College Baseball 2024

[Purple Mav Man]

I went down a couple weeks ago to watch the SF Stampede - and there was noise across the parking lot at the Birdcage so I walled over and saw the last two innings of USF hosting Mary. That was fun.

NSIC Tournament will be hosted at both Ronken and the Birdcage next week - I plan to catch some if work allows. I know SF gets a lot of flak for the Birdcage but I really enjoy it for what it is - I'll be bummed to see it go.

But before that - I'll be at MSU for their Saturday matchup against SMSU. First time seeing a Maverick home game.

I played at SF Stadium/The Birdcage many years ago. Great place and so cool to see all the names that have passed through.

[SW_Mustang]

I played at SF Stadium/The Birdcage many years ago. Great place and so cool to see all the names that have passed through.

I enjoy it there - they actually just did a refresh on the grandstand and it really pops. Not to mention that view of Terrace Park beyond the CF wall is nice.

I was only ever at one Canaries game in 2015 - met Rene Tosoni, Jason Repko, and said hi to Ozzie Canseco pregame, that was a lot of fun. It's a good league that brings in a lot of former MLB guys. Seems like they're also really investing in NSIC talent now too, which is cool.

[Millsy]

A Town Ball rabbit hole you can go down.

https://townballtuesdays.wordpress.com/

I played town ball from age16 to 33, and there are some great fields in the State, and some that are, ummm, well, not so great. But they all had one thing in common, the local "love of the game". A lot of these fields are taken care of by volunteers (I volunteered with our field for many years since I lived so close to it). So fields get a lot of money from their local municipality, some rely on donations and hard labor. But everyone tries their best.

[SW_Mustang]

MSU finishes SMSU's season, 7-5. Really good game.

The NSIC is always a tough baseball conference but it just seemed to be a meat grinder this year. It's going to be a race to the finish at the conference tournament, and with both hosts in - it should be fun.

Mustangs fell just shy of the top 8. Crazy that the team that almost ran over SDSU this year (and should have won *rabble rabble*) finished 9th. Fun season though.

The Bowyer Field experience was fun - both sides brought crowds, Mav Machine was great, MSU's goal horn for home runs was awesome... Definitely want to go back.

[SW_Mustang]

A Town Ball rabbit hole you can go down.

https://townballtuesdays.wordpress.com/

I played town ball from age16 to 33, and there are some great fields in the State, and some that are, ummm, well, not so great. But they all had one thing in common, the local "love of the game". A lot of these fields are taken care of by volunteers (I volunteered with our field for many years since I lived so close to it). So fields get a lot of money from their local municipality, some rely on donations and hard labor. But everyone tries their best.

Our field was cool - there was minimal need for infrastructure because the hill formed a natural grandstand. We had a building for concessions and a separate building for a press box. That was it. One of the benefits of living in/on the valley. In fact three of the five fields in town are like that. I'll see if I can find a photo.

Alas - the team folded by the time I got to high school and the NWL had expanded to Willmar by sophomore year, so I was off to the races with the college ranks. Wasn't until I went to my first Milroy Irish game that I realized I'd missed out on something special my entire adult life.

Fairfax used to host a "Twins Fun Night" - we went in '06 when they hosted Dundas. Mike Kingery coached the Dukes that night, Dana Kiecker pitched - as did Bert Blyleven. Frank Quillici was in attendance with Curt Sampson. Wally the Beerman worked the game. It also brought down some media folks.

Just waxing nostalgic - such a great game.

[laker]

Our field was cool - there was minimal need for infrastructure because the hill formed a natural grandstand. We had a building for concessions and a separate building for a press box. That was it. One of the benefits of living in/on the valley. In fact three of the five fields in town are like that. I'll see if I can find a photo.

Alas - the team folded by the time I got to high school and the NWL had expanded to Willmar by sophomore year, so I was off to the races with the college ranks. Wasn't until I went to my first Milroy Irish game that I realized I'd missed out on something special my entire adult life.

Fairfax used to host a "Twins Fun Night" - we went in '06 when they hosted Dundas. Mike Kingery coached the Dukes that night, Dana Kiecker pitched - as did Bert Blyleven. Frank Quillici was in attendance with Curt Sampson. Wally the Beerman worked the game. It also brought down some media folks.

Just waxing nostalgic - such a great game.

My late friend Steve Palmer wrote a book about the history of Fairfax amateur baseball. Nice ball park. We played a game there when I was in HS. I went to a game there when the Twins Juan Berenguer showed up- "El Gasilino". I used to go to Hector Flyer games but they folded years ago. I've seen games in Granite Falls, Sacred Heart, Bird Island, Brownton, Dassel. So many great parks in and around New Ulm.

I was at the Southwest-MSU game in Mankato yesterday. Great weather- Mavs win 7-5. NSIC playoffs next.

[SW_Mustang]

My late friend Steve Palmer wrote a book about the history of Fairfax amateur baseball. Nice ball park. We played a game there when I was in HS. I went to a game there when the Twins Juan Berenguer showed up- "El Gasilino". I used to go to Hector Flyer games but they folded years ago. I've seen games in Granite Falls, Sacred Heart, Bird Island, Brownton, Dassel. So many great parks in and around New Ulm.

I was at the Southwest-MSU game in Mankato yesterday. Great weather- Mavs win 7-5. NSIC playoffs next.

Granite is such an underrated park. Just off of downtown and faces the side of the valley. Maybe I'm just biased but the river valley is my favorite thing in MN. Gorgeous ballfield that never gets talked about. We passed Johnson Field on the way home last night too.

I'll catch some SoDak townball action this year as Brookings will host the Irish. Lot of SMSU ties in those two clubs right now.

Great day for baseball yesterday. Carter Lang started the scoring, just couldn't hang on. Great crowd too, seemed to be about half and half.

[SW_Mustang]

I'm at SF Stadium for game 1 of the NSIC title. Been a really tense game so far. Both of these teams are pretty deep.

Currently 2-2. Great day for some DII baseball.

[SW_Mustang]

Augie fought hard but the Mavs force a game 2 - 5-4. Great game of good old fashioned baseball. Should be a great game 2.

[laker]

Mavs win 18-9 in a marathon. Sorry but college baseball games should be seven innings long like college softball. Both bullpens were gassed. Yesterday it was what, 15-14?

Now the regionals. Interesting to see where the Mavs end up.

[laker]

Wayne Cavadi's Central Region predictions. From what I have heard, the Mavs may not host the regional. For my own reasons, I hope that they do so I can go.

Central — No. 1 seed: Central Missouri

Super Regional prediction: Minnesota State/Central Missouri

Winner: Central Missouri

1. Central Missouri
2. Minnesota State (AQ from NSIC)
3. Southern Arkansas
4. Pittsburg State
5. Central Oklahoma (AQ from MIAA)
6. Arkansas Tech
7. Arkansas-Monticello
8. Harding/Henderson State (GAC tournament still in progress)

Just missed: Augustana (SD)

[njmav1]

Wayne Cavadi's Central Region predictions. From what I have heard, the Mavs may not host the regional. For my own reasons, I hope that they do so I can go.

Central — No. 1 seed: Central Missouri

Super Regional prediction: Minnesota State/Central Missouri

Winner: Central Missouri

1. Central Missouri
2. Minnesota State (AQ from NSIC)
3. Southern Arkansas
4. Pittsburg State
5. Central Oklahoma (AQ from MIAA)
6. Arkansas Tech
7. Arkansas-Monticello
8. Harding/Henderson State (GAC tournament still in progress)

Just missed: Augustana (SD)

Augie deserves a spot.

[laker]

Augie deserves a spot.

I would agree!

[laker]

Inkblot's last projection for the Central has Augie at 7 and MSU at 2. I don't like first round conference rematches and I don't like playing them for the fourth time in five games. I would think that they would be an 8 to avoid that but who knows what they will decide.

[vikingfaithful]

Not happy that Henderson St. was chosen over Augustana, Records HST, 32-22. AU, 39-16, H2H AU 25-7 over H ST. They must have a high opinion of the GAC,