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

[d3spectator]

Thanks, guys.

I haven't seen many D3 games, but being from New England I did happen to catch a couple WNEC and Wheaton games sometime back along with a little LEC conference games between ECONN and RIC.  And looking at the previous top 25 rankings it just seems like New England has dominated the polls having as many as 5 to 6 ranked teams in the top 25 nationally, consistently.  It seems as if a region may have a couple teams that get hot crack the polls then fall out, but these 6 (USM, ECONN, Suffolk, Wheaton, Curry, Trinity (Conn.)) were there all along and its a testament to coaching and the players to excel even when games start piling up. I also see that WPI and WNEC are getting some love too, receiving votes for the top 25, congrats. Anyways, I think I remember seeing somewhere a team from New England, I'll try to dig it back up, played 9 games in a span of 6 days, because of conference rain outs and other important games.  How do you have the arms for that!?  It seems as if a lot of people think its a long shot that a team be shipped to New York AND somewhere else and potentially have THREE New England teams representin' (as the kids would say) in the World Series. I am one of those people, I think it is by far a long shot that the committee would let that happen, but is it really? Have a good one gentlemen.

Spec

[d3baseballnut]

Regarding the Pool C battle between WPI and Wheaton, I do not see how you take Wheaton over WPI since their records are very similar, and that WPI's regional record is better.

Additionally,
Wheaton is 4-9 vs. regionally ranked teams

WPI is 6-1 vs. regionally ranked teams.

Although this means wheaton has played 6 more regionally ranked games, it also means that WPI could lose all 6 of them and still have a better record against such teams.

Finally, WPI took 2 out of 3 from Wheaton in the season series. One thing is for sure, the committee CANNOT take Wheaton without taking WPI

[wordsmith]

Regarding the Pool C battle between WPI and Wheaton, I do not see how you take Wheaton over WPI since their records are very similar, and that WPI's regional record is better.

Additionally,
Wheaton is 4-9 vs. regionally ranked teams

WPI is 6-1 vs. regionally ranked teams.

Although this means wheaton has played 6 more regionally ranked games, it also means that WPI could lose all 6 of them and still have a better record against such teams.

Finally, WPI took 2 out of 3 from Wheaton in the season series. One thing is for sure, the committee CANNOT take Wheaton without taking WPI

Wanna bet? 

You should shoot over to the New England Regional board and have a discussion with YA, Boy. moc323 will be glad to see your post.

Word 8)

[dgilblair]

Regarding the Pool C battle between WPI and Wheaton, I do not see how you take Wheaton over WPI since their records are very similar, and that WPI's regional record is better.

Additionally,
Wheaton is 4-9 vs. regionally ranked teams

WPI is 6-1 vs. regionally ranked teams.

Although this means wheaton has played 6 more regionally ranked games, it also means that WPI could lose all 6 of them and still have a better record against such teams.

Finally, WPI took 2 out of 3 from Wheaton in the season series. One thing is for sure, the committee CANNOT take Wheaton without taking WPI

Wanna bet? 

You should shoot over to the New England Regional board and have a discussion with YA, Boy. moc323 will be glad to see your post.

Word 8)

If I had to pick one I would take WPI.  Wheaton slid way to much at the end of the year and not just with their 4 or 5 pitchers, their one and two guys got pounded in their finale starts.  Curry has the great record but the resume is lacking in my opinion.  If not WPI I would take Curry over Wheaton because of the head to head win but I'm not to sure how much that wieghs in on it. 

High fives to WOrd as he has been preaching WPI for a while now......no thats not why I took them WOrd.....

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome aboard, spectator!

[d3spectator]

Thanks Ralph,

Just been watching the boards and stuff.  As people might see I'm kind of a New England-er being from Mass and its fun to watch D3 teams play very good baseball, rather some of the D1 "big-shot" garbage that goes on nowadays (so flashy, still love it though).  Thanks for the welcome and can't wait to see how selection Sunday plays out over here in this power house region of ours. Thanks again.

Spec

[nebaseball44]

the new england regional should be interesting as many of the best teams in the country are playing in it...  i think teams such as suffolk and babson and wnec for that matter have a great chance to make some noise over the higher perennial powers in the region (so. maine, econn trinity).  suffolk is a solid team all around, although they come from a weaker conference where they can get away with a decent staff and suspect hitting.  wnec is also a strong team to come out of the ccc with the likes of roger williams and a team like curry who can hit the ball.  makes you wonder why they didnt do well in conference play all year, is it a lack of depth who knows?  and then theres babson who has very strong pitching and good hitting but has struggled from a lack of good fielding that has hurt them in many games.  i feel like in a tournament setting if there is strong fielding they could be a forced to be reckoned with.  (moc323 thats for you).  if this team gets hot look out becuase they certainly have the talent its whether they can put it together. 

my prediction to win the regionals (for some reason im feeling an upset). 
the obvious team says econn, southern maine doesnt have the depth of pitching to play in a field this strong.  if trinity is in i think they have a great chance as well.

what i think will happen is a darkhorse such as wnec or babson will take it.  if they can put everything together for a good weekend the nation will be shocked to see one of these teams in the national tournament in appleton. 

final prediction... econn vs. babson in the final... econn wins in a close one

[Rick Vaughn]

Hate to be "that" guy but...if you get you are pitching that championship game for Babson will you lose intentionally to make that prediction correct?

The top of the region is too strong this year for upsets.  It should come down to Trin, EConn, and USM.  They have been the best teams all year and while anything can happen, those teams are just that strong and all have experience in the tournament.

[ecfaninri]

I know I said that EConn, USM, and Trinity could each be #1 in a regional, however, I wouldn't be so quite to dismiss Williams from an automatic bid from the NESCAC tourney. Williams at 24-10 is a bit deceiving. I got a chance to almost literally get to see Williams as they got over the plane in March in Phoenix where they started off 0-5 against EConn, Gustavius, and Calvin. Since then they have been outstanding with a strong trio of pitching from Benz, Barr, and Horwitz. After they got knocked around by Eastern in the first inning of the first game they hadn't really had too many problems other than a sweep from Amherst. We have already seen some upsets.... who knows. But even if Trinity loses in the NESCAC... they get a bid, bad news for WPI, Curry, and Wheaton.

[KSCfan]

If you are Curry and or Wheaton you need Trinity to win, and you need the LEC tournament to have one of the top 2 seeds win.  Upset in either sees Curry and Wheaton on the outside looking in, i think these are the last two leagues that are waiting on the AQ.  Can not wait till sunday to see who made it and who didnt

[d3spectator]

KSCfan,

I couldn't agree more. I want to say that ever since the topic of Curry/Wheaton, and enter WPI into the discussion, came up I think everyone that was arguing their respective points were under the assumption that Trinity is going to get a pool-A bid and one of USM or ECSU would win the LEC awarding an at-large to the other. Because lets be honest if either of those scenarios doesn't play out in Curry/Wheaton/WPI's favor then this whole quarrel about who should/will get an at-large is for nothing.  Granted its fun. Personally, I think the committee should look at the boards and see the conflict of awarding one of the at-larges to one of those three teams, and award Trinity their conference, give ECSU or USM the LEC title and give us our answer!!

Spec

[KSCfan]

Things are going exactly according to plan for Curry and Wheaton and WPI as the LEC tournament has been going right by the seed.  USM and Eastern play today in the winners bracket final and Keene awaits the loser. 

[moc323]

Things are going exactly according to plan for Curry and Wheaton and WPI as the LEC tournament has been going right by the seed.  USM and Eastern play today in the winners bracket final and Keene awaits the loser. 

KSC------IS IT DOWN TO 3 TEAMS YET?   Ecsu, USM, KEENE ST?    Is everyone thinking if KSC pulls off the upset to win this tourney---both USM and ECSU would get at large bids, of course---and WPI, Wheaton and Curry would all be out??  Or, if Trinity wins their tourney---would that still leave one more at large bid for New England??   

[ECSUalum]

Things are going exactly according to plan for Curry and Wheaton and WPI as the LEC tournament has been going right by the seed.  USM and Eastern play today in the winners bracket final and Keene awaits the loser. 

KSC------IS IT DOWN TO 3 TEAMS YET?   Ecsu, USM, KEENE ST?    Is everyone thinking if KSC pulls off the upset to win this tourney---both USM and ECSU would get at large bids, of course---and WPI, Wheaton and Curry would all be out??  Or, if Trinity wins their tourney---would that still leave one more at large bid for New England??   

moc 323,

Current LEC Tourney status:

UMass Boston eliminated this morning by KSC.

ECSU over KSC in yesterday's suspended game this morning, and over USM this afternoon

Tomorrow morning KSC vs USM in elimination game, winner needs to beat ECSU twice, once tomorrow afternoon, once Sunday noon to win auto bid to NCAA NE Regional

[Rick Vaughn]

Day 1 in the NESCAC tourney - Trin over Wes without throwing the best pitcher in NE (Bayer).  That means Bayer throws against a red hot Williams team, who scored 18 runs today vs Tufts.