BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[D-BAT]

Overall / ODAC won/loss records as of April 4th:

20-5 / 10-2 ... SU
17-7 / 08-3 ... Bridgewater
13-9 / 08-3 ... RMC
17-9 / 06-4 ... Lynchburg
13-8 / 06-6 ... W&L
8-15 / 05-5 ... Emory & Henry
21-9 / 05-6 ... HSC

[USASfan]

Ncwc splits on the day with Methodist. Winning game 1 5-1 and dropping game two 6-5. SO ss Ciro Norzagary didn't play. Definitely hurt the bishops in game two. As he probably would've pitched instead of SR Pleasant. JR 1b/DH continues to stay hot as he has a 5-9 with 4rbis  on the day. I really hope that SS Ciro is back in as I would love to take the series against a overrated Methodist school. Seems to be the story for NcWC is past years. Start off very poor and get smoking hot at the very end as we saw the same scenario last year. Defense once again struggles with 60+ errors and have 9 games left. All I can say is I think Convent has this one wrapped up if they continue to play the way they are. 11-1 in their last 12. Taking the series against Ferrum which puts them in 1st. Only way I see it if Piedmont wins out in conference they will have the head to head against Covenent.

[CCHoops]

Covenant is on a roll right now. Winners of 11 of last 12 in conference play and 14 of 16 overall. The only team that holds a tiebreaker over the Scots is Huntingdon.

This week will be huge, though. Covenant plays Methodist for three in various locales in North Carolina for the Spring Festival. If Covenant wins another series, it will be really tough for any team to catch up.

[narch]

I would love to take the series against a overrated Methodist school.

you got your wish on the series win (and the ss playing)...tough weekend for the monarchs, for sure - the monarchs got 10 hits and drew 4 walks in game one, but could only push 1 run across - game three saw mu out hit ncwc 9-6, but the pitchers issued 6 walks and the defense made 4 costly errors leading to 4 unearned runs in a 5-4 loss - it's looking more and more like having howard and inman pitch on the same weekend is unlikely, as neither was able to pitch this weekend - on the bright side, the monarchs got their first 2 hr's as a team in the win on saturday...i thought we might see mu go all season w/o one

overrated is an interesting choice of word to describe mu - who is "rating" them and where are the monarchs "rated"? if you're talking about usasac standings, well...those aren't ratings, they're results...nothing subjective about results - if you're talking about some other rating system, which one? i'm sure you're not talking about these ratings

[narch]

All I can say is I think Convent has this one wrapped up if they continue to play the way they are. 11-1 in their last 12. Taking the series against Ferrum which puts them in 1st. Only way I see it if Piedmont wins out in conference they will have the head to head against Covenent.

i know they're new to the conference, but it's covenant, not convent or covenent

i agree with your assessment that covenant is in the drivers seat, though - their remaining conference schedule is the easiest of the top 5 teams (combined .472 conf. win %), who are all still mathematically viable - averett, methodist and maryville are all teams that could win a game or two against covenant, but cc is playing really well right now

huntingdon is the only team that currently has a tie-breaker over covenant, having swept them earlier in the season - hc is currently 3 games back in the loss column but will play one fewer conference game than covenant...they can't be tied with covenant unless covenant has a cancellation in one of their upcoming conference games - because of that cancellation, they are essentially 4 games back in the loss column - hc has ferrum and mu left (combined .667 conf. win %)...tough slate to run through unscathed

ferrum is only two games back in the loss column, but they've got 3 games vs. huntingdon and 3 vs. piedmont left (combined .632 conf. win %)- i think best-case fc could realistically hope for would be 4-2 in those games and two more losses would probably be enough to keep them out of the top spot since covenant owns the tie-break

piedmont is 3 games back in the loss column and faces ferrum, au and m'ville (comined .518 conf. win %)...they could potentially sweep those 9 games, but covenant still owns head-to-head with pc, even if they (covenant) were to lose 3 more games

methodist is 3 games back in the loss column and faces an uphill battle with 9 games against conference opponents who have a conf. win % of .589 - if mu could somehow sweep covenant (tall order, i know) that would bring mu back into the mix, but it would also bring the other 3 teams into the mix - pc and ferrum both own head-to-head against mu and the monarchs haven't played huntingdon yet...losing 2 games this weekend to ncwc makes it REALLY difficult for mu to have a chance at that aq

[LTBB1971]

Another tough day for NCWC yesterday as they played NAIA's St. Andrews and lost 11-6.  Bishops fall to 11-19-1 for the season and any hopes of finishing the year at least .500 were gone in this game.  St. Andrews was not overpowering but as usual NCWC had 1 bad inning (gave up 9 runs) and 2 more errors on the field.  SO 3B James Kornegay was the bright spot yesterday.  Up next is a wekend series with Maryville that I thing NCWC has to sweep.  Hopefully we'll see SR Will Beasley, FR Spencer Ramsey and FR Ryan Grant have good games on the mound this weekend.

[narch]

the monarchs took care of covenant in the first game of the 3 game set yesterday, winning 6-3 behind a nice pitching performance by johnson and a great day at the plate for kirby, who went 3-3 with 2 runs, 1 hr and 3 rbi

ferrum and hc have split the last two days

pc just went final with a 5-4 win over averett

up to the minute standings are as follows:

covenant: 14-5, .737
ferrum: 16-7, .696
huntingdon: 14-8, .636
piedmont: 12-7, .632
mu: 12-7, .632

it's getting tighter at the top...hopefully mu can continue to bring covenant back to the pack

[narch]

so the monarchs take the series with a 13-5 victory over covenant, and the top five teams are all within two losses of each other now...

[LTBB1971]

With a Conference record of 10-13 and only a series with LaGrange left this weekend, I can't see how NCWC will qualify for post season play.  I believe only top 6 get in, correct?

[narch]

With a Conference record of 10-13 and only a series with LaGrange left this weekend, I can't see how NCWC will qualify for post season play.  I believe only top 6 get in, correct?

there is no conference tournament this year...ncwc is playing for pride now...

[CCHoops]

Ferrum rallies and beats Piedmont 4-3 today. This means that everyone but Covenant and Ferrum have been eliminated from the conference race.

Covenant holds the tiebreaker over Ferrum by virtue of taking 2 of 3 a couple weeks ago. So, Covenant will have to win at least 4 of 5 in conference play to finish the season (2 today at Maryville and 3 next weekend vs. Averett). Ferrum is finished in USA South play.

[narch]

ferrum's magic number is one...and with covenant going 4-6 over their last 10, i think the panthers have a real shot...

[narch]

the scots take care of business and win the conference...congrats - mu finishes with a disappointing series loss to lagrange and ends at 22-16 - if the monarchs can get howard and inman healthy next year, there is a nice nucleus of returning players

[narch]

just got a look at the regionals...mu went 4-1 vs. teams in the south regional...unfortunately, they went 18-15 against the rest of their schedule

good luck to covenant...rep the conference well, boys

[CCHoops]

Covenant gets a tough draw against Shenandoah to open the South Regional. It will be interesting to see if SU throws their ace or if they think they can beat the Scots with a No. 2 or 3 starter. CC is a dangerous team in the early rounds with strong starting pitching and offense.