Collegiate Baseball Association

[abell1198]

[abell1198]

[luckymann]

Avid follower of the CBA mate, absolutely love it. I am in the process of starting up an NCAA-style fictional and had a few questions to ask you about your set-up. You OK with me PMing you to pick your brain?

[abell1198]

Sure. Happy to help out with whatever I can.

[abell1198]

[abell1198]

[abell1198]

It was the longest offseason in recent memory for Ephraim. With his father's passing last year, Ephraim had taken on the responsibility of caring for his mother. The decision was made for the Herring family to move into a bigger house to accommodate his mother and her needs. As with any move, it took a lot of time out of Ephraim's usual schedule. Between the packing, the moving, and the unpacking (plus Irene's projects and to-do lists), Ephraim was sure there were not enough hours in the day to accomplish it all.

And that didn't even include the offseason work as Commissioner of the CBA. The association had expanded by eight teams. While there were loose parameters for teams to schedule their games, Ephraim asked the schools to keep it close to a competitive balance. But when two teams submitted schedules with over 50 home games, he about lost it. The extra work put a strain on his home life as well, since he was spending extra time at the office in order to straighten out the scheduling nightmare. Plus, two teams had scheduled too few or too many games. Fortunately, though, everything started to get back to some sense of normal just in time for the 1900 season to start.

The preseason predictions were out and Kansas State was the preseason favorite. Ephraim poured over the newspaper articles written by the sportswriters to catch up. His offseason ventures had left him somewhat out of the information loop. The New England Region appears to be up for grabs, so-to-speak, with three teams, Brown, Connecticut, and Yale, in contention for the regional title. Fordham was named the preseason favorite to take the Northeast Region. VMI looks to be the best team in the Atlantic Region, but Howard could make a playoff run. The Southeast Region appears to be a powerhouse again, as three teams, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama battling for the regional crown. Notre Dame and Minnesota are two playoff capable teams challenging each other for the Great Lakes Region, while Loyola Chicago and Illinois State could make some noise and find themselves in the postseason. Kansas State looks to easily take the Midwest Region, but Drake looks strong enough to get into the playoffs. Santa Clara and California will battle it out for the Pacific Region title, while Tulane looks to be the strongest team in the Southwest Region this year. And Northwestern appears once again to be the favorite to win the Western Conference this season.

[abell1198]

A new century. A new season of collegiate baseball. It was all different now that his dad was no longer around. Ephraim felt somewhat lost. Given, he had been doing this job for 12 years, but his father was the original commissioner and the man Ephraim turned to for answers when he had issues arise in the CBA.

The season started with strong pitching and a handful of notable hitting performances. The Top 25 shuffled around as it always did in the first month of play. Ephraim had to suspend senior SS Caleb Hill of Tulane on March 17th. Hill refused to leave the field after being ejected by the umpire over arguing a third-strike call. Hill was suspended two games for "inappropriate conduct on the field." The following day, Ephraim was advised of the passing of Harvard president Danny Hickman. He had served in the position for over 30 years and was one of the original members of the CBA. Hickman's son Rick, 58, was slated to take over his father's position. Suspensions had to be handed out again on the 28th, as Georgia and Indiana had what was described by the Georgia press as "a bench-emptying free-for-all." The incident occurred when Indiana senior pitcher Doug Mazzone came into the game in relief after Georgia hit a two-run homer off of starter Jalen Terrell. Mazzone, on the first pitch, plunked Georgia's second baseman David Mann, who then charged the mound. Mazzone earned a nine-game suspension for his intentional actions, while Mann was given a four-game suspension for failing to control his temper. Mann currently leads the CBA with a .475 batting average.

Freshman pitcher Nate Oliveros of Alabama was named Rookie of the Month. Oliveros was 5-1 in six starts with a 1.83 ERA. California sophomore Marc Sermons earned Pitcher of the Month honors. Sermons was 6-0 in seven starts with a 0.96 ERA. Kansas State right fielder and sophomore superstar Sam Crawford was named Batter of the Month. Crawford hit .455 with 3 HR, 18 RBI, and 16 runs scored.

Regional Recaps

New England Region

Dartmouth has entered the rankings at #11 after the first month of play and leads the New England Region by two games over #14 Holy Cross. Junior first baseman Gustavo Rubio leads the team with his .417 batting average. This is quite the turnaround for a team that was 20-40 last season and finished in the basement. Defending regional champ Yale is struggling at 10-9 and four games back.

Northeast Region

#2 Fordham is picking up right where they left off last year, leading the Northeast Region by three games over #8 Columbia and five games over defending regional champ, #13 Rutgers. The Rams, who started their season with 10 straight wins, have two .400 hitters and their pitching staff has been outstanding in the first month.

Atlantic Region

#7 VMI and #15 Lafayette are tied atop the Atlantic Region in what is initially a very tight race. #21 Navy and Virginia are one game back, with #22 Howard two games behind the leaders. Defending regional titleholder Penn is four games back at 9-10.

Southeast Region

Defending Southeast Region champion, #5 Tennessee, leads the region by a game over #9 Alabama, and two games over #10 Georgia. Sophomore Noodles Hahn (5-2, 1.36) and senior Joe Viviano (4-2, 1.80) are looking to lead the Volunteers back to the postseason for the second straight season. Remember, this program is only in its fourth year, so that's quite the accomplishment, especially in such a powerful region. Georgia is quite the story, coming back strong after their 14-46 outing last year.

Great Lakes Region

# 3 Notre Dame leads the Great Lakes Region by three games over #18 Illinois State, #20 Ohio, and Bradley. The Irish started their season out with 12 straight wins. The program is entering its 8th season and has yet to make it to the playoffs. Is this year the year? Illinois State lost sophomore pitcher Brad Boston for the season as he had to have surgery for bone chips in his elbow. The Missouri native was 12-7 with a 1.40 ERA in his freshman campaign and 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA in two starts this season before the injury.

Midwest Region

Unsurprisingly, #4 Kansas State leads the Midwest Region by two games over #24 Missouri. Behind Crawford's hitting and sophomore Rich Hopkins' (6-0, 2.56) pitching, this team is going to be tough to beat.

Pacific Region

#1 California vaulted up the Top 25 charts with their early-season performance, as they lead the Pacific Region by three games over USC. Are they really the best team in the nation, though? Their pitching is strong and their bats are decent, which should be enough to win what appears to be a weak region.

Southwest Region

#12 Tulane leads #6 Texas by a game in the Southwest Region. The Green Wave are led on the mound by sophomore ace Chris Banet (6-1, 1.76).

Western Conference

#17 Wisconsin has been the surprise of the conference, leading #16 Northwestern by one game after the first month. The Badgers' pitching has been lights out, but the loss of sophomore ace George Garcia for the season to a torn meniscus will challenge the team to hold their early season lead.

[abell1198]

Pitching dominated the headlines in April as CBA pitchers threw shutout after shutout against opponents. Injuries seemed to be on the climb, with many programs losing players for the season to various injuries. Washington State fired their manager on April 3rd after a poor start by the Cougars. Ephraim had to travel to Athens, Georgia to speak with Georgia President Sean Sarris and AD Mike Ford after the Bulldogs had their second bench-clearing brawl of the season on April 13th against Duke. Needless to say, the conversation was pretty one-sided, as Ephraim warned the university to get control of their players or there could be sanctions placed on their program. As a result of the brawl, Blue Devils' sophomore second baseman Pat Hitesman was given a four-game suspension, while Bulldogs' freshman pitcher Mike Maher earned a nine-game penalty. The CBA celebrated their 10th no-hitter in its 30-year history and its 4th no-no in the past four seasons (1897-1900).

Kansas State freshman pitcher Bryan Couch was the Rookie of the Month. Couch was 7-0 with a 1.43 ERA in April. On the season, Couch is 11-1 with a 1.75 earned run average. Texas sophomore Jim "Animal" Torres was named Pitcher of the Month. The Chicago native was 7-1 with a 0.79 ERA this month and is 12-2 with a 1.19 ERA this year. West Virginia left fielder Bryce Henderson was named Batter of the Month. The sophomore hit .447 in April with two homers, 25 RBI, and 15 runs scored. Henderson is hitting .335 thus far this season.

Regional Recaps

New England Region

#6 Holy Cross has a two-game lead on #25 Dartmouth. Harvard is out of the race, but the rest of the region is within five games of the lead. The Crusaders lost sophomore pitcher Joe Freeman (6-0, 3.10) for the year after fracturing his elbow on March 30th. Holy Cross and Dartmouth finish the season facing each other in a three-game series at Crusaders Park in Worcester.

Northeast Region

#2 Fordham has a seven-game lead over #15 Rutgers and looks to be well on its way to the regional title. Army is eight games off the lead. The Rams aren't overly impressive in any aspect of their game, but as a team, they win. Fordham is 3-2 against Rutgers this year and 3-0 against Army. The Rams will face the Black Knights for another three-game series in May.

Atlantic Region

#9 VMI holds a slim one-game lead over #19 Navy and two games over #23 Virginia Tech. The region is still up for grabs, though, as five teams are three games off the pace. The Keydets were 11-10 in April after a 13-6 start in March. They have an important three-game series on the road against Navy in May.

Southeast Region

#3 Tennessee holds a four-game advantage over #7 Alabama. North Carolina is five games back, and #21 Clemson is six games off the lead. Senior Orlando Chicas, the Volunteers' number three pitcher, has the highest ERA on the staff, yet is 10-0 on the season. Tennessee will host Alabama and Clemson in the last two weekend series in May.

Great Lakes Region

#4 Notre Dame holds a three-game lead over #8 Ohio. #16 Minnesota is four games back, while three other teams are five games out. The Fighting Irish are a legitimate contender this year and have a favorable schedule in the final month of the season.

Midwest Region

#1 Kansas State has a six-game lead over #17 Iowa State. #13 Drake is seven games back. The Wildcat's top two pitchers only have one loss each so far this year. The team will face Drake on the road for the first two games of May.

Pacific Region

#5 California holds a slim one-game lead over #14 USC. The two teams are 3-3 against each other this season and face each other six more times over the final two weekends in May. Trojans' senior second baseman Raul Nunez will miss the rest of the regular season with an injury but may return for the postseason if the team can make the playoffs. Washington State fired manager Eric Bodwell after a 7-13 start to the season. Bodwell was the team's skipper since the program's inception in 1893. He led his teams to five winning seasons and three playoff appearances. Overall, Bodwell had a 246-196 (.557) record as a manager. 24-year-old Mike Kostreva was hired by the team and finished the month at 9-11. Kostreva graduated from Stanford following the 1899 season and was a three-year starting third baseman for the Cardinal.

Southwest Region

In what looks to be a two-team race to the regional title, #10 Tulane leads #11 Texas by a single game. The Green Wave will host the Longhorns for a three-game series in May.

Western Conference

The Western Conference looks weak this year, as #12 Northwestern holds a four-game lead over Chicago and is the only team in the conference with a winning record. Sophomore Jason Tidwell (9-4, 3.07) tossed a 5-0 no-hitter over Michigan on April 22nd. It wasn't pretty, as Tidwell walked seven and struck out none in the win.

[luckymann]

Good to have you back AB!

[abell1198]

Pitchers continued to dominate the CBA in the month of May, much as they had all season long, including the season's second no-hitter. With that being said, a new career home run record was set by the conclusion of the regular season by a future CBA Hall of Famer. It was also a bad month for some managers and athletic directors as five schools made changes by the end of the season. Another brawl marred the CBA on May 15th, as Army and Connecticut got into it. Army senior center fielder Chris Hallman and UConn senior pitcher Matt Costanza were both issued four-game suspensions by the Commissioner's Office.

The regular season ended on May 27th with five teams tied at 36-24 for four wild card positions. To resolve this, Army was granted one position based on their power ranking. The remaining four teams had to play tiebreaker games in which only the winners would advance. On May 28th, #15 Texas traveled to #12 Rutgers and destroyed the Scarlet Knights 14-3 to earn their postseason berth. #18 Virginia Tech traveled to face their in-state rival, #10 VMI. The Keydets punished the Hokies 14-1 to earn their wild card position. On May 29th, the Hokies and Scarlet Knights played a do-or-die game at Rutgers, in which the home team won 6-5.

Regional Recaps

New England Region

On May 5th, Dartmouth lost pitcher Aaron Bamford (3-2, 1 SV, 1.62 ERA) to injury when the freshman suffered a torn rotator cuff.

#9 Holy Cross defeated Dartmouth 6-5 on May 25th to eliminate the Big Green from the postseason and clinch their 1st New England Region title.

Northeast Region

On May 21st, #5 Fordham clinched a playoff spot. The Rams would secure their 3rd Northeast Region title on May 26th.

Cornell fired manager Brady Thompson on May 22nd and replaced him with recently dismissed Duke skipper Scott Pence. Thompson was in his sixth season and put together a record of 174-181 in that time.

#16 Army (36-24) was granted a wild card position based on their #12 power poll ranking, which was higher than the other four teams which tied with the Black Knights.

Atlantic Region

#7 Navy clinched an appearance in the postseason on the next to the last day of the season, then won their 1st Atlantic Region title on May 27th with a 5-0 win over Bucknell.

Speaking of the Bison, the university fired athletic director Mike Garcia and long time manager Kyle Henry. Garcia was with Bucknell for four years after one year at Northern Iowa and two years at Tulane, with poor results. Henry, on the other hand, had been at the helm for 13 seasons. He led his teams to six winning seasons, but only one playoff appearance (1890).

Southeast Region

On May 11th, Vanderbilt fired manager Matt Williamson after nearly six seasons. The Commodores were 13-34 at the time of the dismissal. Williamson finished his time at Vandy with a 180-167 record (.519) and two playoff appearances. 24-year-old Michael Schofield was hired as the new manager and the team finished 9-4 to finish out their season. Schofield graduated from USC in 1899 and played shortstop for three seasons for the Trojans. On May 17th, Vandy fired AD J.D. Pergande after seven years with the program. The Commodores announced 44-year-old Greg Gruntorad as the new athletic director.

On May 20th, defending champion Furman was eliminated from postseason play.

Duke fired 41-year-old AD Jeremy Waker and 61-year-old manager, Scott Pence, on May 21st. Waker was with the Blue Devil program for four years. Pence, who was in his second season at the helm after spending two years as the team's bench coach, finished with a record of 51-64. He was hired to be Cornell's new manager the next day.

#4 Tennessee clinched their ticket to the postseason on May 23rd. Four days later, the Volunteers secured their 2nd Southwest Region title.

On May 24th, #6 Alabama claimed their playoff spot.

Great Lakes Region

On May 20th, Michigan State fired athletic director Bryce Coffin and manager James Champion. The 51-year-old Coffin was in his sixth season with the program. Champion, 47, was in his second year at the helm and finished with a 52-62 record as the Spartans' skipper. Greg Vice was named the new AD and 24-year-old Mark Graf was hired as the new manager. Graf played four seasons at first base for Ohio and graduated in 1899.

#2 Notre Dame clinched their ticket to the playoffs on May 21st, then clinched the Great Lakes Region title two days later. It's the Irish's first regional title.

#8 Ohio clinched a wild card spot on May 26th after defeating Northern Illinois 11-3.

Midwest Region

Kansas State second baseman Chris Hirth (.325, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 23 G) suffered a torn ACL on May 4th. The sophomore had already missed four weeks earlier in the season with another injury. Senior left fielder Jimmy Sheckard (.341, 7 HR, 57 RBI) hit his 36th career home run, breaking the record held by Brown's Oyster Burns (1884-87). Sheckard finished the season with 39 career home runs to set the new record. #1 K-State clinched the Midwest Region title for the 2nd time on May 17th.

Kansas senior center fielder Nick Pate hit for the cycle on May 27th in his final collegiate game, as the Jayhawks defeated Illinois 12-4. Pate, who struggled this year with a .222 batting average, hit a single, two doubles, a triple, and a home run in a 5-for-5 performance.

#11 Drake propelled themselves into the postseason by winning their final six games and securing a wild card slot.

Pacific Region

#3 California clinched the Pacific Region title on May 24th. It's the Golden Bears' 2nd regional title.

Southwest Region

On May 23rd, Tulane senior pitcher Radu Nastasescu pitched the CBA's second no-hitter of the year and the 11th in its history. Nastasescu (12-7, 3.03) surrendered one walk and struck out three in the 5-0 defeat of the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds. The #13 Green Wave won the Southwest Region title, their 3rd, on May 26th with a 3-0 win at LSU.

Western Conference

#14 Northwestern clinched their second consecutive conference title on May 21st.

Playoff Schedule

#12 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (37-25) vs. #1 Kansas State Wildcats (46-14)
#9 Holy Cross Crusaders (37-23) vs. #7 Navy Midshipmen (38-22)
#10 VMI Keydets (37-24) vs. #5 Fordham Rams (40-20)
#15 Texas Longhorns (37-24) vs. #3 California Golden Bears (40-20)
#14 Northwestern Wildcats (36-24) vs. #4 Tennessee Volunteers (41-19)
#11 Drake Bulldogs (37-23) vs. #6 Alabama Crimson Tide (39-21)
#13 Tulane Green Wave (37-23) vs. #8 Ohio Bobcats (38-22)
#16 Army Black Knights (36-24) vs. #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (42-18)

[abell1198]

#12 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (37-25) vs. #1 Kansas State Wildcats (46-14)

Rutgers comes into this series as heavy underdogs, but you wouldn't know it from the way they played. Game 1 featured a matchup of sophomore pitchers. The Scarlet Knights put Zach Hill (8-11, 2.84) on the mound to face Wildcats' ace Rich Hopkins (15-1, 2.20). Hill was blown out in his last start, allowing six earned runs in four innings in Rutgers' 14-3 loss in the wildcard tie-breaker game. Hopkins, on the other hand, with a 33-3 regular season record and 2.07 ERA over his first two seasons. In last year's playoff appearances, Hopkins was 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA. As lop-sided as the comparison of the two might be, Game 1 was a pitcher's duel. Both pitchers gave up only six hits in the game, as both went the distance. Two things decided the outcome of this one. K-State committed two errors in the game, and Rutgers' sophomore catcher Pat Holbrook hit his first home run of the season. Holbrook's 3-run homer in the 2nd put the Scarlet Knights on the board first. Rutgers added another run in the 5th and coasted to a 4-0 upset win!!

In Game 2, Kansas State put freshman Bryan Couch (16-3, 2.02) on the hill against Rutgers' senior Jared DeVries (15-6, 2.46). The contest was sloppy, with the Wildcats committing three errors and the Scarlet Knights committing two. Kansas State scored first, plating runs in the 1st and 3rd innings to take an early 2-0 lead. Rutgers got a run back in the 4th on a sac fly to make it 2-1. The Scarlet Knights still trailed heading into the 7th, but they scored three runs on a 2-RBI double and RBI single to take the lead 4-2!! Rutgers would add an insurance run in the 8th, as they held on to win the game 5-2, sweeping the #1 team in the country two games to none!!! Kansas State stars Jimmy Sheckard (.341) and Sam Crawford (.351) both went 1-for-8 in the series (.125), as the Wildcats once again fall short in the postseason.

#9 Holy Cross Crusaders (37-23) vs. #7 Navy Midshipmen (38-22)

Sophomore Jim Kucharski (14-6, 3.19) gets the start in Game 1 for Holy Cross against Navy senior Eric Cholewinski (14-4, 2.51). The Crusaders struck first, scoring in the 1st and 3rd innings, while the Midshipmen countered with runs in the 3rd and 7th innings. Tied 2-2 in the 8th, Holy Cross scored three times to break the game open and held on for the 5-2 victory.

Navy junior David Santiago (12-9, 2.77) was named the Game 2 starter, while Holy Cross put freshman Jesse St. Clair (7-12, 3.42) on the hill. This game was never close, as Navy had five players with multiple hits. Freshman third baseman Jim Morton led the charge with his 3-for-4 hitting performance in the Midshipmen's 10-3 win to even the series at a game apiece.

Holy Cross sent sophomore Danny Fuentes (8-5, 2.98) to the mound for Game 3 to face off against Navy's Cholewinski, the Game 1 losing pitcher. Cholewinski fared worse in Game 3 than he did in Game 1, giving up eight runs in 5.2 innings of work. The Crusaders cruised to a 9-1 victory, taking the series two games to one.

#10 VMI Keydets (37-24) vs. #5 Fordham Rams (40-20)

Freshman Dustin Hoag (13-5, 1.13) gets the Game 1 start for the visiting Keydets, as sophomore Elijah Moody (11-4, 3.12) gets the nod for the home team Rams. Freshman left fielder Khairy Abdul-Azim was a force in the first two innings, as he hit an RBI triple in the 1st and an RBI single in the 2nd for Fordham. Not bad for a guy who hit .243 in 48 games in the regular season. The Rams had an early 3-0 lead after two innings. VMI chipped away at the lead. Freshman first baseman Jake Longenecker hit a solo shot in the 4th and the Keydets scored on an error in the 5th to cut the deficit to one, 3-2. Neither team could manage much for the rest of the game and Fordham hangs on to win 3-2.

Sophomore Trent Carter (13-6, 2.91) is on the mound for the Rams in Game 2. Carter has been impressive in his collegiate career thus far after posting 13-7, 2.52 ERA in his freshman year. VMI countered with a sophomore of their own in Jonathan Pinzon (11-9, 2.88). Senior right fielder Kevin Taylor led the game off with a triple, then scored on an Abdul-Azim sacrifice fly. While Taylor had a great game (3-for-5 with a single, double, and triple), he was the lone highlight for Fordham. The Keydets tied the game 1-1 in the 3rd and proceeded to score in every inning thru the 7th to take a 9-1 lead. Fordham scored two in the 9th, as VMI won the game 9-3 to even the series.

Hoag and Moody faced off for Game 3 in a matchup of Game 1 starters. The two went head-to-head, matching each other inning for inning as the game was scoreless thru seven. Senior center fielder Kyle Van Sant led the 8th off with a single for the Keydets. He moved to second on a sacrifice, stole third, then scored on Jaime Meeks' RBI triple!! Meek would score on a Longenecker sac fly to give VMI a 2-0 advantage. Fordham had no answer for Hoag, who held the Rams to two hits over nine innings while walking two and striking out nine. VMI goes on to win the game 2-0 and take the series two games to one.

#15 Texas Longhorns (37-24) vs. #3 California Golden Bears (40-20)

Texas sent sophomore Jim Torres (15-6, 2.03) to the hill for Game 1. Torres has been impressive in his first two CBA seasons, combining for a 29-12 record and 2.02 ERA. California starts sophomore Marc "Critter" Sermons (14-4, 1.43), who has rebounded nicely after a 1-12, 3.09 freshman campaign. Sermons led the CBA in ERA, WHIP (0.89), and didn't allow a home run all year. The game was sloppy, with both teams committing five errors each. While freshman DH Brian Savage (.332) had a great game for the Longhorns (3-for-5), Cal had four different players with three hits in the game. The game was never close, as the Golden Bears trounced the Longhorns 15-5.

Game 2 was a closer affair. Cal started sophomore Ricardo Diaz (9-6, 2.70) and freshman Sam Harris (10-8, 3.19) was on the hill for Texas. Both teams plated runs in the 2nd inning and kept the game tied 1-1 through five. Cal scored a run in the 6th, then added two insurance runs in the 9th to seal the deal. Diaz was dominant, holding the Longhorns to four hits while walking two and striking out five. The Golden Bears win the game 4-1 and take the series in a two-game sweep.

#14 Northwestern Wildcats (36-24) vs. #4 Tennessee Volunteers (41-19)

Northwestern sophomore Aaron Frazier (11-7, 2.57) started Game 1 for the Wildcats. Tennessee sent senior Joe Viviano (13-7, 2.13) to the mound. This game was a close one, but the difference were the errors. Both teams plated runs in the 3rd inning and took the 1-1 game through five. But in the 6th, two Volunteer errors and two Wildcats hits led to two Northwestern runs and a 3-1 advantage. Frazier was in charge, scattering six hits over nine innings. Northwestern added a run in the 9th on their way to a 4-1 win.

Sophomore Noodles Hahn (14-6, 1.63) got the start for Tennessee in Game 2, while Northwestern went with their own sophomore, Jason Tidwell (13-7, 2.71). The Wildcats got the home crowd going with a run in the 1st inning, but the Volunteers countered with two runs of their own in the 2nd. Tennessee added a run in the 4th to push their lead to 3-1. Northwestern stormed back in the 5th, tying the game with two runs on four hits. The home team took the lead in the 7th on an RBI single by junior center fielder Harry Steinfeldt (.350, 1 HR, 28 RBI). After a scoreless 8th, Northwestern looked to close out the game and the series against the heavily favored Volunteers. But Tidwell couldn't find the handle in the 9th, walking two of the first three batters. Tennessee then sent in little-used sophomore Tommy Reeder (.600, 5 AB, 3 H, 4G) in to pinch-hit. Reeder worked the count full, then lined the ball into right field for an RBI double to tie the game. After intentionally walking the next hitter, senior left fielder Ronnie Krouwel dropped a fly ball to allow another Tennessee run to score. Junior right fielder Ron Morris then delivered a 2-RBI single, as the Volunteers plated four runs on their way to a 7-4 comeback win!!

Game 3 featured a rematch of Game 1 starters in Frazier and Viviano. Northwestern scored first in the 3rd inning for the early 1-0 advantage. The score remained until the bottom of the 5th, when sophomore first baseman Chris Torres drove a full-count pitch to the wall in right-center, scoring two runners. Freshman left fielder Jason Twenter would get his only hit of the game in the 7th, a 2-run homer over the left-center field wall to add onto the Tennessee lead. The Volunteers held on to win the game 4-1, taking the series two games to one.

#11 Drake Bulldogs (37-23) vs. #6 Alabama Crimson Tide (39-21)

Drake freshman Seth Joyner (16-4, 2.76) faced off against Alabama sophomore J.R. Simpson (12-8, 2.55) in Game 1. Alabama struck early, scoring a run in each of the first two innings. After that, however, it was all Drake. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the 4th to take a lead they would never relinquish. Drake added more runs in the 5th, 7th, and 8th innings en route to an 8-2 win.

Alabama freshman Nate Oliveros (16-5, 1.91) took the hill for the Crimson Tide in Game 2. Fellow freshman Eric Holtzman (13-6, 2.69) was on the mound for Drake. This game was back and forth. Drake scored first by plating a run in the 2nd. 'Bama scored a run in the 3rd to tie the game 1-1. The Bulldogs scored three times in the 4th, only to have the Crimson Tide score three in the 5th to tie the game once more. Alabama finally took the lead in the 7th, but Drake tied the game in the bottom half of the inning to knot it up 5-5. However, the Bulldogs weren't done. They loaded the bases with two outs and freshman first baseman Bryan Swink drove a bases-clearing double to the wall in center field. It was a lead the Bulldogs would not relinquish as they won the game 8-5 and took the series in a two-game sweep.

#13 Tulane Green Wave (37-23) vs. #8 Ohio Bobcats (38-22)

Sophomore Chris Banet (13-6, 2.23) got the start in Game 1 for the visiting Green Wave. Freshman Jay Harris (13-6, 1.96) got the starting nod for the hometown Bobcats. Ohio got on the board first by scoring a run in the opening inning, but a solo home run by seldom-used junior left fielder Ryan McMillan tied the game up. McMillan, who is starting due to injuries, hit .200 this season in 13 games. McMillan struck again in the 3rd inning, hitting an RBI single to give Tulane a 2-1 lead. The Green Wave added to their lead in the 5th when sophomore third baseman Dave Doss lined a 2-run homer over the left field wall to make it 4-1. Ohio got a run back in the 6th, but couldn't buy a hit in the final three innings, as Tulane goes on to win the game 4-2.

Ohio sent freshman Alex de los Rios (11-8, 2.54) to the mound for Game 2, while Tulane started sophomore Armando Lopez (12-8, 3.06). This game didn't exactly have a playoff game feel. Ohio committed seven errors to Tulane's two. Alex de los Rios walked four in 5.2 innings pitched, while Lopez issued three free passes in his nine innings of work. The game was back and forth but was tied 6-6 after five innings. The Green Wave broke the game open in the 6th by scoring five runs on three hits, two walks, and one hit by pitch. Tulane holds onto that lead and wins the game 11-6, sweeping Ohio two games to none.

#16 Army Black Knights (36-24) vs. #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (42-18)

Sophomore Chris Peterson (13-7, 2.41) started for Army in Game 1. Notre Dame sent freshman Edwin Placido (15-3, 2.17) to the hill. The Black Knights didn't stand a chance against Placido and the Irish defense. Army managed only two hits, while Peterson allowed 13 hits in six innings of work. Notre Dame cruises in this one, winning it 7-0.

Notre Dame sophomore Chris Stevens (14-7, 3.21) was on the mound for Game 2. Army sophomore Greg Robertson (12-5, 2.48) got the start for the Black Knights. Robertson has rebounded nicely from his freshman year that saw him put together a 2-12 record and 3.75 ERA. The game was tight, as both pitchers allowed only five hits, and each team committed one error. The difference was a 2-RBI double in the 2nd inning by junior third baseman Sean Gustafson, which gave Army an early lead they would never give up. The Black Knights win Game 2 with a 2-0 win and tie the series up at a game apiece.

Game 3 featured a rematch of Game 1 starters in Peterson and Placido. Army got on the board first when sophomore right fielder Pete Ramirez smacked a 2-run home run over the left field wall. Unfortunately for the Black Knights, it was the only mistake Placido made. The Irish erupted for five hits and five runs in the 4th, added another run in the 5th, and four more in the 7th to cruise to 10-2 win and 2-0 sweep of the series.

[abell1198]

#12 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (39-25) vs. #9 Holy Cross Crusaders (39-24)

Sophomore Zack Hill (1-0, 0.00) gets the starting nod for Rutgers, while fellow sophomore Jim Kucharski (1-0, 3.38) is on the mound for Holy Cross in Game 1 at Crusaders Ballpark. The Scarlet Knights strike early, tagging Kucharski for a pair of hits in the top of the 1st. They score a run and lead 1-0. Both pitchers settled in for the next few innings. Rutgers managed a triple in the 5th, but the squeeze attempt failed. Holy Cross responded in the bottom half of the frame when senior third baseman Dustin Lawrence hit a two-out double down the left-field line. Senior catcher Jim Spradlin then delivered a clutch single into left. Lawrence rounded third and was able to beat the throw to the plate to tie the game 1-1!! The Scarlet Knights answered quickly, scoring two runs in the 6th on junior center fielder John Caruso's triple to right-center. At the end of six, Rutgers leads 3-1. Hill and the Scarlet Knights defense fell apart in the 7th. Rutgers got two outs after a lead-off single. But thanks to two more singles and a pair of doubles, Holy Cross stirred the hometown crowd into a frenzy. The Crusaders scored four times and took the lead, 5-3!! Rutgers mounted a comeback in the 9th, getting a single and double while scoring a run to make it 5-4. But senior left fielder Caden Hodge goes down swinging for the final out, as Holy Cross holds on to win Game 1. After the game, Rutgers fans were furious with manager Luke Rising for not pinch-hitting for Hodge. In their defense, Hodge has underperformed in his career with Rutgers after being their top recruit in 1896. Hodge hit .212 this season but was 2-for-4 in this game prior to his final at-bat, justifying Rising's decision to leave him in.

Crusader freshman Jesse St. Clair (0-1, 8.59) was the starter for Holy Cross in Game 2. Rutgers turned to senior Jared DeVries (1-0, 2.00) to see they make it to play another game. Neither pitcher was at the top of their game in this one, as both allowed a lot of hits. Holy Cross tagged DeVries for four hits in the 2nd inning, but the Crusaders were only able to score a single run. Rutger's freshman third baseman John Besaw tied it up in the 3rd with an inside-the-park home run that went over the left fielder's head, hit the wall, and bounced away from the fielder. The Crusaders would retake the lead in the 6th, as Jim Spradlin delivered a bases-loaded single down the right-field line. One run scored, but the second runner was tagged out at the plate on a fabulous throw by Rutgers' freshman Ryan Buckner for the final out of the inning!! Buckner, the team's #2 recruit this past year, didn't get much playing time during the regular season and is making the most of his opportunity now! The Scarlet Knights strike again in the 7th, using three hits and an error to score twice to regain the lead 3-2! The lead, however, is short-lived. In the top of the 8th, Crusader freshman first baseman Josh Fagg strokes an inside-the-park home run of his own to deep right-center to tie the game up 3-3! With the game still tied going into the 9th, Holy Cross manager Jonathan Higgins brought in pinch-hitter Eric Miller, a sophomore first baseman. Miller, who hit .302 in 17 games this season, led the 9th off with a base hit! DeVries manages to get two outs, but the Crusaders are a clutch team!! DeVries gives up back-to-back RBI singles, as Holy Cross retakes the lead 5-3. The Crusaders would hold on in the bottom of the 9th, winning the game and taking the series 2-0!! Holy Cross freshman DH David Sheffer earned Series MVP honors while hitting 4-for-7, walking once, and scoring twice.

#10 VMI Keydets (39-25) vs. #3 California Golden Bears (42-20)

Game 1 featured VMI sophomore Jonathan Pinzon (1-0, 3.00) against Cal sophomore Ricardo Diaz (1-0, 1.00). The Keydets opened up the scoring in the 2nd inning, highlighted by senior catcher Josh Simpson's 2-RBI double down the right-field line. VMI would score twice more in the 3rd on an RBI single and sac fly to make it a 4-0 advantage! Both teams scored a run in the 5th, but the Golden Bears struggle against Pinzon and the Keydet defense. Pinzon holds Cal to only three hits, as VMI dominates this game to win 5-1!

Cal started sophomore Marc Sermons, arguably the CBA's best pitcher this year. If anyone is going to send this series to a Game 3, you want your best guy on the mound. Sermons (1-0, 1.00), however, isn't 100%, as he has been nursing a strained abdominal muscle for the past week. VMI started freshman Dustin Hoag (1-1, 0.53), who has been a pleasant surprise for the team as a #3 recruit from last year. Both pitchers throw well in this one, as the game is scoreless through five innings. But the Keydets get to Sermons and score a run in each of the next three innings. Cal struggles to score runs again and commits two errors in the field as well. Hoag keeps the Golden Bears at bay, as VMI wins Game 2 by a score of 3-0, upsetting Cal and sweeping the series!!

#11 Drake Bulldogs (39-23) vs. #4 Tennessee Volunteers (43-20)

Game 1 at Tennessee Grounds featured Drake freshman Seth Joyner (1-0, 2.00) against Tennessee sophomore Noodles Hahn (1-0, 4.00). After three scoreless innings, Tennessee plated two runs in both the 4th and 5th innings en route to an easy 5-0 victory. Hahn dominated the Bulldogs, who managed only four hits, while the Volunteers had seven players with base hits.

Senior Joe Viviano (1-1, 1.00) got the nod for the Volunteers to start Game 2 on the road. Drake went with freshman Eric Holtzman (1-0, 1.00). The Bulldogs got the home crowd into the game as they led off the bottom of the 1st with a double and triple. Drake would score twice to take the early lead. They would hold that lead until the 5th inning when the Tennessee bats came to life. The Volunteers smashed four hits and scored four times to take the lead 4-2. It's a lead they wouldn't give up. Tennessee scored three more runs in the 6th and five more in the 8th on their way to a 12-4 blowout win!! Tennessee takes the series in a sweep, two games to none.

#13 Tulane Green Wave (39-23) vs. #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (44-19)

Sophomore Chris Banet (1-0, 1.00) gets the start for Tulane for Game 1 of this series. Sophomore Chris Stevens (0-1, 0.00) is on the hill for Notre Dame. The Irish waste no time getting on the board, as senior first baseman John Carpenter smacks a 2-run home run over the left-field wall in the 1st inning. Notre Dame would add three more runs in the 2nd, thanks to three hits and two Tulane errors. Stevens was dominant for the Irish, holding the Green Wave to three hits over 6.2 innings. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, Stevens left with an injury. Junior C.J. Wagoner came into the game and picked up where Stevens left off, as the Irish dominated Tulane and win Game 1 by a score of 5-0.

Notre Dame freshman Edwin Placido (2-0, 1.00) got the starting nod for Game 2, while Tulane turned to sophomore Armando Lopez (1-0, 4.00) to extend their season. Both pitchers were shaky early, allowing a pair of runs in the early innings. The game remained tied 2-2 through the 6th. In the 7th with a man on third, Notre Dame attempts to turn a double play on a ball hit to second but is unable to do so. Tulane scores a run and takes the lead. The Irish are still down going into the 9th and they manage to get a man to third base. But the final batter grounds out to first to end the game, as Tulane holds on for the 3-2 victory, tying the series at a game apiece.

Banet returned to the mound for Tulane for Game 3. Prior to the game, Notre Dame got bad news from the team doctor. Game 1 starter Chris Stevens was out for the next four months with forearm inflammation. So the Irish turn their hopes to senior Mike Fletcher (13-7, 2.78), who hasn't pitched in a game in two weeks. Tulane scrounges together a run on a ground out in the 4th to break the scoreless game. The Green Wave add to their lead in the 6th compliments of sophomore Dave Doss' 2-RBI triple. Doss would also score in the inning to give Tulane the 4-0 advantage. Notre Dame manages to put runs across the plate in the 7th and 8th innings, but go three-up, three-down in the 9th. The Green Wave hold on to win 4-2 and take the series in an upset, two games to one!!!

[abell1198]

#10 VMI Keydets (41-25) vs.#9 Holy Cross Crusaders (41-24)

VMI named freshman Dustin Hoag (2-1, 0.35) as their Game 1 starter. Holy Cross countered with sophomore Jim Kucharski (2-0, 3.66). The Crusaders didn't waste much time, as they scored twice in the bottom of the 1st inning for the early lead. The Keydets tied the game up in the 3rd inning thanks to a 2-run home run by freshman first baseman Jake Longenecker. A fielder's choice later in the inning allowed another run to score, as VMI took a 3-2 lead. The lead didn't last long, however, as Holy Cross retook the lead in the bottom half of the frame without so much as a base hit. The Crusaders capitalized on a walk, error, wild pitch, and sac fly to score twice to lead 4-2. The pitchers settled in after that, with each allowing a hit here or there, but the score remained the same until the 8th. Holy Cross scored an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th on an RBI single by junior left fielder Jason Burk and went on to win the game 5-2.

Game 2 featured a matchup between Holy Cross freshman Jesse St. Clair (1-1, 4.96) and VMI sophomore Jonathan Pinzon (2-0, 2.00). Sophomore right fielder Chris Fulton opened up the scoring for the Crusaders with a solo shot to right-center. Senior third baseman Dustin Lawrence, who went 3-for-4 in the game, added an RBI single to make it 2-0. Lawrence contributed another RBI single in the 4th to give Holy Cross a 3-0 advantage. The score remained the same until the 9th when Pinzon fell apart and was pulled. The Crusaders scored four times in the final inning, winning the game 7-0 and sweeping the series two games to none.

#13 Tulane Green Wave (41-24) vs. #4 Tennessee Volunteers (45-20)

Tulane started sophomore Armando Lopez (2-0, 3.00) against the Volunteers in Game 1, while Tennessee went with senior Joe Viviano (2-1, 2.00) on the mound. The crowd would get their money's worth in this extra-inning affair. Senior JUCO transfer Danny Murphy opened up the scoring in the 3rd inning, as the Tulane second baseman smacked an RBI single to left to give the Green Wave a 1-0 lead. In real life, Murphy had a successful 14 year MLB career, most of which was played for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics. He succeeded Nap Lajoie at second base for the team, then moved to right field with the addition of Eddie Collins. For more on Murphy, click here to read the SABR biography. Tennessee came back in the 4th with a double and three singles. The Volunteers scored three times and took the lead 3-1. Tulane returned the favor in the 7th thanks to two hits and an error. The Green Wave scored twice and tied the game up at three apiece. The game went to extra frames. Lopez lasted into the 10th before being pulled, but Viviano, incredibly enough, pitched the complete game. Both teams had runners on third in the 11th but to no avail. Tennessee squandered a pair of hits in the 12th as well. Tulane executed a flawless squeeze play to take the lead in the 13th, only to have the Volunteers score a run of their own on a pinch-hit RBI single by sophomore Tommy Reeder. The game, now tied 4-4, continued into the 15th inning. The Green Wave used four hits and two Tennessee errors to score four times in the inning. The Volunteers have no answer in the bottom half of the inning, as Tulane takes Game 1 by a score of 8-4!

Game 2 was another thriller between these two teams until the final innings. Tennessee put sophomore Noodles Hahn (2-0, 2.00) on the mound to face Tulane sophomore Chris Banet (2-1, 1.38). The Green Wave got the crowd excited in the 1st when freshman right fielder Pat Sprague doubled and then came home on sophomore third baseman Dave Doss' base hit to center field. Tulane leads 1-0 after one inning. But both pitchers settled in and not much happened until the top of the 6th. Tennessee loaded up the bases with two outs. Senior second baseman Ed Thill then delivered a 2-2 single to left to score a run. Junior Ron Morris, who had been at second, decided to test the arm of left fielder Ryan McMillan. Morris lost that bet on a perfect throw to home and is thrown out at the plate!! The game remained tied 1-1 until the 8th when the Volunteers scored twice on an RBI single and throwing error. Leading 3-1, Tennessee plated five more runs in the 9th on six hits and two more Tulane errors. The Green Wave crowd goes home silently as the Volunteers win easily 8-1 to tie the series up 1-1.

Lopez and Viviano meet up again for Game 3. Tulane just punished Viviano in this game, which he probably shouldn't have been on the mound for after his 15 inning outing in Game 1. He allowed three hits, walked one, and plunked two. The Green Wave took full advantage, scoring four times in the top of the 1st. Lopez didn't fare much better and it's surprising he wasn't pulled after a single inning. Two Tulane errors, two walks, a wild pitch, and five Tennessee hits led to seven runs being scored in the bottom of the 1st!! And if it weren't for the inning-ending 5-4-3 double play, who knows how many more runs would have crossed the plate. Leading 7-4 after an inning, the Volunteers stuck with Viviano. They shouldn't have. He recorded only one out, walked two, and allowed a pair of singles and doubles before being pulled after only 1.1 innings of work. Tulane scored five times to retake the lead 9-7 after an inning and a half. Thankfully for the Green Wave, Lopez settled down. After a 35-minute rain delay in the 5th, Tulane scored an insurance run in the 7th and went on to win a four-hour and seventeen-minute marathon by the score of 10-7. Tulane upsets Tennessee and takes the series two games to one!!

#13 Tulane Green Wave (43-25) vs. #9 Holy Cross Crusaders (43-24)

Chris Banet (2-2, 2.34) gets the start for Tulane for the first game of the 1900 CBA Championship Series. Jim Kucharski (3-0, 2.83) is on the hill for Holy Cross. The Green Wave open up the scoring in the 2nd inning. Danny Murphy got things going with a 2-RBI single to center. Tulane scored twice more in the inning on senior first baseman Brian Kincer's 2-RBI base hit to center, and the Green Wave take the early 4-0 lead. Tulane adds another run in the 3rd and Kincer hit a 2-run homer to right in the 4th to push the lead to 7-0. The Green Wave rolls in this one, smacking 19 hits and winning 11-3 in a rout.

Jesse St. Clair (2-1, 3.20) gets the starting nod for the Crusaders, as Holy Cross looks to push the series to a third game. Armando Lopez (3-0, 3.97) and Tulane look to end the series at home. The Green Wave gets out to a fast start again as Kincer hits an RBI double in the 1st. Senior shortstop Bryan Prins smashes RBI singles in the 2nd and 4th innings for Tulane. Kincer added another RBI single in the 5th and the Green Wave scored again in the 6th. Lopez was practically unhittable, holding the Crusaders to only two hits. Tulane wins easily by a score of 5-0 and sweeps the series 2-0 for their 1st national championship!!!

[abell1198]

[abell1198]

[abell1198]

[abell1198]

I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for reading my posts about the Collegiate Baseball Association. 50,000 views is an incredible milestone!! Right now every post averages over 140 views, and that number is going up every day. I am humbled and happy that so many people feel it's worth their time to read them.

We have made it through 30 seasons of the CBA and added a lot of teams to the mix. 82 to be exact. In 1901, I'll be adding six more teams. Four more teams will join each year in 1902, 1903, and 1904 to bring us to 100. By 1910, there will be 120 teams in the CBA. More conferences are on the horizon as well. For those who read this thread regularly, you'll notice there are gaps between the seasons I post. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes, from adding teams to building schedules. And yes, I custom build the schedules for each season, which can take some time. But most of my time is spent at work or with family, so you can probably understand why it can take some time between posts.

With OOTP removing the "Thanks" button, I want to invite anyone to comment or ask questions, either on the thread or by private message. For example, I know StLee is a big college baseball fan and maybe he wants to know more about how his favorite team, the LSU Tigers, has fared in the CBA. The answer? In seven seasons, LSU has gone 218-203 (.518) and made three playoff appearances (1896-98). Maybe your favorite team isn't in the CBA yet and you want to know when they will appear. Ask away, ladies and gents! I'd be happy to answer your questions.

Thank you again for reading!

[luckymann]

Without doubt my favourite Dynasty on here AB - congrats on 50k! That inspires me and my humble ACBA no end (only 47k to go!!)

Of all the people following I perhaps most understand what goes on behind the scenes for your league and how much time and effort it takes to make it happen. I'm not even through one season yet and I've already had to take a short hiatus because of the workload! Plus I got someone else (thanks ruwisc!) to do my schedules.

Looking forward to the continued success of this and can't wait to see what the new institutions bring to the table. Is Hofstra on your horizon?

Great work mate, keep it up!

G

[abell1198]

Thanks for the kind words luckymann. I think hearing things like that from readers is the single best way to inspire me to keep doing it, outside of watching the view numbers. Regardless of the views, I write because I enjoy it and I figure that others might enjoy the storyline, especially since there isn't much focus on the college game in the dynasty reports.

Hofstra is on the list, but not until 1938, which was their program's first season. My alma mater, Missouri, came into the CBA a few seasons ago, which I have to admit is pretty cool. Now it's time to see if they can build their program up into a consistent contender.