BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

[EttaFan1]

With the basketball tournament set to begin, it made me wonder about an adjustment to the baseball tournament.  In basketball the top two seeds automatically get bye's to the semifinals.   

Hypothetically speaking, what if they expanded the baseball tournament to six teams.  Letting #1 and #2 get a first game bye.  3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5, with the winners playing the top two.  Still keep the double elimination format. and go something like this....

Weds
Game 1: #3 vs #6
Game 2: #4 vs #5
Game 3: L1 vs L2 (elimination Game)

Thurs
Game 4: W1 vs. #2
Game 5: W2 vs #1
Game 6: L4 vs L5 (elimination Game)
Game 7: W6 vs. W3 (elimination Game)

Fri
Game 8: W4 vs. W5
Game 9: L8 vs. W7 (elimination game)


Sat
Game 10: (championship): W7 vs W9
Game 11: if necessary.

I realize costs are a concern (more umpire fees, more hotels, more meals, etc. etc. etc.) and this is purely hypothetical.  I think this makes for a more interesting tournament, and involves more teams.  4 games in one day is an issue if there are no lights at the field. 

I think this could be an interesting format, though. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Schaly has lights, so not a problem. They host every year anyway, right? Just kidding all, I know there are some other very good teams that can host in any year.

[Dr. Acula]

If they were doing that 6 team format the one tweak I would make is to have the #1 seed play the lowest remaining seed in case the 6 wins game 1.  I'm a proponent of the regular season champ getting every reasonable advantage.  They earned it after 18 conference games. 

[Dr. Acula]

Cap picked up a solid win over Franklin today. 7-6 final.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Good win for cap and the OAC.

[Spence]

Not a fan of the bigger tournament. 40% of the conference already gets in as it is, 6 team and you'd have teams with a losing record that haven't earned a chance at the NCAA tournament playing for that chance.

Lowest record I can remember being 4th is 9-9. To have a chance at the NCAAs, you should have to at least make it to .500, and the way things are, you pretty much do, if not quite a bit better.

[Dr. Acula]

Cap continued their tour of the HCAC with a 6-5 win over Hanover today.  Good to see them off to a 3-1 start.

[EttaFan1]

Marietta Cancels with Depauw and ANderson

Now Case/Dennison/Marietta will each play two games on Saturday.

Case and Marietta will play a DH on Sunday. 

Marietta now has scheduled...

2 games against Wooster (regional participant in 2013)
2 games against LaRoche (regional Participant in 2012)
1 game with W&J (regional participant in 2013)
1 game with Webster (CWS participant in 2013)
1 game with Farmingdale St (regional participant in 2013)
1 game with Salem State (regional participant in 2013)
2 games with Dennison
1 game with OWU


5....FIVE games with CWRU (regional participant in 2013).

Stuck in the present i guess,  sorry for the error in dates.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Hey etta, When did you start reading the future?    I sure thode teams will be happy to know they are making it to the regionals and the cws. Wooster will be disappointed though , this is the year pettorini is shooting for the CWS this year.

In all seriousness though. That is a buzzsaw of a schedule. Good for them, I will do everything I can to see the OWU Marietta game.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount has their roster up!  My complaining can end.  Not many local kids so not much input from me there.  I am excited to see where Austin Cooper figures into things though.  He was a stud on the mound for a very good Austintown Fitch team last year.  Mount doesn't land many pitchers with his resume so good work on the recruiting trail with that one. 

[motorman]

Marietta Cancels with Depauw and ANderson

Now Case/Dennison/Marietta will each play two games on Saturday.

Case and Marietta will play a DH on Sunday. 

Marietta now has scheduled...

2 games against Wooster (regional participant in 2014)
2 games against LaRoche (regional Participant in 2014)
1 game with W&J (regional participant in 2014)
1 game with Webster (CWS participant in 2014)
1 game with Farmingdale St (regional participant in 2014)
1 game with Salem State (regional participant in 2014)
2 games with Dennison
1 game with OWU


5....FIVE games with CWRU (regional participant in 2014).

EttaFan, You predicting the 2014 regionals? Think you mean 2013. Also, LaRoche didn't make regional in 2013, it was 2012. They lost conference tournament to Penn-State Behrend and didn't get an at large bid last year.

Heidelberg is scheduled to play 18 games against 2013 regional participants.
2 vs Moravian (2013 Regional participant)
1 vs Neumann (2013 Regional participant)
1 vs Alvernia (2013 Regional participant)
2 vs Adrian (2013 Regional participant)
2 vs Wooster (2013 Regional participant)
3 vs Manchester (2013 CWS participant)
3 vs Case (2013 Regional participant)
2 vs Mount Union (2013 Regional participant)
2 vs Marietta (2013 Regional participant)

Additionally they have games vs LaRoche, Denison, OWU, and Montclair St.

[EttaFan1]

My bad on the 2014 thing....Duh.

I've said for the past few years, one of the things which has seperated 'Berg and Marietta from the rest of the OAC is their attitude towards scheduling.  Both teams try to schedule top flight competition year in and year out.  Both Coach Palm and Coach Brewer seem to have the approach that the primary goal is a trip to Appleton, they build difficult schedules to challenge their teams and prepare them for that journey.   I don't see the same mindset in the other schools (read some of the "season previews."  Some are striving for a birth in the OAC tournament....Not host it, not make it to the regionals or the CWS, a birth in the OAC tourney! the goal is "we are happy to finish fourth in the league").   Coach Brewer will tell you the primary goal at Marietta is to win a National Championship (as it has been for the better part of 50 years). 

(I didn't count league games in the mix, simply because you play those teams no matter what).

Nice non league slate for 'Berg.  Good stuff.

[Spence]

Not sure if Brewer still does this (but I've got a guess), but Schaly used to have several team goals. Very few MC teams have accomplished them all. I think '11 and '12 both did. I'm not sure about '81, but that would be the only other one that might have.

[motorman]

Pity you poor folks that are going to be stuck up here for this (hopefully!) last snow fall of the year. Leaving tomorrow for Florida. Berg is going to have to hit the field rolling as 6 of their 10 games in Florida are against 2013 Regional participants. Will try to post some details if I get computer access down there.

[Dr. Acula]

Safe travels today motorman.  Enjoy wearing shorts and seeing actual real, live grass!