College Sports Madness Releases Preseason All-HL Teams

[Enrico Palazzo]

College Sports Madness came out with its All-HL preseason teams yesterday and Valpo got a lot of love.   

http://www.valpoathletics.com/baseball/news/2012-13/12328/crusaders-receive-more-preseason-praise/

Also, be sure to check the Valpo site Thursday for a piece on senior infielder Tanner Vavra. 

The season preview should be available for grazing the first week of February. 

Looking at a thermometer that reads "5", it's hard to believe that Opening Day is 24 days away.

[valpotx]

Awesome to receive recognition.  With only 5 teams this year, we have a really golden opportunity to repeat both championships!  I do look forward to seeing what schools are added to the HL, to see our future baseball competition.  We have played Belmont several times, as well as Evansville over the years I believe.  Oakland was always a tough Mid-Con opponent, though I have not followed them in baseball since we left the conference.  I don't think we have played them since we left, but I may be wrong. 

[bbtds]

Oakland was always a tough Mid-Con opponent, though I have not followed them in baseball since we left the conference.  I don't think we have played them since we left, but I may be wrong. 

http://www.ougrizzlies.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/080112aab.html

By winning 21 of the final 29 regular season games, the OU baseball team paced itself to a record-setting season in 2012. Summit League Coach of the Year John Muscachio led his team to a school-best 15-6 Summit League record and a second place finish in league play and took the team to The Summit League Championship for the second time in the past three years. The success of this season will continue to pay dividends for OU, as the Golden Grizzlies earned the right to host the 2013 Summit League Baseball Championship.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/oakl/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/BaseballRecordBook.pdf


YEAR         HEAD COACH                  OVERALL           PCT                CONF            PCT           CONF FINISH 
2000 ........Mark Avery...................... 28-32............. .467............... 17-9.............654 ..............2nd!
2001 ........Mark Avery...................... 11-43............. .204............... 7-19.............269 .............. 8th
2002 ........Mark Avery...................... 19-35............. .352................ 9-8..............529 ..............3rd!
2003 ........Mark Avery...................... 20-34............. .370............... 7-13.............350 .............. 5th
2004 ........Mark Avery...................... 20-34............. .370.............. 10-13............435 .............. 6th
2005 ........Mark Avery...................... 14-38............. .269............... 9-15.............375 .............. 6th
2006 ........Dylan Putnam.................. 20-38............. .345.............. 13-11............542 ..............3rd!
2007 ........Dylan Putnam.................. 20-34............. .370............... 5-15.............250 .............. 6th
2008 ........John Musachio ................ 15-30............. .333............... 7-14.............333 .............. 7th
2009 ........John Musachio ................ 22-34............. .393.............. 10-18............357 .............. 6th
2010 ........John Musachio ................ 23-34............. .404.............. 13-14............481 ..............4th!
2011 ........John Musachio ................ 19-31............. .380.............. 10-18............367 .............. 7th
2012 ........John Musachio ................ 25-31............. .452............... 15-6.............714 ..............2nd!

[valpotx]

Their conference record from 2000-2004 doesn't speak to how many close games were played for them against other Mid-Con teams.  Good to see them having success, as they seem like the most likely team to join first

[LaPorteAveApostle]

never seen anyone as happy about finishing 4th as the 2010 Oakland Grizzlies

[bbtds]

never seen anyone as happy about finishing 4th as the 2010 Oakland Grizzlies

The exclamation point next to the CONF FINISH place denotes they made the Mid-Con/Summit Conference Championship round that year. I would say making the conference championship round is something to get excited about. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I figured it stood for something...and let's face it, using an asterisk, while making more sense, also has other connotations in baseball

[historyman]

It's obviously a whole new landscape in the Summit League baseball conference race with Oral Roberts out of the picture for the first time in a long time. Last season ORU finished 17-6 and OU was 15-6. Third place went to ND St at 14-10. I'd say Oakland baseball is looking towards a rewarding season and of finally not losing to the Golden Eagles in the championship round.

[valpotx]

We had that problem in the late 90's, where we lost in the championship twice in a row to ORU, just before my first year.  We didn't get our first win versus them until sometime in my career