BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Strange first game in B'town: after NCC took a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, the Titans scored five runs on ONE hit!  After getting the first two outs, 3 Card pitchers totally imploded with a double, 2 hit batters, 4 walks, and the final indignity - balking in the winning (losing) run.  (OUCH!  Even a Greenie can feel sympathy after that!)

With one more this afternoon and one tomorrow, the Titans currently stand at 6-0, the Cards fall to 3-3.

What is even more ironic is that the balk came by the reliever before he even threw a pitch.  It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing.  Couldn't stay for game 2, but obviously happy with the result.

Crazy ending to game 1.

I was only on livestats, so didn't realize that.  That IS crazy - the reliever loses the game without throwing a pitch!

Now I can REALLY feel for the Card's players.

[Viking Blue]

Yesterday's North Park-Carthage game is only listed as "postponed" on both teams' websites.  Has anyone heard anything about a make-up date?

[mr_b]

Yesterday's North Park-Carthage game is only listed as "postponed" on both teams' websites.  Has anyone heard anything about a make-up date?

It's tentatively scheduled for Monday (15th) in the afternoon -- on the Carthage site, it's a 3.00 PM start.

[BigPoppa]

Strange first game in B'town: after NCC took a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, the Titans scored five runs on ONE hit!  After getting the first two outs, 3 Card pitchers totally imploded with a double, 2 hit batters, 4 walks, and the final indignity - balking in the winning (losing) run.  (OUCH!  Even a Greenie can feel sympathy after that!)

With one more this afternoon and one tomorrow, the Titans currently stand at 6-0, the Cards fall to 3-3.

What is even more ironic is that the balk came by the reliever before he even threw a pitch.  It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing.  Couldn't stay for game 2, but obviously happy with the result.

Crazy ending to game 1.

I was only on livestats, so didn't realize that.  That IS crazy - the reliever loses the game without throwing a pitch!

Now I can REALLY feel for the Card's players.

When I was a college head coach, I had a lefty WIN a game without throwing a pitch. Came in a game down a run with bases loaded in 8th and picked a guy off... we scored two in the bottom of the 8th and I pulled him in favor of another arm. Hence, a WIN without throwing a pitch... I love the quirks of the scoring system.

[mr_b]

Strange first game in B'town: after NCC took a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, the Titans scored five runs on ONE hit!  After getting the first two outs, 3 Card pitchers totally imploded with a double, 2 hit batters, 4 walks, and the final indignity - balking in the winning (losing) run.  (OUCH!  Even a Greenie can feel sympathy after that!)

With one more this afternoon and one tomorrow, the Titans currently stand at 6-0, the Cards fall to 3-3.

What is even more ironic is that the balk came by the reliever before he even threw a pitch.  It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing.  Couldn't stay for game 2, but obviously happy with the result.

Crazy ending to game 1.

I was only on livestats, so didn't realize that.  That IS crazy - the reliever loses the game without throwing a pitch!

Now I can REALLY feel for the Card's players.

When I was a college head coach, I had a lefty WIN a game without throwing a pitch. Came in a game down a run with bases loaded in 8th and picked a guy off... we scored two in the bottom of the 8th and I pulled him in favor of another arm. Hence, a WIN without throwing a pitch... I love the quirks of the scoring system.

Here's another quirky situation for you official scorers out there.  Back in 2003, North Park was leading North Central 4-0 late in the game.  The Cardinals had the bases loaded with one out.  The batter lifts a fly to left field, the outfielder makes the catch, the runner scores from third... North Park's coach makes a visit to the mound to remove the pitcher, and when he gets to the mound he is told that the runner on third left early.  The relief pitcher comes in, throws to third on the appeal, and the runner is called out, so the run comes off the board and the score reverts to 4-0.  End of inning.  The reliever finishes the game (1 more innings, as I recall), which ends up 4-0.

Here's the quirky question: after the game, the reliever asks, "Do I get a save?"

[BigPoppa]

I think he does get a save... it WAS a 3 run game when he entered.

I am likely wrong as the save rule has always been confusing to me(I know an MLBer once earned a save in a 30-3 win).

[BigPoppa]

Rule 10.20 in the Official Rule Book states:
Credit a pitcher with a save when he meets all three of the following conditions:
(1) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his club; and
(2) He is not the winning pitcher; and
(3) He qualifies under one of the following conditions:
- (a) He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning; or
- (b) He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on base or is one of the first two batsmen he faces; or
- (c) He pitches effectively for at least three innings. No more than one save may be credited in each game.

[mr_b]

Rule 10.20 in the Official Rule Book states:
Credit a pitcher with a save when he meets all three of the following conditions:
(1) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his club; and
(2) He is not the winning pitcher; and
(3) He qualifies under one of the following conditions:
- (a) He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning; or
- (b) He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on base or is one of the first two batsmen he faces; or
- (c) He pitches effectively for at least three innings. No more than one save may be credited in each game.

The question is whether the relief pitcher came in when the Vikings had a three- or a four-run lead.  Technically it was 4-1, then he took the mound, threw to third on the appeal, and the run came off the board. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Nick Mehn just completed a complete game shutout, 2-0, to finish a Titan sweep of Elmhurst. 

The Titans move to 12-0.  Unless Augie and/or North Park (the only remaining 3-loss teams) can sweep the Titans, the conference race may be all but over.

[voiceofseason]

Nick Mehn just completed a complete game shutout, 2-0, to finish a Titan sweep of Elmhurst. 

The Titans move to 12-0.  Unless Augie and/or North Park (the only remaining 3-loss teams) can sweep the Titans, the conference race may be all but over.

Nick threw a great game today, but no way do I feel like the Titans have won anything.  They have an upcoming series with Augie, then home for three with Carthage (it doesn't matter if Carthage is up or down, this is always a war).  Then finish the conference with three games AT North Park.  They need this cushion - heck, they really need North Central to beat Augie tomorrow.

Kudos to them not losing games they should not lose, but they need to stay on top of their game.

Nick was effective today, but so was Marquis for Elmhurst.  The game was less than two hours.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Don't worry - I'm not prematurely claiming anything!

And I'm a little worried if they DO finish first!  In 2005 and 2008, they won it overwhelmingly at 18-3, DID win the conference tourney, but then flamed out in the regional.  In 2007 they had the best record ever in the CCIW (20-1), then imploded, going 1-2 in the conference tourney and 0-2 in the regional.  On the other hand, in 2010 they barely made the conference tourney (4th seed), then went on an 8-1 run to win 'the big doorstop' (I hope Greg never had that copyrighted! ).

But up 3 on Augie, and now up 4 on NPU, with only 9 to go is a pretty nice cushion.   And if they can avoid losing more than 4 or 5 more games, they should be pretty much a lock for the NCAA tourney even if they don't win the conference tourney.

It's certainly not over, but I can't imagine anyone wants to bet very much that the conference tourney will be somewhere other than Horenberger Field.

[mr_b]

It's certainly not over, but I can't imagine anyone wants to bet very much that the conference tourney will be somewhere other than Horenberger Field.

Having the right to host the conference tournament is quite a bit different from saying the "the conference race may be all but over."

[Mr. Ypsi]

It's certainly not over, but I can't imagine anyone wants to bet very much that the conference tourney will be somewhere other than Horenberger Field.

Having the right to host the conference tournament is quite a bit different from saying the "the conference race may be all but over."

The regular-season champion hosts the tourney; seems to me it IS two ways of saying the same thing.

[CCIWFAN6]

I must say I miss the days of the point system determining the conference champion and the automatic qualifier.  It was a nice way to value the entire season as part of picking an automatic qualifier.

[mwunder]

Rule 10.20 in the Official Rule Book states:
Credit a pitcher with a save when he meets all three of the following conditions:
(1) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his club; and
(2) He is not the winning pitcher; and
(3) He qualifies under one of the following conditions:
- (a) He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning; or
- (b) He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on base or is one of the first two batsmen he faces; or
- (c) He pitches effectively for at least three innings. No more than one save may be credited in each game.

3b would be the reason he gets the save.  Potential tying run was in the on deck circle BEFORE the out was recorded at third.