster might pin a loss on one another, but outside of that, there aren't many teams in the NCAC that put up much of a challenge.  But, in the OAC, there aren't many teams you can sleep on at all.  You have to be on your toes for every game, or else you might slip up. 

Just look at last season as an example.  ONU was the preseason pick to win the OAC.  They were ranked in the top 10 nationally early in the season and then they got into OAC play and fell apart and failed to make the NCAA's.  B-W was also considered a favorite and they failed to make the NCAA tournament as well.  And I think both of those teams could have probably done some damage in the tournament.  Heck, ONU knocked off Wooster who made it to Salem!

Other power basketball conferences that lose bids because of the competitiveness of the teams in their conferences are the CCIW and the WIAC.  Usually their OOC records are the best in the country in those 2 leagues, yet, they beat up on each other in league play and usually the conference champ is the only bid given out.  With the expanded field, things are getting a bit better, but even last year, there were a couple of teams from those respective leagues that were left out that many felt were stronger than some of the at large teams that were selected.

But, that's the nature of the beast.  Playing in a tough conference prepares you as your team readies for the post-season, but it also gives less room for error. 

[Pat Coleman]

Part of it also was the seven total Pool C bids that year.

Capital ended the 2001-02 season No. 8 in the D3hoops.com Top 25.

[mideastfan]

Marietta and Otterbein took the field for the 11th time in the past 2 seasons.  This time Marietta was victorious 4-0, getting a complete game shutout from TJ Knowlton!! 

Marietta has been consistent in the regional so far, only giving up 1 run in 18 innings.  They are now the lone team left in the regional with ZERO losses.

Otterbein will face Wooster tomorrow at noon in an elimination game, with the winner of that game facing Marietta at 7pm.

[Spence]

Amazing job so far by this bunch of young guys. 2 wins to go to Appleton. A win I was hoping for. A three-hit shutout was beyond wildest dreams. Great job TJ and the Etta Express!

[mideastfan]

Marietta is getting another great pitching performance from it's young staff.  Nate Eschbaugh has held Wooster scoreless. 

End of 6:
WOO - 0
MAR - 6