BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Congratulations to NPU sophomore Matt Pizur upon being named CCIW Pitcher of the Week for his complete-game three-hit shutout of Wisconsin Lutheran last week. Pizur did not allow a walk in the game while striking out three, and he lowered his ERA to 1.78 and his OBA to .188 in the process.

I must have missed the memo that I'm the designated mouthpiece when a Titan wins an award!

Gino Cavalieri was this week's Player of the Week, having a very consistent output: 3 hits in each and every one of their five Florida games, and compiling a 1.593 OPS.

BTW, anyone know what sort of a set-up Auburndale FLA is?  I saw posts about games there on several other boards, and not one of the teams referenced were any of the six teams we played there.  I'm guessing that must be one helluva complex - maybe 6+ diamonds?  Maybe a combo spring-training facility for two or more MLB teams, plus the home of two or more minor-league teams?

EDIT:  Found SOME info.  The Lake Myrtle Sports Complex (Auburndale) has eleven soccer fields and nine baseball diamonds!  No indication of how they stay solvent most of the year - nothing about minor league or major league baseball usage (the site had a lot about Tigers baseball, but although Winter Haven is right next door, this complex is NOT Joker Marchant stadium [the Tigers spring-training facility]; I'd assume it is not used by any MLB team, if the Tigers were the only team talked about).  What I saw gave no indication, but I assume it most be a governmental rather than a commercial facility - seems awfully ambitious for a town of 15,000 people!  Surely they can't justify it on the basis of northern schools' spring break trips!  And that's a helluva lotta fields and diamonds for area hs teams! I surrender!

Those fields may also be used by club and travel teams thruout the year.

Probably so (though does anyone do outdoor baseball or soccer in a Florida summer?), but where is the revenue?  Spring break college teams bring in motel and restaurant dollars.   What do club and travel teams bring in?

According to my kids, as they haul grandkids around the country, the families have to stay someplace.  In the affluent suburbs of Dallas Ft Worth, that also includes travel hockey to Denver, Detroit and MSP.

Travel ball can get very expensive.

You're right.  I think of 'travel' teams in my sons' case, where travel soccer was 30-40 miles.  Travel MIGHT have included dinner, but never a motel.  Travel soccer or baseball teams to Auburndale might well be a financial asset to the community.

But certainly not from unrelated fans - their 'premiere' soccer field seats 1,500; top baseball 'stadium' seats 500!   I would certainly hope the 'pitches' and diamonds are supported mainly by hospitality taxes!

[BigPoppa]

I have a feeling that Mother Nature will be the winner this weekend....

[Gregory Sager]

The snow band of Winter Storm Uma is actually supposed to hit only the South Side of the city, No snow is predicted here on the North Side -- of course, I know better than to take Chicago weather predictions as gospel truth -- and Sunday's forecast is for sunny skies and temps in the low 40s, as the Vikings will move over to Kerry Wood Field, the new baseball stadium adjacent to Lane Tech, to play host there to St. Norbert in a Palm Sunday doubleheader.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I have a feeling that Mother Nature will be the winner this weekend....

Mother Nature killed the IWU @ WashU game today.  We'll see if she grants a stay-of-execution for tomorrow's DH!

[Mr. Ypsi]

I have a feeling that Mother Nature will be the winner this weekend....

Mother Nature killed the IWU @ WashU game today.  We'll see if she grants a stay-of-execution for tomorrow's DH!

She stayed the execution: IWU and WashU split.  The Titans won the opener 6-1; the Bears took the nightcap 8-1.

A shame they can't play the rubber game, but yesterday's game is listed as 'cancelled' rather than 'postponed', so I guess they couldn't find a make-up date.  The hazards of midwestern baseball.

[BigPoppa]

Carroll            0-0   9-2
Augustana            0-0   12-3
Carthage            0-0   11-3
Millikin            0-0   10-4
Elmhurst            0-0   9-4
Ill Wesleyan    0-0   9-4
Wheaton            0-0   9-6
North Central    0-0   4-6
North Park            0-0   5-10

CCIW teams are 78-42 (.650) in non-league games as we head into CCIW play this week. Any teams surprise you early?

[Ralph Turner]

Carroll            0-0   9-2
Augustana            0-0   12-3
Carthage            0-0   11-3
Millikin            0-0   10-4
Elmhurst            0-0   9-4
Ill Wesleyan    0-0   9-4
Wheaton            0-0   9-6
North Central    0-0   4-6
North Park            0-0   5-10

CCIW teams are 78-42 (.650) in non-league games as we head into CCIW play this week. Any teams surprise you early?

North Central and to a lesser degree, Augie and Carthage.

[BigPoppa]

Carroll            0-0   9-2
Augustana            0-0   12-3
Carthage            0-0   11-3
Millikin            0-0   10-4
Elmhurst            0-0   9-4
Ill Wesleyan    0-0   9-4
Wheaton            0-0   9-6
North Central    0-0   4-6
North Park            0-0   5-10

CCIW teams are 78-42 (.650) in non-league games as we head into CCIW play this week. Any teams surprise you early?

North Central and to a lesser degree, Augie and Carthage.

North Central is a big surprise to me, but  I think they'll get on track. Carthage is where I expected them to be heading into CCIW play after a mostly un-challenging schedule . Augustana always gets a great start and stumbles along the way, struggling to recover. Maybe this is the year they can keep it together.

[Jack Parkman]

Carroll            0-0   9-2
Augustana            0-0   12-3
Carthage            0-0   11-3
Millikin            0-0   10-4
Elmhurst            0-0   9-4
Ill Wesleyan    0-0   9-4
Wheaton            0-0   9-6
North Central    0-0   4-6
North Park            0-0   5-10

CCIW teams are 78-42 (.650) in non-league games as we head into CCIW play this week. Any teams surprise you early?

North Central and to a lesser degree, Augie and Carthage.

Remember how North Central started last year.  I am sure they will get things together as they have some solid talent.

[BigPoppa]

I am also surprised by Carroll's hot start. Stein Rear has done a great job building that program in it's return to the CCIW after 27 years in the MWC. Carthage and Carroll square off in a CCIW-opening DH today so we should have a better feel for those programs after today unless they split.

[Ralph Turner]

I am also surprised by Carroll's hot start. Stein Rear has done a great job building that program in it's return to the CCIW after 27 years in the MWC. Carthage and Carroll square off in a CCIW-opening DH today so we should have a better feel for those programs after today unless they split.

... and Carroll and Carthage splitting a pair of 3-run decisions would help us as well, if you are as impressed with Carroll as you imply.   

[mwunder]

I am also surprised by Carroll's hot start. Stein Rear has done a great job building that program in it's return to the CCIW after 27 years in the MWC. Carthage and Carroll square off in a CCIW-opening DH today so we should have a better feel for those programs after today unless they split.

... and Carroll and Carthage splitting a pair of 3-run decisions would help us as well, if you are as impressed with Carroll as you imply.   

Looks like SOS for Carroll and live-streaming....nothing for basketball and nothing for baseball either.  So glad they're a member of the CCIW.

[AndOne]

North Central gets off to a good start in CCIW play, taking two from Wheaton, 10-0 and 8-2.

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU wins game one at Millikin, 11-7; game two rained out.

[mr_b]

North Park earned a split at Elmhurst, dropping game one, 13-6, before bouncing back with four runs in the eighth for an 8-7 victory in the nightcap.  Reliever Justin Woolbright recorded a bases-loaded save to preserve the win for Cody Leuzinger.

Congratulations to Viking Head Coach Luke Johnson on win number 250 at the helm of the North Park program.  Long-time CCIW fans will recall that in 2006 Luke took over a program that had won six games -- six -- in the previous three seasons combined.