BB: Midwest Region

[Just Bill]

NAC Tournament field is nearly set.  There's a chance Marian could catch Aurora but I doubt it.  Looks very likely to be Rockford, CUC, CUW and Aurora.  Who gets what seed is up for grabs.  Virtually zero chance of a Pool C bid here, so it's winner take all in Loves Park.  The NAC Tournament web site is up.  They'll have Live Stats and Live Audio for every game.

http://www.edgewoodcollegeeagles.com/nacbaseball

[OshDude]

the midwest conference would need their auto bid in there also...unless they move teams around again.

The Midwest Conference is now part of the Central Region.....

Don't rule out a MWC team at the Oshkosh Regional, though. The NAC winner could easily go to Illinois, and there's countless other scenarios in which the MWC Pool A plays in Oshkosh.

[BaseballFan]

St Thomas locked up a 1 seed after beating Scholastica 4-3 today. Schuld threw a CG for the win. Scholastica had their chances but made 3 poor baserunning errors that ran them out of innings.

1. Thomas
2. CSS
3. UWO
4. UWW
5. Olaf
6. Point

[Just Bill]

NAC Tournament field is nearly set.  There's a chance Marian could catch Aurora but I doubt it.  Looks very likely to be Rockford, CUC, CUW and Aurora.  Who gets what seed is up for grabs.  Virtually zero chance of a Pool C bid here, so it's winner take all in Loves Park.  The NAC Tournament web site is up.  They'll have Live Stats and Live Audio for every game.

Whoops!  CUW lost four games on the weekend, including two to Benedictine to fall all the way out of the tourney.  BU slides into the fourth spot.  CUC has clinced the number 1 seed.

http://www.edgewoodcollegeeagles.com/nacbaseball

[fightintitan2006]

Beloit edges Ripon 4-3 with a walkoff hit today to get into MWC tourney.

Does anyone think Beloit could have a shot at an NCAA tourney at-large bid if they dont win this weekend?

If they made it to the MWC tourney finals and lost out of the winners bracket they finish 27-9.

If the go from the loser's bracket and win the first tourney title game, they finish 28-9.

Would this give them a shot???

[BaseballFan]

Beloit edges Ripon 4-3 with a walkoff hit today to get into MWC tourney.

Does anyone think Beloit could have a shot at an NCAA tourney at-large bid if they dont win this weekend?

If they made it to the MWC tourney finals and lost out of the winners bracket they finish 27-9.

If the go from the loser's bracket and win the first tourney title game, they finish 28-9.

Would this give them a shot???

MWC is no longer in the midwest region, in other words probably not the best place to talk about a conference no longer in this region.

[d3baseballnut]

Beloit edges Ripon 4-3 with a walkoff hit today to get into MWC tourney.

Does anyone think Beloit could have a shot at an NCAA tourney at-large bid if they dont win this weekend?

If they made it to the MWC tourney finals and lost out of the winners bracket they finish 27-9.

If the go from the loser's bracket and win the first tourney title game, they finish 28-9.

Would this give them a shot???

Do they have a shot?......yes, definitely

But you never know what the committee will do. If they do get in, they will get one of the last Pool C bids. The last bids will come down to teams like Beloit, St. Olaf, Luther, and WIAC #2 team.

[BigPoppa]

Beloit edges Ripon 4-3 with a walkoff hit today to get into MWC tourney.

Does anyone think Beloit could have a shot at an NCAA tourney at-large bid if they dont win this weekend?

If they made it to the MWC tourney finals and lost out of the winners bracket they finish 27-9.

If the go from the loser's bracket and win the first tourney title game, they finish 28-9.

Would this give them a shot???

Do they have a shot?......yes, definitely

But you never know what the committee will do. If they do get in, they will get one of the last Pool C bids. The last bids will come down to teams like Beloit, St. Olaf, Luther, and WIAC #2 team.

Two things:
1. The MWC is no longer a Midwest region conference, they shifted to the Central in 2009.
2. Pool C bids are handed out nationally, not regionally. If you can make an argument why Beloit is better than a team like Montclair State, Kean, Millsaps, etc... then you can make a case for Beloit gaining a Pool C. I do not see it happening. Beloit needed to roll through the MWC if they were a top-notch team. In reality, they finished second in their half of the league. That is not befitting of a national contender-type team.

[OshDude]

Here's my stab at tomorrow's RR.
1. St. Thomas
2. Stevens Point
3. St. Scholastica
4. St. Olaf
5. Concordia Chicago
6. Oshkosh
Next four: Whitewater, Rockford, Aurora, Hamline

[BaseballFan]

Mark Moriarty a graduate of St. Scholastica 07' signed with the St. Paul Saints. Moriarty takes the roster spot of highly touted soon to be draftee Tanner Scheppers (top 5 pick)

Other midwest players playing for the Saints:

Andrew Bennett-Hamline
Dan Kaczrowski- Hamline
Andrew Schmiesing- Olaf
Lonnie Robinson- Thomas

[BaseballFan]

Corey Kemp became the new head coach for the St. Scholastica Saints today

[BaseballFan]

Things are really quiet, surprised the talk hasnt picked up with spring practices starting, preseason rankings are out, and the midwest preview.

[OshDude]

Little more than a week until some intriguing in-region February openers at the Dome.
2/24 St. Olaf vs. Buena Vista
2/25 Bethel vs. Northwestern (MN)
2/26 Macalester vs. Wartburg
2/28 Carleton vs. Bethany
Others of interest:
2/27 Coe vs. Wash U @ St. Louis
2/28 Coe vs. Fontbonne @ St. Louis

SOC has a particularly important opener. BV should be a good test.
Hoping potential All-American James Murrey starts for Mac. Will Mac finish top four in the MIAC for the first time since 2000? I don't see why not.
Bethany gets its hyped season underway against a good team.
Coe vs. Wash U could be important come Central regional rankings time. If it gets played, that is.

[biggio34]

Little more than a week until some intriguing in-region February openers at the Dome.
2/24 St. Olaf vs. Buena Vista
2/25 Bethel vs. Northwestern (MN)
2/26 Macalester vs. Wartburg
2/28 Carleton vs. Bethany
Others of interest:
2/27 Coe vs. Wash U @ St. Louis
2/28 Coe vs. Fontbonne @ St. Louis

SOC has a particularly important opener. BV should be a good test.
Hoping potential All-American James Murrey starts for Mac. Will Mac finish top four in the MIAC for the first time since 2000? I don't see why not.
Bethany gets its hyped season underway against a good team.
Coe vs. Wash U could be important come Central regional rankings time. If it gets played, that is.

Predictions...
2/24 St. Olaf vs. Buena Vista - Oles Sweep
2/25 Bethel vs. Northwestern (MN) - Bethel Sweep
2/26 Macalester vs. Wartburg - Split
2/28 Carleton vs. Bethany - Bethany Sweep

[jmbaseball06]

Little more than a week until some intriguing in-region February openers at the Dome.
2/24 St. Olaf vs. Buena Vista
2/25 Bethel vs. Northwestern (MN)
2/26 Macalester vs. Wartburg
2/28 Carleton vs. Bethany
Others of interest:
2/27 Coe vs. Wash U @ St. Louis
2/28 Coe vs. Fontbonne @ St. Louis

SOC has a particularly important opener. BV should be a good test.
Hoping potential All-American James Murrey starts for Mac. Will Mac finish top four in the MIAC for the first time since 2000? I don't see why not.
Bethany gets its hyped season underway against a good team.
Coe vs. Wash U could be important come Central regional rankings time. If it gets played, that is.

Predictions...
2/24 St. Olaf vs. Buena Vista - Oles Sweep
2/25 Bethel vs. Northwestern (MN) - Bethel Sweep
2/26 Macalester vs. Wartburg - Split
2/28 Carleton vs. Bethany - Bethany Sweep

Bethel always seems to have trouble with Northwestern.

Murrey will keep MAC in every game that he pitches. Wilson-Traisman is one of the top SS offensively and Graham Brown and Devin English are solid players as well. MAC should be a contender all year.

Olaf should handle BV with no problem. They are too well coached and have too many weapons offensively.

I am undecided about Bethany and Carleton. Carleton lost Guevin, their all-conference ace and I am unsure who else they return besides Fujisawa. But I have a hard time believing that Bethany is legit and will contend with St. Scholastica for the UMAC crown. It's hard to give that conference much respect outside of a proven St. Scho program but we will see.

I'm excited to get things started!