BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

In the second game of the DH, IWU also fell behind (Augie got 4 runs in the bottom of the 2nd).  IWU again caught up, 5-5, but this time couldn't hold it - Augie won 8-5.

I grossly underestimated NCC.  Their pre-conference record was 'meh', then we won 8-2 in B'town.  I expected a sweep.  Then we went to Naperville and were swept in the DH.  They've been on fire ever since and are now tied for the conference lead at 10-4.  Their final series look roughly equal in difficulty - might be a 'duel to the death' finish to the race (with the tie-break to NCC).

(And this is NOT meant to rule out Carthage, Wheaton, or Augie - I WILL rule out Millikin, NPU, and Elmhurst for tournament hosting duties, though not quite yet for making the tourney field.)

[BigPoppa]

Carthage is in trouble for even making the conference tourney. They sit at 9-5 in CCIW but have three-games series left with IWU and NCC... Both of which sit ahead of Carthage in the standings. Now, one can easily say the Redmen control their own destiny, but they by far have that toughest road to the post-season.

They really needed to sweep Millikin and the split yesterday was costly. A loss today would be deadly.

Could my mighty Redmen really miss the CCIW tourney for a 4th straight season!? That is almost inconceivable to ANY D3 follower. The same fate has befallen Oshkosh... Two national piers in the 1990s/2000s  and both are struggling to get into the post-season in conferences  they once dominated.

[BigPoppa]

In a game moved to 10AM to beat the rain, the Redmen beat Millikin 3-0. Carthage now 10-5 in CCIW play and 21-7 overall. Carthage remains a 1/2 game out of first.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Augie @ IWU did NOT beat the rain.  They'll try again tomorrow.

[Mr. Ypsi]

NCC completed their sweep of Elmhurst, and (for the moment) are all alone in first place.  Though realistically, they were already in first by virtue of the tie-break vs. IWU.  The Cards started the conference season 3-3, but are 8-1 since then.

[Mr. Ypsi]

GACK!!  The Titan prides this season were home field advantage and not beating themselves.  Today, both are going away. 

Augie is now up 10-3, with still only one out in the top of the sixth (they've already scored 8 runs).  I've lost track for sure, but 7 or 8 of their runs are unearned.  This is NOT a proper Titan game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I imagine that IWU has lost by a worse score than this, but I sure don't recall it.  AT HOME (where they were previously undefeated in CCIW games) they lost to Augie 18-3!!

BP, don't get any big ideas.  After your crack about kicking IWU out of the conference, we're gonna whup you but good.  How does a cumulative 36-1 score for the series sound?

[BigPoppa]

As inconsistent as the Redmen have been, nothing would surprise me... But Id Assume that the 36-1 score would include a 1-0 Carthage win plus a 0-0 draw.

[Mr. Ypsi]

That sounds suspiciously similar to last Tuesday against my primary rival in the bowling league.  He won 2 of 3, but I won the series by 36 (I won game one by 42; he won 2 and 3 by 3 each).

Don't get your hopes up - if we win one of the games by 36, we are NOT going scoreless in the other two!

36-1 is fantasy; but I AM hoping for a sweep.  NCC is looking dangerously threatening.

[BigPoppa]

Carthage HAS to get at least one vs IWU if they are to stay in the tourney race. Getting two vs IWU would be amazing... three would be almost unbelievable (but the way IWU is playing right now, nothing would surprise).

[Mr. Ypsi]

For the first time all season, IWU received votes (9 points) in the D3 poll (Augie received none; Carthage had 6).  Of course, the voting came before IWU lost (at home! ) to Augie by 18-3!  Unless they sweep Carthage this weekend, I suspect their 'receiving votes' time will be brief!  (On the other hand, in 2010 they were certainly receiving no votes whatsoever, and won the WS!   The poll is fun, but it don't mean squat.)

[Mr. Ypsi]

If this holds up, it could ease the sting of yesterday's fiasco against Augie - IWU up at D1 ISU, 3-1, in the bottom of the 4th.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Alas, ISU scored 4 in the bottom of the 8th, and prevails 7-5.  By official criteria, this game was essentially a 'non-game' for Pool C purposes, but I can't help thinking that if a team is 'on the bubble', a win over a D1 team has to be a plus.  But as befits a non-con game during the conference season, it was pitching-by-committee, with IWU using NINE pitchers, none for even 2 full innings.

[mwunder]

Carthage beats Aurora in a non-conference game last night at Aurora, 5-3.  Carthage moves to 22-7 on the season.  Sean Carroll, a Sr with all of 20 ABs this season, made his 21st AB count by hitting a 2 run pinch hit homer in the 10th.  Jared Helmich's hitting streak has reached 29 games.

Big weekend for the CCIW.  Carthage at IWU, Wheaton and Augie, home and home.  North Park and North Central, home and home.

[mwunder]

Interesting fact.

Millikin and Carthage are the only teams without a player of the week representative (hitter or pitcher) this season.