Top 25 Discussion

[Patriotfan87]

UTT had some pitching problems over the weekend too. Game one pitcher did fine (CG, 5 hits, 2 unearned runs) in an 8-2 win. Game two starter was making his first start of the season (Lost 8-5), and the game three starter came out with a sore shoulder after 1 inning, and the bullpen got roughed up in a 12-10 win.

[108 Stitches]

At the beginning of the season this Trinity team had a chance to break through..... finally, but I think a combination of too many errors, and pitching that is not consistent enough may limit this team. Maybe they will get it together, but time is running out. They have the easiest path of any team in the West to a regional, but will they earn that right? 

[Just_Some_Guy]

Speaking of this what are the prospects for a SAA team getting into a regional this year?

Decent maybe? I think Huntingdon is the top Pool B down south but Millsaps or BSC could certainly play their way in. Case Western Reserve and Washington STL are candidates as well. Then of course there's Ithaca and St. John Fisher, and then who knows what anyone will do with St. Joes Brooklyn if they keep this pace.

Huntingdon has played well against the SAA this year and also took 2 of 3 from Emory so they may be a pool B lock for the South, but I'm wondering how the 2 losses to Mississippi College will impact their road to the regional. The Choctaws are 12-15 and in danger of not making the ASC tournament this year. I guess we'll see if MC can complete the sweep today.

A few other observations from out West (team's current D3baseball ranking in parenthesis):

• Linfield (1) continues to look like a top tier team in the country.
• Trinity's (3) 2 losses to Centenary will certainly drop them in the polls.
• UT Tyler (14) struggled on the bump against Ozarks; will be nice to see them against Centenary next week.
• Texas Lutheran (RV) has quietly gone 9-0 in conference play so far beating people they're supposed to beat.
• The SCIAC still looks like a 2 horse race with Cal Lu (RV) & Pomona (RV) both taking care of business yesterday.
• After dropping 2 of 3 to Whitman last week GFU is trying to stay in the Pool C hunt despite a 3 game series with Linfield left.

JSG

[CrashDavisD3]

CDD3 Comments   

Cal Lu will be a lock for a Pool C if they dont win the SCIAC tournament. Only a complete collapse will change this.

Pomona-Pitzer and Cal Lu are favorites now to win the POOL A Bid with the SCIAC tournament.

Linfield will win the NWC and is the favorite to win the West Regional at this time. George Fox could see their Pool C bid slipping away.

ASC is hard to predict with its 2 round tournament to win the Pool A Bid. Texas Lutheran is playing the best baseball but will they survive the ASC tourney.

Trinity will get the Pool A bid for the SCAC only because the better team Centenary is not eligible this year.

Chapman looks like it may miss the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year after playing in the Championship Game in 2011. 2014 could be their year will such a young team in 2013.

[MIACLUV]

Soooo... how about those rankings 

I thought about posting the same thing last night haha.

Anyone other than St. Thomas warrant consideration from the MIAC? I've been wondering about Hamline and Bethel but I'm not there yet.

They have to be in the talks, they held pitching to throw at the University of Minnesota and it cost them a couple games against Stout but played Minnesota well in a 3-1 loss. Also had a very nice spring trip picking up good wins over UW-Lacrosse and Buena Vista. In the LAX game they knocked out Joel Effertz after 4.2 innings on 9 hits and 8 ER. For those that don't know who that kid is, you will! Senior transfer from the University of Virginia that has been drafted twice with a low to mid 90's fastball and 2-3 secondary pitches to go along with it. Saw LAX in their first games of the year and it was impressive. Scouts had him still sitting 93 in the 6th inning when they pulled him out.

[Spence]

Speaking of this what are the prospects for a SAA team getting into a regional this year?

Decent maybe? I think Huntingdon is the top Pool B down south but Millsaps or BSC could certainly play their way in. Case Western Reserve and Washington STL are candidates as well. Then of course there's Ithaca and St. John Fisher, and then who knows what anyone will do with St. Joes Brooklyn if they keep this pace.

Huntingdon has played well against the SAA this year and also took 2 of 3 from Emory so they may be a pool B lock for the South, but I'm wondering how the 2 losses to Mississippi College will impact their road to the regional. The Choctaws are 12-15 and in danger of not making the ASC tournament this year. I guess we'll see if MC can complete the sweep today.

A few other observations from out West (team's current D3baseball ranking in parenthesis):

• Linfield (1) continues to look like a top tier team in the country.
• Trinity's (3) 2 losses to Centenary will certainly drop them in the polls.
• UT Tyler (14) struggled on the bump against Ozarks; will be nice to see them against Centenary next week.
• Texas Lutheran (RV) has quietly gone 9-0 in conference play so far beating people they're supposed to beat.
• The SCIAC still looks like a 2 horse race with Cal Lu (RV) & Pomona (RV) both taking care of business yesterday.
• After dropping 2 of 3 to Whitman last week GFU is trying to stay in the Pool C hunt despite a 3 game series with Linfield left.

JSG

They really don't like playing against Mississippi teams, do they? 0-4 against Millsaps and Miss College now.  Obviously it doesn't help but I'm not seeing many other Pool B's setting the world on fire either. They also have probably the best in-region win anyone will have all year, having split at Marietta.

Seedings are pretty much bunk. You're either in or you're out.

I've been saying Linfield was national #1 for about a month or so now, and Cal Lu #2 out west. Then GFU, P-P and UT-Tyler in one order or another. Tyler was on the road and only lost 1 of 3, so not sure they should be out of that group yet.

[CrashDavisD3]

Linfield will stay #1 until they lose

Trinity TX will drop out of top 5

After that will check back in on Monday.

[Babe Truth]

Soooo... how about those rankings 

I thought about posting the same thing last night haha.

Anyone other than St. Thomas warrant consideration from the MIAC? I've been wondering about Hamline and Bethel but I'm not there yet.

They have to be in the talks, they held pitching to throw at the University of Minnesota and it cost them a couple games against Stout but played Minnesota well in a 3-1 loss. Also had a very nice spring trip picking up good wins over UW-Lacrosse and Buena Vista. In the LAX game they knocked out Joel Effertz after 4.2 innings on 9 hits and 8 ER. For those that don't know who that kid is, you will! Senior transfer from the University of Virginia that has been drafted twice with a low to mid 90's fastball and 2-3 secondary pitches to go along with it. Saw LAX in their first games of the year and it was impressive. Scouts had him still sitting 93 in the 6th inning when they pulled him out.

Yes Hamiline had an impressive comeback win over La Crosse after trailing 8-0 with Effertz on the mound.  They hit him and he was a bit wild, but actually only 1 of the 9 runs was earned.  In fact, he's only surrendered 2 ER so far for a 0.79 ERA, but has been victimized by a normally decent defense into also giving up 17 unearned runs over the four starts.   His Thursday start was an impressive return to form, pounding the zone vs. St. Scholastica and allowing just one hit over 7 to get the win.  He's the real deal with more than just a good fastball.

[Spence]

Ramapo gets a dramatic sweep, winning both games over Rowan in come-from-behind fashion. The second game ended on a play at the plate on a fly ball. Ramapo got the out and won 6-5.

Pretty legitimizing road sweep. 

[rob]

With a Linfield loss this week, will we have another new #1?

[CrashDavisD3]

With a Linfield loss this week, will we have another new #1?

I would say yes...Cortland is one that did not lose...Linfield and Trinity lose and should both drop in the polls along with Salisbury. Lose you should drop and win and you should rise. IMO

[Spence]

I think Linfield was #1 by a significant enough amount that they should stay there. No guarantee that they will.

Starting to look really familiar in the top 15 or so.

1. Linfield
2. Cortland State
3. St. Thomas
4. St. Scholastica
5. Webster
6. Wheaton (Mass.)
7. UW-Whitewater
8. Marietta
9. Ramapo
10. UW-Stevens Point
11. Cal Lutheran
12. Kean
13. Johns Hopkins
14. Keystone
15. Wartburg
16. Manchester
17. UT-Tyler
18. Illinois Wesleyan
19. Salisbury
20. George Fox
21. Huntingdon
22. Haverford
23. Benedictine
24. Augustana
25. Misericordia

[rob]

I think Linfield was #1 by a significant enough amount that they should stay there. No guarantee that they will.

Starting to look really familiar in the top 15 or so.

1. Linfield
2. Cortland State
3. St. Thomas
4. St. Scholastica
5. Webster
6. Wheaton (Mass.)

You may be right, Linfield could stay at #1.  I'm not sure what being "#1 by a significant enough amount" means though.  According to the poll itself there weren't many votes separating the top 5 or so teams.

[Spence]

I think Linfield was #1 by a significant enough amount that they should stay there. No guarantee that they will.

Starting to look really familiar in the top 15 or so.

1. Linfield
2. Cortland State
3. St. Thomas
4. St. Scholastica
5. Webster
6. Wheaton (Mass.)

You may be right, Linfield could stay at #1.  I'm not sure what being "#1 by a significant enough amount" means though.  According to the poll itself there weren't many votes separating the top 5 or so teams.

Well, I've thought Linfield was #1 for the last month. The poll hasn't. So obviously the poll voters aren't as impressed by them as I am.

[CrashDavisD3]

IMO Linfield lost this weekend and they should move down from #1. Cortland won and should move up to #1.  Linfield's loss was to Puget Sound(11-15). Use facts not gut feel and opinion to support your views.