BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[Falcon2720]

Funny how the 1st three games of the tournament are match-ups of teams that did not play each other during the regular season because of the rain.

SU vs. GC, CNU vs. FC, and MU vs. AU

[vabaseball]

That is both funny and kind of fitting since NCWC was the only team to face everybody.

[coachmilburn]

USA-South tourney is ripe for the taking for whomever gets HOT this weekend.

I'm pulling for Shenandoah University. 

[TheRightHander]

Anyone team can get hot in the upcoming USA SOUTH tournament and win it, but I like to think NCWC, Methodist and CNU are favorites to win it.

Averett - Not enough offense
Greensboro - Not enough pitching
Shenandoah - Too inconsistent in conference play
Ferrum - Erratic pitching

As for NCWC (faults have been an incosistent team all year, that gets hot and cold), Methodist (has some great bats but defense is suspect), and CNU (powerful consistent lineup with erratic pitching)

Let's see come Thursday.  Looks like it may be Shenandoah vs Greensboro to kick things off Thursday 9:30 AM.

Greensboro Leads the conference with the lowest ERA

[NCWC]

Anyone team can get hot in the upcoming USA SOUTH tournament and win it, but I like to think NCWC, Methodist and CNU are favorites to win it.

Averett - Not enough offense
Greensboro - Not enough pitching
Shenandoah - Too inconsistent in conference play
Ferrum - Erratic pitching

As for NCWC (faults have been an incosistent team all year, that gets hot and cold), Methodist (has some great bats but defense is suspect), and CNU (powerful consistent lineup with erratic pitching)

Let's see come Thursday.  Looks like it may be Shenandoah vs Greensboro to kick things off Thursday 9:30 AM.

Greensboro Leads the conference with the lowest ERA

Yeah but they are also 4-6 in conference and didn't play SU.

[LTBB1971]

Greensboro does have a 4.40 ERA in conference so I'll give you that, just not convinced that starting pitching is going to hold up, but like I said that's why we play the games.  Good luck to all teams!

[narch]

here is my crack at an all-conference team, with full disclaimer that this weekend could change things - i looked at conference only stats first, and used overall numbers only in the case that i felt the conference numbers didn't produce a clear winner

c - proctor - mu...the sb's and overall power numbers lifted him over batts - there conference only stats are similar, but proctor has played 4 fewer conference games - both are solid defensive backstops, although batts probably gets a slight nod there
1b - Van Sickler - su...trey such for mu actually has slightly better conference only numbers, but van sickler's overall numbers are too much to ignore
2b - jaglowski - fc...over halpin (mu)...higher fld%, more rbi's and sb's in fewer games
3b - woodlief - ncwc...one of my toughest decisions - vanduseldorp (su) fell off significantly in conference games, so i eliminated him and it was between woodlief and lovette...their games are so different with lovette being a top-of-the-order guy and woodlief being a guy who drives in runs...i couldn't decide based on offensive numbers, so i looked at fld%, and woodlief's .917 fld% vs. lovette's .868 made the decision
ss - inghram - mu...leads all players in conference only rbi's, is second in conference only hr's and has more sb's than any other top infielder in conference games - loye, henry and bailey were all strong candidates
of - williford - ncwc...the only one i'm completely settled on...might be the best clutch player in the conference
of - lancaster - mu...leads giarrizzi in almost every statistical category in both conference and overall numbers
of - davis - mu...the last spot came down to davis and brashears, for me, and davis' overall numbers are better and he has more hr's (3) and rbi's (10) in 4 conference games than brashears has in 8 conference games

i'm adding moore and child as all-conference pitchers - moore was 4-0 in 4 conference starts with an era of 4.35, and 5-1 overall, good for second among usasac pitchers in wins (rabung from su has 7, but zero weekend starts) and child was the best reliever in the conference this year

i'm naming inghram my poty, with williford a close second

[Falcon2720]

I think Giarrizzi or Sholar from Methodist should get relief pitcher of the year.  They both have great ERA's and a ton of strikeouts.

[NCWC]

here is my crack at an all-conference team, with full disclaimer that this weekend could change things - i looked at conference only stats first, and used overall numbers only in the case that i felt the conference numbers didn't produce a clear winner

c - proctor - mu...the sb's and overall power numbers lifted him over batts - there conference only stats are similar, but proctor has played 4 fewer conference games - both are solid defensive backstops, although batts probably gets a slight nod there
1b - Van Sickler - su...trey such for mu actually has slightly better conference only numbers, but van sickler's overall numbers are too much to ignore
2b - jaglowski - fc...over halpin (mu)...higher fld%, more rbi's and sb's in fewer games
3b - woodlief - ncwc...one of my toughest decisions - vanduseldorp (su) fell off significantly in conference games, so i eliminated him and it was between woodlief and lovette...their games are so different with lovette being a top-of-the-order guy and woodlief being a guy who drives in runs...i couldn't decide based on offensive numbers, so i looked at fld%, and woodlief's .917 fld% vs. lovette's .868 made the decision
ss - inghram - mu...leads all players in conference only rbi's, is second in conference only hr's and has more sb's than any other top infielder in conference games - loye, henry and bailey were all strong candidates
of - williford - ncwc...the only one i'm completely settled on...might be the best clutch player in the conference
of - lancaster - mu...leads giarrizzi in almost every statistical category in both conference and overall numbers
of - davis - mu...the last spot came down to davis and brashears, for me, and davis' overall numbers are better and he has more hr's (3) and rbi's (10) in 4 conference games than brashears has in 8 conference games

i'm adding moore and child as all-conference pitchers - moore was 4-0 in 4 conference starts with an era of 4.35, and 5-1 overall, good for second among usasac pitchers in wins (rabung from su has 7, but zero weekend starts) and child was the best reliever in the conference this year

i'm naming inghram my poty, with williford a close second

I think Utility player is also a category available for all conference

[A.G.]

How about GIARRIZZI, the CNU CF/P as utility.  Isn't that what the position is traditionally used for?  He's been used quite effectively as a bridge to Moreland.

[vabaseball]

No argument from me on Giarrizzi.  That guy comes straight out of centerfield in the late innings of close games.  No proper warmup, yet he has given up 0 earned runs in 16 innings and only 4 hits with 30 Ks.  He is 2-0 on the mound.  He did have one pitching start during the season as well.

Solid as a leadoff hitter as well.  He's a spark.

[TheRightHander]

No argument from me on Giarrizzi.  That guy comes straight out of centerfield in the late innings of close games.  No proper warmup, yet he has given up 0 earned runs in 16 innings and only 4 hits with 30 Ks.  He is 2-0 on the mound.  He did have one pitching start during the season as well.

Solid as a leadoff hitter as well.  He's a spark.

Personally, I think Giarrizzi does not have enough innings to even be considered a utility player. Although his stats are phenomenal for the few innings he has thrown, with his start he still only has 16 innings. 90+% of his innings are specifically in centerfield.

I'm a little surprised CNU did not use him more on the mound this season. 

[coachmilburn]

Shenandoah's Jon Holcomb could be consider for "utility" since he played both 2B and RF.
29games  .433avg, 97ab, 35r, 42h, 20rbi, 6 doubles and 11bb's

What about GB's "outfielder", Clint DeHaven?  He put up some respectable numbers:
31games  .404avg, 99ab, 25r, 40h, 23rbi, 9doubles, 1triple, 7hr's and 7bb's.

Shenandoah's Scott Lambert also a "utility" guy as he played both C and RF.
34games  .417avg, 115ab, 43r, 48h, 38rbi, 6doubles, 3triples, 1hr and 21bb

Shenandoah's Jesse Henry at "shortstop" :
34games  .415avg, 123ab, 45r, 51h, 39rbi, 11doubles, 1triple, 3hr and 22bb


Both Holcomb and DeHaven were 1st and 2nd overall in hitting respectively followed by SU's Scott Lambert .417, Jesse Henry .415 and Jasen Eberz at .414   

[LTBB1971]

For RP, I like to think Methodist's Alex Sholar has been the strongest this year.  Overll numbers are 3-0 record, with 2.55 ERA in 17 appearances including 2 saves.  Opponents hit .252 against him and he had 25 K's in 24 Innings.  Numbers are even stronger in Conference play with 1-0 record and 0.96 ERA in 6 appearances covering 9.1 innings.

I would give a a close second to John Child of NCWC with a 1-1 record and 3.38 ERA overall in 18 appearances with 5 saves and 2.19 ERA in 7 appearances in conference.

[narch]

as andre agassi used to say "image is everything"....trae bailey is poty

Player of the Year
Trae Bailey - Chris. Newport

Pitcher of the Year
Ben Moore - N.C. Wesleyan

Rookie of the Year
Trey Such - Methodist

Rookie Pitcher of the Year
Michael Mahaffey - Methodist

Coach of the Year
Charlie Long - N.C. Wesleyan

The 2009 USA South All-Conference Baseball Teams follow:

First Team
1B - Trey Such - Methodist
2B - Brian Halpin - Methodist
3B - Zollie Woodlief - N.C. Wesleyan
SS - Trae Bailey - Christopher Newport
C -  Dustin Proctor - Methodist
DH - Michael Romett - Christopher Newport
Util - Brian Goodwin - Methodist
OF - Luke Williford - N.C. Wesleyan
       Clint DeHaven - Greensboro
       Mike Giarrizzi - Christopher Newport
P - Ben Moore - N.C. Wesleyan
     Josh Simons - Shenandoah
RP - Mike Giarrizzi - Christopher Newport

Second Team
1B - Chris Despins - Christopher Newport
2B - Paul Jaglowski - Ferrum
3B - Shawn Lovette - Methodist
SS - Brian Inghram - Methodist
C - Justin Batts - N.C. Wesleyan
DH - Justin Tuck - N.C. Wesleyan
Util - Dion Wilder - Averett
OF - Brad Davis - Methodist
       Travis Crump - Ferrum
       Tripp Lancaster - Methodist
P - Ben Hildreth - Averett
     Michael Manfro - Greensboro
RP - Alex Sholar - Methodist
   
Honorable Mention
1B - Greg Van Sickler - Shenandoah
2B - Michael Parker - Greensboro
3B - Parker Neal - Christopher Newport
SS - Jesse Henry - Shenandoah
C - Scott Lambert - Shenandoah
DH - Cory Nelson - Shenandoah
Util - Eric McGuire - Averett
OF - Ryan Laboy - Greensboro
       Jon Holcomb - Shenandoah
       Jasen Eberz - Shenandoah
P - Josh Brinkman - Christopher Newport
     Landon Jordan - Methodist
RP - John Child - N.C. Wesleyan

All-Sportsmanship Team
Tyler Grogan - Averett
Steven Lindemuth - Christopher Newport
Dustin Howell - Ferrum
Jacob Tomb - Greensboro
Brian Goodwin - Methodist
Zollie Woodlief - N.C. Wesleyan
Jesse Henry - Shenandoah

i have multiple issues, but van sickler and inghram, who were 1 and 2 in rbi's in the conference as honorable mention and 2nd team, respectively is where it starts

with all due respect to trae bailey, who is a fantastic player, brian inghram had a better year and deserved to be the 1st team ss, if not poty