BB: E8: Empire 8

[sjfcards]

Fisher wasn't exactly sharp today, with 6 errors and D'Amato giving up 4 runs in 4.1 innings, but they were able to hold on for a 8-7 win against Suny Purchase.

[airball55]

Opening day jitters??  I am sure they will be fine.  Good day for NY teams.  Brockport beat Kean with 5 in the ninth.

[sjfcards]

Good luck to Fisher on their trip to Florida. Hopefully they get a lot of pitching and hitting and get even more wins. Starts on Saturday!

[sjfcards]

Great start for Fisher down in Florida, sweeping a double dip with Penn State Altoona.

[airball55]

Cards split today at Stevens.  They just can't quite seem to get it all going yet...but I certainly think they will.  Dybas struggled in game two and it was too much of a deficit to come from behind on.  Watched the game on video, that park looks awfully small in rightfield.  Is it even 280 down that line?

[Bombers798891]

Bombers just rolling right along, racking up their 15th win in a row.

Might Ithaca become a player in the national scene again? A mere five seniors on this squad. Ithaca returns its #2 and #3 starter, top four hitters, and 8 of 11 position players who have started 10 or more games this season. Seems like a lot of talent coming back for a pretty good team

[airball55]

With all the attention that Cortland has been getting, it is possible the road to the World Series goes through the Empire 8.  Ithaca is hot right now and if Fisher gets it all together look out.  Those two teams are very good, that will be a fun series to watch next weekend.  Schedule kind to Ithaca, getting both Stevens and Fisher at home..should be enough for a regular season title.  But, that why you play the games and Fisher certainly has the horses to compete with the Bombers.  Good to see Ithaca playing well and hopefully they get noticed in the rankings.

[airball55]

Here we go this weekend.  Fisher and Ithaca.  Anyone have any predictions?? Recent history has given an edge to Fisher, but, Ithaca seems to have everything going in the right direction.  Fisher could use 3 of 4 to help their at large chances.  Ithaca gets a split, that would be plenty but they also have to be eyeing the one seed for the regional.  Ithaca is solid in the front of the rotation, the four guys seem easy to pick out.  I will take the obvious and pick the split. 

[Bombers798891]

Bombers take 3 of 4 from Fisher. All the games could have gone either way, but Ithaca finally seems to have the pitching depth needed to get make some noise. The top three starters for the Bombers are 20-0, with 9 complete games, and a 2.44 ERA.

Fisher will be interesting. You've gotta think they could run the table from here on out to finish 26-12, but I have no clue what that means when it comes to SOS (given the state of the E8, though...)

[airball55]

Well said..Fisher just can't seem to get it all together.  Very talented but can't seem to get the big hit or make the big play with the game on the line.  Ithaca should be the one seed in this regional, but, I imagine (unless Ithaca loses a few more), Cortland will get it based on whatever reason the regional can come up with.  Fisher season a microcosm of game 4.  They outhit Ithaca 11-2 and struggle to hold on for a 2-1 victory.  They could get hot, no doubt, but it may not be enough.  The schedule opens up for the Cards, can't slip up again.

[rob]

Well said..Fisher just can't seem to get it all together.  Very talented but can't seem to get the big hit or make the big play with the game on the line.  Ithaca should be the one seed in this regional, but, I imagine (unless Ithaca loses a few more), Cortland will get it based on whatever reason the regional can come up with.   Fisher season a microcosm of game 4.  They outhit Ithaca 11-2 and struggle to hold on for a 2-1 victory.  They could get hot, no doubt, but it may not be enough.  The schedule opens up for the Cards, can't slip up again.

Ithaca 17-1 in region.  Cortland 23-3 in region.
First, the season's not over so how can you determine a #1 seed?
Second, at this point Ithaca has a better regional record including a win against Cortland.  But Cortland has played tougher regional competition.
I'm sure whoever is ultimately #1, it will be deserved and nobody needs favoritism from the NCAA.

[John McGraw]

Bombers take 3 of 4 from Fisher. All the games could have gone either way, but Ithaca finally seems to have the pitching depth needed to get make some noise. The top three starters for the Bombers are 20-0, with 9 complete games, and a 2.44 ERA.

Fisher will be interesting. You've gotta think they could run the table from here on out to finish 26-12, but I have no clue what that means when it comes to SOS (given the state of the E8, though...)

Still very difficult to win in the regionals when you have just four or maybe five kids that do the majority of the pitching which has been Ithaca's MO. Two-three strong starters usually works during the regular season but with 4-5 games in 4-5 days, the regionals tend to favor teams with more quality arms as opposed to a few workhorses. To have the small staff formula work, you need to stay in the winners bracket and not overwork the bullpen.

[Bombers798891]

Bombers take 3 of 4 from Fisher. All the games could have gone either way, but Ithaca finally seems to have the pitching depth needed to get make some noise. The top three starters for the Bombers are 20-0, with 9 complete games, and a 2.44 ERA.

Fisher will be interesting. You've gotta think they could run the table from here on out to finish 26-12, but I have no clue what that means when it comes to SOS (given the state of the E8, though...)

Still very difficult to win in the regionals when you have just four or maybe five kids that do the majority of the pitching which has been Ithaca's MO. Two-three strong starters usually works during the regular season but with 4-5 games in 4-5 days, the regionals tend to favor teams with more quality arms as opposed to a few workhorses. To have the small staff formula work, you need to stay in the winners bracket and not overwork the bullpen.

But don't most teams who win the regionals do just that?

Sure, Cortland can win it playing six games in 2007 when Ithaca hands them eight unearned runs in an elimination game, but it seems like, if you won the regionals in four games (as four of the last six have done) you sort of avoid that problem. Do many teams who wind up winning the regionals from the losers bracket do so because of superior pitching depth? Cortland got a 6-error game from IC in 2007, and in 2009, Farmingdale state survived in spite of their staff allowing 10 and 9 runs in games after the team already lost once.

Seems like, if you're coming from the losers bracket, it's not the rotation depth that carries you as much as it is the bats/random chance.

[airball55]

Ithaca did win the head to head match up with Cortland.  But, that aside, I am just going by the rankings that has Cortland ahead of Ithaca despite Ithaca's head to head win, better in region record...etc.  both teams are solid.  The NCAA certainly does favor teams, coaches sit on the regional selection committees, etc.. I am not saying that is the case here and realistically, it does not matter who the one or two seed is.  I do think that whomever comes out of NY this year has a shot.  I would like to see Fisher sneak in with D'Amato and Rynerson..they could be a tough out.  I do worry about Ithaca's front heavy pitching, especially when the games go nine innings which, unfortunately for them, does not happen in the Empire 8.  That league needs to play more nines to help prepare teams for the regionals.

[AlleyCat]

I don't think an E8 team with that many loses will have a shot. League very weak besides Fisher and the Bombers. I also don't think any SUNYAC team has a shot unless they do the unthinkable and win the conference tourney. Don't see that happening this year. New York region could be many teams from New England and Mid Atlantic region. Not sure about Liberty League teams, although Union and RPI have pretty good records.