BB: SCIAC: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Jack Parkman]

First off CalTech is a joke, they should be removed from the conference and go club. They probably would not win very many games in club ball, but this is a disservice to school, the conference and all involved. If I am not mistaken the round robin woo haa adds up to 30 games anyway. Make them meaningful IMO.

This has been talked about on every board in the world...I don't see it happening.  As far as the 28/30 games, it's 28 with 8 teams X3 games and 4 extra round robin, although math was never my strong point.  I don't disagree either about making them meaningful.  Playing Cal Tech really doesn't help anyone.

[Colorado]

Chapman drew first blood against Whittier (9-3) but not without some drama. The Poets had Osaki on the ropes in the 1st (bases loaded, 1 in, 1 out) but let him off the hook and Then struggled to put anything together until he tired in the 7th.  Reliever Braden Riddle came into the 8th with 2 on, none out with the tying run at the plate and was lights out (2IP, 4 K) to move CU into a 3-way tie for 1st. The Poets used 3 pitchers who stayed in the 70's mph range. Strategy almost worked as CU's overly eager hitters were shutout for 5 innings before MVP Mark Saatzer crushed a 2-run HR in the 6th. Whittier's Barzilli  looked like a beast with a double (on a FB up and in) in the 1st but he was pretty quiet after that as CU seemed to change their approach with him. I'll be curious today to see how it plays out with him in the DH. Defensive play of the game: 2b Tim Alhamati with his back to the bag and moving away to the OF to reach the ball as it trickled away, did a no look swipe at the ball with his glove and flipped it to the SS for a force play to quash a Whittier bases loaded threat.i CU's ace  Travis McGee and Last year's all conference, Tabor Watson, start today. As for yesterday, the tense playoff type atmosphere made it a great game to watch. Looking forward to 2 more today.

[Teddy_Ballgame]

Chapman came out and stomped Whittier in the first game of the doubleheader, 10-0 in 7 innings.
ULV was up 4-0 in the eighth, but CLU is once again relying on the big inning and are now up 7-4 with Roth in to close out the 8th and 9th. If CLU holds on, they'll be tied with Chapman (CLU holds tiebreaker) at the top of the SCIAC going into the afternoon games.

PP also took the first game against Oxy, and will be looking for a sweep this afternoon (there's the Hens I know and love!). Looks like Bruml found himself on the mound, and Rosenabum added another home run. Nishioka had three hits as well. Oxy losing this series is big for ULV, and puts them in a better sport heading into the round robin (especially if they lose the series or get swept by CLU). Redlands is loving CLU and PP right now- they could end up tied for fourth heading into the round robin. And, amazingly, a PP sweep and CLU sweep would leave the Hens just a game back.

Standings heading into last game before round robin (assuming CLU hangs on, and ULV beats CIT in makeup game):

1. CLU (17-6) holds tiebreaker over CU
1. Chapman (17-6)
3. Whittier (16-7)
4. Oxy (12-11) holds tiebreaker over ULV
4. ULV (12-11)
6. UR (12-12)
7. P-P (10-13)
8. CMS (8-15)- Played a full 9 in both CIT games, and only won the morning game 7-3 today. Could we see a spoiler this afternoon??
9. CIT (0-23)

Looks like we'll be coming down to the wire at the top of the conference and for the last playoff spot, which is much as you can ask for as a fan.

[Colorado]

If yesterday's CU-Whittier contest had that "edge of your seat" feel to it, today's first game was simply a romp in the park if you were rooting for CU. CU's offense (scoring 10 runs over 4 innings) was the irresistible force and RHP Travis McGee (3 hits, 8 K's in a 7 IP mercy game) was the immovable object. There was no suspense in this game. CU hit the ball hard and often. Barzilli was hitless (1K). For the first time all season against an opponent known for their bats, CU's pitchers have pitched the way you'd hoped they would.  They struggled against Trinity and CLU, and got shredded in the series with Pomona. I thought going in that Whittier with Barzilli leading the way was right there offensively but I can see they rely heavily on the first 5 guys in the order and if you shut down their cannons, they have a hard time scoring runs. Since the 1st inning of the first game, CU has outscored Whittier by a 19-1 margin.

[Jack Parkman]

. Since the 1st inning of the first game, CU has outscored Whittier by a 19-1 margin.

If you add in the 2 games before this weekend, Whittier hs scored only 2 runs in the past 30 innings.  Chapman is rolling but they have had a tough time sweeping people this year.  I think they get this one.

[Colorado]

Chapman sweeps Whittier and takes the nightcap 5-2. In hindsight, the latter did not match up well with CU. Whittier's bats were mostly quiet, unable to string any sequential offense together while Barzilli went 2-8 with no RBI's. They scored 5 runs in the series. They had a great season when you consider their 0-5 start but like a matching bookend, they finished up 0-5 heading into the round robin. Not a good time to slip into a funk. One of CU's keys in this recent run has been the 6-7 guys in the line up that are hitting over .400 in the last month. Connor Battaglia struggled earlier this year with his timing but is squaring up on everything now (7-12, .583 BA this weekend and .338 overall). CU is getting hot at the right time.

[Teddy_Ballgame]

CLU, CU, PP, and CMS all complete sweeps this weekend. I wonder when the last time that happened was?
Anyway, updated standings (reflecting seeds for round robin):

1. CLU 18-6
2. CU 18-6
3. WC 16-8
4. Oxy 12-12 (holds tiebreaker over Redlands and La Verne)
5. UofR 12-12
6. ULV 11-12 (still needs to makeup a game against CIT)
7. P-P 11-13
8. CMS 8-16
9. CIT 0-24

Heading in to Round Robin (which begins on Wednesday), looks like CLU and CU are going to battle for the top seed and there will be a four team dog fight for the last spot in the tournament. I assume ULV has to makeup that game against CIT, but if they don't do it until after the round robin they will be the 6 seed.

Projected Schedule:
#1 CLU plays 5,6,8,9:   Redlands, ULV, CMS, CIT
#2 CU   plays 4,6,7,9:   Oxy, ULV, PP, CIT   
#3 WC  plays 4,5,7,8:   Oxy, UofR, P-P, CMS
#4 Oxy plays 2,3,8,9:   CU, WC, CMS, CIT
#5 UR   plays 1,3,7,9:   CLU, WC, PP, CIT
#6 ULV plays 1,2,7,8:   CLU, CU, PP, CMS
#7 P-P  plays 2,3,5,6:    CU, WC, UR, ULV

In the battle for the 4 seed, Oxy definitely has the easiest road not having to play CLU and getting CMS and Cal Tech. Nevertheless, any of those four teams could end up going on a run and making it to the tournament. Should be a fun week!

[Jack Parkman]

CLU, CU, PP, and CMS all complete sweeps this weekend. I wonder when the last time that happened was?
Anyway, updated standings (reflecting seeds for round robin):

1. CLU 18-6
2. CU 18-6
3. WC 16-8
4. Oxy 12-12 (holds tiebreaker over Redlands and La Verne)
5. UofR 12-12
6. ULV 11-12 (still needs to makeup a game against CIT)
7. P-P 11-13
8. CMS 8-16
9. CIT 0-24

Heading in to Round Robin (which begins on Wednesday), looks like CLU and CU are going to battle for the top seed and there will be a four team dog fight for the last spot in the tournament. I assume ULV has to makeup that game against CIT, but if they don't do it until after the round robin they will be the 6 seed.

Projected Schedule:
#1 CLU plays 5,6,8,9:   Redlands, ULV, CMS, CIT
#2 CU   plays 4,6,7,9:   Oxy, ULV, PP, CIT   
#3 WC  plays 4,5,7,8:   Oxy, UofR, P-P, CMS
#4 Oxy plays 2,3,8,9:   CU, WC, CMS, CIT
#5 UR   plays 1,3,7,9:   CLU, WC, PP, CIT
#6 ULV plays 1,2,7,8:   CLU, CU, PP, CMS
#7 P-P  plays 2,3,5,6:    CU, WC, UR, ULV

In the battle for the 4 seed, Oxy definitely has the easiest road not having to play CLU and getting CMS and Cal Tech. Nevertheless, any of those four teams could end up going on a run and making it to the tournament. Should be a fun week!

I have La Verne at 5 and Redlands at 6, assuming La Verne makes up the Cal Tech game before the round robin.  If they don't make it up, it drops them to 6 and moved Redlands to 5.  Anyone know if/when they are making it up?

[Teddy_Ballgame]

I have La Verne at 5 and Redlands at 6, assuming La Verne makes up the Cal Tech game before the round robin.  If they don't make it up, it drops them to 6 and moved Redlands to 5.  Anyone know if/when they are making it up?

Exactly, it depends on when that makeup game is played. It's not listed on the ULV or Cal Tech schedules right now though, which is why my seedings reflect the current standings (ie without that game). Obviously ULV would like to get it in asap though, because the 5 seed gets a gimme by playing Cal Tech instead of CMS, and gets Whittier instead of Chapman.

[Jack Parkman]

I have La Verne at 5 and Redlands at 6, assuming La Verne makes up the Cal Tech game before the round robin.  If they don't make it up, it drops them to 6 and moved Redlands to 5.  Anyone know if/when they are making it up?

Exactly, it depends on when that makeup game is played. It's not listed on the ULV or Cal Tech schedules right now though, which is why my seedings reflect the current standings (ie without that game). Obviously ULV would like to get it in asap though, because the 5 seed gets a gimme by playing Cal Tech instead of CMS, and gets Whittier instead of Chapman.

Got ya.  Although it doesnt seem like one game means much it sure does make a difference.  Interesting to see what they do.

[dahlby]

Why wouldn't the CIT-ULV game have already been re- scheduled if it was postponed in early March? Just wondering.

[Teddy_Ballgame]

Just got confirmation that PP plays:
Wed vs Whittier
Sat at ULV
Sun at Chapman
Tues vs Redlands

Reminder of the round robin schedule:

SCIAC Round Robin Schedule (All teams are seeded following the last game on 4/19)

4/23/14

1st @ 8th
2nd @ 9th
3rd @ 7th

4/26/14

9th @ 4
2nd @ 4th

7th @ 5th
3rd @ 5th

8th @ 6th
1st @ 6th

4/27/14

5th @ 1st
9th @ 1st

6th @ 2nd
7th @ 2nd

4th @ 3rd
8th @ 3rd

4/29/14

5th @ 9th
6th @ 7th
4th @ 8th

It looks like that means they have ULV as the 5 seed and U of R as the 6 seed. If that's true, it must mean that they're counting the CIT-ULV game as a win for ULV, which is weird to me. Obviously ULV wins that game, but I squirm a little at taking a game like that off the field. Why weren't they able to reschedule it? Surely, as dahlby points out, there was plenty of time to do so.

Final seeding:
1. Cal Lutheran
2. Chapman
3. Whittier
4. Occidental
5. La Verne
6. Redlands
7. Pomona-Pitzer
8. CMS
9. Cal Tech

UPDATED ROUND ROBIN SCHEDULE:
#1 CLU plays 5,6,8,9:   ULV, UR, CMS, CIT
#2 CU   plays 4,6,7,9:   Oxy, UR, PP, CIT   
#3 WC  plays 4,5,7,8:   Oxy, ULV, P-P, CMS
#4 Oxy plays 2,3,8,9:   CU, WC, CMS, CIT
#5 ULV plays 1,3,7,9:   CLU, WC, PP, CIT
#6 UR   plays 1,2,7,8:   CLU, CU, PP, CMS
#7 P-P  plays 2,3,5,6:    CU, WC, ULV, UR

[CrashDavisD3]

Goal of teams are finish up good enough to make SCIAC Conference tournament for Pool A bid. Let the fun begin...Team with the deepest pitching staff wins IMO...

http://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2013-14/teams?sort=era&r=0&pos=p

http://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2013-14/teams?sort=era&r=0&pos=p

[Teddy_Ballgame]

Goal of teams are finish up good enough to make SCIAC Conference tournament for Pool A bid. Let the fun begin...Team with the deepest pitching staff wins IMO...

http://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2013-14/teams?sort=era&r=0&pos=p

http://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2013-14/teams?sort=era&r=0&pos=p

Not surprising that in PP's best series of the year (and only non-Cal Tech sweep), they were able to ride their starters for 20 2/3 of 23 innings. Beyond the fresh bullpen, their schedule is also much more favorable than the three teams tied for fourth in that they have their games spread out over a full week. Friday starter (Miles) should be available on Wednesday, then Saturday guys (Bruml, Gerics) over the weekend, and Miles again on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, ULV, Redlands, and Oxy all play two on Saturday, one Sunday, and one Tuesday. They'll be left in a tough spot as their aces will only have two days rest for the final game. Case in point, Redlands will likely have to throw a fourth starter against PP's ace Miles on 4/29.

Finally, I got word that Cal Tech forfeited the ULV game. My guess would be that they didn't want to burden their geniuses with another mid-week game as finals approach. It does still seem pretty weak that ULV didn't have to play that game... but so it goes.

[Richard Hamstocks]

Meanwhile, ULV, Redlands, and Oxy all play two on Saturday, one Sunday, and one Tuesday. They'll be left in a tough spot as their aces will only have two days rest for the final game. Case in point, Redlands will likely have to throw a fourth starter against PP's ace Miles on 4/29.

Rather the exception. The other two teams play Cal Tech. Their 3 starters can pitch the final game.