BB: Regionals (Midwest) Oshkosh '08, '09, Whitewater '10, '11

[OshDude]

Whitewater does not belong in regionals and yet got a #3 seed and Point gets a #5.  Once again St. Scholastica plays no one all year and loses 5 games so they get a high seed.  Is the committee every going to learn that they play cupcakes and are not a good team?  How many years in a row does Point have to beat them?

I agree that ranking UWSP under UWW after USWP won the WIAC is ludicrous. UWW went 3-2 the last weekend, lost the tournament, and that propelled them above the team that won the tournament and was originially ranked ahead of them?....logical?

I think UWW or UWSP would have been the #3 in Moline and the #4 in Oshkosh. Just a matter of which was shipped. I think the real problem is SNC above UWSP. How is it even possible? I'm waiting until Wednesday to see if the NCAA says, "Sorry about that. We made a mistake."

I mean no disrespect to SNC. I saw that team play this year, and they're good. I have no doubts about that. I'm not predicting wins for SNC, just stating that I thought they were a quality squad. But every indicator that I have, um, points to Point having the better resume. I think all of the other seeds are correct, but SNC and UWSP should be flipped. Are there any SNC posters/lurkers out there who are not surprised at where they're seeded? If you're not surprised, could you state why?

For all of the people who think CSS gets hosed come regional time, considering the alternatives, I think you got a favorable draw this year.

[Gustie13]

Yup, the key decision for each program is to determine who they throw in game 1.  If you can win Game 1 with your third or fourth starter and save 1 and 2, you are going to be in a very good position no matter what seed you go in as.

UST was able to do that last year (first rd vs Knox) if I'm not mistaken. This year they'll probably have to throw Schuld the first game vs UWSP.

[Bronko7]

Whitewater does not belong in regionals and yet got a #3 seed and Point gets a #5.  Once again St. Scholastica plays no one all year and loses 5 games so they get a high seed.  Is the committee every going to learn that they play cupcakes and are not a good team?  How many years in a row does Point have to beat them?

History Lesson:
1999     CSS 4    UWSP 3  (Ask Jesse Zimmer about burning a year of eligibilty to face one batter)
2005     CSS 5    UWSP 3 
2006     CSS 4    UWSP 3  (Beat Zimmermann)
2007     CSS 3    UWSP 11 (Zimmermann beat them himself)

Advantage CSS 3-1

Quit whining! Everyone agrees they should have been higher. I honestly thought they would be the #2 seed.

[BaseballFan]

The committee must have been doing crack-cocaine when they did the Midwest.  How in the hell is Point not the number 1 seed?  They won the WIAC(the best conference in D3) and are a f'n 5 seed.  On top of it they get to play the 2nd best team in the region in St. Thomas.  I thought the basketball bracket was a joke but this put me over the edge.  I'll be hanging from a tree tonight over this one.  This is the most embarrassing bracket and seeding I have ever seen in my lifetime.  Did any of these people on the committee even graduate high school?

Poing did not deserve a #1 seed, they deserved a #4 and got a 5 it happens. If they are the best team from what you claim then it wont matter cuz they will coast through the regional.

And Scholastica I believe did make the regional finals last year. And to say they are not ever a good team is pretty ignorant considering if they were that bad why was Bloom throwing Zimmermann against them 2 years in a row in the opening game of regionals (and when they went to the series in 06, Scholastica was the only team to beat them). Time to come out LaLa Land

[Dagger]

Point does not deserve a 1-3 seed, but there is no logical explanation for st. norberts coming out ahead of them.  I mean seriously, there is not one criteria (well maybe one or two) that norberts has in favor of UWSP this year!  It is what it is, but I can't necessarily say that I would rather play CSS over the tommies.  For some reason I always (and I believe the team as a whole) felt better playing UST than CSS.  And no disrespect to UST because they are a perennial powerhouse for good reason, but the saints were always a very good team, that in my opinion just caved a little bit too much on the bigger stage of the NCAA tournament.  They certainly have the ability to beat any and everyone in this regional!  It will be very interesting to see how the midwest shakes out this year, hard to predict at this stage.  Go Point!

[Brewers20]

Whitewater does not belong in regionals and yet got a #3 seed and Point gets a #5.  Once again St. Scholastica plays no one all year and loses 5 games so they get a high seed.  Is the committee every going to learn that they play cupcakes and are not a good team?  How many years in a row does Point have to beat them?

I played against CSS 3 times with the Pointers 05, 06, 07...they flat out know the game and can play...they are very well coached and are a hard working team...as far as not playing anybody, they don't choose who is in there conference, so that's out of their hands.  I think its more along the lines of their track record is why they got the higher seed.  Either way they'll have to beat a lot of good teams to be the regional champs.

[Dagger]

I think Point will have the or one of the top 2 best pitching staffs in this regional though, which if the offense shows up may prove to be a very good thing for the pointers.  I'm most afraid of the defense in such big games!  Lots of young guys and guys playing new positions (cummings and thomas).  I know they all have the ability, however they also havn't been 'here' before...we'll see, hopefully they all play like they have the past couple of weeks.  They have been pretty sound here at the end, hopefully it stays that way!

[BaseballFan]

What I like about each team

1. Olaf- Hitting!!! they will run out 9 guys that can swing it
2. Thomas- All around team including nations best defense, dominant ace
3. CSS- Best 1-2 pitching combo with depth and swinging it well at end of year
4. St. Norbert-Nothing flashy but Jared Yost will need to put up big numbers
5. Point- 3 good starters with a nice closer, always play well in postseason but need to hit better than .289
6. Beloit- Nice solid #1, play decent defense

[backstop]

No disrespect for SN but how do they get a 4 seed over Beloit when Beloits record is better and beat SN 4 of 6 times this season.  SN had to be one of the last pool C teams taken, there are only two other teams in the tourney with worse records.  I believe Point should have had the 4 seed, Beloit the 5 and SNC the 6 seed.  I also think UWW should have been in the Midwest region with Beloit headed to the central. 

[Dagger]

I agree with that ranking, and I'm not totally convinced that SNC should even be a six seed honestly.  There are teams in the NAC that deserve to still be playing, IMO more so than SNC!  But then to get the 4 seed on top of it...

[Gustie13]

I disagree with the Midwest Regional Preview. From the preview:
Cinderella- UWSP
Bust- StO
Favorite- USt (slightly ahead of CSS).

With the way the bracket sets up, I think StO has to be the favorite, even if you don't like they're the best team in the region. They play the 6 seed to start out and if they win they play the loser of CSS-SNC. They could be in the 3rd rd winners bracket and have faced the 6 and 4 seeds.
Biggest potential to bust should be USt. They're not the #1 seed but they're considered the favorite and they'll have to beat UWSP and CSS back to back.

[Dagger]

StO is a great team, but simply can not find a way to get through regionals!  They are typically a highly ranked team coming into the tournament, and in my recollection have not made it out.  I do not look for StO to make any noise in this regional.  IMO the second round game versus CSS and the UWSP/UST winner will decide the champion of this regional.  Either one of those three teams would be a fine representative of the region.  I just don't see Olaf pulling it off this year, and the fact that they may walk into the third round game with almost no competition will only hurt them in my eyes!  I'd be willing to bet that the winner of that second round game wins the tourney!

[BaseballFan]

I disagree with the Midwest Regional Preview. From the preview:
Cinderella- UWSP
Bust- StO
Favorite- USt (slightly ahead of CSS).

With the way the bracket sets up, I think StO has to be the favorite, even if you don't like they're the best team in the region. They play the 6 seed to start out and if they win they play the loser of CSS-SNC. They could be in the 3rd rd winners bracket and have faced the 6 and 4 seeds.
Biggest potential to bust should be USt. They're not the #1 seed but they're considered the favorite and they'll have to beat UWSP and CSS back to back.

Olaf does have the easiest path towards the championship simply because they are the number 1 seed which is always a huge advantage. St. thomas is the favorite based on their team in my opinion. Best defense out there, deep staff, and every batter in their lineup knows their role.

CSS is the next best overall team

and Olaf has never made it to the World Series. In 06' they were 2-0 going against what seemed to be a favorable matchup against Ripon but lost to them and their next game.

[voice]

All games involving UW-Whitewater in the Augustana Regional will be broadcast LIVE on KOOL 106.5.
The games will be streamed at:  http://www.uwwsports.com/sports/gen/2007/followthewarhawks_09202007.asp

The broadcast begins 15 minutes prior to game-time

[OshDude]

Hope we can get the games in today. Not looking good here in Oshkosh, although it did stop sprinkling about 15 mins ago. Calling for 80% chance of rain from 10a-10p. Radar is all greens, yellows and reds. Hope the CSS radio crew packed their garbage bags and parasol this year  .