BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

NCC swept the DH from IWU today, 3-2, and 8-1.  The Titans nearly came back in the first game, scoring 2 runs late while down 3.  In the second game, Nick Mehn maintained his consistent inconsistency, taking the loss without retiring a batter (Joe Sweeney was very good as the first reliever, yielding only 3 hits in 5 innings).  Mehn can be very good (even after today, he is 3-2 for the season), but you just never know which Mehn will show up.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park defeated Wheaton, 6-4, in the first game out in Carol Stream. I just got on the computer, and there's no box score or details up on the Wheaton site, so I have nothing to report on that game yet other than the NPU win.

In the second game, the Vikings lead, 7-2, in the fifth, but Wheaton is threatening.

[Gregory Sager]

Four words I never thought I'd type this season: Millikin completes the sweep. The Big Blue dispensed with Elmhurst today, 13-5, in Decatur.

Carthage salvaged the final game of its series with Augustana, winning by a score of 10-7.

Justin Zeller just hit a granny for Wheaton, so it's now a ballgame in Carol Stream. NPU's lead is cut to 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth.

[D3Vike11]

North Park and Wheaton are tied 7-7 as they head into the 10th inning. Wheaton's lights are not yet installed, which could make it interesting if this game doesn't end quickly.

[Gregory Sager]

Still 45 minutes of daylight left.

[Gregory Sager]

NPU loses its first CCIW game of the year and has a nine-game winning streak snapped as the Vikings fall to Wheaton in 11 innings, 8-7. Not a good game for NPU pitching, as the Vikes coughed up a five-run lead in this one, but the hitters had their chances, too. The Park had runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out in the top of the 11th, for example, but couldn't come through. Give credit to Wheaton's Matt MaLossi, who pitched five very strong innings in relief for the win.

A bad way to end the day. Nevertheless, North Park takes two of three from Wheaton and ends the day the way it started it -- in first place. And, as every North Parker knows, any day that you beat Wheaton -- at anything -- is a good day.

[D3Vike11]

Updated Standings:

North Park    7-1
NCC             6-2
IWU             5-3
Elmhurst       4-4
Augie           3-5
Millikin         3-5
Wheaton       2-6
Carthage       2-6

[Viking Blue]

Was able to get out and watch about 45 minutes of baseball at the new Wheaton facility today.  Very nice.  My immediate reaction?  The ball JUMPS there.  Lots of extra base hits....and the grand slam?  I was standing next to a co-worker of mine who happened to pitch at Wheaton when I was at North Park, and he said, "that was a home run?!".  I was thinking the same thing.

Don't be fooled by the numbers on the fences.  They don't call it an American Legion field for nothing.

[warrior35]

I don't know if they have changed the signs for the fence since I was there last... but I thought they were pretty accurate 4 years ago.  One thing about Legion is the wind is almost always blowing harder 5-10mph harder than in Wheaton.  On sunny/warm days, the wind usually blows out and balls do jump; on cold/gloomy days the wind tends to blow in.  I think it was a nice day, yesterday... so I'm guessing the wind was blowing out.  And jokingly, I'm pretty surprised to hear someone from NP wondering how a fly ball becomes a home run. =)

[Gregory Sager]

Big difference between right field and left field being the homer haven, warrior.

[mr_b]

For those of you keeping track, there have been seven home runs hit so far this season (11 games) at the Holmgren Complex: three to right, one to right-center (a longer shot), and three to left (even further).  There were three hit yesterday in two games at Legion Field, all to left-center.  Brad Medina hit a long poke down the left-field line that was just foul -- the foul pole has not yet been put up, and the home plate umpire had to make a visual call on that one.  If it had stayed fair, it would have cleared the fence by plenty. 

Look for a lot of round-trippers in Carol Stream.

[Gregory Sager]

I still think that the brisk winds off the lake and the heavy, cold air help keep baseballs in the park at Holmgren in March and April (similar to the way that Wrigley Field is never a homer-happy park in the first month of the year), which makes me glad that NPU isn't hosting Wheaton next month. Again, though, like I said, most homers are hit to left field, because right-handed hitters are the predominant type and left field is the pull field for a right-handed hitter -- so a park that has a jet stream to left field, as Wheaton's park apparently does, is going to play more favorably for the long ball than will Holmgren, despite Holmgren's short right-field fence.

[warrior35]

Big difference between right field and left field being the homer haven, warrior.

Sure, depending on where the wind is coming from... which changes a lot more in the suburbs that people might think for the windy city.  It's not the standard wind off the lake on a daily basis out West.  As I said before, on warm days it's typically blowing out most typically to left/left-center but on occasion to right.  On cold gloomy days it will blow in typically from right.  We played a game against Millikin where it was cold and there was a 35-40 mph wind in from right.  The right fielder was effectively another infielder playing 20-30 feet off the infield.

[NCF]

Is Wheaton playing at home this Saturday? I will be there for a track meet, but between events it would be nice to catch part of a game if they are playing. Thanks to anyone who can answer-yes, I'll admit it-I'm too lazy to look it up myself.

[warrior35]

Is Wheaton playing at home this Saturday? I will be there for a track meet, but between events it would be nice to catch part of a game if they are playing. Thanks to anyone who can answer-yes, I'll admit it-I'm too lazy to look it up myself.

Yes.  They host Millikin starting at Noon.