BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Wheaton leads Carthage, 3-1, end of three.

IWU ahead of NPU, 3-0, after 3.5.

I can't find info on the second NCC @ Elmhurst game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just checked the Millikin website; curious.   The DH scheduled today hosting Augie, and the single game tomorrow, are all listed as 'postponed'.  A DH IN ROCK ISLAND is now listed for Monday (with no indication of a third game).  Millikin played home games as recently as Wednesday or Thursday.  Anyone have a clue what is going on??

(The games are nearly irrelevant anyway: Millikin was eliminated from the tourney weeks ago, and unless NPU comes back against IWU AND Augie lost all three games, Augie is locked into the #2 seed.)

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU 3, NPU 0 - final.

Wheaton 3, Carthage 1 - final.  Wheaton has the tie-break over NCC, so is in as the #4 seed unless NCC sweeps Elmhurst.

Carthage, perennially a title contender, has a shortened season for the second straight year.  Big Poppa, has something gone seriously wrong in Kenosha, or is this just a two-year blip?

The tourney field:

1. IWU
2. Augie
3. NPU
4. NCC if they sweep Elmhurst; otherwise Wheaton.

[UPDATE]: The CCIW website reports that NCC also won the second game, 6-5.  The whole season for NCC and Wheaton comes down to Elmhurst @ NCC tomorrow.

[Gregory Sager]

Just checked the Millikin website; curious.   The DH scheduled today hosting Augie, and the single game tomorrow, are all listed as 'postponed'.  A DH IN ROCK ISLAND is now listed for Monday (with no indication of a third game).  Millikin played home games as recently as Wednesday or Thursday.  Anyone have a clue what is going on??

Big storm out in the western part of the state today. It was supposed to hit Chicago late this afternoon, which is why Luke Johnson and Dennis Martel (with CCIW commish Chris Martin's concurrence) agreed to play two seven-inning games today. As it turned out, the storm completely missed the North Side today. Nothing but picture-perfect weather at Holmgren this afternoon.

[forheavendial4999]

I wonder if I could get contract work providing forecasts to baseball coaches...

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just checked the Millikin website; curious.   The DH scheduled today hosting Augie, and the single game tomorrow, are all listed as 'postponed'.  A DH IN ROCK ISLAND is now listed for Monday (with no indication of a third game).  Millikin played home games as recently as Wednesday or Thursday.  Anyone have a clue what is going on??

Big storm out in the western part of the state today. It was supposed to hit Chicago late this afternoon, which is why Luke Johnson and Dennis Martel (with CCIW commish Chris Martin's concurrence) agreed to play two seven-inning games today. As it turned out, the storm completely missed the North Side today. Nothing but picture-perfect weather at Holmgren this afternoon.

Must have been a helluva storm to already postpone tomorrow's game too, then move the make-ups from Decatur to Rock Island.

Oh, well, moot point anyway.  With NPU losing the second game today, the Augie/Millikin series is utterly irrelevant for tourney seeding.

[Gregory Sager]

I wonder if I could get contract work providing forecasts to baseball coaches...

As the old saying goes: Nice work, if you can get it.

[BigPoppa]

I know that carthage's recent trouble have oddly coincided with massive tuition increases which really limited their recruiting area. Much of their recruiting in their best season focused on the area I grew up in(the Fox Valley) and they are now forced to recruit only the wealthier suburbs of Chicago. That really pushed them head to head with other CCIW schools whereas they used to have a lock down on the Fox Valley region.

[cubs]

I know that carthage's recent trouble have oddly coincided with massive tuition increases which really limited their recruiting area. Much of their recruiting in their best season focused on the area I grew up in(the Fox Valley) and they are now forced to recruit only the wealthier suburbs of Chicago. That really pushed them head to head with other CCIW schools whereas they used to have a lock down on the Fox Valley region.

Combine that with the fact that Whitewater and Stevens Point are both now pounding the Fox Valley area for recruits and it thins out the amount of talent that is available....

Ironically, I was talking to Carthage alum Dean Muthig today and asked him what was up with Carthage missing the CCIW tourney two years in a row.  His immediate reply?  Not enough Wisconsin kids on the roster!!!

[Gregory Sager]

Missing the CCIW tourney in back-to-back seasons hurts my Carthage heart. Never thought I'd see the day...

This will also be the first Carthage senior class to graduate without winning a CCIW title since the class of '91.

On the bright side, if you're a Red Men fan, the length of that streak is a testament to just how good Carthage was for so long.

[Mr. Ypsi]

After three innings in Naperville: NCC 1, Elmhurst 0.

[Mr. Ypsi]

In Naperville, both teams scored 2 in the 4th, neither scored in the 5th or 6th - now NCC 3, Emhurst 2.

I wonder if the Thunder players went en masse to Naperville to root for the Jays?

[mr_b]

A bases-loaded triple by Dave Wolak puts Elmhurst up 7-4 going into the bottom of the eighth.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Elmhurst got 2 in the top of the 7th to go ahead 4-3.  The Cards tied it back up in the bottom of the 7th.  As Mr. B reported, the Jays then got 3 in the top of the 8th; this time NCC did not respond.  Entering the 9th, Jays 7, Cards 4.

[Mr. Ypsi]

One out in the top of the 9th and the bases are full of Blue Jays.  The Cards are turning to their 4th pitcher of the day.