#1 Crusader Baseball @ Horizon League Tourney

jetz · May 20, 2012, 02:22:36 PM

Everything fell our way last weekend and we not only win the regular season crown, but win it by two full games! The baseball highlight on senior day was closer Jarad Miller getting his first collegiate at bat in his last regular season game. He promptly laced a RBI double to the right center gap and goes out batting 1.000.

We play at 8p CDT Thursday against the winner of the 4-5 game between UIC and Butler. If we can win three straight, we take the title. Should a second championship game be required, it will happen Sunday. (double elimination) If Valpo can win it, they will make the program's first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. HOWEVER, I am only thinking about Thursday's game. "We just want to take it one game at a time." GO VALPO!

jetz · May 20, 2012, 02:27:16 PM

Here's some pics from the YSU series/Senior Day to give you a feel for the atmosphere. Hope the link works.

https://plus.google.com/photos/107694216823525506352/albums/5744666703875255233?authkey=CJfjqerNsaaRmQE

bbtds · May 20, 2012, 03:11:58 PM

I know if I just thought about it a little longer that it might come to me but what does "BRO" stand for on the t-shirts?

vu72 · May 20, 2012, 04:03:02 PM

Quote from: jetz on May 20, 2012, 02:22:36 PM
Everything fell our way last weekend and we not only win the regular season crown, but win it by two full games! The baseball highlight on senior day was closer Jarad Miller getting his first collegiate at bat in his last regular season game. He promptly laced a RBI double to the right center gap and goes out batting 1.000.

We play at 8p CDT Thursday against the winner of the 4-5 game between UIC and Butler. If we can win three straight, we take the title. Should a second championship game be required, it will happen Sunday. (double elimination) If Valpo can win it, they will make the program's first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. HOWEVER, I am only thinking about Thursday's game. "We just want to take it one game at a time." GO VALPO!

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Well said and we all want that NCAA appearance and hopefully, MORE!! However, if we make the Tourney, if will NOT be the Program's first appearance in the NCAA tournament.
If I got everything right from the record books, we have appeared in 11 NCAA post season tournaments. 1958, 59, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 69, 72, 74, and 76. Of those appearances 58, 63, 66, 67 and 68 were the "University" division with the others being in the "College" division. The University division included games against Ohio State, Minnesota and others so clearly it was at the highest level.

It is certainly fair to say that it could be the first in a very long time or since Em Bauer retired. Em didn't get the field named after him for nothing! If I'm not mistaken, all of the previous NCAA appearances were under his guidance.

jetz · May 20, 2012, 04:38:13 PM

Quote from: bbtds on May 20, 2012, 03:11:58 PM
I know if I just thought about it a little longer that it might come to me but what does "BRO" stand for on the t-shirts?

It very simply is short for "Brother". Kevin Wild's brother, Shaun, was stabbed and killed in a Chicago area bar on February 4th of this year--just before the baseball season started. Shaun was a friend of many current baseball players, and graduated from North Central. He was a second grade school teacher and was killed trying to break up a disturbance and defend his college buddy, as he was attending a NCC football reunion at this bar. The guy also stabbed two others that night and was taken into custody. One of the players had those shirts made. The all say "Wild" and have Shaun's football number 36 on the back. The entire team wears them for pregame warmups in remembrance. Also, the team, parents, and families all participated in a balloon release in Shaun's honor at the field immediately after the final game yesterday. As you can imagine, this has been extremely tough on the Wild family, and it makes the fact that Kevin has been stellar on the mound and was named team MVP extra special.

jetz · May 20, 2012, 04:42:34 PM

VU72, thanks for the info about the post season. Obviously, I was misinformed. I don't think the tourney back in '76 was a 64 team field was it? Was the criteria to make the NCAA tourney different then? Was it the NCAA tourney that they made in the most recent seasons you listed or some other post season? Regardless, thanks for the info...

vu72 · May 20, 2012, 05:54:26 PM

Quote from: jetz on May 20, 2012, 04:42:34 PM
VU72, thanks for the info about the post season. Obviously, I was misinformed. I don't think the tourney back in '76 was a 64 team field was it? Was the criteria to make the NCAA tourney different then? Was it the NCAA tourney that they made in the most recent seasons you listed or some other post season? Regardless, thanks for the info...

I have no idea about the format in previous years. If you run into Bill Steinbrecher, he certainly would know.

jetz · May 20, 2012, 06:18:12 PM

This from Wikipedia:

1950–1953

From 1950 to 1953 the preliminary rounds were not managed by the NCAA but rather by the district colleges, and thus these games are not recorded in the official history books of the NCAA. The winner of each district managed playoff (although some districts did not have playoffs and chose to select their teams by committee) were sent to the College World Series. The College World Series was a double elimination tournament.

1954–1974

From 1954 until 1974 the tournament consisted of eight Districts named District 1 through District 8. Each district consisted of between two and five teams playing in differently formatted tournaments. Some years included automatic College World Series qualifiers. In that case, no District games were played for that team. For an example see: 1959 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. The winner of each district moved on to the College World series, which was a double-elimination tournament.

1975

1975 was the first year of the Regional format. Eight Regionals consisted of four teams in a double elimination tournament. The winner of each Regional moved onto the College World Series, which was also a double elimination-tournament.

1976–1981

The tournament essentially remained unchanged from the 1975 version, however, one Regional consisted of six teams in a double-elimination tournament, instead of four like the other 7 Regionals. The winner of each Regional moved onto the College World Series, which was also a double elimination-tournament.

So there you have it. Clear as mud. Although today's format is complex for the casual sports fan as well...

bbtds · May 20, 2012, 09:40:02 PM

Quote from: jetz on May 20, 2012, 04:38:13 PM
Quote from: bbtds on May 20, 2012, 03:11:58 PM
I know if I just thought about it a little longer that it might come to me but what does "BRO" stand for on the t-shirts?

It very simply is short for "Brother". Kevin Wild's brother, Shaun, was stabbed and killed in a Chicago area bar on February 4th of this year--just before the baseball season started. Shaun was a friend of many current baseball players, and graduated from North Central. He was a second grade school teacher and was killed trying to break up a disturbance and defend his college buddy, as he was attending a NCC football reunion at this bar. The guy also stabbed two others that night and was taken into custody. One of the players had those shirts made. The all say "Wild" and have Shaun's football number 36 on the back. The entire team wears them for pregame warmups in remembrance. Also, the team, parents, and families all participated in a balloon release in Shaun's honor at the field immediately after the final game yesterday. As you can imagine, this has been extremely tough on the Wild family, and it makes the fact that Kevin has been stellar on the mound and was named team MVP extra special.

Thanks for taking the time to type out the explanation. I do now seem to remember Kevin's brother's death being discussed on here previously. I wish the best for the Wild family and express my condolences.

valpotx · May 21, 2012, 10:20:34 AM

Correction on who we play in the tournament, we will actually get to play the lowest remaining seed from the first round of games! That means either UIC, Butler, or YSU (if they upset Milwaukee).

In regards to our past NCAA tournaments, I believe that we were told those were from our time as an NCAA D-2 school? I seem to remember coaches telling us that we have not been to the NCAA tournament ever since we moved to D-1.

LaPorteAveApostle · May 21, 2012, 11:51:53 AM

Why aren't we hosting? I guess basketball and softball led me to believe that conference champs = tournament hosts...

valpotx · May 21, 2012, 12:25:19 PM

Baseball bids it out to the different schools, similar to what we did in the Mid-Con for baseball. I believe that UIC has one of the better stadiums, and they always try to do the tournament where fans are most likely to attend.

LaPorteAveApostle · May 21, 2012, 01:21:53 PM

Quote from: valpotx on May 21, 2012, 12:25:19 PMBaseball bids it out to the different schools, similar to what we did in the Mid-Con for baseball. I believe that UIC has one of the better stadiums, and they always try to do the tournament where fans are most likely to attend.

dislike. we're more centrally-located than all the other baseball schools, and while home-field advantage is less a factor in baseball than in (say) basketball, I think we earned this. It's not like we're the B1G getting people to come to Indianoplace for a football championship.

bbtds · May 21, 2012, 02:37:38 PM

Take the Southshore train into the loop. $7.25 each way. You can use a credit card to buy tickets one way or round trip in the machines at the Dune Park station. Get off at the last stop at Randolph & Michigan Ave. Walk to the nearest Walgreens or CVS (there is a Walgreens on the corner of Michigan & Washington, 1 block south of Randolph). Buy a CTA "fun pass" for $5.75. It's a 24 hour pass that starts when you use it the first time. The CTA does not sell them in their machines. If you use it three times you have saved money already as a one way ride is $2.25 on a bus or train. When putting the CTA pass into a turnstyle machine show the white side facing you and the arrow pointing into the machine. Walk west to the Washington-Blue line station on Washington & Dearborn(away from the lake). Take the Blue line train (only train that runs north & south on Dearborn in the Loop). The 2 directions for the Blue line are O'Hare Airport and Forest Park. You want the train going towards Forest Park. Go to 5th stop and get off train at UIC/Halstead stop. Walk east towards Halstead St. on the walkways exiting the station between the traffic lanes of I-290(Eisenhower Expressway). At the exit for the Train Station you catch the #8 Halstead bus going south. Or you can walk south on Halstead 7 long blocks. You don't have to cross Halstead. The bus stop is a few steps from the door of the train station. Use the same CTA "fun pass" on the bus as you did for the blue-line train. The bus stop where you want to get off the bus is on the south side of Roosevelt at Halstead. You can either tell the bus driver where you want to get off or pull the wire that runs over the top of the windows after the bus stops at Taylor Street or crosses Taylor Street. Walk south to Maxwell St. and turn right. Go about 2 blocks & Les Miller Field is on the right. Les Miller Field is south of the Physical Education Building.

If you want to go to another location in Chicago (Wrigley Field, Museum of Science & Industry, etc) between games take the Halstead #8 bus north. Catch the bus on the east side of Halstead just north of Roosevelt. The bus stop for the blue-line station will be just south of the door to the train station on the east side of Halstead just as it begins to cross over I-290. Cross over Halstead to the west side of the street. Take the blue-line train in the direction of O'Hare Airport. If you want to take another train out of the Loop (example-red line train to Wrigley Field). get off on one of the stops on Dearborn such as Jackson, Monroe or Washington. Go east 1 street to State and take a Red Line train north towards Howard. The options are Howard or 95th. Get off at Addison stop & walk 1/2 block west and you'll see Sheffield & Addison intersection & Wrigley Field. The main sign & entrance is on Clark & Addison just another block west on Addison.

If you are hungry and like Greek food Greektown is north on Halstead from Les Miller Field. When the Halstead #8 bus goes north go past I-290 to the stop at Jackson. The bus stop is on the south east side of Jackson & Halstead. You'll see Greektown to the north & west of the bus stop.

http://www.transitchicago.com/

http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/maps/ctatrainmap.png

http://www.uicflames.com/genrel/052012aab.html

vu72 · May 21, 2012, 03:20:48 PM

Wow! You should have either been a tour guide or travel agent! Nice job!

bbtds · May 21, 2012, 04:09:34 PM

Quote from: vu72 on May 21, 2012, 03:20:48 PM
Wow! You should have either been a tour guide or travel agent! Nice job!

Spent way too much time chasing a girl who attended UIC (Illinois-Chicago Circle back then). Just recently went back to see another friend who works in the loop and nothing much has changed except the prices. I noticed the Kensington stop was eliminated on the Southshore trains and the Dune Park station is a whole lot nicer. I just have a good memory for stuff like that. I don't know why.

jetz · May 21, 2012, 05:57:32 PM

I follow the pink line on my Garmin. Tix are $25 for the tourney pass or $10 per game. UIC always rips us off...there was talk of charging them for tickets/parking at Valpo.

jetz · May 21, 2012, 10:26:28 PM

Quote from: valpotx on May 21, 2012, 10:20:34 AM
In regards to our past NCAA tournaments, I believe that we were told those were from our time as an NCAA D-2 school? I seem to remember coaches telling us that we have not been to the NCAA tournament ever since we moved to D-1.

Coaches were right. Valpo went D1 in basketball in 1982 and in other sports after that. (DII before that.) We have never been to the NCAA tournament as a Division I school. At least if my Wiki sources are correct...

vu72 · May 22, 2012, 07:34:23 AM

Quote from: jetz on May 21, 2012, 10:26:28 PM
Quote from: valpotx on May 21, 2012, 10:20:34 AM
In regards to our past NCAA tournaments, I believe that we were told those were from our time as an NCAA D-2 school? I seem to remember coaches telling us that we have not been to the NCAA tournament ever since we moved to D-1.

Coaches were right. Valpo went D1 in basketball in 1982 and in other sports after that. (DII before that.) We have never been to the NCAA tournament as a Division I school. At least if my Wiki sources are correct...

Technically that may be correct as the distinction between D1 etc is a fairly recent change. However, to say Valpo has never competed for a National Championship at the highest level before, demeans the accomplishments of teams from many years ago.

For example, in 1963 the record books show we competed in the University Division Championship and played Illinois and then Notre Dame. In 1967 we played Ohio State and Western Michigan and in 1968 we played Minnesota and Ohio State in those tournaments. I somehow doubt that those teams would want to acknowledge that in those years they weren't competing at the highest level--call it D1 or what ever.

My point is not to nitpick but rather to acknowledge our history of accomplishment and how great it would be to RETURN, not advance for the very first time.

Valpo71 · May 22, 2012, 08:53:32 AM

Valpo first played as a D-1 Basketball team in 1977-78 season. Evansville and a number of other schools moved up at the same time. I'm not sure when it became official with the NCAA. Things were different back then as "small colleges" or "College Division" schools often played up in tournaments as they still do in Wrestling, Hockey, Lacrosse, and maybe others. Another example of how things have changed was the Southern Illinois won the NIT in 1967 as a small college.

Valpo1b · May 22, 2012, 09:55:23 AM

Quote from: vu72 on May 22, 2012, 07:34:23 AMTechnically that may be correct as the distinction between D1 etc is a fairly recent change. However, to say Valpo has never competed for a National Championship at the highest level before, demeans the accomplishments of teams from many years ago. For example, in 1963 the record books show we competed in the University Division Championship and played Illinois and then Notre Dame. In 1967 we played Ohio State and Western Michigan and in 1968 we played Minnesota and Ohio State in those tournaments. I somehow doubt that those teams would want to acknowledge that in those years they weren't competing at the highest level--call it D1 or what ever. My point is not to nitpick but rather to acknowledge our history of accomplishment and how great it would be to RETURN, not advance for the very first time.

Thank you. DI, DII, etc. didn't exist prior to this. So, yes, the coaches are correct, but it is a technicality. And, it's my ONLY complaint about the current coaches. I'm not sure whether it's intentional or not, but they act like Valpo baseball started with Woodson's hiring. I know plenty of baseball alumni who have been given the "cold shoulder" by this staff. It's insulting, and demeans all the efforts from some of us who played long ago. Frankly, they shouldn't be giving out the #8, either. It was retired for Em Bauer years ago, and he gave Coach Twenge specific permission to wear it. After Twenge left, the number should have been removed from the rotation.

This year's team's accomplishments are fantastic. They stand on their own. But they shouldn't be tarnished by an attempt to lower past accomplishments. A "return" to Regional play will be just as exciting to me as if it were the first.

valpotx · May 22, 2012, 10:26:25 AM

The coaches who mentioned never participating in the 'D-1 NCAA tournament' were on the previous regime actually, from when I played 2000-2004. Obviously, we all knew about the success in the 60's and 70's, as every time we went to practice you could see the accomplishments listed on that brown board as you entered the complex.

The unfortunate thing if we make the NCAA tournament this year will be that the media outlets will probably be reporting it as our first NCAA appearance, since it will be the first with the official D-1 title.

Valpo1b · May 22, 2012, 11:52:31 AM

Quote from: valpotx on May 22, 2012, 10:26:25 AMThe coaches who mentioned never participating in the 'D-1 NCAA tournament' were on the previous regime actually, from when I played 2000-2004. Obviously, we all knew about the success in the 60's and 70's, as every time we went to practice you could see the accomplishments listed on that brown board as you entered the complex. The unfortunate thing if we make the NCAA tournament this year will be that the media outlets will probably be reporting it as our first NCAA appearance, since it will be the first with the official D-1 title.

That's not true at all. Jetz wasn't around while you were playing, so he couldn't have heard that statement then. He's referring to this year's coaches.

And, I've known the coaches who were coaching then for over 25 years, they never said that. I'm curious as to which coach you believe said that? Not Twenge, and certainly not Tim Holmes. I never heard Olson say that. The prior regime had a very close relationship to both Bauers. They went out of their way to respect the accomplishments of Em's teams.

valpotx · May 22, 2012, 12:16:56 PM

I really recommend that you ratchet down your sensitive nature on this board, and believing you were a part of every conversation in VU baseball. I fully respect your accomplishments and those accomplishments of baseball teams past. However, you keep taking every statement I make as words straight from Twenge's mouth, but there were plenty of other coaches around that acted as authority figures outside of the main two of Twenge/Oly. I also didn't say that Jetz was saying that coaches mentioned this phrase, it was something that when asked about on the field in query, a few coaches mentioned we had not been to the tournament since making the official jump to D-1, meaning what is now constituted as Division 1. They DID mention we had been several times in the 60s/70s when it was in a different format.

Stating such things as 'to which coach you believe said that,' and 'that's not true at all,' are meant to try and discredit someone when you were not there for every conversation. I am not discounting your relationship with coaches, so please stop trying to prove me wrong in every comment I make, when I know what I am saying was told to me, and my experience DID happen (imagine that).

I am not going to name names on here 1b, but no, it wasn't Twenge/Holmes/Oly. Neither was it said in discrediting the accomplishments of previous teams, it was simply saying that we had not been to the tournament as it is now situated, which they call Division 1.

Edit: Also, neither I nor the coaches who answered the question at the time, ever mentioned that it was a fact. It was just what they/I had been led to believe. This is why I put a question mark in my original comment when asking about our last NCAA appearance...

vubballfan · May 22, 2012, 12:35:23 PM

I disagree wholeheartedly about the current coaches level of respect for the program's history. Valpo1b - unless you have had a specific conversation with any of the coaches and have been actually given "the cold shoulder", then you should be careful about your suggestion that they don't care and are disrespectful about the program's past success. I would strongly encourage you to reach out and have a personal conversation with Coach Woodson and see for yourself. In fact, considerable effort has been made to organize an alumni golfing event every fall (with an alumni game) and a banquet every winter which has given Coach Woodson an opportunity to acknowledge the past players, which he has. If you were there, you would know this.

In fact here is an excerpt from Oct. 2010 fall alumni game news article from Valpo's website -

Last weekend (October 2-3), Valparaiso University's baseball alumni returned to campus to take part in a weekend of activities.

"It is always great to see our former players," said head coach Tracy Woodson. "We value each and every one of them as they are the ones that are part of the history and tradition of this program. We want them to be proud of where our program is and where we are headed."

Go Crusaders and Good Luck!