BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Well, the first game is NCC AT Augie (perhaps the higher seed is always the home team?) and it is a real pitchers' duel.  1-1 entering the 7th, and the teams have a combined 9 hits.  Winner gets the rest of the day off; loser plays IWU shortly after the game finishes.

[Augie6]

Augie scores 4 in the bottom of the eighth to beat NCC 5-3.  Congrats to the Vikes for reaching the championship game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

NCC vs. IWU coming soon - loser goes home, winner must beat Augie on their own field twice tomorrow to get the AQ (though NCC might move on with a Pool C bid; IWU would definitely be done for the year).

[Mr. Ypsi]

The Titans erupt early - six hits and four runs in the bottom of the first!   I hope Mike Plecki can hold NCC in check - I hat having to rely on getting 15+ runs to win a game!

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU scored again in the second to take a 5-0 lead after two before Plecki had given up a single hit.  Alas, all good things must end.   In the top of the third, before Plecki got the first out, three straight singles broke the shutout.  An error on an intended sacrifice bunt reloaded the bases; Bobby Smith then unloaded a grand slam to tie the game at 5.  Plecki finally settled back down and escaped with no further damage.

Maybe we'd better get those 15+ runs after all!

[Mr. Ypsi]

In the bottom of the 4th, IWU retakes the lead, 7-5.  Both starting pitchers (Plecki for IWI; Evan Blunk for NCC) are long gone.  For a time, it looked like the game had become a pitchers' duel, but that only lasted two half-innings!

In four innings, the teams have combined for 18 hits, 12 runs, and (alas) three errors.  I sure wish we could actually WATCH the game (livestats is sorely lacking in some sorts of information).  Memo to the CCIW commissioner: it's 2016.  New rule: from now on, no school can host a conference tournament unless they provide internet video streaming!

[Mr. Ypsi]

NCC comes right back with three in the top of the fifth.  Halfway thru the game the teams have combined for 21 hits and 15 runs!  IWU had better emphasize the 'plus' in my 15+ comment!

[Mr. Ypsi]

And the Titans tie it right back up in the bottom of the sixth.  I REALLY wish we had video, as it seemingly should be a 9-8 Titan lead: with Cavalieri (presumably NOT a slow runner - how many slow second basemen do you know?) on second, Jarrod Juskiewicz hit his third double of the game (his line is currently 4 2 4 4), but Cavalieri was thrown out at the plate.  Matthew Mardis followed with a single to bring in Jarrod for the tie.

Did Cavalieri hold up fearing Jarrod's double would be caught?  Did he stumble at some point on his run?  Was it just GREAT defense (or BAD umpiring?) - who knows?  To NOT score from second on a double is sufficiently rare that one can't help wishing to have seen the play.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Things have really settled down in Moline.  After a combined 15 runs in the first 4.5 innings, there has only been one run since.  We enter the ninth, tied at 8.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Nine innings wasn't enough for these clubs - going to the tenth, still tied at 8.  Alas, Louis Acklin, apparently spent after shutting out NCC for 5 innings, is gone.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Louis, who?  Rashid puts them down 1,2,3 in the top of the tenth. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Appropriately, for seemingly a very sloppy game (alas, I couldn't WATCH it), IWU wins, 9-8, on an error in the bottom of the tenth.

I'm having trouble deciding on awarding the game ball.  John Bosco had a line of 6 3 4 0, Jarrod Juskiewicz was 5 2 4 4 (with three doubles), Louis Acklin spun 5 shutout innings when NCC was really threatening (and in fact ahead).  In a close call, I'm going with Acklin over Juskiewicz - despite the first half of the game, this DID become a pitchers' duel.

QUESTION: will NCC's overall performance outweigh going 1-2 in the conference tourney?  I think they deserve a Pool C slot, but they will be sweating bullets as they await the decision.

IWU's situation is absolutely black-and-white.  They have zero chance of a Pool C, so beat Augie twice tomorrow or the season has ended.  I have very limited hope that they can beat Augie twice on their home field, but Mr. Y NEVER has zero hope until the Grim Reaper has made his appearance.

[Augie6]

Congrats to the Titans on beating NCC to advance to tomorrow's CCIW championship.  Looking forward to a great game(s).  A bit of a connection for me to the IWU baseball team, as Ben Rashid, who got the save today, is the son of my high school baseball coach. Despite that fact, GO AUGIE!!!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Congrats to the Titans on beating NCC to advance to tomorrow's CCIW championship.  Looking forward to a great game(s).  A bit of a connection for me to the IWU baseball team, as Ben Rashid, who got the save today, is the son of my high school baseball coach. Despite that fact, GO AUGIE!!!

Ben didn't just get a save, he got the win!  (Though Louis Aclkin still gets my game ball.)  GO TITANS!!!

As I said, I only have faint hopes of a sweep, but I never say never 'til the fat lady sings.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Augie gets two in the top of the first, one more in the top of the third, and entering the bottom of the third it is Augie 3, IWU 0.  Huskisson started for the Titans, but after the third run he was replaced by Ben Rashid, who immediately ended the inning with a DP.