BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[Diamond King]

diamond king - the hornets played a weak ooc schedule (fact...not bashing), and they've really turned it up in the tournament just as they did in the regional last year...i'm hoping they stay hot for one more day and get a "w" to keep the monarchs hopes for a regional alive

Hey, aren't you guys hosting in Metro Fayetteville? The host school is not included, automatically?

On a related note, don't see how NCW, regardless of r.s. title, can get in with a sub .500 and two and out in the conference tourney? Anyone know if the Bishops had key players out from the four one of their fans has mentioned?

[narch]

dk - even the host school has to earn their way into the regional

[D-BAT]

HOST is NOT an automatic from what I understand.


Thursday, April 15, 2010
Game 1 (Day 1) - #4 Christopher Newport - 10   #5 Ferrum - 8
Game 2 (Day 1) - #3 Shenandoah - 5   #6 Averett - 2
Game 3 (Day 1) - #2 Methodist - 14   #7 Greensboro - 2 (8 Inn.)
Game 4 (Day 1) - #1 N.C. Wesleyan - 2   #5 Ferrum - 6

Friday, April 16, 2010
Game 5 (Day 2) - #6 Averett - 8   #7 Greensboro - 5 ... GB eliminated
Game 6 (Day 2) - #3 Shenandoah - 17   #2 Methodist - 4
Game 7 (Day 2) - #1 N.C. Wesleyan - 7   #4 Christopher Newport - 13 ... NCW eliminated
Game 8 (Day 2) - #2 Methodist - 8   #6 Averett - 9 ... MU eliminated

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Game 09 (Day 3) - #3 Shenandoah - 19   #4 Christopher Newport - 5 (7 Inn.)
Game 10 (Day 3) - #6 Averett - 8   #5 Ferrum - 16 ... AU eliminated
Game 11 (Day 3) - #4 Christopher Newport - 14   #5 Ferrum - 2 ... FC eliminated


Sunday, April 18, 2010
Game 12 (Day 4) - #3 Shenandoah  vs. #4 Christopher Newport – 12:00 p.m.

Game 13 (Day 4) - If necessary, same teams as Game 12 – 4:00 p.m.


Watch the Title game LIVE ... http://www.ustream.tv/channel/usa-south-athletic-conference

[vabaseball]

Congratulations to Shenandoah but I'm glad the Captains made them sweat a little in game two and ended the Hornet Hex in game one today. 

Enjoyed watching the seniors play now and them during the past three seasons -- Parker Neal had a really nice career. Josh Brinkman, Chris Malvagna, Shane Kersey, all big contributors this season, along with  Jason Jenkins, Bryce Morrison and Joey Martin. Glad they have a few more games to play.  Good luck guys.

[D-BAT]

Congrats to the Hornets of Shenandoah as they take 4 out of 5 from CNU this year.

What's going to be interesting to see who has a shot for an at-large bid between Methodist and CNU.

If they don't both win out, then their chances will be slim from my perspective.  They must win out to have a shot or this could be the year that the USAS might only have one representative in the Regionals.

Overall, I thought the USAS was not as strong as years past.

Anyone have any updates on the "in-region" records for CNU and MU?

[cnuball25]

Congrats to SU, but I have to give a tip-of-the-hat to my boys in Newport News as well...they battled their rears off this weekend. It is still beyond me (and some of the players) how they didn't hit SU's pitching better than that considering the quality of their arms. But despite never passing the "eye" test, they got it done and should be commended for that. Best of luck to SU in the regionals as I'm not sure what the future holds for the rest of the USAS, but I don't see my Captains getting in without some act of God. This isn't basketball, meaning you don't get rewarded for simply playing tough OOC opponents, and I don't think CNU did enough against those opponents to garner any votes.

They were fairly young this year, and losing a bat like Despins that early in the season DEFINITLEY hurt the offense, but given finding a pitcher or two I expect big things from the Captains next year. Hopefully you guys can finish the season off on a strong note by knocking Salisbury off a time or two...

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but one thing I'm looking forward to watching in the future is the progession of Shenandoah. Every squirrel finds a nut (or two in their case), but can they keep this level of talent in Winchester and sustain this amount of success to become a year-in-year-out threat like NCWC, Methodist, or CNU...or will they eventually fade back to being "Shenandoah"??

[WHEELIN WES]

diamond king - the hornets played a weak ooc schedule (fact...not bashing), and they've really turned it up in the tournament just as they did in the regional last year...i'm hoping they stay hot for one more day and get a "w" to keep the monarchs hopes for a regional alive

Hey, aren't you guys hosting in Metro Fayetteville? The host school is not included, automatically?

On a related note, don't see how NCW, regardless of r.s. title, can get in with a sub .500 and two and out in the conference tourney? Anyone know if the Bishops had key players out from the four one of their fans has mentioned?

Of the 4 players suspended for NCWC, 3 were starters, SS, 3B, and RF, all batting above .300 with the 4th being a solid contributor and it really hurt the team both offensively and defensively, but no excuse, we lost because you play with who you have.

Congratulations to SU on winning the tournament, represent the conference well in the regionals and hopefully some other USA South teams will get an at-large and do the same.

[hokieone]

Congrats to SU. They played well and deserved the title. My Captains battled well and certainly appear to be the clear #2 team in USAS at this point, but unless Methodist stumbles in some of their remaining games, and CNU wins out, it will be tough to get an at large.  Too many mid-season ODAC losses hurt.   CNU does have 2 with Salisbury and sweeping would be a very tall order, but a sweet boost to the resume. CNU and MU have similar records (24-11 v. 22-14), but it would seem with the regional being at MU, that can't hurt. It might well be that both get stranded. It would be nice if one week from now, both are either clearly in or out as the waiting would be a bummer. School will be finished-practice or no, send the players home or no?

    Again, well-deserved kudos to Shenandoah.   And great job Captains battling down  to the wire. They never quit.

[Falcon2720]

MU- 20-10 In-Region with 6 region games left

4/24 @Stevenson
4/25 @Stevenson
4/30 York
4/30 Piedmont
5/1 York
5/1 Piedmont

5-1 I think will get them in. 6-0 will get them in.


CNU- 18-13 In-Region with 5 region games left

4/20 St. Mary's
4/22 Salisbury
4/23 @Salisbury
4/24 York DH
5 games in 5 days will be tough.

CNU has to win out and need MU to stumble to have a chance


In-Region record is very important.  Those mid-week region games are just as important as weekend conference games.


In the south regional...

Salisbury (Pool C)
Shenandoah (Pool A)
Mary Washington (Pool A)

Still playing for a regional bid...

CNU (Pool C)
MU (Pool C)
ODAC Champions (Pool A)- HSC, Bridgewater, VWC, Lynchburg
Huntingdon (Pool B) good shot
Mississippi College (West Region Team but closer to Fayetteville)
SCAC Champion- Millsaps or Rhodes or both

I don't think Birmingham Southern is eligible for NCAA play this year.  I could be wrong.  They won their division but are not in the SCAC tourney.

[narch]

falcon - not sure rhodes (24-14 overall) would be sent to fayetteville to play in a regional, but you've got to include them as a possibility, especially with a head-to-head win vs. mu

i agree with your assesment that 5 wins and the monarchs are solidly in the conversation...personally, i think they're in the conversation with 4 wins (but probably out of the regional ) - mu has played south region opponenets with a .553 win % and has a .667 record - those six remaining games won't hurt the owp significantly, but 5-1 would make the monarchs win % .694

another small factor to consider is out-of-region games...the monarchs beat farmingdale, which could end up being a conference champion (they're 16-13, 11-1) and possibly regionally ranked, they lost to frostburg which is currently 22-8 (potentially ranked in their region), and they beat tufts which is currently 17-3 (potentially ranked in their region)

if i remember correct, games vs. regionally ranked out of region teams are a secondary factor...

[Richard of Funchester]

Well we have finally gotten the "monkey" off our backs with that win.  The guys played well all weekend are much deserving of what they achieved.  We can finally put to rest our "weak" schedule argument with the automatic bid.  I will say that CNU did a nice job with the win in game 1 yesterday.  They did lead from start to finish.  SU cold never get that big hit or have that big inning.  I thought once Brashears homered in the 7th the wheels would get turning and we would pull it out in game 1.  Brinkman did pitch well for CNU going 7.0 tough innings as he had the SU hitters off balance and over powered.   I just hope that kid has a Lloyds of London policy on his arm as Coach Harvell let him throw somewhere in the neighborhood of 140 pitches on 2 days rest.  I heard walking through the grandstand that he hit 100 in the 5th, to me this is crazy.  I know they needed a win to stay alive but still they are a state school should have at least another pitcher available to carry that load.  Game 2 Van Dusseldorp got a hit, "Finally" is how the SU twitter page said during the game.  Scott did struggle this weekend, but if he gets this out of his system now reagionals can be big for him.  I thought that everyone did their parts for the win this weekend.  Coach Anderson had the guys stay calm with the let down in game one yesterday and they came out hacking early and that played to our benefit. 

I am noticing that we are being referred to as a "blind squirrel that finds a nut every once in a while."  To date SU baseball is 71-17 the last 2 seasons.  Now the argument can be made that we play a weak schedule, this is the agreement that I will get with that comment; then let me give you something else to think about.  We are roughly 212 miles away from the closets conference team.  We play the teams that are in our region and the teams that want to play us.  Hopkins and Salisbury are closer to us than the rest of the conference.  But they don't want to play us, and frankly they shouldn't after last year.  Anderson gets a schedule that helps his players prepare for the tournament and regionals.  He has spent many hours and I know from personal interaction with the man has worked to build a program that will keep doing this for years to come.  I guess what I am getting at with my rambles is this, weak schedule or not.  NO ONE and let me make this clear NO ONE hits like SU does in tournament games or regular season games.  This group finished yesterday what they let slip away last year and I know they are gearing up for the next step in their season which is on Wednesday at Bridgeforth.  They will not over look the next 2 games, because Anderson will not allow them too. 
Congrats to everyone on the All Tournament Team and to my Hornets for finally breaking the seal and getting the conference championship.  See ya from the yard on Wednesday going after #34.

GO HORNETS!!

[SUbaseballfan]

Congratulatulations SU on winning the conference championship! It is most certainly well deserved. My feelings on the naysayers....whe you have SU's record and are ranked nationally...come back and talk!!!!

[hokieone]

You SU players should leave the posting to us wholly uninformed non-player-type fans. And relax, you won it, you're in, and you have all the bragging rights.   Well done.

Since we're unfortunately in that "what if" scenario, maybe CNU isn't totally cooked yet:

CNU In-Region Record: 18-13 (.581%)
CNU In-Region Opponents Winning Percentage: .583%  (629-448-2)

Remaining Games Opponents Winning Percentage: .596%

IF scenarios...

IF...CNU goes 4-1 in final five...22-14 (.611%)
IF...CNU goes 5-0 in final five...23-13 (.639%)

Last years regional record that got CNU in....21-10 (.677%)

   I think they at least have a pulse right now, but 5 games in 5 days being tough-heck , they just played 6 games in 4 days.   Granted, the timing of pitchers' arm recoveries will need to be handled properly.  And running the table with good quality  opponents will be a very tall order, but that's all that's left at this point.

[vabaseball]

Actually Brinkman had as much rest as Yocum.  Brinkman pitched at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, then again at 12:00 on Sunday. I call that three days rest and it about exactly was.

Yokum pitched early afternoon on Thursday and came back out at 4:00 on Sunday....  Of course, perhaps he threw fewer pitches.

Great job by the Captains.  They really did play hard in this tournament.  Lots of promising pitching returning next year as well....

[Richard of Funchester]

Looking at the CNU remaining games they do have a good shot at making a run with the way that they hit.  The St. Mary's game should be a win, the Salisbury games are very important for both sides with Salisbury losing in their tournament earlier this weekend and it looks like York College is 18-12 right now.  The toughest part is going to be playing all these games after the past 4 days.   Hopefully runs can be made by CNU and Methodist so that we have good representation for the conference. 

Not to be to particular but Yocum threw on Thursday at the noon game and only went into the 7th. 

This should be interesting to see how the next couple of weeks plays out to see who is dancing in the tournament and where.

GO HORNETS!!