BB: Top Teams in West Region

[OshDude]

Were do you stay? They put us in the Marriott I believe, could be wrong. I just remember they had a sports bar and Vince Lambarde Steakhouse that was incredible inside the lobby area. Also had pool tables gaming area that we could interact and socialize with the other players from different teams which was a good time. I remember talking to the Desalvo kid who played for Marrieta who eventually made the rotation for the Yankees.

That's the Paper Valley downtown on College Ave. It's where the teams always stay and where the banquet is held.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

The other side of a successful program is how well the coach helps the student-athlete navigate the waters in which the kid finally sees just how good/marginal a collegiate athlete that his/her skills allow him/her to be.  If the coach validates that person for the effort and the talents that are required for someone who will "turn pro in life", well then the absence of that person's name on the roster 4-years later is mitigated by the contribution that that experience had on the student-athlete.

Plenty of parents ask the student-athlete to reassess the money being spent at that time.  If transferring to a non-D3baseball school permits the student-athlete to graduate in a timely fashion, then that student-athlete has had a winning experience.

Ralph,
What a wonderful summary and assessment of college and baseball and college baseball!
Could be just me but it seems so many parents of HS players have invested so many $$$$ in showcases, travel baseball, lessons and the like, that the expectations for college and baseball are not realistic.  When the talent on the field at the best levels of competition is not what it was before college, everyone is blamed and responsible, when it really is pretty simple: the level of talent, performance and production isn't enough to get on the field.
While we don't have exposure to a vast array of programs, the ones we saw over a 4-5 year period had some truly wonderful coaches who achieved very well on helping the student-athlete navigate the waters of transition to college/adulthood, freedom combined with the demands of college athletics and baseball.
There are a small number of coaches at the D3 level who not only do that, they also take the good player and make him an excellent collegiate athlete/get drafted and "turn pro in baseball."
In the end, though, baseball ends for them too.
As you say, the best are the student/athlete-coaching relationships that support, demand, guide, demand, nurture, demand, and eventually have players graduate and "turn pro in life."
What a wonderful contribution you bring to this site!

+1.

I totally agree with you InfieldDad. This site would not be the same with out Ralph.

[BigPoppa]

Were do you stay? They put us in the Marriott I believe, could be wrong. I just remember they had a sports bar and Vince Lambarde Steakhouse that was incredible inside the lobby area. Also had pool tables gaming area that we could interact and socialize with the other players from different teams which was a good time. I remember talking to the Desalvo kid who played for Marrieta who eventually made the rotation for the Yankees.

Bar in the hotel lobby is called The Clubhouse... great place. I grew up there, so I know the region quite well.

[forheavendial4999]

You should do a recommendations and best of Appleton thread come series time

[CrashDavisD3]

Been to Appleton 4 times in past 5 years.  Stayed at the Radisson Paper Valley 3 times.

Also had great dinners each year at Lombardi's. Surrounded by pictures and momento's from legendary Packers Coach Vince Lombardi.

Spent lot of time at the dive bar--Wooden Nickel down the street from the hotel.

A real fan favorite and tradition for a West Coast team that has been to Appleton 7 times in 9 years.

Hotel Bar also good at the Radisson Paper Valley. Each entrance to the Clubhouse has a life size statue greeting you. One is Jack Daniels and the other Captain Morgan.

Also enjoyed food down the street from the Radisson Paper Valley at Victoria's Italian Cuisine. Several other great places in town also. Texas Roadhouse food was decent also.

Of course the BBQ brauts are pretty good post game time for the teams and fans.

Enjoyed the pre and post game tailgating in the Fox Cities Stadium parking also.

I was amazed at how many bars are on the same street of the hotel, all within walking distance.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g30330-Appleton_Wisconsin.html

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=restaurants&find_loc=Appleton%2C+WI%2C+USA&ns=1#l=p:WI:Appleton::

Dont count your chickens before they hatch. The road is a difficult one to Appleton

[OshDude]

We all have our favorites. I'll second the nod for the Wooden Nickel (as well as other local watering holes).

I'll always recommend touring Lambeau Field, tailgating at Fox Cities Stadium, shopping at Fox River Mall, eating treats from Manderfield's Bakery, and taking a trip to Simon's Specialty Cheese for pizza and curds (you're in Wisconsin after all). The rest depends on your interests.

I live 20 miles from the stadium, and I'd be happy to give suggestions that match your interests. Send me a message.

[BamColt]

The NCAA couldn't hold the D3 World Series in a nicer place. Whats the current contract running having it in Appleton?

[forheavendial4999]

The key test for me is that no doubt part of the idea of having the tournament there was to re-capture some of the buzz and atmosphere the event used to have in Marietta by UWO being so close. Yet I don't think Oshkosh has been in the Series once and the site has still been great.

I still think Marietta is the tops as far as the community support and involvement, being facility size-appropriate and centrally located for the vast majority of teams in the division. But outside of Marietta, Appleton by quite a bit better than Salem and I'm told by others better than the other host sites.

[OshDude]

The key test for me is that no doubt part of the idea of having the tournament there was to re-capture some of the buzz and atmosphere the event used to have in Marietta by UWO being so close. Yet I don't think Oshkosh has been in the Series once and the site has still been great.

I still think Marietta is the tops as far as the community support and involvement, being facility size-appropriate and centrally located for the vast majority of teams in the division. But outside of Marietta, Appleton by quite a bit better than Salem and I'm told by others better than the other host sites.

Two minor quibbles ... Oshkosh did make it to Appleton. And the community support may have been as good in Marietta, but there's no way it was better than the Fox Cities. The host families, the Timber Rattlers staff and the things most people don't see are what make the event in Appleton extraordinary.

[forheavendial4999]

The key test for me is that no doubt part of the idea of having the tournament there was to re-capture some of the buzz and atmosphere the event used to have in Marietta by UWO being so close. Yet I don't think Oshkosh has been in the Series once and the site has still been great.

I still think Marietta is the tops as far as the community support and involvement, being facility size-appropriate and centrally located for the vast majority of teams in the division. But outside of Marietta, Appleton by quite a bit better than Salem and I'm told by others better than the other host sites.

Two minor quibbles ... Oshkosh did make it to Appleton. And the community support may have been as good in Marietta, but there's no way it was better than the Fox Cities. The host families, the Timber Rattlers staff and the things most people don't see are what make the event in Appleton extraordinary.

Thanks for the correct. Still, I doubt anyone foresaw UWO only going once in more than a decade.

I wasn't meaning to say otherwise about Appleton. It's a great site and if the Series can't go back to Marietta I'd be fine with seeing it stay in Appleton for the forseeable future.

[Ralph Turner]

The key test for me is that no doubt part of the idea of having the tournament there was to re-capture some of the buzz and atmosphere the event used to have in Marietta by UWO being so close. Yet I don't think Oshkosh has been in the Series once and the site has still been great.

I still think Marietta is the tops as far as the community support and involvement, being facility size-appropriate and centrally located for the vast majority of teams in the division. But outside of Marietta, Appleton by quite a bit better than Salem and I'm told by others better than the other host sites.

Two minor quibbles ... Oshkosh did make it to Appleton. And the community support may have been as good in Marietta, but there's no way it was better than the Fox Cities. The host families, the Timber Rattlers staff and the things most people don't see are what make the event in Appleton extraordinary.

I want Appleton to "own" the Series, just like Salem has taken to the Stagg Bowl and Omaha owns the D-1 College World Series.  The community support is the nature and essence of D-III.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity gets a 5-4 win in the first game at Hendrix (only the Warriors' second home loss of the season).  Don't have any details as I turned into the video just in time to hear them say that whoveer got the win for Trinity pitched a complete game.  Hendrix was limited to four hits but Trinity committed 2 errors.    Tigers had nine hits and Hendrix did not commit any errors.

Hendrix HAD a live stats link up earlier but took it down - those stats were from the scoreboard.

Edit:  Ben Klimesh got the win, setting a TU career win record with his 29th.   I think he's one away from the single-season school win record now.   Thanks to @TU_Sports for the tweet, apparently it was a comeback win.

[BamColt]

Concordia sweeps McMurry on the road. TLU and Hardin Simmons tied up in the 10th.

[108 Stitches]

Klimesh did not have his best stuff but gutted out a win vs a very aggressive Hendrix club in game 1.

TU won game 2 on a wild one 10-9, 14-15 hits a piece. Lucero went out with an arm injury in the 4th. Bentz gets the win with freshmen Speers the save. Hendrix is a very aggressive team that never gives up, really liked the way they were coached.

TU kept getting runs and then the bottom half Hendrix would match them.

TBD on Lucero, this could not be good for TU if it is serious.

[108 Stitches]

Ron, Klimesh was his own worst enemy. Too many walks, HBP, and then his off speed was not working. Good pitchers and teams win without their best stuff, which they did and he gutted it out. Game ended on LD to second and doubled off 1st with tying run at third.

Loosing Lucero the way he went out has to be a huge concern for Trinity.