BB: IIAC: Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[wartburgalum]

IIAC teams sit 2 games abouve .500 overall on the season (25-23).  To me it sounds like either a slow start or the league is down this year.  Any thoughts?

*I know the IIAC is not a real powerhouse, but it seems in past years they have taken a better overall record into conference play.

[BigPoppa]

Big Games in featuring the Central Region this weekend:

March 13
Illinois Wesleyan vs. Wartburg at Webster, 4 p.m.


March 14
Illinois Wesleyan at Webster, 10 a.m.
Wartburg at Webster
Beloit vs St. Joes (NY)
Concordia Chicago vs. Illinois Wesleyan


March 15
Augustana (Ill.) vs. Central in Fort Myers, Fla., 9 a.m., EDT
Wartburg vs Concordia-Chicago
Concordia Chicago vs. Webster

[BigPoppa]

IIAC teams sit 2 games abouve .500 overall on the season (25-23).  To me it sounds like either a slow start or the league is down this year.  Any thoughts?

*I know the IIAC is not a real powerhouse, but it seems in past years they have taken a better overall record into conference play.

I think the IIAC is down this year. I think the Central Region as a whole is down this year.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I couldnt agree more.  I am not sure what to make of Wartburg's team just yet.  I know that they are needing to fill some holes in their pitching rotation. 

As far as their less that stellar win/loss record early in the season; Wartburg has taken an approach the last few years to try and develop and see as many arms on the mound as possible prior to conference season starting.  As a grad and former player for the Knights I see both the benefit and downfall of this.  Saves arms, develop new guys but also hurts come tourny time for an at-large bid and as you said, makes the IIAC tend to look weak.

I would guess that they will have resolved some of the pitching rotation issues come conference season time.

Is this preseason attitude different than the seasons earlier in the decade when the Knights seemed to be a power from the start to the end of the season?  I have seen them whipping MIAC schools in the preseason in the Dome in past seasons.  Is it also about the fact that the overall depth (especially pitching) has been down a little lately?

The Knights still have horses and still will be tough when the run the best pitchers out there for a conference series.

I don't know how down the IIAC is so far.  Coe and Wartburg are around .500, but I expect both of them to be there at the end.  Luther has only played two games so far.  I don't know who Loras has played, but 7-1 is good for them no matter who they have played.

[SLP-O-8]

BV is now 5-1 on the year with a sweep of the Gustavus today.  A walk off 3 run bomb by catcher Kloewer in game one for the 7-4 win.  In the second game it took 10 runs in the 5th and 6th inning for the beavers to pull off a 11-8 victory. 

[wartburgalum]

I couldnt agree more.  I am not sure what to make of Wartburg's team just yet.  I know that they are needing to fill some holes in their pitching rotation. 

As far as their less that stellar win/loss record early in the season; Wartburg has taken an approach the last few years to try and develop and see as many arms on the mound as possible prior to conference season starting.  As a grad and former player for the Knights I see both the benefit and downfall of this.  Saves arms, develop new guys but also hurts come tourny time for an at-large bid and as you said, makes the IIAC tend to look weak.

I would guess that they will have resolved some of the pitching rotation issues come conference season time.

Is this preseason attitude different than the seasons earlier in the decade when the Knights seemed to be a power from the start to the end of the season?  I have seen them whipping MIAC schools in the preseason in the Dome in past seasons.  Is it also about the fact that the overall depth (especially pitching) has been down a little lately?

The Knights still have horses and still will be tough when the run the best pitchers out there for a conference series.

I don't know how down the IIAC is so far.  Coe and Wartburg are around .500, but I expect both of them to be there at the end.  Luther has only played two games so far.  I don't know who Loras has played, but 7-1 is good for them no matter who they have played.

I would have to say that this has started within the past 5 years or so.  Don't get me wrong, Wartburg goes into every game wanting to win, but there has been an emphasis on saving arms early in the season as well as trying to get a look at guys who have not been seen yet (freshman/transfers/etc.).

I know that WC is still trying to solidify their rotation as well as bullpen but I think that if they can get 1 or 2 guys to step up, they should be fine.  It is looking as if their offense could carry them this year.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Winning a pair from Gustavus is very solid for the Beavers and good for the league!  I see the Gusties are only 3-3 so far (thanks to B.V.), but I always think of them as an upper half of the MIAC program.

Luther will play them when they go down to Arizona.

How was the field conditions in Storm Lake?

[wartburgalum]

IIAC teams sit 2 games abouve .500 overall on the season (25-23).  To me it sounds like either a slow start or the league is down this year.  Any thoughts?

*I know the IIAC is not a real powerhouse, but it seems in past years they have taken a better overall record into conference play.

I think the IIAC is down this year. I think the Central Region as a whole is down this year.

BigPoppa-who do you expect to come out of the Central this year?

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I couldnt agree more.  I am not sure what to make of Wartburg's team just yet.  I know that they are needing to fill some holes in their pitching rotation. 

As far as their less that stellar win/loss record early in the season; Wartburg has taken an approach the last few years to try and develop and see as many arms on the mound as possible prior to conference season starting.  As a grad and former player for the Knights I see both the benefit and downfall of this.  Saves arms, develop new guys but also hurts come tourny time for an at-large bid and as you said, makes the IIAC tend to look weak.

I would guess that they will have resolved some of the pitching rotation issues come conference season time.

Is this preseason attitude different than the seasons earlier in the decade when the Knights seemed to be a power from the start to the end of the season?  I have seen them whipping MIAC schools in the preseason in the Dome in past seasons.  Is it also about the fact that the overall depth (especially pitching) has been down a little lately?

The Knights still have horses and still will be tough when the run the best pitchers out there for a conference series.

I don't know how down the IIAC is so far.  Coe and Wartburg are around .500, but I expect both of them to be there at the end.  Luther has only played two games so far.  I don't know who Loras has played, but 7-1 is good for them no matter who they have played.

I would have to say that this has started within the past 5 years or so.  Don't get me wrong, Wartburg goes into every game wanting to win, but there has been an emphasis on saving arms early in the season as well as trying to get a look at guys who have not been seen yet (freshman/transfers/etc.).

I know that WC is still trying to solidify their rotation as well as bullpen but I think that if they can get 1 or 2 guys to step up, they should be fine.  It is looking as if their offense could carry them this year.

I expect nothing less from the Knights!  I wish the Norse and Knights played near the end of the season like two years ago.  Those were fun games to watch (with a ton on the line) even if the outcome wasn't always what I wanted.

[BigPoppa]

IIAC teams sit 2 games abouve .500 overall on the season (25-23).  To me it sounds like either a slow start or the league is down this year.  Any thoughts?

*I know the IIAC is not a real powerhouse, but it seems in past years they have taken a better overall record into conference play.

I think the IIAC is down this year. I think the Central Region as a whole is down this year.

BigPoppa-who do you expect to come out of the Central this year?

That is a tough question. I see either Augustana or Carthage coming out of the region right now (IWU is full of injuries and internal issues which are a recipe for disaster on the field). If the IIAC is to make a dent it needs to be with Wartburg as I feel they oer the only team that can give the CCIW teams a run in the region. I can also see an out-of-region team being shipped in for the NCAAs and winning the regional title (with the region down, I think their will be fewer Pool C bids handed to the Central). The SLIAC is a disaster so far and the Midwest, while new to the Central Region, does not have a lot to offer to the region this year. Ripon is not as good as usual.

[SLP-O-8]

Yeah Wartburg got swept by GAC while Loras split so a sweep was good for BV.  The field condition was pretty good for this early in season.  The new turf infield is good and the players love it but the outfield grass has that nice dead brown look to it currently but playable.

BV swept Martin Luther today with a 9-2 win in the first and and a 25-1 slugfest in the second one.  We had 2 grand slams in the first 2 innings and a 16-0 lead after those 2.  We had 5 home runs in the second game and at least one in the first game.  I believe that gives them 9 home runs through 7 games.  Sophomore SS Brad Blum has been on a tear with 13 for 24 (.541) with 4 triples and at least 10 RBIs so far.  They travel to Dubuque on friday so we will see where they are at so far this year but they have been hitting very well so far.  I think the team batting average will be over .350 so far.

[wartburgalum]

Sounds like it could be a real slugfest in the IIAC this year.  It will be interesting to see what pitchers step up and become the real stoppers for their club.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Yeah Wartburg got swept by GAC while Loras split so a sweep was good for BV.  The field condition was pretty good for this early in season.  The new turf infield is good and the players love it but the outfield grass has that nice dead brown look to it currently but playable.

BV swept Martin Luther today with a 9-2 win in the first and and a 25-1 slugfest in the second one.  We had 2 grand slams in the first 2 innings and a 16-0 lead after those 2.  We had 5 home runs in the second game and at least one in the first game.  I believe that gives them 9 home runs through 7 games.  Sophomore SS Brad Blum has been on a tear with 13 for 24 (.541) with 4 triples and at least 10 RBIs so far.  They travel to Dubuque on friday so we will see where they are at so far this year but they have been hitting very well so far.  I think the team batting average will be over .350 so far.

Good start for the Beavers!

Not only did B.V. hammer Martin Luther, but fellow league member Minnesota-Morris was beaten by Central, 18-4 and 18-1.  It sounds like the UMAC might be a fun league to be a hitter in this year.

The spring trip games in Arizona start for the Norse on Friday.  With the timing of the school spring break, at least the Norse have a bye on the first weekend of conference play.

Good luck to all IIAC teams this weekend.  I would think B.V., Wartburg, Coe, and Simpson would be considered the favorites in the weekend series openers.  Hopefully everyone gets the games in and the weather is decent for this time of year.

[Klopenhiemer]

BV sweeps a 3 game Friday/Saturday series at UD this weekend.  There were some dramatic moments but overall the Beavers came through in fine fashion. 

They are now 10-1 on the year and 3-0 in conference play.  They head down to Chandler, Arizona for the spring break where they will play some good games.  I will be excited to see how they fare down there in the warmer temps and against different teams. 

I hope things continue to go well for this squad and that they can make some noise in the IIAC this season. 

Go Beavers!

[wartburgalum]

Wartburg loses 2 of 3 to Loras.  At 9-9 so far I am not real impressed.  It sounds like they have defensive and ppitching issues.