BB: E8: Empire 8

[Jim Dixon]

OK, here we go with some conference games this weekend.  Fisher and Stevens to play Sun. and Mon. now because of weather.  Ithaca 2-0 with sweep of Houghton and play the other two games tomorrow.  Stevens had a nice out of conference win versus William Paterson yesterday.   If Stevens wants to be a top two in the league, they better get two of these...I don't see it happening.  I think Fisher gets three maybe all four.  Ithaca should get the other two versus Houghton.

I have to believe that Stevens has to be putting their best pitching in the CUNYAC, where their path to the playoffs is greater.  These games in the Empire are great for pool C consideration but winning the conference is not going to move a team forward into the post season.

[airball55]

Yes, that would make the most sense.  It's too bad because Stevens has got to the point where they can compete against Ithaca and Fisher but can chose a much easier road in a much weaker league with an AQ...it takes some luster off of the 4 game series.

[Jim Dixon]

Yes, that would make the most sense.  It's too bad because Stevens has got to the point where they can compete against Ithaca and Fisher but can chose a much easier road in a much weaker league with an AQ...it takes some luster off of the 4 game series.

I would love to see the E8 get an automatic bid if they can find seven teams.  There is growth in NY with Houghtton, Bard, Hood, and others starting to play, it might happen.

Then what happens if Stevens wins both conferences and gets both automatic bids, who would get the leftover bid?

[airball55]

History dictates that the E8 champ will get in.  I believe Fisher won the league a couple of years back and didn't get the bid.  It seems they don't have Ithaca's clout yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament...and they should.  But, that's the way it goes.  If Ithaca gets near 25 wins, they usually get a nod...deservedly or not.  With that said, they have a good program and last year's run won't hurt them!

[sjfcards]

History dictates that the E8 champ will get in.  I believe Fisher won the league a couple of years back and didn't get the bid.  It seems they don't have Ithaca's clout yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament...and they should.  But, that's the way it goes.  If Ithaca gets near 25 wins, they usually get a nod...deservedly or not.  With that said, they have a good program and last year's run won't hurt them!

This is the reason it is so important for Fisher to get off to a good start like they have this year. Last year a pretty good Fisher team lost a bunch of really tight games to IC and what ultimately kept them out of the playoffs was a couple bad losses early on (like St. Vincent and Neumann). Without the tau bid, Fisher needs to leave little doubt about what kind of team they are when IC is rolling.

Another issue is the weather. When the weather is bad, like this year, and a number of games get cancelled, every game in Florida and early on become that much more important.

[Ralph Turner]

Yes, that would make the most sense.  It's too bad because Stevens has got to the point where they can compete against Ithaca and Fisher but can chose a much easier road in a much weaker league with an AQ...it takes some luster off of the 4 game series.

I would love to see the E8 get an automatic bid if they can find seven teams.  There is growth in NY with Houghtton, Bard, Hood, and others starting to play, it might happen.

Then what happens if Stevens wins both conferences and gets both automatic bids, who would get the leftover bid?

Respectfully, since that post, it has come to light that Yeshiva is not listed on the CUNYAC conference web site. Yeshiva seems to be playing in the Skyline Conference.

The CUNYAC site shows only its 5 teams plus Stevens. "6" is not enough.  (I think that the CUNYAC ought to invite independent St Joe's Brooklyn to affiliate in Baseball and other sports as needed to get the AQ.)

Houghton must complete the 4-year provisional status, before the E8 can count them.

I think that the E-8 AQ bid may come into play when they get close to 7 teams.

Pool B is shrinking at a rapid rate

[Ralph Turner]

History dictates that the E8 champ will get in.  I believe Fisher won the league a couple of years back and didn't get the bid.  It seems they don't have Ithaca's clout yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament...and they should.  But, that's the way it goes.  If Ithaca gets near 25 wins, they usually get a nod...deservedly or not.  With that said, they have a good program and last year's run won't hurt them!

Please look at the requirements to earn a Pool B bid, which is how E8 teams get to the Playoffs.

[airball55]

Ralph, I am aware of how the Empire 8 is with pool B.  There is no getting close, they have to get to 7.  However, geographically, history has shone that the Empire 8 has received one of those bids, usually Ithaca.  And, honestly, it helps with geography more than anything else.  Technically, there is no Empire 8, it's just a part of pool B which basically is just a pool of at larges.  RIT going into the Liberty League hurt this "league."  If they had stayed, Fisher, Ithaca, Utica, Stevens, Houghton, Elmira (2015) and RIT would have got this group to 7 and the AQ.  Ur right, B is shrinking but they may be an advantage to these teams in regards to getting multiple bids.

[John McGraw]

Yes, that would make the most sense.  It's too bad because Stevens has got to the point where they can compete against Ithaca and Fisher but can chose a much easier road in a much weaker league with an AQ...it takes some luster off of the 4 game series.

I would love to see the E8 get an automatic bid if they can find seven teams.  There is growth in NY with Houghtton, Bard, Hood, and others starting to play, it might happen.

Then what happens if Stevens wins both conferences and gets both automatic bids, who would get the leftover bid?

Respectfully, since that post, it has come to light that Yeshiva is not listed on the CUNYAC conference web site. Yeshiva seems to be playing in the Skyline Conference.

The CUNYAC site shows only its 5 teams plus Stevens. "6" is not enough.  (I think that the CUNYAC ought to invite independent St Joe's Brooklyn to affiliate in Baseball and other sports as needed to get the AQ.)

Houghton must complete the 4-year provisional status, before the E8 can count them.

I think that the E-8 AQ bid may come into play when they get close to 7 teams.

Pool B is shrinking at a rapid rate

Not sure what is going on with the CUNYAC but the league does indeed have a Pool A automatic bid this year; I was told this by multiple schools. Yeshiva is an affiliate member of the CUNYAC and a regular member of the Skyline Conference - a school in two leagues, much like Stevens. This appears to be for scheduling purposes as the affiliate status guarantees YU 12 games against league opponents (two versus each side) rather than the Mighty Macs having to go out and schedule X number of non-conference games. So, that gives the league seven teams with the five main schools plus affiliates Stevens and Yeshiva.

However, Ralph is correct in that the CUNY standings only list six teams and it appears that games against Yeshiva do not count in the standings. However, the Macs are scheduled to play a full league slate. This is indeed a unique set-up.

[DucksBB]

Those games against Yeshiva may not count in the standings because they may have a 2 yr probationary period.  I know Stevens went through this the past 2 yrs and this is their first season they are eligible for CUNY awards and tournament.  This is just my guess.

[Bombers798891]

The Bombers are picking up some steam, now 11-4. The offense is still lacking compared to last season, and there are some struggles with the staff, but they're getting there.

John Prendergast is insane right now. The competition hasn't been great but a 0.34 ERA in 26 innings and a 27/1 K/BB rate? Filthy.

[airball55]

Ithaca playing some easy wins lately.  Houghton, Oneonta, Caz...yikes.  Those numbers are great for Prendergast...should be some good pitching matchups later in the season when the Bomb squad and Fisher hooks up. 

[D3SportsFan]

Those games against Yeshiva may not count in the standings because they may have a 2 yr probationary period.  I know Stevens went through this the past 2 yrs and this is their first season they are eligible for CUNY awards and tournament.  This is just my guess.

From the recent article posted on D3baseball.com, what does this mean for the future of the CUNYAC? Will there be a push to add a 7th team since Yeshiva won't be a mainstay? Or will Yeshiva leave the Skyline, and only compete in the CUNYAC?

[airball55]

Ithaca with a good series at Stevens getting three of four.  I thought Stevens would split that series...I thought wrong.  Fisher with two shutout wins against Utica.  Don't sleep on the two arms Utica threw today.  Check out the strikeout numbers, both guys throw hard enough and have command of their breaking stuff...they could beat someone.  Fisher at Utica tomorrow, if Utica can pitch like this, not easy wins anymore.  Fisher arms just real good, freshman sidearmer very impressive.

[D3SportsFan]

It's not completely there yet, but it's great to see more parity in a small, competitive conference. It should make the E8 regular season winner as close to a lock as possible for a Pool B bid. It looks like most of the schools in the E8 have fairly strong schedule strengths to help that argument.