BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU swept the DH against NPU, 10-2 and 12-5.  I haven't yet found a box score for either game, but it appears that IWU hit like crazy in the second game (17, I think), though NPU erred like crazy in both games.

[Gregory Sager]

The Vikings are in freefall. They've now lost six in a row -- NPU's longest losing streak in seven years -- and have dropped seven of their last eight. They're playing egregiously bad baseball in just about every phase of the game. The hitting has been terrible (the team batting average has sunk forty points in the past week and a half); the starting pitching has been inconsistent; the bullpen has been atrocious; the baserunning has been an endless parade of mistakes; and the fielding has looked like something out of Little League.

The Vikings just plain stink right now, and it's quite a chore for me to try to scrape up something positive to say about them on the air. This is nowhere near the most talented NPU team Luke Johnson's ever fielded, but it's not 10-11, 0-5, find-a-million-ways-to-lose bad, either. I don't know what it's going to take for them to snap out of this funk that they're in, but if they don't sniff the smelling salts soon and revive themselves, the season's going to pass them by and they'll find themselves down there somewhere in Millikin country in the final standings.

[cubs]

CCIW preseason poll:

http://cciw.org/news/2015/2/11/BB_0211150259.aspx

Thanks BP!!!!

When I mentioned to co-worker Carthage was off to a good start, including three game sweep of North Park, his response was 'Big Deal...  We always kicked their arse when I played." 

Told him they were better now, but was curious where they fell in preseason rankings.

[BigPoppa]

Cubs- clearly he didn't play when I played. No one "kicked out arses." (Except UW-Oshkosh, but I  not ready to talk about that yet... It's only been 20 years).

[mwunder]

The WAY-TOO-EARLY prognostication for the title is Carthage vs. IWU vs. Augie.

Carthage has the toughest road to make this happen.  Their CCIW schedule has them on the road for three game series with both of the above.  Always tougher to win on the road.

[cubs]

Cubs- clearly he didn't play when I played. No one "kicked out arses." (Except UW-Oshkosh, but I  not ready to talk about that yet... It's only been 20 years).

Your career was ending, just as his was starting.....

BTW-You misread my post....  He meant it as "big deal, we always beat North Park."

[Gregory Sager]

CCIW preseason poll:

http://cciw.org/news/2015/2/11/BB_0211150259.aspx

Thanks BP!!!!

When I mentioned to co-worker Carthage was off to a good start, including three game sweep of North Park, his response was 'Big Deal...  We always kicked their arse when I played." 

Told him they were better now, but was curious where they fell in preseason rankings.

I'm always baffled when somebody who hasn't followed D3 ball in the long interval (15 years, in your friend's case) since he graduated speaks about a program as though nothing could've possibly changed since he donned a cap and gown.

[BigPoppa]

BIG series for Carthage as they head to Augustana for three games starting today. Time to find out if the Redmen are for real. Taking 2 of 3 would be put Carthage in control of the CCIW.

[BigPoppa]

Redmen up 5-3 on Augustan in 9th... Trying to hang on to a BIG W. Two men on for the Vikings.

Update: Now 5-4 w 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd... why do I watch the live stats... they are killing me!

[mwunder]

Redmen up 5-3 on Augustan in 9th... Trying to hang on to a BIG W. Two men on for the Vikings.

Update: Now 5-4 w 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd... why do I watch the live stats... they are killing me!

You and me both!  Fly ball, CF....game over.  5-4 win for the boys from Kenosha.

[BigPoppa]

Carthage hangs on to knock off Augustana 5-4 on the road in game one of today's DH. Redmen move to 15-2 on the season and have won their 5th game since Monday.

Redmen should be knocking on the door of the Top 25 (maybe even Top 20?) with one more win this weekend in the Augustana series. Redmen now 6-0 in CCIW play.

[BigPoppa]

mwunder- I knew you'd be right there with me on live-stats today!

[Mr. Ypsi]

With IWU already up 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Titans loaded the bases with no outs.  A DP and a K limited the damage, but the DP brought in a run and a wild pitch during the K brought in another - IWU leads NCC 6-2 after 5.  (Just for the record, though I am hesitant to second guess the scorer based on an internet feed, the wild pitch looked to me like a passed ball. )

With John Munyon on the mound, I feel pretty confident.

Tomorrow is a DH in Naperville.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Munyon left after 7; Acklin held them scoreless in the 8th.  After 7.5, IWU 7, NCC 2.

Just noticed that an NCC player is Sam Carius, from Naperville.  Couldn't help wondering, is he the son (or, more likely, grandson) of the great track and cross-country coach, Al Carius?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Final from Bloomington: Titans 8, Cardinals 2.

BigPoppa - no coverage of game two?   Carthage is now 6-1; IWU is now 6-0!