BB: E8: Empire 8

[DucksBB]

Oooooh, it always gets so fun at the end.  It's so difficult to get in when we leave it up to the committee.  So hard also to keep up a good SOS when there are teams in the conference that pull down the SOS.  Seems like all the categories are possible tiebreakers when comparing teams.  Whether it's wins, SOS, or whatever....gotta be a strong combination of everything to be considered.  I'm thinking the top 3 regional seeds get in and the 4th will have to keep their fingers crossed.  Just depends on how those Pool A bids shake out.  For us and SJF, our one shot is to win the E8 and grab the 3 regional seed.

[NYbaseballguy]

Cards, I like this team a lot but I also recall a team with D'Amato, Johnson a big righty who transferred in, Bostick, Osterman, Kyrniski (spelling), Rush that stole a ton of bases and beat Marietta at their field in a regional (who won it all) that would love to play this current team!  That team was loaded.  The Cards put a tournament team on the field every season, it's just a matter of getting to 30 wins and getting some love, which, they honestly don't get a lot of.  They are a hard team to slot because of the lack of AQ. It would be nice if they could play Cortland. This team is very good and in my opinion deserve to be in.  Even if they get in, the possibility always exists that they could get shipped out which isn't really a big deal to them.  I looked at Oswego from last season (and I understand this is little bearing) but, they got an at large quite easily and this Fisher team frankly has more going for it.  Not one bad loss in the 8 losses.  Marietta, Oswego, Stevens, Haverford, Ohio Northern, those are great programs.  Like their chances but again, this is my opinion.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Cards, I like this team a lot but I also recall a team with D'Amato, Johnson a big righty who transferred in, Bostick, Osterman, Kyrniski (spelling), Rush that stole a ton of bases and beat Marietta at their field in a regional (who won it all) that would love to play this current team!  That team was loaded.  The Cards put a tournament team on the field every season, it's just a matter of getting to 30 wins and getting some love, which, they honestly don't get a lot of.  They are a hard team to slot because of the lack of AQ. It would be nice if they could play Cortland. This team is very good and in my opinion deserve to be in.  Even if they get in, the possibility always exists that they could get shipped out which isn't really a big deal to them.  I looked at Oswego from last season (and I understand this is little bearing) but, they got an at large quite easily and this Fisher team frankly has more going for it.  Not one bad loss in the 8 losses.  Marietta, Oswego, Stevens, Haverford, Ohio Northern, those are great programs.  Like their chances but again, this is my opinion.

Ohio Northern while a better program under the new coach, Does not exactly have the pedigree, to be called a a great program, And they are not playing well this year. They are barely above .500. But that loss should not keep the Cards out. 
Just remember Pool C and B are against the nation and not the region.

[NYbaseballguy]

I stand corrected. All I know is 30-9 in the OAC which followed up a 28-12 is pretty darn good in that league.  No easy games over there.  They have had a nice couple of years... we can leave it at that

[sjfcards]

Excited to get the E8 tournament underway tomorrow. Not sure how Fisher will stack up their pitchers tomorrow with Utica up first. Obviously you want to win that first game but Fisher may feel like they can hold one of the top 3 back for Stevens and IC. This past game with IC was odd as their ace, Iseneker, was taken out after the third inning of a 1-1 game. Hopefully he isn't hurt or anything. What Fisher ran out there after they took him out got knocked around, so hopefully he is available this weekend.

I like Fisher with their pitching staff this weekend but I think any of the big three feel like they can take the tournament.

[John McGraw]

Excited to get the E8 tournament underway tomorrow. Not sure how Fisher will stack up their pitchers tomorrow with Utica up first. Obviously you want to win that first game but Fisher may feel like they can hold one of the top 3 back for Stevens and IC. This past game with IC was odd as their ace, Iseneker, was taken out after the third inning of a 1-1 game. Hopefully he isn't hurt or anything. What Fisher ran out there after they took him out got knocked around, so hopefully he is available this weekend.

I like Fisher with their pitching staff this weekend but I think any of the big three feel like they can take the tournament.

Don't see any problem at all in just throwing him for three innings and then going bullpen-by-committee. He hadn't pitched in a week and the coaches likely wanted to get him some limited action before the league tournament. You don't want your ace sitting for two weeks and then having to fight off potential rust in a big start. With just three innings, he could be able to go today if need be whereas had he pitched 7-8 innings, coming back with just three or even four days' rest may have been a tall order.

[jdex]

St. John Fisher forces Sunday deciding tourney championship game in Pittsford. Cards handle Ithaca 5-2. Host eliminated Utica 5-4 earlier in the day to get revenge from first round fall to the Pioneers. Fought their way back through the victim's round. Ousted Stevens on Friday. IC wins 9-1 over Stevens, 5-4 over Utica heading into Saturday's play. SJF jr T. Engels flips three hitter, allows two IC unearned runs. Fisher up 4-0 after four innings
      SJF 34-10, IC 26-15

[NYbaseballguy]

Regardless of the outcome tomorrow I can't see how Fisher does not get in the tournament.  Really only one bad loss on the schedule (Utica) in the tournament.  And, now they get a win versus Stevens and Ithaca.  I think you could argue for them to be the 2 seed in NY rather than not getting an at large.  And, regardless of having to play more games will still have pitching left for another game.  Should be a good game...Ithaca looking to win back to back conference tournaments as underdogs.

[jdex]

Ithaca posts 9-7 10-inning win over host St. John Fisher to capture conference tourney title. Bombers score tying seventh run in the top of the ninth on A. Gallagher sac fly and leave the bases full. In decisive 10th J. Savacool draws leadoff walk and steals second. Scores on pinch-hitter R. Dougherty single to left. S. Little sac fly eventually plates Dougherty. Cardinals leave two runners aboard in their 10th against fourth IC pitcher J. Prendergast (3.2inn, 2h, 2bb, 2k).
   Little winds up 4x4, r, 2bi, sf; M. Carey 3x5, r, 2bi; R. Henchey 2bi. Ithaca with 17 hits, no errors; SJF 11 hits, three miscues. Fisher finally takes the lead 7-6 in the seventh on S. Eisenmenger sac fly. Cards use five pitchers. L. Brigham on in relief in the ninth (2inn, 2r, 1er, 2h, 2bb, 3k)
      Ithaca 27-15, Fisher 34-11

[sjfcards]

A good conference tournament for the E8, and a great game to end it. For Fisher losing that first game to Utica came back to bite them. Playing that extra game was the difference between having one of their big two starting pitchers available and not. Thems  the breaks however.

With 34 wins I have to think Fisher is going to get into the tournament, and hopefully in Auburn. As a Fisher fan I have learned not to assume anything but they not only have the 3rd highest win total in all of D3, but also got two more quality wins over Stevens and IC this weekend. Only one bad loss all year as well. Not sure if IC or Stevens can sneak in or not, but those are quality teams as well.

[NYbaseballguy]

Buy your tickets.  I can't see how they don't get in.  The schedule strength got better as well as Marietta, Haverford, season series wins against Ithaca (who played well at the end), Stevens, Brockport and a split against a likely tournament team in Oswego shouldn't hurt the cause.  After looking at the resume's of both Fisher and Oswego, there really isn't a lot of difference.  And I think Oswego is a sure thing. Both have marquee wins, few bad losses and challenged themselves.  Fisher should be dancing, question is...where?  They have been moved before to accommodate out of region teams here in NY. If they get to stay, I like their chances as well as anyone's.  If Cortland, Oswego and Fisher are in this regional, this is a very good region.  And, Union has as good of an ace as anyone...not so sure about their pitching depth after that but they are solid. 

[Bombers798891]

A round of applause to John Prendergast. To go from nearly pitching the Bombers to a title, to that injury, to a 6-0 senior season, closing out the E8 Championship by beating an NCAA Tournament team in Fisher, on the road. Great to see that story end well.

Ithaca had their shot, but a three-game stretch where they lost by one run to Cortland and twice to a bad Utica team cost them. They didn't have the horses this year, and would likely not have done too much in the NCAAs.

Next year's squad will be interesting. They return their top 6 hitters, but just one starting pitcher (although he was their best).

Congrats to Fisher for qualifying for the NCAAs. Hoping they can make some noise, and I'll be following them. Seems like they ran into the type of problem IC's had over the years. They've got the top of the rotation set, but they're not as equipped to handle the loser's bracket, where your pitching staff depth can get really tested when you've got to run the table while playing extra games. But, they'll get a chance to hit the reset button there, and hopefully, they can put together a good showing for the conference and region

[NYbaseballguy]

Well said Bombers...I was surprised to see them get shipped.  But, that might not be a bad thing.  We just wanted to see Fisher, Oswego and the other NY teams play closer to home.

[sjfcards]

In some ways I am happy Fisher got moved out of Auburn. They avoid Cortland, and top to bottom I think they have as good a chance as anyone in the regional. Misercordia looks like the real deal, and I know what Haverford has, so I don't think anything will be easy however. It is just nice when I can go see the regional in Auburn. Tailgate all day and watch some baseball. Scranton is a manageable trip if I decide to venture out that way should Fisher do well.

[sjfcards]

Fisher got a win in another tight game at the Mid-Atlantic regional tonight, 6-5 over UMass Boston. Fisher is now 3-0 and waiting for the remaining 3 teams to play it out to see who they play tomorrow. One win away from the D3 World Series. Fisher won game one, a one run win, over Salve Regina, game two 9-0 over Kean (game was 0-0 in the 7th and Fisher hadn't had a player on second base before a 9 run outburst), and tonight. Tonight's win was a come from behind victory, scoring 4 in the 8th after UMass Boston had scored 4 in the top half of the inning.

Fisher has one more of their quality starters in waiting for the game tomorrow night as well. Hoping for the best.