2021 MIAA Baseball

[Randy]

Here's a look at the Central Region so far:
(records are vs D2 opponents)

1 - CentralMO (38-6) 2-0 this week, the last undefeated team in the MIAA tourney
2 - Augi (36-11) 3-2 this week, forced the "if" game in the NSIC tourney
3 - Mankato (36-8) 3-1 this week, won the NSIC tourney
4 - Southern Ark (26-14) no games this week
5 - OK Baptist (26-15) 0-1 this week
6 - St Cloud (22-14) 0-2 this week
7 - AR Tech (28-15) 1-1 this week, lost in the GAC final game
8 - Crookston (26-12) 1-2 this week
NR - Henderson (26-17) won the GAC single elimination tourney as the 7th seed
NR - Pitt (30-15) 2-1 this week, survived the loser's bracket in the MIAA tourney (only loss is to CentralMO)

[laker]

Isn't the regional already been put in Central MO?

MSU is the NSIC winner. Henderson is the GAC winner. Looks like you can include Augie and Central MO. Who else gets in?

Personally I'd love to see Crookston make it. I know that is unlikely. They dropped football and are usually the conference doormat in many sports- I'd like to see them have something to encourage them.

[Randy]

Yes, the regional is in Warrensburg. I don't think there was much doubt where it would be played. The Mules were obviously going to make the field and they have an all turf field so the weather is less of an issue.

I agree on the 4 obvious teams. I think ArkTech might have jumped up into an "at large" spot. There could not have been much separation of the GAC teams if you look at the records. I think Pitt, if they can win 1 today might jump up and grab an "at large", if they win 2 they grab the auto bid. If they don't win a game today I don't think they will make the field because due to upsets in the first round, they don't have any "big" wins this week. If Pitt doesn't make it, I think the GAC will get 3 bids. Two of SouthernArk, OKBaptist and ArkTech will get "at large" bids. I think both StCloud & Crookston "dropped the ball" this week.

[Randy]

The Mules never trailed beating Pitt 11-2. The Mules had 15 hits including 3 by Madera & Ditto and 2 each by Schumacher, Stroup, Evans & Wolverton. On the pitching side, starter Dryer got the win allowing 2 runs in 5 innings striking out 7. 4 relievers pitched an inning apiece allowing no hits or runs striking out 6.

I wouldn't think Pitt did enough this week to get an "at large" bid going 2-2 with one of their wins being Rogers, a team with a losing record (20-22).

[Randy]

We know #1 CentralMO, #2 Augie, #3 Mankato & NR Henderson are in. At first glance I figured the other "at large" bids would go to 2 of the 3 ranked teams from the GAC (#4 SouthernAR, #5 OKBaptist or #7 ARTech). However, ARTech & #8 Crookston accomplished something that #4, #5 & #6 weren't able to do. They won a game this week and Crookston beat a ranked team in #6 StCloud.

We'll see what the NCAA does tomorrow night.

[laker]

Regional rankings

Central Regional:
#1 seed:@Mules_Baseball(39-6)
#2 seed:@AugieBaseball(36-11)
#3 seed:@MinnStBaseball(37-8)
#4 seed:@ATUBaseball(28-15)
#5 seed:@SAUBaseball(27-14)
#6 seed:@ReddieBaseball(26-17)

[Randy]

CentralMO is the only MIAA to make the field. (It was funny to hear that the Mules 3rd place finish in 2019 was their best finish ever.)

My first guess was correct, 3 teams from the GAC.

#1 CentralMO vs #6 Henderson
#2 Augi vs #5 SouthernAR
#3 Mankato vs #4 ARTech

Note to Laker and other MNState fans, I'm going to call them Mankato. I'm old and I'm used to calling them Mankato.

[laker]

CentralMO is the only MIAA to make the field. (It was funny to hear that the Mules 3rd place finish in 2019 was their best finish ever.)

My first guess was correct, 3 teams from the GAC.

#1 CentralMO vs #6 Henderson
#2 Augi vs #5 SouthernAR
#3 Mankato vs #4 ARTech

Note to Laker and other MNState fans, I'm going to call them Mankato. I'm old and I'm used to calling them Mankato.

Note to Randy: I'm old too and I call them Mankato. No offense taken. When I started there, they were Mankato State College. When I graduated it was Mankato State University (should have seen the bookstore clearance sales). Now they are Minnesota State-Mankato. I know it is politically incorrect but it is much easier to say Mankato. Even easier to say Kato.

When UN-Omaha was in the NCC, both teams who had been called the Indians had changed to Mavericks. So they were the Red Cows and Kato was the Purple Cows.

[vikingfaithful]

UCM is the prohibitive favorites in the central, my guess is Kato will play the Mules for the right to play in the WC. Hopefully Augie wears their gold tops in a game or two so Mules fans can howl how ugly they are. They wore them in their NC victory in 2018!

[Shanghai Mule]

UCM is the prohibitive favorites in the central, my guess is Kato will play the Mules for the right to play in the WC. Hopefully Augie wears their gold tops in a game or two so Mules fans can howl how ugly they are. They wore them in their NC victory in 2018!

As ugly as those gold tops are on tv, I'm sure they're even worse in person. Maybe they wear them to distract the other team, I was distracted and I was just watching on tv. Please tell me they don't also have some matching pants.

[laker]

As ugly as those gold tops are on tv, I'm sure they're even worse in person. Maybe they wear them to distract the other team, I was distracted and I was just watching on tv. Please tell me they don't also have some matching pants.

[laker]

Now I'm not sure what color this is but I don't like dark numbers on dark jerseys. Or numbers the same color as the jerseys- my team or anyone else's.

[Shanghai Mule]

Now I remember where I've seen that color combination before (gold top & charcoal pants) the guys working for Hertz at the airport.

[Kiss My Ass]

Now I'm not sure what color this is but I don't like dark numbers on dark jerseys. Or numbers the same color as the jerseys- my team or anyone else's.

I agree, dark numbers on dark jerseys are hard to read from the stands. Our football jerseys come to mind and are tough to read from a distance. I don't have pictures to attach,(poor computer skills), but here's the description. Red jerseys with black numbers outlined in white and black jerseys with red numbers outlined in white. They look okay up close, but very difficult to read from the stands and even the Mules broadcasters have commented about how hard they are to read. I even emailed the coach about maybe making a slight change so we can better read the numbers. Since UCM and the Atlanta Falcons both have the same colors (red & black) I suggested doing what the Falcons did - Red jerseys with white numbers outlined in black and black jerseys with white numbers outlined in red. Maybe after they wear out the current uniforms they will make a change.

[Randy]

Rotten weather in the forecast for tomorrow so everything has been pushed back a day.

Here's a link to the tournament home page.
https://ucmathletics.com/sports/2021...mpionship.aspx