2021 MIAA Baseball

[Randy]

Before the Tampa vs Trevecca Nazarene game the announcers said era aside, the Tampa coaches still considered their top three starters to be (1) Paul (2) Nelson (3) Linder. Not sure Brad's statement about winning the first game before you can win the second is really all that profound, but whatever.

My point wasn't that Paul wasn't considered the ace. My point was that, prior to Saturday, Linder had pitched almost as well as Paul and better than Nelson.

[Donkeydamus]

I'm still here. Since 2008 we've attended the WCWS in OKC. I watched Mules game in our room and then went back to the stadium. Due to lightning/rain delays and length of the games we didn't get back to our room until 3am. We got up in time to make the first game on Sunday. We left during the lightning delay in the second game. Went back to the room to shower off the sunscreen, out to supper and drove home last night because my daughter has grad school commitments.

I guess you can say Tampa saved their ace for game 2 but the guy they started was 5-1 w/1.93era. The game 6 guy is 7-0 w/3.83era. Mule coaches have always started the "ace" in the first game. Brad Hill always said you have to win the first game before you can win game 2. Also the earlier you start him the earlier he can pitch later in the week, or if all goes well, he can pitch can pitch for the championship on normal rest.

Before the Tampa vs Trevecca Nazarene game the announcers said era aside, the Tampa coaches still considered their top three starters to be (1) Paul (2) Nelson (3) Linder. Not sure Brad's statement about winning the first game before you can win the second is really all that profound, but whatever.

[Randy]

Game 6 - The battle of the Titans.

Only 2 teams in Cary have won a title, Tampa with 8 and the Mules with 2. Tampa's 8 are the second most behind fellow Sunshine State Conference foe Florida Southern with 9. Cal Poly Pamona is next with 3 but they have since moved on to D1. As have 5 of the 9 schools tied for 4th with 2. The 4 that remain are CentralMO, Chico State, Southern Indiana & West Chester. Interesting side note, the Mule's championship wins are against Florida Southern & Tampa.

Mules win 8-4. Colin Jones (8-1) got the win despite allowing 4 runs in 5+ innings. Brady Gavin came in with no outs and runners on 2nd & 3rd and only allowed 1 run to score retiring all 6 batters he faced. Chase Plymell pitched a scoreless 8th and Evan Rathburn a scoreless 9th for the Mules. Mule pitchers allowed 12 hits but no walks or hit batsmen.

The Mules jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st when Erik Webb hit his 2nd HR of the championships. That lead didn't last through the 1st as Drew Ehrhard of Tampa also hit his 2nd HR giving them a 2-1 lead. The Mules tied the game at 2 in the 2nd with a squeeze bunt by Gavin Strobel. Tampa grabbed the lead back in the 3rd on a HR by E.J. Cumbo (one of several players they picked up when NY Tech (who was in Cary in 2019) shut down their program. The Mules grabbed the lead for good in the top of the 5th on another Webb HR and a 2rbi single by Donovan Ditto. The run Tampa scored in the 6th was their last but the Mules added 3 in the 8th with a Garrett Pennington HR and a 2rbi single from Josh Schumacher, the first hit of the championships (and the first time reaching base) for the Mules leader Avg & OB%.

The Mules are off until Thursday and should go with Conor Dryer and would have Green ready for Friday should an "if" game be needed or the first Championship game on either Friday or Saturday.

[Randy]

Game 2 recap:

The Mules beat NWNazarene 9-3. Mason Green got the win (15-0) allowing 1 run on 5 hits, no walks & 8 strikeouts in 6 innings. 7 of the 9 Mules collected 12 hits lead by Cole Taylor with a 2 run HR and a 2 run double. Erik Webb topped off the night with his 16th HR, an inside the park job that should have been a single but the CF tried to catch it and it bounced by him.

[Randy]

I'm still here. Since 2008 we've attended the WCWS in OKC. I watched Mules game in our room and then went back to the stadium. Due to lightning/rain delays and length of the games we didn't get back to our room until 3am. We got up in time to make the first game on Sunday. We left during the lightning delay in the second game. Went back to the room to shower off the sunscreen, out to supper and drove home last night because my daughter has grad school commitments.

I guess you can say Tampa saved their ace for game 2 but the guy they started was 5-1 w/1.93era. The game 6 guy is 7-0 w/3.83era. Mule coaches have always started the "ace" in the first game. Brad Hill always said you have to win the first game before you can win game 2. Also the earlier you start him the earlier he can pitch later in the week, or if all goes well, he can pitch can pitch for the championship on normal rest.

[Kiss My Ass]

Randy, where are you? Get in here Mule brother. Always look forward to your insight, stats, etc.

[Shanghai Mule]

Our outfielders got burned at least twice by playing too shallow. Here's the thing, if the ball drops in front of you it's a single, if it flies over your head to the wall it's a double.

[Donkeydamus]

Mules win easily (9-3) as the pitching was excellent and the bottom of the batting order provided the offense. A couple of negatives as the Mules outfielders got caught playing way too shallow and had balls hit behind them that would have been caught had they been playing at their normal outfield depth. Also, another base running screw up with Mules on first and second and what looked to be a double steal attempt blew up when the second base runner abruptly changed his mind half way to third and retreated back to second base. That left the first base runner hung up in no mans land between first and second and he gets tagged out in a run down. Did somebody miss a sign or was the first base runner not watching the second base runner? That's another stupid give away out that's becoming a trend lately.

Tampa wins in 10 innings and will face UCM on Monday night. Tampa started their #3 pitcher (Linder) who got rocked and was replaced by their #2 pitcher (Nelson) who worked several innings. Tampa's closer (forget his name) came in and pitched about three innings and struck out eight guys. He is a flame throwing (95 mph) strike out machine. Tampa saved their ace starting pitcher (Michael Paul 7-0) for game two against UCM. Thought maybe the Mules would save their #1 guy (Mason Green) for game 2, but not the case. Interesting difference in strategy, lets see how it plays out on Monday.

[Shanghai Mule]

This probably goes against normal tourney logic, but no way am I pitching my ace (Mason Green) in game one against the # 8 seed. UCM has more than enough good pitching to beat NW Nazarene without using Mason Green. I'm saving Mason for game two on Monday, probably against Tampa. That would still give Mason enough rest to come back and pitch again on Friday or Saturday.. What do you think guys ?

Makes pitching sense to me. On a base running note, aggressive is good, but smart is better. Getting picked off or thrown out as the trailing runner is stupid. And this is not a reference to the weird triple play the other day.

[Kiss My Ass]

This probably goes against normal tourney logic, but no way am I pitching my ace (Mason Green) in game one against the # 8 seed. UCM has more than enough good pitching to beat NW Nazarene without using Mason Green. I'm saving Mason for game two on Monday, probably against Tampa. That would still give Mason enough rest to come back and pitch again on Friday or Saturday.. What do you think guys ?

[Randy]

I was wrong about Angelo being #2.

Bracket #1
Saturday Afternoon - #4 Trevecca Nazarene vs #5 Tampa
Saturday Evening - #1 CentralMO vs #8 NW Nazarene

Bracket #2
Sunday Afternoon - #3 Angelo vs #6 Wingate
Sunday Evening - #2 Seton Hill vs #7 SouthernNH

[Randy]

[Randy]

Did anybody catch the post game radio show? What was the injury to Josh Schumacher? Looked like he face planted on a diving attempt to catch a flyball in left field.

Brennen Van Breusegen filled in nicely after Josh left the game - 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs and a run scored.

Cut above the eye, required stitches but no concussion.

[Kiss My Ass]

Did anybody catch the post game radio show? What was the injury to Josh Schumacher? Looked like he face planted on a diving attempt to catch a flyball in left field.

Brennen Van Breusegen filled in nicely after Josh left the game - 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs and a run scored.

[Shanghai Mule]

Today, UCM looked primed for the CWS. Pitching, defense, and offense were awesome. The Mules should be the #1 seed.

GO Mules
GO MIAA
GO Central Region