BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

I was quite surprised to see #97 (whoever he is) still pitching after hitting 3 straight batters on only four pitches!

Live Stat update: 97 now has a name. It's Trace Ruffie.

[BigPoppa]

Carthage up 8-6 in 10th...

[Gregory Sager]

Carthage has tacked on two runs via five singles in the top of the tenth. Now we'll see if the Titans can answer in the bottom of the frame.

[BigPoppa]

Carthage wins!!!!!!!!!

IWU vs North Park tonight... winner faces Carthage tomorrow.

[OshDude]

14 runs, 26 hits, 9 errors, 5 HBP, 8 BB ... wait, don't tell me. Carthage played in that game, right? I kid, Pops. I kid.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Memo to the Titans: when you lead 6-2 after 7 innings, you're supposed to win the danged game!

They've dug quite a hole now - win three games before Carthage can win one.   Since NPU is in similar dire straits, it looks awfully likely that the RedMen will be in the tourney yet again.

[Gregory Sager]

I'm not conceding anything, Chuck. NPU took two out of three from Carthage last weekend -- and it should've been a sweep, except that the Vikings couldn't hold a five-run lead in Game Three -- and they're certainly capable of winning two straight against the Red Men again. The trick is to get there, of course; the Vikings have to focus on the task at hand, which is beating IWU.

[Gregory Sager]

Today's third game was supposed to start at 3:30 pm. Not sure when it's actually going to start, but it's already a quarter to five. NCC's baseball field doesn't have lights. Sundown in Naperville's supposed to take place at 8:06 pm. Given the fact that outs seem to be hard to come by in this score-a-thon of a tournament, anyone wonder whether they'll get the entire game in?

[Titan Q]

What a swing.  So close to being in the driver's seat...only to end up now having to win 3 games.  Ouch.

[Mr. Ypsi]

The Titans draw first blood - up 1-0, 2 men on, nobody out in the bottom of the first.

Kulavic is pitching for IWU.  If he can even faintly resemble his 2008 self, I like our chances.

NPU is replacing their starter (Hollinsaid) already, giving him an infinite e.r.a. for the game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

With IWU up 5-0, bases loaded and two outs (still in the first inning!), NPU goes to pitcher number three! 

How many pitchers they got?

[Mr. Ypsi]

First inning is FINALLY over - since it is already 5:30, how quickly can NCC install lights?

IWU 6, NPU 0.

[Gregory Sager]

As I said before, Chuck, Jake Hollinsaid pitched both yesterday and earlier today:

One thing that worries me is that NPU's #3 starter Jake Hollinsaid was used in relief in both yesterday's game and the earlier game today. I hope he's got enough gas left in the tank to hold down the bats of the loser of the game currently in progress.

He apparently wasn't able to get it back again late this afternoon. He was replaced by Joel Bonnett, who pitched two innings yesterday, and didn't appear to be able to bounce back on short notice, either.

Luke Johnson is probably going to have to get a string of good innings out of Tito Garza in order to get NPU back into this game. That, and the Vikings are going to have to touch up Kulavic. He's the one pitcher that managed to beat the Park earlier this year when the Vikings took two out of three in Bloomington.

[droppinbombs47]

With Giovenco going 149 pitches an Sparacino going 143 today it is clear that North Park was riding out their two studs.  But after beating NCC today, it would have been a large task beating a Wesleyan team with someone as good as Kulavic in their back pocket as a number 3 starter.  However, with the way IW is swinging the bats now and their arms in the bullpen I wouldn't quite count them out right away against Carthage if that is the case.

[Mr. Ypsi]

My bad, Greg - I don't follow CCIW baseball closely enough to recognize NPU pitchers past their two aces.

So far, Kulavic is looking like 2008 - 3 innings of one-hit, shutout, ball.