BB: SCIAC: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Colorado]

Chapman swept Dallas by identical 6-3 scores. It looks like Laverty is tweaking his pitching staff. At the spring break, he told the team that  this was the home stretch and he was going with his horses. Osaki threw 136 pitches in the first game while striking out 10.  Closer Tabor Watson who beat Kean with a complete game  earlier, got his 2d start and With McGee starting tomorrow, this may be the rotation for the rest of the season.  There's no more pitch count restrictions so from herein out, he's going to ride his seniors/starters like they were Secretariat. He has confidence in 5 other guys to bring in as needed with Vietze (ERA 0.58 in 17IP) as the likely closer. I like what he's doing.

[Whatagame]

I predict Chapman to win the SCIAC pool A bid. 

[Jack Parkman]

I predict Chapman to win the SCIAC pool A bid.

Just curious, what makes you think this?

[108 Stitches]

Just curious, what makes you think this?

Unbridled optimism?

IMO it will come down to CLU and Chapman, but still don't understand this whole round robbin format and how it relates to the conference championship. Chapman could knock off CLU but CLU  has to be favored at this point in time.

[Colorado]

CLU was the better team when CU and them met. But The 2 guys, Kiyo and Scooby, coming back from TJ surgery seem stronger now than a month ago. Both are clocking at 90. I'm curious though on whether CU could get a Pool C bid if they were to sweep the next 2 series, sweep the 4-game round robin and go 2-2 or 3-2 in the conference tourney (and up 30-10 in D-3 play).

[Jack Parkman]

Just curious, what makes you think this?

Unbridled optimism?

IMO it will come down to CLU and Chapman, but still don't understand this whole round robbin format and how it relates to the conference championship. Chapman could knock off CLU but CLU  has to be favored at this point in time.

I agree with that.  Big weekend for the SCIAC next week with CLU and Whittier playing as well as La Verne and Oxy playing.

[Jack Parkman]

CLU was the better team when CU and them met. But The 2 guys, Kiyo and Scooby, coming back from TJ surgery seem stronger now than a month ago. Both are clocking at 90. I'm curious though on whether CU could get a Pool C bid if they were to sweep the next 2 series, sweep the 4-game round robin and go 2-2 or 3-2 in the conference tourney (and up 30-10 in D-3 play).

I'm not sure but I would lean towards no.  I think the only chance the SCIAC gets 2 teams in is if Cal Lu gets a Pool C.  I could be way off on this and will be very interested to see what happens when the regional rankings come out.  Anyone know when they come out?

[Whatagame]

I predict Chapman to win the SCIAC pool A bid.

Just curious, what makes you think this?

Chapman is the hotter team, with more talent.  Also, today's scores CLU 5 - CMS 4, and CMS 6 - CLU 2.

[Jack Parkman]

I predict Chapman to win the SCIAC pool A bid.

Just curious, what makes you think this?

Chapman is the hotter team, with more talent.  Also, today's scores CLU 5 - CMS 4, and CMS 6 - CLU 2.

Eh, Cal Lu is 8-2 in their last 10, Chapman is 7-3, Whittier is 7-3, La Verne is 7-3.  Same Claremont team that beat Cal Lu today has only been swept by Whittier and beat Chapman earlier in the year.  I'm not knocking Chapman, they have the arms to get them right back into a regional.

[CrashDavisD3]

Chapman will have to win the SCIAC to get a bid to the regional with Pool A bid.

Several teams in the last several years have not made the regional with 30 wins. I don't see a Pool C for Chapman.

Chapman will need to hit better to win the SCIAC tournament. They currently rank 4th in SCIAC in hitting, 1st in pitching and and 3rd in fielding percentage.

If they pitch and field as they have all season and they hit enough they can win the SCIAC tournament

[Teddy_Ballgame]

Ran into some old PP teammates this weekend who still play on the team (this will be the last year I can say that!), and they mentioned that for the first time the SCIAC was holding a home run derby yesterday at Oxy.

As I understood, it was for charity, with one representative from each team (Bruml was going to be swinging for PP).

First, I love the idea. It's always fun for players to get together and enjoy each other in a less competitive situation. There are so many connections between all the teams, and so many good, smart student-athletes represented in the SCIAC. Building the relations between players is great for the league and league play right now, and is great for the players in the future.

Also, there's no doubt Oxy is the perfect venue. Short all the way around (no advantage for lefties like at Pomona  ), and probably the most centrally located for all the schools traveling in on a Sunday.

Does anybody know how it turned out?


Finally, a big well-deserved congratulations to Coach Frank Pericolosi at Pomona. He just earned his 300th (and 301st and 302nd) win this weekend in just his 11th season. It's pretty phenomenal what he's done at Pomona-Pitzer, especially having to recruit with such strict admissions offices. It was an honor to play for him, and I hope he stays for many years. This may be a down year for PP, but I have no doubt they'll bounce right back as they always have.

[SoCalSoxFan]

Ran into some old PP teammates this weekend who still play on the team (this will be the last year I can say that!), and they mentioned that for the first time the SCIAC was holding a home run derby yesterday at Oxy.

As I understood, it was for charity, with one representative from each team (Bruml was going to be swinging for PP).

First, I love the idea. It's always fun for players to get together and enjoy each other in a less competitive situation. There are so many connections between all the teams, and so many good, smart student-athletes represented in the SCIAC. Building the relations between players is great for the league and league play right now, and is great for the players in the future.

Also, there's no doubt Oxy is the perfect venue. Short all the way around (no advantage for lefties like at Pomona  ), and probably the most centrally located for all the schools traveling in on a Sunday.

Does anybody know how it turned out?


Finally, a big well-deserved congratulations to Coach Frank Pericolosi at Pomona. He just earned his 300th (and 301st and 302nd) win this weekend in just his 11th season. It's pretty phenomenal what he's done at Pomona-Pitzer, especially having to recruit with such strict admissions offices. It was an honor to play for him, and I hope he stays for many years. This may be a down year for PP, but I have no doubt they'll bounce right back as they always have.

This was just posted

http://www.d3baseball.com/seasons/2014/contrib/201404060bk1wg


LOS ANGELES — When you think of a home run derby, you think of the biggest names in Major League Baseball during All-Star Weekend every summer. Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Robinson Cano and David Ortiz come to mind.

You don't think of a handful of SCIAC players and coaches rallying together to raise money for cancer research.

But on Sunday afternoon at Occidental College's Anderson Field in Los Angeles, players from seven of the conference's nine schools let the long ball fly in the first ever Take a Swing at Cancer Home Run Derby, presented by Copa Vida Coffee Shop in Pasadena. All proceeds went to cancer research at the City of Hope.

John Rizzo, a 6-foot-4, 225 lb. junior from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, took home the trophy, crushing a towering shot to left field to beat runner up and the favorite Julian Barzilli of Whittier College in walk-off fashion.

"It's amazing and it was a lot of fun," Rizzo said. "I'm glad I got a chance to show what I could do and to help a great cause."

Barzilli is leading all of NCAA Division III with 14 home runs.

Rizzo, a pitcher, squeaked past the first round by edging Redlands' Max Hardman and Pomona-Pitzer's Jake Bruml in a three-out playoff. In the second round he found his swing, sending five homers over the wall, edging La Verne's Joe Winterburn and Cal Lutheran's Atherton Kniseley.

Kniseley fed off the adrenaline of going first in Round 1, totaling a round-best six homers

[SoCalSoxFan]

Chapman will have to win the SCIAC to get a bid to the regional with Pool A bid.

Several teams in the last several years have not made the regional with 30 wins. I don't see a Pool C for Chapman.

Chapman will need to hit better to win the SCIAC tournament. They currently rank 4th in SCIAC in hitting, 1st in pitching and and 3rd in fielding percentage.

If they pitch and field as they have all season and they hit enough they can win the SCIAC tournament

Cal Lu's loss to CMS has made SCIAC even more intersting.


Of the top 5 teams:

Chapman at 12-6 has easiest schedule facing Cal Tech and Whittier (#8 and #1tie)  17-7 or better is withing reach (Prior to year end Round Robin).  Their early losses to Texas Lutheran and Trinity could really hurt them down the stretch.  If they can't win 2 of 3 from Whittier, then they won't have shown enough to get a wild card, leaving tourney win as only hope of Regional tournament bid. 

Cal Lu at 12-4 has 2nd hardest, facing Whittier and laVerne (#1tie and #4)  They will now be fortunate if they finish 18-6.  Given their CMS results, 17-7 wouldn't surprise.  If they take 5 of 6, then they would be the one SCIAC team that could get a wild card bid.


Whittier at 12-4 continues to exceed expectations.  With early loses to G.Fox, Pac Lu and Linfield, they'll need to win the year end tournament to have any chance of post season.  They have the hardest next 6 with Cal Lu and Chapman remaining.  I think they are a probable 16-8 or 17-7.   I don't see them winning more than 3 of those games... if they win 4, then we have definitely underestimated them this year.

LaVerne has Cal Lu and Occi (#1tie and #5).  LaVerne needs 2 of 3 from Occi to have chance of keeping 4th going into Round Robin.  I think 3 wins in those 6 games is most likely, leaving them 14-10 going into RR.  (1 game vs CalTech added to their victory column)

Occi needs to win 4 of their next 6 (LV and PP) leaving them at 14-10 going into Round Robin; but I'm picking they only win 3; 13-11 prior to RR.

[CrashDavisD3]

SCIAC STANDINGS

Cal Lutheran 14-4 22-6
Whittier 14-4 18-10
Chapman 12-6 19-10

La Verne 10-7 14-14
Occidental 10-8 14-15
Redlands 10-11 11-20

Pomona-Pitzer 8-13 12-17
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 5-13 9-20
Caltech 0-17 1-23

[Whatagame]

Whittier at 12-4 continues to exceed expectations.  With early loses to G.Fox, Pac Lu and Linfield, they'll need to win the year end tournament to have any chance of post season. 

Let's not also forget the 18-5 drubbing Whitman handed the Poets during their dismal weekend in Arizona (outscored 52-10 in four games).  To paraphrase the famous Charles Barkley quote, "Bad team man, that was a bad &%$&ing team!"