BB: SCIAC: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Skips Soldier]

I completely agree. The team seems to do this around this time every year under Laverty. They hit a snag in the schedule and start playing some really poor baseball. This team seemed different but there is still plenty of time to bring things together. I thought they might struggle a little against Cal Lu, but did not expect to get swept. Hope the Panthers can change the way it's been going lately and really the last 4 years. They cannot look over any team in the SCIAC especially after they've played recently in conference.

[SoCalSoxFan]

Congrats to CLU for 9th straight win; albeit aided by Chapmans 5 errors.
Earlier in the week they also had a come from behind against Linsfield in a Pitch by committee game.

If CLU could stop falling behind in games they may be looking at post-season play, but recently it doesn't look like their starting rotation is able to shut anybody down.
... then again, winning 9 in a row including 4 out of conference games is a still good thing!

Good luck today in twin bill at Chapman!


"For the sixth consecutive game, the No. 21 Cal Lutheran baseball team rallied from a deficit for a dramatic victory, earning its second walk-off win in those six games with an 8-7 thriller over No. 24 Chapman at Ullman Stadium on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Kingsmen have now won nine straight games and have nine comeback victories overall this season. "

Upcoming out of conference games
Apr 13   at Puget Sound (Wash.)       
Apr 14   at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)   
Apr 14   at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)   
Apr 15   at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.

Another strong weekend for Cal Lu starters.  Two complete games (Marshall P and Nate W)and string bullpen to sweep Whittier.   Looks like they aren't using Their season beginning #1 trey Saito on the mound these days.  14 game win streak with both Conf and non-Conf wins included.


They head up north for what I expect to be critical regional trip with game vs Puget Sound and 3 (yes 3!) against Pac Lu, their sister school.

Massey and coaches have favorable rankings and stats for CLU, but a positive trip will go much further in determining Regional rankings.

[Jack Parkman]

The SCIAC is starting to take shape for the top 4 spots.  It looks like there are 5 teams going for the top 4 spots and plenty of teams going for the top 4 still have to play each other.

Oxy: 11-4 with Redlands, Pomona and Chapman left to play.  I see them losing 3-4 of these games and am not sold on them one bit.  Getting thumped 16-4 by a very average Pacific team doesn't look very good.  With their SOS (203) there is only one way they are getting a bid and that is to win the SCIAC Tournament.  I thought they would have learned to schedule better after getting left out last year but I guess I was wrong.

Cal Lu: 13-5 with Caltech and Claremont left to play.  Obviously they are set up in pretty good position to win out, but the games still have to be played.  They have won 14 in a row and have a big series up in Tacoma this weekend.  Their SOS is 55 right now but that is going to take a hit with Caltech and Claremont.  I think Cal Lu is the only school with a shot at a Pool C if they don't win the SCIAC tourney and I do think they will win the regular season title and host the tourney.

Chapman: 10-5 with Claremont, La Verne and Oxy left.  Been a little up and down recently but I am confident they will make the SCIAC tourney but they cannot afford another weekend of getting swept.

La Verne: 10-5 with Pomona, Chapman and Whittier left.  La Verne is the least sexy team in the SCIAC and are pretty average overall record wise but they are in good position to make the SCIAC Tourney.  All they hav eto do is look back to 2015 when they won the SCIAC Tourney as the 4-seed.

Redlands: 11-7 with Oxy and Pomona left.  Redlands has had a very up and down season and they can't afford any more losses.  I think they have as good of a shot at winning on Fridays as anyone but after that it gets really questionable.

Pomona, Claremont, Whittier and Caltech will have to wait until next year to make a run at the tourney.

My final standings and prediction for the tourney...
1) Cal Lu 19-5
2)Chapman 17-7
3) Oxy 16-8
4) La Verne 15-9
5) Redlands 14-10

Obviously I am not always the best at picking but I think that's where it ends up.  Cal Lu has the tie-breaker with both Chapman and Oxy but I don't see Cal Lu losing to Claremont or Caltech.

[Purple Heys]

Cal Lu is the best all around team we've played this year.  They don't have the biggest guys, the hardest throwers, an abundance of power at the plate, or anything that'll make your eyes bug out.  They play good situational baseball, they minimize the impact of their mistakes, and they more often than not capitalize on the opponents mistakes.  They are less flawed than the other teams we have faced, is a way I would put it.

That said, I think they're margin for error is not as wide as some other teams they've had.  To win they need to play well.  They are good but they are a beatable team.

Game 3 they had to play very well on defense to keep the game from getting away and kept it within range for a comeback.  I didn't feel as if we were beaten so much as out-executed in the nightcap.

I love that stadium.  What a great venue.

[108 Stitches]

It's not about the team size, names on the jersey's, or for that matter history. It is about getting hot and/or playing solid baseball at the end of the season.

I saw that LaVerne team in the West Regional and they did not "look" impressive but they were scrappy and played solid baseball. They beat some really good teams and had Trinity down 4-2 in the bottom of the 8th and the only reason they lost that game was their closer had a melt down and Trinity scored 5 to go on and win the Regional and came one game short of the CWS finals.

As a side note I saw their coach at the CWS and he said he was still re-living that game... 

... as CrashDavis always said win your conference so you don't have to worry about some guys worrying about flying costs to select teams for the regions.

[Purple Heys]

Cal Lu is the best all around team we've played this year so far.  They don't have the biggest guys, the hardest throwers, an abundance of power at the plate, or anything that'll make your eyes bug out.  They play good situational baseball, they minimize the impact of their mistakes, and they more often than not capitalize on the opponents mistakes.  They are less flawed than the other teams we have faced, is a way I would put it.

That said, I think they're margin for error is not as wide as some other teams they've had.  To win they need to play well.  They are good but they are beatable team.

Game 3 they had to play very well on defense to keep the game from getting away and kept it within range for a comeback.  I didn't feel as if we were beaten so much as out-executed in the nightcap.

I love that stadium.  What a great venue.

Fixed it...out of respect to teams we have yet to play.

[SoCalBaseballfan]

SCIAC Tourney Predictions

These teams get in:
1) Cal Lutheran
2) Occidental
3) La Verne
4) Chapman

Cal Lu wins the tourney and gets Pool A bid. All others stay home

[ludawg6]

Long time lurker, few time poster... so happy to finally see the alma mater come up north and play a few up here. So glad I don't have to drive to Linfield to catch one game and go home - this weekend I get 4 games!!! only snag is I have to leave eeeaarrrllly Friday during game 1 to get my kids from school then have them come out for the afternoon game - with all of us sporting the graple... hopefully we can snag a few wins and force that Pool C bid if we stumble in the conference tourney... hopefully the less than desirable weather (low 50's, a little wind and rain in the forecast) won't trip us up these next few days... here's hoping.... and, as always Cal-Lu, Cal-Lu...

[SoCalSoxFan]

Lu Dawg,

Thanks for going to games and supporting current team.


If I recall you were there at Linfiled  during regionals a couple years ago... Elimination night, extra inning loss.


Ps: you still fit in your jersey?

[SoCalBaseballfan]

Hey Skips Soldier HOW does Chapman lose to CMS???

Sad what has happen to this once proud baseball program since Coach T was removed.

[MIFDad]

Certainly Skip's soldier deserves ribbing for his overconfident Panther plugs, but to call  Chapman a "once proud baseball program" is just trolling.

11-6 in conference, 20-10 overall.  Currently tied for 3rd place. 

But CMS is winning game 3 right now. Maybe they're getting better.

[MIFDad]

Welp, the Panthers came back from 7-0 to win 12-7 and take the series. If you do that every weekend you're doing okay.

[Jack Parkman]

Certainly Skip's soldier deserves ribbing for his overconfident Panther plugs, but to call  Chapman a "once proud baseball program" is just trolling.

My $.02 on this....
In the last 20 years Chapman has been one of the best D3 programs in the country.  That all changed a few years ago when they got rid of Coach T and hired Laverty.
College World Series- '97,'00,'01,'03,'05,'06,'07,'08,'09,'11
National Champs in '03
Regionals- All years above as well as '98,'99,'04,'10

Since the change in coaching, and joining the SCIAC, they have gone to the SCIAC Tournament twice and finished 6th the other time.  Not exactly whipping up on the SCIAC since they joined. Maybe it was a huge overhaul when Laverty took over but something changed around 2012 and Chapman became just another program.

[Jack Parkman]

SCIAC Top 4 getting a little closer to taking shape but some key series yet to be played.

1) Cal Lu          13-5 with Caltech and Claremont left.  They have the tie-breaker over Chapman and Oxy
2) Chapman     12-6 with La Verne and Oxy left.  They have the tie-breaker over Redlands
2) Occidental    12-6 with Pomona and Chapman left.  They have the tie-breaker over La Verne
2) La Verne       12-6 with Chapman and Whittier left.  They have the tie-breaker with Cal Lu and Redlands
5) Redlands      13-8 with Pomona left.  They have the tie-breaker over Cal Lu and Oxy

So many things could happen but Chapman having 2 of the teams they are tied with will obviously work that whole scenario out. My prediction for the last 2 weeks....

Cal Lu goes 6-0
Chapman goes 4-2; 2-1 vs La Verne and 2-1 vs Oxy
Oxy goes 3-3; 2-1 vs Pomona and 1-2 vs Chapman
La Verne goes 4-2; 1-2 vs Chapman and 3-0 vs Whittier
Redlands goes 2-1 vs Pomona

Final Standings:
1) Cal Lu 19-5
2) Chapman 16-8 (Gets the home game with the tie-breaker over La Verne)
3) La Verne 16-8
4) Redlands 15-9 and gets the 4th spot due to the tie-breaker over Oxy

[SoCalBaseballfan]

Certainly Skip's soldier deserves ribbing for his overconfident Panther plugs, but to call  Chapman a "once proud baseball program" is just trolling.

My $.02 on this....
In the last 20 years Chapman has been one of the best D3 programs in the country.  That all changed a few years ago when they got rid of Coach T and hired Laverty.
College World Series- '97,'00,'01,'03,'05,'06,'07,'08,'09,'11
National Champs in '03
Regionals- All years above as well as '98,'99,'04,'10

Since the change in coaching, and joining the SCIAC, they have gone to the SCIAC Tournament twice and finished 6th the other time.  Not exactly whipping up on the SCIAC since they joined. Maybe it was a huge overhaul when Laverty took over but something changed around 2012 and Chapman became just another program.

I stand by what I say. I watched almost ever game Chapman played from 2007 thru 2011. Until Chapman can consistently get to the regionals, they are just another team with an average coach