BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[irish21]

Augie has a way of getting his players re-focused on the game at the right time. He will use the St. Louis thing to motivate his players. Only Augie can make a #1 seed feel like they need to have a chip on their shoulder.
I was also surprised that Wash U hosted without lights. Any rain will certainly upset the weekend. They should reward the #1 or #2 seed with the hosting. If #1 refuses, give it to #2 and so on down the road. It would make the #1 seed much more valuable.

My understanding of hosting a regional is this: You have to put in a bid to host prior to the start of the season or at least midway through the season. You can't put in a bid once you find out you are going to get in the tournament. This subject was brought up when we were shipped to Mississippi in 2003. That team really got screwed.

St. Louis is not bad and up until 2001, Carthage would play in a weekend tournament down there so I don't see it being that big of a deal. Augie using it as motivation is pure Augie - he loves St. Louis!

We faced Millsaps in MS in 2003 and they pulled off the upset of the tournament. The Red people are 2-4 against them. It's time to get even!!

From the Carthage media guide...

Carthage lost both ends of a 1986 twinbill to the Majors in Jackson, Miss., won a 1987 game, and split a pair of games in 1988.  Millsaps defeated Carthage, 4-2, on May 15, 2003 in the first round of the NCAA Division III Central Region Baseball Championship in Clinton, Miss.

[Gregory Sager]

As I've said before in a post, being a former CCIW lefty, a solid NPU squad would have made the Holmgren Field a nice place to hit for four years.

That cuts both ways, of course. If you're a left-handed hitter, you salivate at the sight of the football bleachers that provide such a short porch in right field at Holmgren Athletic Complex. But left and center fields are Death Valley, so unless you have opposite-field power you'd have to resign yourself to not hitting any dingers at home if you were a right-handed hitter thinking of attending the Park. And the prospect of giving up cheap homers to right field certainly isn't going to entice any pitchers to enroll at NPU in and of itself.

Speaking of which, let me add my congrats to NPU coach Luke Johnson upon being named CCIW Coach of the Year. Not a bad accomplishment in his very first season as a head coach!

[Pat Coleman]

Wash U is in a central location and everyone can bus there. That's why they're hosting.

[emeritusprof]

And, St. Louis doesn't have an enormous weather machine altering conditions.

It can be 80 degrees in Kenosha County, but even a slight easterly wind (or NE or SE) will make air temp in the low 50s on Carthage campus.

[frank_ezelle]

Does Carthage have any webcast set up or even live stats? 

It's 2006, couldn't Washington U at least provide live stats if they are going to host a regional tournament?  The NCAA should ask for the hosts to provide a little bit more than just a convenient location.

[BigPoppa]

Carthage is updating the game every inning on the sports hot-line 262.551.5388

0-0 after the 1st inning.

I was also hoping that Wash U would have it webcast.

[frank_ezelle]

Thanks BigPoppa.  Keep us informed every so often. 

Is there any way of knowing who Carthage started on the mound.  Consultant indicated that Millsaps might go with a pitch by committee approach today, trying to hold off on Fox and Kindler until later games and tougher teams.  I've seen your discussion on the pros and cons of this tactic.  Judging by the numbers, I would think that Carthage might have a deeper staff and therefore might feel comfortable in going with such an approach.

[BigPoppa]

As of right now, they have not stated who is on the mound for Carthage. I am going to guess it is Evosovich, but stranger things have happened.

I will update as often as I can. You can also access the the Carthage baseball updates that happene each inning with this link:
http://www.carthage.edu/athletics/index.cfm?page=1&CFID=838126&CFTOKEN=62981666

Enjoy... I hope it works.

[mwunder]

Top of the 3rd, Carthage up 3-0

[frank_ezelle]

Bottom of the 3rd, game tied at 3-all.  Don't you wish you knew the details--I've been spoiled by the internet.

[REDMENFAN]

Carthage down 5-3 in the bottom of the 4th. I wish I knew what the heck was going on!!

[frank_ezelle]

They are posting a running score on the tournament website under schedule and results.  I emailed the SID and asked if they couldn't put some details under the "Release" link as the game is in progress.  I have no idea if that is possible, if they will do it if it is possible, or if the SID will even see my email any time today.

[REDMENFAN]

Still 5-3, top of the 6th. Paper today said none of Mt. St. joes top 5 pitchers had an ERA under 4.50. Hopefully Carthage can get the bats going!

[BigPoppa]

Carthage down 6-3 in the 6th...

[frank_ezelle]

RED, I was just looking that the MSJ stats.  They have 5 pitchers with 6 or more starts.  Their ERA's range from 4.50 to 6.94.  On the other hand, their 3 main relievers have ERA's of 2.10, 1.69 and 0.64 (in order from highest innings pitched to lowest).  

MSJ might be able to hold on if they can keep the lead (now 6-3 in the bottom of the 6th) going into the 7th or 8th inning.