2014 West Regional - McMinnville, OR

[Ron Boerger]

Game three: Trinity vs UW-Stevens Point
Zack Speer (8-1, 1.79 ERA) vs. I tried to look at their schedule and have no idea who their game one starter should be.

Luke Watson (7-1, 2.03 ERA).   The rest of their starters are surprisingly middling.

[108 Stitches]

Looking at their bats they have three guys that look like they can swing it, particularly Brandon Kranz. They might struggle a little later in the tournament pitching wise, but TU is not worried about "later".

LeTourneau gets the pleasure of meeting Linfield for their first regional experience. 

Will be a fun regional with some new faces.

[BigPoppa]

I love that everyone is already crowing Linfield as the regional champ. Everybody playing in Oregon this week is a quality team. Only the best teams are left.

I like Stevens Point's chances in this regional.

[108 Stitches]

BigPoppa, they are clearly beatable and Trinity probably has a more balanced team this year that beat them in the first championship game and lost in the second by 2 runs. Any team there can get hot and a break and win it, look at what Whitworth did there two years ago. 

[Westside]

I love that everyone is already crowing Linfield as the regional champ. Everybody playing in Oregon this week is a quality team. Only the best teams are left.

Not sure if this was sarcasm or not, but I agree. It is nice to see everyone giving them the respect they earned. But anyone can win, for sure. Excited to get down there and watch some ball.

[ILVBB]

It is clear that the new view is that if you expect an at large bid; if you are in the west you had better have a budget for travel east. The west region's inability due to geographic isolation to generate higher SOS numbers made it impossible for a team to garner an at large selection. D3 has its roots in the east; this years selections highlight the problems that geography presents. Not that any team is more or less deserving; but it shows how a conference with a good SOS benefits in a system that creates advantage to those where geography is not a factor.

[108 Stitches]

ILVBB is spot on. I am thinking that Trinity will not have any trouble next year getting the ASC teams filling in their Tuesday night games.  They did the right thing this year going to Hendrix and Millsaps, plus their regular home/away with Chapman. Chapman actually has a better chance by going independent again.

[dp643]

Enough with why teams did or didn't get in. Bottom line is we see this every year where deserving teams get left out because they didnt win their conference. Win your conference.

Now lets start hearing some predictions! I need to redeem myself for my crap ASC day 2 predictions.

[108 Stitches]

dp I have to go look at the brackets and teams, but game one* predictions.

Linfield
CLU
Trinity

* home boy

Actually as we saw last year CLU came in with the top offense in the country and lost game 1, 1-0. Pitching and defense will dominate this region IMO. More later.

[ILVBB]

Weather looks good (summer like) through Friday; then liquid sunshine

[dp643]

Don't count out Letourneau just because they dont look like other teams in this regional on paper. This team has alot of seniors and play with good heart.

That aside, I still expect them to go 0-2. I dont think the ASC was very good this year.

My predictions will come later today or tomorrow.

[Ron Boerger]

Don't count out Letourneau just because they dont look like other teams in this regional on paper. This team has alot of seniors and play with good heart.

That aside, I still expect them to go 0-2. I dont think the ASC was very good this year.

My predictions will come later today or tomorrow.

LeTu is a very good home team but barely .500 on the road; this will be the first time they've played two time zones away since at least 2008 (if not ever).   They've got some talent (and I'd think they'd start Cody Whitley, 7-2, 1.85 over Copeland in the first game) but this is asking a lot from a first-time playoff participant.    Playing Linfield at Linfield ain't like a trip to Alpine or Clinton.

[dp643]

Good point on road record, but they did just beat Concordia twice in the conference tournament at their place. CTX isnt Linfield, but a quality team nonetheless.

[108 Stitches]

Anyone can beat anyone. Here's to them knocking Linfield to the looser bracket out of the gate!!!!! 

[Jack Parkman]

I think the Trinity/UWSP game is as tough of a first round draw as it gets for Trinity.  UWSP might not have the insane numbers but thats a tough draw.  I think it comes down to which Trinity team shows up.  Lets be honest, they didn't exactly waltz right through their conference tournament.  On the otherhand, I could be way off...