BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[7express]

Western game with Westfield state pstponed yet again.  They'll try for a 3rd time to play it this comming Friday at 3:30.

[7express]

Thanks Wally for the update.  


Alumn great point about the Western baseball program.  That field is by far the worst in the conference.  I always thought it would be fun to throw people out from right field where it is up hill.  Could Western build a new field somewhere else or remodel that field because it is struggling for sure.  Left field is downhill and rightfield up.  Also if you run off the thirdbase side you fall down the hill into the woods.  Not a great place to play.  If i was a baseball recruit i would look at some of the other facilities like basketball center, and football and i would say yah not so much.  Trinity has same problem in hartford.  Why dont they play where the Danbury Westerners used to play in the NECBL?

I had to work on Sunday so couldn't get up the game but is the field that lopsided where right field is higher then LF or vice versa??  The football field is nice (even though the team sucks), and the O'neil Center is top notch, you'd think they could create an even baseball diamond??

Edit: Forgot to mention this as well, but the field is in a terrible location.  There's hardly any parking (none??) where the field is, its all down by the practice field or take a nice walk from the O'neil center lot, and there's a part of that driveway that can only fit 1 car.  They should've put the field where the practice/rugby field is (that long stretch of grass on the right as your going up the O'neil center/campus field).

[hockeyfan77]

The University of Southern Maine Department of Athletics
today announced the following changes to its 2011 baseball and softball
schedules.
     Today's scheduled home opener with Endicott College has been postponed due
to the lack of a playable field in Gorham.  The game has been rescheduled for
Friday, April 15, at 3:30 p.m.
     The April 14 baseball game at St. Joseph's College has been rescheduled to
Monday, April 18, due to St. Joseph's needing the April 14 date for a conference
makeup date.

[LEC Fan]

Interesting thoughts fellas and some good ones! Speaking only from visiting these schools during the baseball season I can say that KSC might have the best "athletic" facilities for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, baseball, softball in the LEC. Eastern without a doubt has it for baseball, from what I hear the Western gym is "top notch" but Keene probably has one of the best facilities to accommodate all sports.

Plymouth- baseball field is next to football field, nothing really to write home about here, a good aspect of the facility is that everything is located at this one location. Not sure where softball plays but I am pretty sure soccer, field hockey, football are all located next to the gym.

Dartmouth- "Concrete Paradise" My only memory of this place were the numerous dorms/buildings made from concrete...looked like you were entering a prison lol. Baseball field was nice...trees on the other side of the outfield fence were a nice feature.

Boston- ...................

Rhode Island- Relatively nice campus located in Providence. I know its no PC but still the gym has quite the atmosphere and baseball field is located right on campus. For a "city" school they make due with what they have!

Western CT-Baseball field is an easy F, rest of the campus I am not too sure about as I think the football field is close by and that is probably the nicest of any field (7Express probably knows better)

Eastern- Hands down the best baseball facility in New England but where do they play their other sports? Was not able to see their main campus so no other comments here..ECSUAlum where do they play softball or soccer?

USM- also another top notch baseball facility, love the setting on campus and the great stands are perfect for watching a baseball game. I have seen their gym and track area as well as their softball field (located next to the baseball field) but not sure where the hockey arena is or soccer.

Keene-  probably going to be easy to tell I am a homer here but none the less. Keene's athletic facility located away from campus offers the best venue for watching baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse all in one location. Soccer field is one of the better places in region (I imagine having not seen other fields etc.). The turf field is used for lacrosse and field hockey and the baseball/softball fields are right next to each other so the weekends when everybody plays home offers a unique college athletics experience.

[ECSUalum]

LEC Fan,

M/WSoccer, M/WLAX are played at the Mansfield Sport Complex next to Baseball Stadium, (combined synthetic turf Track, Soccer, LAX and Field Hocky facility).  They are also building new locker rooms at the Mansfield Sports Complex I think ready for this Fall.

Women's Softball had nice facility on campus, but a new Parking Garage took this area in 2010/11.  Recently been playing games at UConn women,s softball facility @ Storrs Ct .  However, this year, (2011) they look to be getting funding for construction, (summer?) of their new facility behind the ECSU Baseball Stadium in Mansfield

Soccer will move back on campus this year, where they have been revamping the old natural turf field for drainage and seating.  I believe LAX will stay at the Mansfield Complex

[hockeyfan77]

USM soccer field Is right across the parking lot from the softball field. The hockey??? Field is played on the top side above where the gym is located. The ice rink which is easily top 2 in the LEC with Plymouth new rink is right next to the gym.  Yes I know the LEC dosen't sponsor hockey.  I don't know I don't stray to much from the baseball or hockey rink. In 13 years at USM I have seen probably 2 minutes of a basketball game.      

[ECSUalum]

Hockeyfan,

How has the USM hockey team performed over the last couple of years?  Have seen plenty of NHL Hockey but never D-III.
Must make for exciting games!!  Is Plymouth , USM's big rival or would it be another Maine Team?

[hockeyfan77]

Hockeyfan,

How has the USM hockey team performed over the last couple of years?  Have seen plenty of NHL Hockey but never D-III.
Must make for exciting games!!  Is Plymouth , USM's big rival or would it be another Maine Team?

This year was a disappointment had all the guns but lost in the ECAC Semi-Finals to Norwich...Plymouth is decent but they play in a weak division: same as U-Mass Dartmouth....USM biggest rival at least recently is probably Castleton/UMB:but in the near future it will be UNE...I forgot about UMB, they have a very good hockey program as well: USM beat them in the Quarter-Finals this year...USM plays in the ECAC East which is a killer division  with Norwich(always in the final four) and Castleton (22-4-1) and Babson....It's different in hockey because there is no DII so some of the stronger programs in DIII and just as good if not better than the lower tier D1 teams....I think next year will be a rebuilding year as USM losses a lot, probably the best D man in school history: Paul Conter who you might see play at a higher level (AHL ) soon....It's very exciting, same feel as Baseball, just playing for the love of the game and it's tough to lose some of the guys....One kid plays on both teams: Troy Thibodeau: haven't seen him on the diamond yet but he is an good kid and tough as nails on the ice...Anyway, I get to see some baseball tomorrow as USM is playing Salem in South Portland which just happens to be my home town...    Sorry for rant guys but I already miss hockey!!!  

[KSCfan]

No rant, nice to hear some hockey talk.  Keene was trying to get a hockey team going right around 2007, and i think they are club level with the hope of having a real team some time right around now.  I am not sure what the process is for turning a club team into a real team but i think that keene is trying to do that as we speak. 

On to baseball.....

Keene got blasted yesterday by Williams.  I am talking double digit lose.  Nothing really went well for the owls.  Starter got blasted, bullpen got blasted and all in all just not a good day for Keene.  Keene plays again today against Framingham.

[LEC Fan]

KSCFan, I was able to venture out to the swamp for yesterday's game, surprisingly dry swamp too! Keene looked terrible. They had 6 errors and at one point had more errors (4) than hits (3), guess it was just one of those games! Team fielding % is .940 after yesterday's game....940 won't get you anywhere in the postseason and they better clean up the defense if they want to compete!

Good thing is that the game was yesterday and they have another chance today to come out and put that game behind them. Look for the Owls to make a good rebound! Should be some good weather for baseball!

Hopefully the Sox can pull out a W today...I guess 157-5 isn't as good as 162-0 but it will do!

[KSCfan]

LEC fan couldnt of said it better myself. Today is a new day for the owls and I am sure that they will rebound today and have a good performance.  Need to tighten up the defense and they will be ok

Red Sox will win today for sure.

[Jcon8958]

UMB fell to WNEC yesterday 5-3...Time for this team to get it going right now running out of time even though LEC play just started its time to get it going right now before it is to late. To much talent on this team for them to be 6-11 right now WAY TO MUCH TALENT

[7express]

Western gets back in the win column, with a 10-4 win over Purchase Wednesday afternoon.   Granted small sample size with a bunch of rainouts, but our first win since we've returned from Florida.  We go to 7-9 on the year, 0-2 in the LEC.  We have 2 home games this weekend, Westfield state at 3:30 Friday, then a double header with Plymouth on Saturday at 12 & 3. I'll probably post Friday & Saturday results sometime Saturday night.

[KSCfan]

Keene wins yesterday 8-2.  Pitching was much much better.  More importantly defense made zero errors.  In the Williams game they made 7 errors and lost bad, yesterday they made 0 errors and won.  It is hard to win a game when you give the other team 7 extra outs.  It was good to see Pelky give a good performance out of the bullpen. 

With the win Keene improves to 13-5 with a double dip against UMD on saturday.  Two very big games for the Owls with one loss already needs to take two from the Corsairs to stay at the top of the conference standings.  With two wins for the owls they would improve to ten games over .500 and this is really two games they should win.  Key to the game is going to be defense as I feel that the Owls should be able to hit UMD best hitters, and Keene's pitching should be able to hold down UMD hitters.  Game is at UMD the concrete paradise.

Prediction keene takes two from UMD 10-6 and 8-2

UMBust has two with RIC.  I am going to take Dalton in game 1 for a Beacon win, and I am going to take RIC in game two.  RIC responded and beat Keene in game two last week and I think that is exactly what is going to happen this sat.  These are two big games for UMB as they need to get the train going again.  I have not seen Bobby Beacon for some time, and if UMB starts winning and he shows up I am going to jump down his throat.  Say what you want about Jconn not having a clue (which is true most of the time) at least he is still here posting.  Where is the Beacon bandwagon? 

Prediction UMBust and RIC split. UMB game one 6-1 and game two RIC 12-5

Western has been a team that hasnt gotten into any kind of flow this season so far.  They got a late start and have had a bunch of rain outs so far this season.  Two games against Plymouth is a good place to start to get the Colonels rolling.  Anytime you play Plymouth it seems like its  going to be a W.  7express I am sure that your boys will win two from the terrible Panthers. I cant see Plymouth rattling Armstrong, and I dont see Plymouth beating them in game two. 

Prediction Western sweeps 4-1 and 7-3

Then we have the DH of the week.  The Mashkies and Evil Empire.  Both teams are 2-0 in the conference and a sweep from one of these teams is going to go a long way to being in control at the top of the conference.  Schult is going to have his toughest test yet against the very good offense of USM.  Good pitching beats good hitting but i dont know if Schult has faced a line up like this yet.  If he makes mistakes the huskies will pound.  The key to the games for me is going to be the starting pitching of the Huskies.  Eastern has quietly gone 16-3 and is one of the best teams in New England.  They have a deep bullpen anchored by Wojick among others.  SHould be two great games played at the deathstar in Mansfield

Prediction USM beats Schult in game one 7-6 and Eastern wins in big fashion game 2 ..7-3

[LEC Fan]

Good game for the Owls yesterday as they attacked the weak pitching of Framingham. Pelkey threw very well out of the pen and Keene's defense was where it needed to be, good sign heading into the weekend.

I like the predictions KSCFan, hope for the KSC sweep and interesting to see how the conference will shape up after this weekend. USM v. ECSU should be a good one!