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

[ECSUalum]

First post but have been following this all season. This regional was as good as it gets. This game was classic. I have been a long time Trinity fan, having a son who was fortunate enough to be a part of their past success. I also have been a long time fan of ECSU, and Bill Holowaty. It was, believe or not, sad to see them lose. It was great to see Trinity win, but the best part is the respect they have for each other. There is no doubt that today matched the two best D3 programs in the country and a quarter inch of the bat barrel on Shawn Gilblairs swing was the difference. Best of luck to Trinity, and you can count on ECSU being a team to beat next year.
I also would like to see the NESCAC bashing end, I think Trinity has proved that the LEC does not dominate New England baseball. And the remarks about a weak non conference schedule should end, its how you finish.

Slick,

You are absolutely right!!!  I said to myself today that a new D-III powerhouse, arrived in New England 3-4 yrs ago, and until ECSU and any other NE Team can beat Trinity and move to the CWS, they are and will be the best team in NE and in  the country.

Trinity coaching staff has recruited wonderful athletes, who are some of the best students, (academically), in the country and they get both jobs done.  I have been a critic on the West Region thread of Cal Tech, arguing  that you can be the best D-III baseball program and succeed acedemically concurrently.  I see engineering, economics, chemistry, and some double majors as well in the bios of the Trinity roster!  These guys deserve ALL the credit for thier hard work.

And, to top it off, you have one of the best coaches in the country.

No worries anymore on critics of Trinity schedule.

Congrats again and best of luck in the CWS

[slick]

Here is a real petty remark, how about giving Trinity a home field that represents a first class program , instead ofr one that is a step above Little League.
Nescac Fan, good to see you (post). My son and your brother threw against each other, remember?

[NESCAC FAN]

I thought that was you, Slick....

So when does Trinity get a real college baseball field? Kind of tough to see the football field next to it that looks like a cathedral...

[d3baseballnut]

I think BIll Decker is a heck of a coach.

He builds his team around pitching and defense....a smart man. He always wins the big game. The Trinity faithful should feel very blessed to have him at the helm.

[slick]

who knows about the field. Trinity powers would probably say "why change a good thing, so far, so good". But I am serious about the NESCAC deal, it is a great baseball conference. Except for a few, and that could change, they can play with anyone in the country and next year will prove it. The conference is loaded with young teams.

Going back to todays game, how impressive was Coach Holowaty, Shawn Gilblair and Will Musson??? They were right there, ready for Wisconsin, game in hand, then missed by inches, and had to explain what their feelings were moments after. Class act!! And Bill Decker was great, and then the audio went into a mute.

Son waqs at the game, said the mustaches were real.

[ECSUalum]

Yeah,  The last comments by the Trinity guys and Coach Decker were lost.  A bummer!

However, I was extremely proud of ECSU, the Little East, LE/Bridgewater TV and all involved in , from my experience, THE BEST, D-III NE Regional I have attended.

I hope I see many more at ECSU Mansfield BB Comples in the future.

PS you Trinity guys can "adopt" the Mansfield facility as "home", after all, your only, what 25 miles away? and having Trinity in the NE Regionals every year will make for great D-III baseball, as was just witnessed.

The ECSU alums who coach the U of Maine Baseball Program, come down sometimes, when thier field in Orono is still frozen.   Sort of like taking a mini  trip to "Florida" 8)

[wordsmith]

The internet announcers said the 'staches were painted on with eye black...

If they are real then even better, Jeff Kent styl'n, Rick Flair profil'n, porn 'staches.
Appleton, Wiz-can-we-sin will never be the same....

Word

[ECSUalum]

Word,



We will miss this humor over the off season!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unbelievable, seems like the season just flew by

[DougiesGoinDeep]

Just want to say that there are some real class acts posting on this board and the ECSU team should be proud of their season, the game today was just a great baseball game no matter what team you were rooting for.

Bill Decker is certainly a class act and it really is impressive what he has managed to do in this decade. I have a couple of comments on the Trinity program which might explain some their success as a top academic school as well as baseball program:

If you look at last years national championship Trinity team, arguably the best d3 baseball team ever, it is interesting to note how many two sport athletes they had on that team. Kiely was recruited to play football and baseball, Same with Barnard, McGrath and Stafford, Graham played hockey and baseball his freshman year and I believe many others on the team chose not to play football and just concentrate on baseball. Jeff Natale, currently playing AAA ball with Pawtucket who led Trinity to 2 CWS in 2003 and 2005 was also a hockey baseball guy while Trinity. It seems as though Decker has recruited multi sport athletes who are good enough to play D1 but choose to play two sports in college instead at the D3 level.

[NESCAC FAN]

Sorry but I have to disagree with those comments. Decker struck lightning with Natale and Kiely. One of my closest friends coached Jeff in high school. He was recruited for hockey and hockey only. He just so happened to be a phenomenal hitter, likely the best the NESCAC has ever seen.

And I do not think that Kiely was recruited to play baseball. He didn't even play his freshman year. The weird thing is that his high school pitching teammate was Chris Gingle, who was a top recruit at Tufts that ended up being a bust.

Decker is a phenomenal coach, but sometimes, you have to get lucky, too. He's made the most of it, though.

[ecfaninri]

Congratulations to Trinity College on winning the 2009 NE Regional - Get ready Appleton - Here come the Bantams AGAIN!

I know that this weekend in Appleton, Wisconsin fans will see some great action, but it will be tough to beat the excitement of the NE Regional and the drama that ensued in the championship game. You had it all with some of the top players in the NE Region leaving it all on the line. THe posted attendance was 524? I sure there were a few more people who might have snuck in.  There will be many of the people who left that game yesterday thinking - its a shame that both of these teams aren't going to the CWS.

This year was special in NE - 3 teams in the NE Regional ranked #1 at some point during the season. The NE region even had a team like Curry in the last rankings #14 and not playing in the regionals. What a year.

DGilblair.....
It has been a great ride. I have enjoyed sharing it with you and your family. Shawn, you showed your teammates how to prepare, how to play, and how to respect the game. I can only hope you are given the opportunity to continue your dream at the next level. If not - maybe Coach H could use another coach. And then that  way we can still get to see your parents on gilblair hill.

What a career Eastern's four seniors had....4 Regionals and 2 CWS.... Not bad Tristen, Mags, Kooch, and Shawn. Be proud of the fact you played the game it was meant to be played.

[moc323]

Well said, NESCACfan.   Trinity was "punished" for that weak SOS by being made # 3 in New Eng Regional, vs # 1 anywhere else--as we all know.   ECSU was given home field, # 1 seed---well earned-----and Southern Me was also tossed in to this region---purposely, in my mind, to take down trinity in a #2 vs # 3 matchup-----2nd round of Regionals?  wow----   that's just complete bogus, by the selection committee----creating that matchup of # 4 and # 6 is the U.S.----that early in any regional?    Really---could be # 2 vs # 3 overall----if USM hadn't played ECSU (then KSC) in LEC tourney also to lower their 2 week # 1 ranking--all the way to # 6 in the final week....

ecsu----you summed it all up---as, "good pitching will beat good hitting" more times than not----thuse, USM 's demise-----thus WPI's demise (other than when Conor Fahey was throwing his own 400 pitches in 6 days??)) and thuse ECSU's demise in the end----as J. Bayer , Conor Fahey and Andrew Aizenstadt each had a lot to say about the final outcome of this New England Regional......

ECSU's losing to one of the best, upstart pitchers in the nation---yes, the nation----Andrew Aizenstadt, in the 1st round of this regional, was the one obstacle ECSU just could not overcome------close but, coming out of that losers' bracket-----with USM, WPI and TRINITY all waiting.......(all with great hitting) did not allow ECSU to go 5 pitchers deep without, eventually paying the price.   

Just too many nationally ranked "ACES" in this one region........

Congrats to WPI and to Babson for well representing that little NEWMAC conference, while Wheaton sat home and watched for once.   It's nice to see competition from all areas of New England..... 
That 1st round win over ECSU, by Babson, really changed the rest of this regional.....

[dgilblair]

I have always said that good pitching beats good hitting and it did so today.  Congratulations to Trinity and all their fans, me being one, just not today.  It was a packed house at ECSU today and the teams did not disappoint.  What more can you ask for, a one run game with the two best teams in New England and  possibly the country.  The bottom of the ninth two outs, bases loaded, New England pitcher of the year against the New England player of the year, it just dont get much better.  Well I guess the final result could have been better for me personally and a few hundred others in attendance but it was a great game.  ECSU had it's chances and it just didn't happen.  I have said all year I didn't think Trinity had the pitching to win a tournament and they proved me wrong on that, stay in the winners bracket and you need not worry to much about it. 

Word, I guess you can say the proof is in the pudding with home team flavor but Shawn had a little different view of it.  When they had batting practice on Wednesday he said they had six players able to attend because of classes and the professors would not waiver on attendance.  He said it would have been better to be on the road and only thinking about ball, but its hard to argue the results.

Gilblair vs Bayer what a match-up. I saw Shawn in the post-game interview and knew he was taking it hard. But I will bet that given the same set of circumstances, any coach in D-III would, given the chance love to have Shawn Gilblair up to bat! I know I would. 100 times out of 100. I admire him as a young man who answered some tough questions from the press, something a lot of older, wiser, and very highly paid athletes haven't figured out.

I know you said a long time ago that Shawn chose ESC because he wanted to play for a championship. Well champions are defined in many ways, well he is a champion in my book.

He should be proud of his accomplishments and you should be proud as parents.

Word

Thanks Word......I don't know you all that well having met you only once along with DChevy a couple times but you know quality people when you meet them and thats what both of you are.  So you comments do mean more than just words on the computer screen.  Thanks again to both of you and of course my TEE puppys ecfaninri and ALUM.

It is tough now that it's over and the fashion that it ended but thats baseball.  It was funny after all the post game media stuff and the players were leaving the field Shawn walked over to me and my wife he looked at her and said mom are you alright and after all the nice, nice things that moms say he looked at me and said, I'm glad it was me and not someone else.  So yes I'am very proud of him and I will sorely miss seeing him play just as you did with your son and Chevy will with his.

I tried to write a post on the National Topics board to follow-up the great post by RSSmith but my damn allergies kicked in.  +1

[frank uible]

Competitive baseball is a game which can be continued after college (sometimes a long time after college) by many players who are of a certain sufficient quality but are no longer and maybe never were of pro quality (or are of pro quality but do not desire to pursue pro baseball).

[dgilblair]

Competitive baseball is a game which can be continued after college (sometimes a long time after college) by many players who are of a certain sufficient quality but are no longer and maybe never were of pro quality (or are of pro quality but do not desire to pursue pro baseball).

He plans on playing somewhere this summer, maybe an independent team or something so you are correct but the DIII experience is over.  I will still be a big LEC fan and take in many ECSU games it will just be different thats all.