BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[ECSUalum]

Eastern takes game 2 by score of 3-2

First time 14-0 on LEC conference

[hockeyfan77]

I think the fact that they NEED TO SWEEP is the exact reason you DON'T pitch your ace in game one if you are Keene State.

here is why i think this (sorry if i am repeating myself), lets say you pitch #1 in game one and you win, then your number 2 gets shelled.  now you get the two seed, don't get to host, have to play the #5 seed in first round and your #1 & #2 would be on 3 days rest.

Now if you throw your number 2 in game 1 and he gets shelled, you know to rest your ace because you are already the #2 seed, you can have your ace well rested for the first day and your number 2 on four days rest for the second day of the tournament.

Now if you throw your #2 in the first game against their ace and WIN, you look great.  you have your ace going in game two with their ace not able to pitch.

For Keene State to get the #1 seed and host the tourney they NEED to sweep.  that means someone other than their ace needs to win a game.  why not find out right away by pitching your number 2 in the first game.

Other than saying, "that is the way you do it" or "that is they way it is done" or "you can get the momentum" i can't see the logic in throwing your ace in the first game.  and a wise man once said, "In baseball momentum is only as good as the next games starting pitcher"

You have to start you #1 IMO, first of he gets ample rest to pitch on Wed(Sun, Mon and Tues off) and your #2 is going to pich on regular rest...Plus, you don't want to let your #1 get too rusty, sitting on the bench for a week...Then what if there is rain??? You could go possibly 8 days without throwing your #1...Makes no sense, play to win the game you are playing, then worry about the next game, the next day and so on...

[kscer]

Eastern takes game 2 by score of 3-2

First time 14-0 on LEC conference

That's a tremendous accomplishment. In my four years of watching, I think this is the best Eastern team I have seen. Any weakness in the infield is made up for in the outfield. They hit well, and pitching is better than adequate.

[Jcon2134]

Ladies and gentlemen we have finally come to the point in the season we have all been waiting for ITS TOURNEY TIME. This is going to be alot of fun and with a team like Keene who used up both there #1 and #2 starter they are in alot of trouble againist the hottest teaming coming into the tourney (barring ECONN obviously) The Beacons of UMASS BOSTON who have won 6 straight league games and look like a team poised to make a deep run into this tourney and take it down. 

[wordsmith]

Ladies and gentlemen we have finally come to the point in the season we have all been waiting for ITS TOURNEY TIME. This is going to be alot of fun and with a team like Keene who used up both there #1 and #2 starter they are in alot of trouble againist the hottest teaming coming into the tourney (barring ECONN obviously) The Beacons of UMASS BOSTON who have won 6 straight league games and look like a team poised to make a deep run into this tourney and take it down. 

JCon,

Who does UMessBoston start? I see where both NCon & Adriano went 5 innings.

By the way, KSC's #1 went 4.1 and is fully capable of coming back on 3 days rest. Also their #2, who IMHO is really their #3, did go 6.2 and does not have the rubber arm others do on the staff. If I were the Owls I'd throw Morin against UMess then have Stromgren and Maybe rested for games 2 and 3(if still playing).

[ECSUalum]

Eastern takes game 2 by score of 3-2

First time 14-0 on LEC conference

That's a tremendous accomplishment. In my four years of watching, I think this is the best Eastern team I have seen. Any weakness in the infield is made up for in the outfield. They hit well, and pitching is better than adequate.

You know sometimes it is not good to beat a team multiple times in a season, especially, in front of a Conference tournament.  Keene is now positioned for the upsets.  Similarly as Wheaton took two from ECSU this year, they are due to lose next time.  The LEC tourmament will be exciting this year, because as I mentioned in previous postings, any team can get hot and vanquish the leader(s)!!!

Keene State is an up and coming in baseball, and all thier sports programs are considered strong, (defeated ESCU in LAX yesterday)

Good luck to all the teams this upcoming Wednesday!!

[JOUL]

After the sweep yesterday...does anyone think that Keene could still possibly get a pool c bid if they lose in the championship of the LEC tourny?

[wordsmith]

After the sweep yesterday...does anyone think that Keene could still possibly get a pool c bid if they lose in the championship of the LEC tourny?

Nope Southern Maine will get one though.   Just kidding, fans of KSC will get a laugh out of that one after last year's hosing.

Seriously, if KSC is to have a chance EConn would have to take the Tourney title and KSC would have to finish second and have a good showing. If another LEC teams wins the tourney then EConn gets an at-large and I doubt the NCAA would take 3 teams from the LEC.

Another way to ask the same question: Would you give KSC an at-large bid right now and who is their competition for the bid? If they finish 2nd in the tourney all KSC will have done is to re-establish that they are the second best team in the LEC, which we already know.

I have a feeling the ECAC is headed for Keene again this year.

Mr. Turner has done a great job of spelling out the situation as it currently stands in National Topics Pool C topics.

[Jcon2134]

Wordsmith I dont know if someone from UMASS-BOSTON slept with your girlfriend or what the deal is but the simple fact that you think this team has no shot to win this tourney is just plain stupied. This team has the 2nd best 1 2 3 in this league with the emergance of Andriano and with Conway and Soto behind ECONN 123 there aint any team that can get outs like this staff. Let me throw some stats out at you there wordsmith and whoever else is doubting this squad in the last 6 conference games (all wins by the way) They have been letting up only 3.6 rpg with Conway and soto winning 2 of those games and Andriano winning 1 and pitching well enough to win both.

Now to the hitting they started off very very slow but they have picked it up as of late in there last 6 conference games (all wins by the way for the 2nd time) they are averaging a robust 8.3 rpg and 11.5 hits per game

So the simple facts of the matter are these if they keep hitting like they have been they will win this tourney because the pitching is always going to be there and when the hittings there they are one of the top 2 teams in this conference.

[wordsmith]

Wordsmith I dont know if someone from UMASS-BOSTON slept with your girlfriend or what the deal is but the simple fact that you think this team has no shot to win this tourney is just plain stupied. This team has the 2nd best 1 2 3 in this league with the emergance of Andriano and with Conway and Soto behind ECONN 123 there aint any team that can get outs like this staff. Let me throw some stats out at you there wordsmith and whoever else is doubting this squad in the last 6 conference games (all wins by the way) They have been letting up only 3.6 rpg with Conway and soto winning 2 of those games and Andriano winning 1 and pitching well enough to win both.

Now to the hitting they started off very very slow but they have picked it up as of late in there last 6 conference games (all wins by the way for the 2nd time) they are averaging a robust 8.3 rpg and 11.5 hits per game

So the simple facts of the matter are these if they keep hitting like they have been they will win this tourney because the pitching is always going to be there and when the hittings there they are one of the top 2 teams in this conference.

Ah, I never said that nor even implied that, actually if you read my post carefully in discussing KSC's options I mentioned if they were still playing in a game 3. But...

Since you brought up stats let me remind you that UMess Boston is 7-9 overall in their last 16 games, in their last 6 conf games they beat Plywood St., WConn, and USM, a combined 13-29 in the LEC.

[Jcon2134]

Listen wordsmith you need to figure it out it doesnt mater who you beat as long as you get the job done and when you win games that builds confidence am I wrong?? This team just took a little while to find its stride and now that they have found it. I AM TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW KEENE STATE COLLEGE WILL LOSE TO UMB on wendesday and those are the stats that I am telling you there wordsmith and you can say whatever you want. And I am still kinda curious if maybe you were cut by UMB and you are just upset??? Because for some reason you dont know how to give credit were credit is due.

Predictions for Wendesays round 1
ECSU over UMD
UMB over KSC
USM over RIC

Everyone leave there predictions on the opening day of the tourney

[MSG77]

Eastern takes game 2 by score of 3-2

First time 14-0 on LEC conference

That's a tremendous accomplishment. In my four years of watching, I think this is the best Eastern team I have seen. Any weakness in the infield is made up for in the outfield. They hit well, and pitching is better than adequate.

Taking nothing away from this team and its accomplishments I have to ask -

Did you not see much of the 04 team?  Or has your memory blocked that team out because it was such a traumatic event? Haha.  Just as a refresher -

ECSU 14, KSU 0
ECSU 13, KSU 5
ECSU 19, KSU 2 (Tourney)

That 14-0 game was the most dominating pitching performance I have seen in college.

Ryan DiPietro had a no hitter thru 8 1/3 and finished with a 1 hitter (a bloop into short right) and 19 K.  He was almost untouchable that day.

[hockeyfan77]

There are 4 teams that can win the Little East IMO...ECSU, KSC, USM and U-Mass...U-Mass impressed me when they split with USM last Sunday...1st day projections:
ECSU over UMD
KSC over U-Mass
USM over RIC

[MSG77]

After the sweep yesterday...does anyone think that Keene could still possibly get a pool c bid if they lose in the championship of the LEC tourny?

Nope Southern Maine will get one though.   Just kidding, fans of KSC will get a laugh out of that one after last year's hosing.

I laughed.  But then I did a little research.

USM took 2 of 3 from KSU last year and had fewer "bad" losses.  Although with 31 wins KSU was almost certainly one of the "last teams out".

I can't be bothered doing the QOWI for KSU, but if I was hoping to get an at-large I'd already have done it.  In another thread someone (I think it was Pat) posted that anything over 9.7 is "in contention" and over 10 is strong.  I just took a quick look at their sched and they don't have too many bad losses this year.

The losses to ECSU shouldn't hurt them too much. For example, if their QOWI was 10 before Sat, it would now be 9.78.  If it was right at 9.7 before Sat, it would be 9.50 now.  So those two losses shouldn't kill their chances.  If they go 3-2 or even 4-2 in the tourneyand finish second and ECSU wins it, they would be 28 or 29-13.  USM was 29-15 last year after the LE tourney.

Assuming that the NY regional is 7 teams again (which it might not be since there is talk of the West being 7 this year), there is no reason that I see that NE couldn't get 2 Pool C teams (with 2 NE teams being sent to NY like last year).  There don't look to be many at-large teams in contention from NY.

[wordsmith]

Eastern takes game 2 by score of 3-2

First time 14-0 on LEC conference

That's a tremendous accomplishment. In my four years of watching, I think this is the best Eastern team I have seen. Any weakness in the infield is made up for in the outfield. They hit well, and pitching is better than adequate.

Taking nothing away from this team and its accomplishments I have to ask -

Did you not see much of the 04 team?  Or has your memory blocked that team out because it was such a traumatic event? Haha.  Just as a refresher -

ECSU 14, KSU 0
ECSU 13, KSU 5
ECSU 19, KSU 2 (Tourney)

That 14-0 game was the most dominating pitching performance I have seen in college.

Ryan DiPietro had a no hitter thru 8 1/3 and finished with a 1 hitter (a bloop into short right) and 19 K.  He was almost untouchable that day.

I agree that '04 team was pretty special with DiPietro, Wildmon, Serfass, Galemba, Julien, Garfolo. There was also another really good young arm on the staff that I cannot remember the name.

They went 4-0 in the LEC Tourney as well. This year's team is very good and may surprise folks because they do not have the "big names" on the roster that the '04 team had. 14-0 in the LEC is special, even given the down year many teams had. The '04 team really intimidated people though, not sure this team has that swagger, yet 8)