BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

BigPoppa · January 23, 2019, 10:08:33 AM

Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 22, 2019, 04:15:50 PM
There are only four non-conference games listed on the Carthage schedule page, so I'm sure that there are more games pending that haven't been posted yet.

North Park is taking four pre-conference road trips. The weekend of February 15-17 the Vikings will be in Montgomery, AL to face Huntingdon, Spalding, and UW-Whitewater. The next weekend, February 23-24, they return to the Yellowhammer State to face DePauw, Alma, and Thomas More at Birmingham-Southern (not sure why the Vikes aren't playing BSC). And the weekend after that, March 2-3, they'll take their usual trip down to the St. Louis area to face Webster, Benedictine, and Buena Vista. The following weekend NPU heads down to Fort Pierce, FL for the annual spring break trip, which will feature a one-day side trip to Vero Beach on Sunday, March 10 to face Gettysburg at the Historic Dodgertown complex, which sounds pretty cool.

There are only 39 games listed, so Luke Johnson has the flexibility to add another game at some point. I like the fact that, as of the moment, all of the non-conference schedule will be finished for NPU by the time CCIW play begins on Wednesday, March 27. The CCIW sked is so crammed with midweek games as it is, why make things even harder on your pitching staff in late March, April, and early May than it already is?

It blows my mind that opening day of NPU's baseball season is only three weeks and three days away. Yesterday the temperature was in the teens, and on Friday we're predicted to have a high of only six degrees.

That's a lot of hotel nights to pay for!

Gregory Sager · January 23, 2019, 02:10:50 PM

Knowing Luke, he'll probably make the team sleep on the bus and clean themselves in truckstop restrooms in order to toughen 'em up.

Jim Dixon · January 23, 2019, 04:14:16 PM

Quote from: BigPoppa on January 22, 2019, 02:31:45 PM
Does anyone know if Carthage is NOT going on a Spring Trip this year? Their schedule is out and has no trip on it... if so, it's the first time I can ever recall them not taking a trip. They have a very early spring break (first week of March) that may be factoring into that.

Anyone know more details?

It is not uncommon to leave out the spring schedule this late. Check the schedule on D3baseball.com and if another team has them on their schedule, it should show up.

mr_b · January 23, 2019, 04:33:17 PM

Quote from: Jim Dixon on January 23, 2019, 04:14:16 PM
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 22, 2019, 02:31:45 PM
Does anyone know if Carthage is NOT going on a Spring Trip this year? Their schedule is out and has no trip on it... if so, it's the first time I can ever recall them not taking a trip. They have a very early spring break (first week of March) that may be factoring into that.

Anyone know more details?

It is not uncommon to leave out the spring schedule this late. Check the schedule on D3baseball.com and if another team has them on their schedule, it should show up.

That's correct, especially for teams that travel over their spring break to play in a tournament. Very often the original schedule is subjected to several changes in opponents, days, times, and venues, even as the tournament is underway.

BigPoppa · January 24, 2019, 01:43:36 PM

They (Carthage) show up on an Arizona College Baseball website as participating in the tournaments, but the game schedule has yet to be released. They'll be in Tucson with Aurora and NCC so here's hoping they don't have additional games with at least NCC.

cubs · January 24, 2019, 01:51:28 PM

Quote from: BigPoppa on January 22, 2019, 04:39:44 PM
I will still be ice fishing when the CCIW starts playing.

Too bad the walleye season will already be closed though!!!

BigPoppa · January 25, 2019, 10:34:59 AM

Quote from: cubs on January 24, 2019, 01:51:28 PM
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 22, 2019, 04:39:44 PM
I will still be ice fishing when the CCIW starts playing.
Too bad the walleye season will already be closed though!!!

Ha! Not on Lake of the Woods:)

BigPoppa · February 04, 2019, 09:48:29 AM

Carthage has finally released their Spring Break schedule in Arizona:

MAR 2 (SAT) 3PM (MT) CALTECH TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 3 (SUN) 11AM (MT) CALTECH TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 4 (MON) 3PM (MT) WABASH COLLEGE TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 4 (MON) 6:30PM (MT) AURORA UNIVERSITY TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 5 (TUE) 3PM (MT) NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY (MN) TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 7 (THU) 9AM (MT) GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 8 (FRI) 12:30PM (MT) BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 9 (SAT) 3PM (MT) ST. OLAF COLLEGE TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 10 (SUN) 3PM (MT) BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE (DH) TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 10 (SUN) 6PM (MT) BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE (DH) TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 11 (MON) 9AM (MT) WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY TUCSON, ARIZ

Ralph Turner · February 04, 2019, 01:18:27 PM

Quote from: BigPoppa on February 04, 2019, 09:48:29 AM
Carthage has finally released their Spring Break schedule in Arizona:

MAR 2 (SAT) 3PM (MT) CALTECH TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 3 (SUN) 11AM (MT) CALTECH TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 4 (MON) 3PM (MT) WABASH COLLEGE TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 4 (MON) 6:30PM (MT) AURORA UNIVERSITY TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 5 (TUE) 3PM (MT) NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY (MN) TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 7 (THU) 9AM (MT) GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 8 (FRI) 12:30PM (MT) BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 9 (SAT) 3PM (MT) ST. OLAF COLLEGE TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 10 (SUN) 3PM (MT) BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE (DH) TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 10 (SUN) 6PM (MT) BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE (DH) TUCSON, ARIZ.
MAR 11 (MON) 9AM (MT) WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY TUCSON, ARIZ

... the meat of the tourney...

BigPoppa · February 04, 2019, 01:54:47 PM

Can't disagree Ralph, but I also worry about the openers vs CalTech who will have a bunch of games in by then... while Carthage will not have been outside.

Bishopleftiesdad · February 04, 2019, 02:08:37 PM

North Central (mn) is not the north Central we all know and love. 6-21 last year, https://ncurams.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=8

Mr. Ypsi · February 04, 2019, 02:36:23 PM

Quote from: BigPoppa on February 04, 2019, 01:54:47 PM
Can't disagree Ralph, but I also worry about the openers vs CalTech who will have a bunch of games in by then... while Carthage will not have been outside.

It would be more of a concern if Caltech baseball wasn't still as bad as all their teams used to be. It wasn't until 2017 that they broke a TWENTY-NINE YEAR conference losing streak (and last year they won only one conference game). And except for Caltech, I notice that they were careful to schedule only other northern teams who are likely in the same boat as Carthage.

Gregory Sager · February 04, 2019, 02:54:01 PM

NPU's baseball opener is eleven days away now. It can't get here quick enough.

BigPoppa · February 04, 2019, 03:10:52 PM

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on February 04, 2019, 02:36:23 PM
Quote from: BigPoppa on February 04, 2019, 01:54:47 PM
Can't disagree Ralph, but I also worry about the openers vs CalTech who will have a bunch of games in by then... while Carthage will not have been outside.

It would be more of a concern if Caltech baseball wasn't still as bad as all their teams used to be. It wasn't until 2017 that they broke a TWENTY-NINE YEAR conference losing streak (and last year they won only one conference game). And except for Caltech, I notice that they were careful to schedule only other northern teams who are likely in the same boat as Carthage.

I don't think they get to choose their opponents as much as we think. It is mostly northern teams in AZ at that time as the warm weather schools don't need to travel to play early in the season.

BigPoppa · February 11, 2019, 09:19:15 AM

Any CCIW predictions?

? Here is how I see it shaking out:

1. NCC
2. Carthage
3. Augustana
4. IWU
5. Wheaton
6. NPU
7. Carroll
8. Elmhurst
9. Millikin

Is the CCIW post-season a four-team affair or has it expanded to six? I see the CCIW as a two-bid conference this year with NCC and Carthage earning NCAA bids.

Other thoughts?