BB: Regionals (New England) Harwich '08, '11, ECSU '09, '10

[EasternCtFan]

Word....

When did WPI beat Eastern?

[Stump]

a few random thoughts:

biggest surprise is all of top 3 stay in NE.

a little surprised WPI in and Curry out but with another look it's understandable

might have swapped WPI and Suffolk.  Suffolk is(IMO)a little deeper in pitching. not much difference from the committee since they will face each other in 1st round in either order.

6,7,& 8 seeds are out of whack. Babson 8? they're the only one I would give a snowball's chance in you know where of competing in 1st round. Not to pick on  Westfield or Husson but they are 2 pretty weak conferences. Babson & Westfield at least played(not with much success) more quality teams.  Husson only played USM & St. Joe's that would really be called quality this year. Comparing records I would have Husson 8th. Comparing Babson & Westfield for 6&7, they end up pretty close. I think I'd give Babson a close call for 7th because of the stronger conference.  probably doesn't make too much difference since no matter the order, they have the BIG 3 in the opening round.

Not a real big difference in the end from what the committee picked. It should be quite a regional!

Good luck to all!  Hope the weather is great and everyone plays well.  New England will have a great representative in Wisc!

[hockeyfan77]

One other thing that seemed to get overlooked. I mentioned earlier that USM did not play D'Alfonso in their elimination match-up vs KSC. hockeyfan77 said it was a muscle twitch or something that seemed to indicate it was minor.

If it is not a minor thing and he is missing from the line-up they are a much much different team. Hope it is a minor thing as I always like to see teams and kids at full strength when playing for the big prize.

Word 8)

He tweaked a muscle (rather not say which one) and from all that I hear should be good the go Wednesday...I am pretty sure they didn't want to risk him on Sat and pulling it even worse...Noo offense to KSC but if he is in the line-up on Sat I think that game is a lot closer than 7-2...

[hockeyfan77]

USM needs a pitcher other than Therrian and Hahn and Eaton, Stacy to step up...With the offense USM has all the pitcher pretty much has to do is thrown strkies...The USM pitching staff has to get stop feeling sorry for themsleves in losing Schmidt, step up, show some mental toughness and pitch like then can...The stuff is there but the mental toughness may be lacking at the moment...Some has to light a fire under them and I hope they read this post...Step up or get out!!!

[mainefan]

I believe that Yates has done a good job. Pitched well against Salem State, St. Joe's, and UMB. He had troubles with Babson but I heard that he had a problem with his index finger on his pitching hand. Was a little surprised that we didn't see against Keene on Saturday.

[hockeyfan77]

I believe that Yates has done a good job. Pitched well against Salem State, St. Joe's, and UMB. He had troubles with Babson but I heard that he had a problem with his index finger on his pitching hand. Was a little surprised that we didn't see against Keene on Saturday.

I agree that Yates has been the most consistent of the other pitchers that I didn't mention and I would love to see him take his pitching to the next level( crank it up even more) because he has the stuff to do so..

[Rick Vaughn]

Trinity was one of the favorites going in.  Check this and tell me you aren't routing for them now.

http://nescac.com/sports/bsb/2008-09/images/Trinity_2009_Baseball_Champ.jpg

[wordsmith]

Word....

When did WPI beat Eastern?

In my dreams??? But not on the field. Good call Thanks.

Word

[EasternCtFan]

No problem......We Eastern fans take a loss very seriously lol

The points you made why Curry didnt deserve a bid really made me change my mind on them

[KSCfan]

Ok folks we open up tommorow at the Death Star in Mansfield which is a fancy name for Willimantic CT
Here are KSCfans awful never come true predictions

Game 1 Im taking Suffolk over WPI- the GNAC probably know more about Suffolk than i do but i am believer of thier team.  I think that it will be a good game, and a battle, but i like the Rams.
Game 2 In what is the best game of the opening round i am taking Eastern over Babson.  I like Babson but i dont believe they have the horses to beat Eastern.  They do have some good pitching but i like Fontaine and the Eastern Offense to win
Game 3 Trinity over Westfield- Trinity top 6 in the country, Westfield plays in one of the worst conferences in NE.  I personally thin that Westfield is a 8 seed and i think that the owls are in trouble against Trinity
Game 4 USM over Husson.  Have not seen Husson play doesnt matter, seen USM play plenty of times, Might see ol Flaherty start Henry and save Therrian for Trinity in round 2. 

[wordsmith]

Ok folks we open up tommorow at the Death Star in Mansfield which is a fancy name for Willimantic CT
Here are KSCfans awful never come true predictions

Game 1 Im taking Suffolk over WPI- the GNAC probably know more about Suffolk than i do but i am believer of thier team.  I think that it will be a good game, and a battle, but i like the Rams.
Game 2 In what is the best game of the opening round i am taking Eastern over Babson.  I like Babson but i dont believe they have the horses to beat Eastern.  They do have some good pitching but i like Fontaine and the Eastern Offense to win
Game 3 Trinity over Westfield- Trinity top 6 in the country, Westfield plays in one of the worst conferences in NE.  I personally thin that Westfield is a 8 seed and i think that the owls are in trouble against Trinity
Game 4 USM over Husson.  Have not seen Husson play doesnt matter, seen USM play plenty of times, Might see ol Flaherty start Henry and save Therrian for Trinity in round 2. 

KSCFan,

Not sure I can agree with you on Game 1 I'd have to go with the WPI's and their ace Fahey.
Otherwise, chalk!

By the by, Mrs. Howe (KSC Coach Ken Howe's Mother) is recovering nicely from a serious medical issue. Good news there for a really good guy.

Word 8)

[KSCfan]

Good news on Coach Howe's mother.  One of Keenes biggest fans, praying for a safe and speedy recovery

[TheGNAC]

Ok folks we open up tommorow at the Death Star in Mansfield which is a fancy name for Willimantic CT
Here are KSCfans awful never come true predictions

Game 1 Im taking Suffolk over WPI- the GNAC probably know more about Suffolk than i do but i am believer of thier team.  I think that it will be a good game, and a battle, but i like the Rams.
Game 2 In what is the best game of the opening round i am taking Eastern over Babson.  I like Babson but i dont believe they have the horses to beat Eastern.  They do have some good pitching but i like Fontaine and the Eastern Offense to win
Game 3 Trinity over Westfield- Trinity top 6 in the country, Westfield plays in one of the worst conferences in NE.  I personally thin that Westfield is a 8 seed and i think that the owls are in trouble against Trinity
Game 4 USM over Husson.  Have not seen Husson play doesnt matter, seen USM play plenty of times, Might see ol Flaherty start Henry and save Therrian for Trinity in round 2. 

KSCFan,

Not sure I can agree with you on Game 1 I'd have to go with the WPI's and their ace Fahey.
Otherwise, chalk!

By the by, Mrs. Howe (KSC Coach Ken Howe's Mother) is recovering nicely from a serious medical issue. Good news there for a really good guy.

Word 8)

Re: Suffolk - WPI:

There is no question in my mind that Conor Fahey is the best pitcher in this regional, but here is some food for thought: Fahey threw 8 innings on Saturday. If WPI brings him back to start Sunday's 10 am game, he'll be on less than 3 days rest. I understand he has a rubber arm and is used to throwing a ton, but even that's tough. He's already logged 88 innings on the season, and one has to wonder how that workload, if at all, affects him. If WPI goes with Fahey, I expect him to pitch well, but not completely shut down the Suffolk offense, which as I mentioned in a previous post, has handled two of the best pitchers in New England with decent success (Bayer 4 earned runs in 7.1 innings, St. Joe's Moran 11 earned runs in 1.2 innings on short rest). WPi as a team is hitting .315, a decent mark but not the .335+ clip of USM/Trinity/Keene/ECSU/Curry/Wheaton, etc. They've relied on their pitching for the most part this season, and again, I expect a tight, close affair. Being the GNAC after all, I'll go with the homer pick and say Suffolk wins a nail biter 3-2.

In game two, I think Aizenstadt pitches his stones off, but in the end the Eastern offense will prove to be too much. Babson's offense just isn't good enough to score enough runs against a kid like Fontaine (or Musson and Gilblair, for that matter), and I think Eastern takes this one 6-1.

In game three, Bill Decker makes a surprise move in starting Janiga over Bayer, but the Bantams offense carries Trinity past Westfield State anyway, 9-4.

In the final game of the day, Southern Maine rolls over Husson 14-2, as their offense explodes (nothing new there). Flaherty likewise saves Therrien for Trinity, setting up a showdown on Thursday with Trinity's Bayer facing off against USM.

[BPCatch31]

I've been reading these boards for three years now and have never felt compelled to reply until now (it should also be very obvious from my name, and such where I'm coming from, but I digress)...

I'm just writing to clear the air so please GNAC do not be offended; Suffolk, while they may be a formidabble opponent, did not "touch up" Bayer for four earned runs.  The FS&HG defense committed four errors behind Bayer (two in the inning where Bayer allowed the four runs, inning: walk, strikeout, single, error (double play ball), strikeout, double, error (five possible outs now), single, strikeout.  To Suffolk's credit they did get the hits when it counted, but even the singles in that inning were bermuda triangle shots down the left field line aided by the wind (the double was well struck).  So, Suffolk, yes a quality opponent, but they did not exactly cause Bayer much stress; if it was anybody that caused stress it was the Bantam's D, which averaged an ungodly amount of errors in Florida and not the Suffolk O, which struck out 15 times in the game.

[d3baseballnut]

I've been reading these boards for three years now and have never felt compelled to reply until now (it should also be very obvious from my name, and such where I'm coming from, but I digress)...

I'm just writing to clear the air so please GNAC do not be offended; Suffolk, while they may be a formidabble opponent, did not "touch up" Bayer for four earned runs.  The FS&HG defense committed four errors behind Bayer (two in the inning where Bayer allowed the four runs, inning: walk, strikeout, single, error (double play ball), strikeout, double, error (five possible outs now), single, strikeout.  To Suffolk's credit they did get the hits when it counted, but even the singles in that inning were bermuda triangle shots down the left field line aided by the wind (the double was well struck).  So, Suffolk, yes a quality opponent, but they did not exactly cause Bayer much stress; if it was anybody that caused stress it was the Bantam's D, which averaged an ungodly amount of errors in Florida and not the Suffolk O, which struck out 15 times in the game.

Bayer is the best pitcher in the regional.......period.

Both Suffolk and WPI have good #2 starters in Delia and Murphy. Can they outpitch ECSU's #2 when ECSU brings to the table a superior hitting club?