BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

Spence · May 18, 2007, 09:50:29 PM

So you're the one that ruined the shutout with your jinx!

Esch got a couple of balls up and lost command a little, but he and fellow frosh Tyler Penwell "keep 'er in the mowed place" for a 6-3 win to eliminate Wooster.

The only two #1 ranked teams this year in the ABCA poll were Wooster and Otterbein. Neither will make the final day of the regional and both lost games to Marietta.

There should be a moratorium on ranking Wooster #1 until they actually live up to it just once.

mideastfan · May 18, 2007, 09:52:54 PM

a HUGE win for the Etta Express as they defeat Wooster 6-3 behind a nother great pitching performace, this time from Nate Eschbaugh (7 IP, 3 runs).

You can't say enough about the young pitching staff this series. 27 innings and only 4 runs allowed.

This is a staff that is pitching WITHOUT it's top 5 pitchers from last year's National Championship team!!

One more to go tomorrow.

Spence · May 18, 2007, 10:02:57 PM

Quote from: mideastfan on May 18, 2007, 09:52:54 PM
a HUGE win for the Etta Express as they defeat Wooster 6-3 behind a nother great pitching performace, this time from Nate Eschbaugh (7 IP, 3 runs).

You can't say enough about the young pitching staff this series. 27 innings and only 4 runs allowed.

This is a staff that is pitching WITHOUT it's top 5 pitchers from last year's National Championship team!!

One more to go tomorrow.

Not to mention two of their top five or six from this year. Kind of wondering what we do tomorrow as far as that goes. Maybe Penwell with a Justin Merryman ETA of the 7th?

oacfan · May 21, 2007, 08:40:31 PM

GOOD LUCK ETTA EXPRESS.... DEFEND THAT TITLE!!!

old scot · May 21, 2007, 10:17:42 PM

It sounds like Marietta has a tall order in their first CWS game. From following on D3 baseball pages, it looks like Chapman is loaded with quality arms. What their offense like? Seems like they won some low scoring games at regionals.

oacfan · May 22, 2007, 12:35:48 AM

Marietta had "Tall Orders" in regionals, but they got the job done. The numbers they put up in regionals were pretty good if you compare it to what they have done all year. The depth of the Etta's staff seems to be getting better with the return of some injured players. Should be interesting

old scot · May 22, 2007, 07:38:30 AM

OACfan, maybe it didn't make myself clear. I was inquiring about Chapmans offensive abilities.

mideastfan · May 22, 2007, 08:01:13 AM

Quote from: old scot on May 22, 2007, 07:38:30 AM
OACfan, maybe it didn't make myself clear. I was inquiring about Chapmans offensive abilities.

I'm not too sure about their offense, but they were held to only 3 runs last year in the series by Marietta's #3 and #4 guys. The question is though will Marietta be able to score off of Drag, and if so, will it be enough to win.....I'm not sure. I hate to count out my boys, but I agree with you, it will be a very Tall Order.

BigPoppa · May 22, 2007, 10:54:38 AM

Quote from: old scot on May 22, 2007, 07:38:30 AM
OACfan, maybe it didn't make myself clear. I was inquiring about Chapmans offensive abilities.

Chapman does not light it up with the bats, but they rely on their pitching... Drag and Kitchens are an amazing one-two punch. They have huge weaknesses in the bullpen... other than Yacko who closes. Drag is 15-0 on the season, but he has numbers that are behind those of their #2, Kitchens.

Offensively, the play small ball and will bunt at any time. Anytime they get the leadoff man on in an inning, expect them to try to execute something. They run a bit, bunt a lot and hit and run quite often as well.

I think Marietta/Chapman will be the best Day 1 game.

ScotsFan · May 22, 2007, 11:00:07 AM

Question for mideastfan or Spence. Was it Baumler who started the season as Marietta's #1 but has been injured? And, if so, wasn't he getting close to being able to contribute again? Will he be available to them at the CWS? That would greatly improve Etta's pitching depth if he were able to return.

oacfan · May 22, 2007, 11:01:57 AM

Well look what happened when Marietta faced one of, if not the most, potent offense in the country in Wooster. (6 hits, 3 runs) With the #3 on the hill. Wooster was 8th in the country in scoring with 9.4 runs per game. But then again thats another story there why wooster cant win the big one

old scot · May 22, 2007, 11:51:34 AM

Thanks for the info BigPoppa. Sounds like Chapman tries to take advantage of every baserunner.

oacfan · May 22, 2007, 12:54:51 PM

Two very similar styles of play will be going at it in round one here. Looks like the Hands down best match up of round one.

mideastfan · May 22, 2007, 01:21:43 PM

Quote from: ScotsFan on May 22, 2007, 11:00:07 AM
Question for mideastfan or Spence. Was it Baumler who started the season as Marietta's #1 but has been injured? And, if so, wasn't he getting close to being able to contribute again? Will he be available to them at the CWS? That would greatly improve Etta's pitching depth if he were able to return.

Correct, Baumler was this year's ACE and he has been injured off and on through most of the year. He hasn't contributed for the last month, and I'm not sure of his status for the World Series (he wasn't available in the regionals).
Baumler was the only top 5 pitcher returning from last year's squad also, so basically the team has been succeeding this year wihtout it's top 5 from the Championship team of a year ago....pretty good job by the Marietta coaching staff!

ScotsFan · May 22, 2007, 03:29:16 PM

Quote from: oacfan on May 22, 2007, 11:01:57 AM
Well look what happened when Marietta faced one of, if not the most, potent offense in the country in Wooster. (6 hits, 3 runs) With the #3 on the hill. Wooster was 8th in the country in scoring with 9.4 runs per game. But then again thats another story there why wooster cant win the big one

Marietta wasn't the only team to quiet the Wooster bats in this year's regional. They only scored 11 runs in their 4 games played. They didn't even match their average runs per game in their 1st 3 games played. We touched on this over on the NCAC board. I have come to the conclusion that Coach Pettorini does not spend nearly enough time coaching the fundamentals which include situational hitting, moving baserunners along and bunting, and also defense. They pound the defensless NCAC to oblivion year after year mashing their way through the conference weaklings. But, when it comes time to face teams that can acutally pitch and field, Wooster is like a deer in headlights! Wooster needs to take a serious look at how teams like Marietta and Chapman and SUNY Cortland end up having success year after year in post season play. It is because they are very very fundamentally sound baseball teams. Wooster can get by without being fundamentally sound against the majority of the NCAC. But, as their poor showings in the past 2 Mideast Regional tournaments can attest, they have major work to do to become a fundamentally sound ballclub all around!

Quote from: oacfan on May 22, 2007, 12:54:51 PM
Two very similar styles of play will be going at it in round one here. Looks like the Hands down best match up of round one.

I totally agree. It's unfortunate that 2 of the teams I would consider favorites in this field are meeting right off the bat. I think this is by far the best match-up of the 1st round. Too bad that one of these teams is going to find themselves in a hole after the 1st game. Just to let you all know, I'll be pulling for the 'Etta Express!