Mid-East Region 2014

[Spence]

What they did I think favors Heidelberg and Marietta, not that it was done on purpose. Berg obviously would have been a 3 seed in Marietta and instead they're a 2 in Whitewater where I think naturally St. Thomas would have gone if they had not changed regions and knocked Buena Vista down to a 3. Moline might be the toughest regional ever staged at a Central region site.

I like the creativity and attempts to balance out the regions the committee made. Mileage can vary on whether they did it (I think they did pretty well) but to me it reflects what the idea was in changing the naming of the regionals to reflect location only...to "deregionalize" the regionals. And they've finally done it.

[108 Stitches]

If they are going to de-regionalize the regionals then they should seed them nationally IMO like D1. The current logic is lacking, but play within it and move on.

[mideastfan2]

Game times for the Marietta regional, DAY ONE....with rain in the forecast.  ughhh 

GAME 1:  #5 La Roche vs #4 Widener (9:30am)

GAME 2:  #8 Penn State-Berks vs #1 Marietta (1:00pm)

GAME 3:  #6 John Carroll vs #3 Salisbury (4:30pm)

GAME 4:  #7 Thomas More vs #2 Case Western (8:00pm)

[EttaFan1]

with rain in the forecast.  ughhh 

And Thursday and Friday.....

[ADL70]

What's scheduled if Mother Nature cooperates:

http://pioneers.marietta.edu/schedule.aspx?path=14mideastregional

[ADL70]

CWRU regional preview:

http://athletics.case.edu/sports/bsb/2013-14/files/cwru_notes_packet1.pdf

[Spence]

The way the forecast looks, they'll be lucky to get the first round played in the first two days.

Is it a hard rule that you can't play 3 games in a day? I'm pretty sure it's always been avoided in the past but the way the handbook reads, it sounds like it's more like "avoid if at all possible". It seems like it could come to that not only here, but at one or two other regionals.

[EttaFan1]

Today just might happen.

Game 1: La Roche vs. WIdener.  I know nothing about Widener so I can't really comment.  La Roche has hit the ball and they have a pretty good staff.  Widener better be on their game today, as the Red Hawks can play.  The RedHawk shortstop is one of the better defensive short stops I've seen this year.  He isn't any bigger than a minute, but he has a + arm and great range to get to balls.  He can hit it a little too. 

Game 2:  For all I know about Widener, subtract 1 from that to get what I know about Penn State-Berks.  I've said before, I'll take Herstine/Byers against anyone, and that is most likely who we see today.  Can the Pioneer bats get it going?  I certainly hope so.

Game 3:  JCU vs. Salisbury.  From looking at the Gulls numbers they seem to have two quality arms, which JCU will see.  JCU got off the bus last weekend smashing everything they saw, and never quit all weekend.  If that continues, they could be in serious contention.

Game 4:  Case vs. Thomas More.  Case's Ace is probably too much for almost anyone in the tournament.  They can swing it a lot too.  Thomas More has a tall task in front of them.

[motorman]

It is 50 degrees and partly sunny here in Whitewater WI 3 hours before first pitch of the day. I hope the weather cooperrates everywhere, would be horrible to have World Series berths come down to where you were seeded.

Much as I dislike Marietta when it comes to league play, I do respect them and hope everybody from the OAC represents well.

[Spence]

Yeah the forecast improved for early in the day, not sure they're going to get a full day in though. No idea what LaRoche was thinking going with their #2...actually, that's a lie I know just what they were thinking, but they appear to be paying for it right now.

Funny what you say about taking Herstine/Byers over anyone...keep that thought this week as things develop.

[motorman]

EttaFan, what I know about Widener comes from Berg playing them in Florida in 2011 and 2012. We beat them in 2012 and gave away the game in 2011. Pitching wasn't anything to write home about.

[Spence]

They've been something to write home about so far today. Up 6-1 B7. Lentz still pitching for LaRoche.

[mideastfan2]

Widener methodically takes apart LaRoche 8-1 in a quick 2 hour game.  They looked solid offensively, and their pitcher was really steady, getting 3 K's and 17 fly-outs on 104 pitches.

Well done guys on the quick game to keep the schedule moving along 

[Spence]

Hopefully they start the Marietta game early. Looks like chances for weather to be a factor get larger after 6 p.m. or so.

[mideastfan2]

It looks like Berks is basically conceiving the loss in this one by starting their #4/#5 pitcher.  Marietta scores 3 in the first inning, easily, and gets 2 more thrown out going home.

The real question now becomes, does Herstine go as far as he can so other arms are saved?  or do they get him out of there after 3 or 4, so he can come back easier, especially with the looming rain the next few days?  Tough call.