The ACBA: Hotbed for the MLB Superstars of Tomorrow

[Pelican]

Very excited to see the Lafayette Leopards included, and giving Hofstra two good games and a split. You have a very deep league, if my alma mater (and that of Joe Maddon) is included. Any further info on the ‘Pards would be appreciated.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Very excited to see the Lafayette Leopards included, and giving Hofstra two good games and a split. You have a very deep league, if my alma mater (and that of Joe Maddon) is included. Any further info on the ‘Pards would be appreciated.

Ha, well I spent a huge amount of time trying to get a mix that was both representative of the NCAA but that worked in the framework of the game. The eventual plan is to make this almost fully replicate the NCAA structure but we'll see as the file size is a major issue with all that MLB pre-history I simmed for realism.

So the Leopards finished 3rd in the East last year (the ACBA's first) with a 47-41 record but missed the playoffs. Things haven't gone quite so well this year, with them already eliminated and languishing at 36-44 and 7th in their conference. Their current ranking is #71.

Pitching has been their problem, the rotation in particular - not one of their four starters has an ERA+ in the 90s, FIP-s are all elevated, combined WAR close enough to replacement value. Losing their best hurler Brayson Davis fairly early on hasn't helped matters.

They've got some decent hitting, though, and - despite not hitting for much average - lead the HML in homers. Some of the names you'd likely know on their current roster are sophomore Hank Gowdy, froshes Chick Stahl, Jack Lohrke, Bobby Morgan and Al Kaline, and junior Ray Demmitt

All in all, if they can recruit some arms their offence gives them a real chance to be competitive.

You can see this for yourself via the following links.

LAFA ROSTER

LAFA REPORTS

[luckymann]

Hofstra Results

Not a pretty penultimate week - or, more particularly, weekend - for the Dutchmen, but they win all four and clinch the North Conference title in the process.


Thursday, July 26 - Game 81




Friday, July 27 - Game 82




Saturday, July 28 - Game 83




Sunday, July 29 - Game 84




Around the Grounds

Thursday

• Of the 50 games played today, an amazing 20 are decided by one run, with 10 more decided by two.
• Virginia escapes their home game against Louisville by the skin of their necks, scoring 3 in the 9th to lock down a walkoff 4-3 win, with Troy Townsend’s 2-run single the game-winner.
• Saint Louis also gets a dramatic victory with the final play of their game against Wazzu, as a throwing error plates the winning run in a 5-4 final.
• Two dingers by Ricky Nolasco help LSU squeeze past Ole Miss 4-3 at Swayze Field.
• Gene Krapp fans a school record 18 over 8+ scoreless as Long Beach State blanks LMU 5-0.

BOX SCORES


Friday

• Ohio’s Bill Hill is magnificent against Notre Dame, one-hitting the Irish and fanning 15 of them in a 3-0 Buckeyes win.
• A flurry of late runs sees Michigan come back from 0-3 for a 4-3 win in 10 over Miami that keeps their slim hopes of nabbing a WC slot alive.
• Mizzou sees off a dogged Oregon 4-2 in 12 to reduce their magic number to 3.
• A Jesse Wolff two-hit spesh gets Washington past Illinois 3-0 at Husky Ballpark.
• Oregon State and Yale play out a ripper that the home side Beavers eventually win 10-9 on a walkoff bases-loaded walk by Cesar Ruiz to put them on the cusp of playoff qualification.
• Gary Sagle of Virginia continues his fine sophomore season, moving to 12-3 with a sublime one-hitter against Louisville, striking out 14 in the 3-0 win.
• FSU’s Earl Marshall hits for the cycle in his side’s 7-2 home win against Stetson.
• After 13 scoreless frames, Texas A&M finally breaks the deadlock and holds on for a 1-0 win at Oklahoma, putting the Aggies in sole top spot in the JDL Southwest.
• Despite it being a dead rubber, Long Beach fans go home happy after their boys score 4 in the bottom 9th to pinch their game against LMU by 7 to 6, with LF Zane Lentz racking up 5 hits to lead their offence.
• Aaron Rucker’s 4-hit / 2-homer / 5-ribbie game leads CSUN past TCU 13-6 at Matadors Stadium.

BOX SCORES


Saturday

• Oklahoma’s Carl Lundgren one-hits Texas Tech while fanning a baker’s dozen in a 2-0 win.
• Red Kress goes yard twice to take his season tally to 24 and power Dartmouth to an 8-4 win at Princeton.
• Kansas State rallies with 3 in the 9th and 1 in the 10th to sneak past VT 9-8 at English Field.
• Iowa scores all of its runs in a frenzied 8th to stun Bradley 6-5 at Dozer Park.
• Virginia locks down the HML Atlantic title with a 5-2 home win over GWU.
• Johnathan Garcia has 5 hits as Tennessee humiliates The Citadel 17-1 in front of their home fans.
• A ripper at Doak Field sees most of the action over the late innings as the visiting Stetson gets an 8-4 win in 10 over North Carolina State, who had scored a pair in each of the 8th and 9th to send the game into spares.
• A similarly thrilling contest across town as North Carolina and Tulane duke it out over 13, with the Green Wave eventually getting home 13-9.
• Despite losing 10-3 to rivals Ole Miss, MSU clinches top spot in the JDL Southeast after Auburn drops its game against South Carolina, for whom John Sneed has a 5-hit game including a solo HR.

BOX SCORES


Sunday

• The entire league is abuzz with Navy ace Tim Keefe’s no-hitter against Penn.

• Andy Seminick belts two homers to help Notre Dame get a 6-4 road win at Saint Louis.
• Catcher Yogi Berra goes yard twice in a 10-3 romp for North Carolina State over Stetson.
• South Carolina frosh Al Atkinson dominates Auburn, whiffing 18 and giving up just 2 hits in a 10-1 laugher at Plainsman Park.
• Waylon Winn is the walkoff hero for Oklahoma, belting a 2-run homer to get the Sooners past TTU by 2 to 1.
• Santa Barbara CF Ken Hart has a literal field day in his side’s 13-1 road demolition of San Diego, hitting for the cycle and driving in 5.
• Oregon State clinches the Northwest title in the best possible way, with a 10-4 home win over arch rivals Oregon in this year’s Platypus Plate.

BOX SCORES


Players of the Week

Horace Mann League

Rebel Oakes (Stanford) 529 / 3 HR / 7 RBI


John Dewey League

Al Simmons (BYU) 529 / 3 HR / 8 RBI



STANDINGS

REPORTS HOME

LEADERBOARDS & TEAM STATS

INJURIES

[luckymann]

The following players were adjudged the ACBA's best for the month of July:

• HML Batter of the Month: Jaylon Jackson (Oregon State) 390 / 6 HR / 14 RBI.
• HML Pitcher of the Month: Juan Lara (Wazzu) 5-0 / 1.10 / 37 K / 41 IP.
• HML Rookie of the Month: Ray Fisher (Hofstra) 4-0 / 1.55 / 29 K / 29 IP.
• JDL Batter of the Month: John Knight (Arizona State) 379 / 15 HR / 33 RBI.
• JDL Pitcher of the Month: Eric Merrell (Vanderbilt) 4-0 / 0.55 / 51 K / 32.2 IP.
• JDL Rookie of the Month: John Burton (Nevada) 4-1 / 0.74 / 52 K / 36.1 IP.

And the stat leaders for the same period:

[luckymann]

Just one week of the 1951 ACBA regular season left to play so I thought we should have a quick look at who's in, who's out, and who's left.

Horace Mann League

Atlantic Conference

• In: Virginia (Champions); Mizzou (WC)
• Alive: Kansas, Saint Louis, GWU
• Out: Notre Dame, Louisville, Kansas State, VA Tech, Richmond

East Conference

• In: -
• Alive: Kent State, Indiana, Ohio State, Ball State
• Out: Purdue, Ohio, Lafayette, Miami, Maryland, Villanova

North Conference

• In: Hofstra (Champions)
• Alive: Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Bradley
• Out: Holy Cross, Michigan State, Iowa, Western Michigan, Cincinnati

Northeast Conference

• In: Navy (Champions)
• Alive: Army, Harvard, Cornell
• Out: Penn, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Yale, Columbia

Northwest Conference

• In: Oregon State (Champions)
• Alive: Washington
• Out: UCLA, Stanford, Oregon, UC Berkeley, Nebraska, USC, Wazzu, Northern Colorado

John Dewey League

Pacific Conference

• In: Arizona, Nevada (WC)
• Alive: Arizona State, BYU, Santa Clara, UNLV
• Out: New Mexico, New Mexico State, Utah, San Jose State

South Conference

• In: -
• Alive: Tulane, Clemson, GA Tech, FSU
• Out: The Citadel, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina State, Stetson

Southeast Conference

• In: Mississippi State (Champions)
• Alive: Auburn
• Out: Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Vandy, LSU, Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss

Southwest Conference

• In: -
• Alive: Texas A&M, TCU
• Out: TTU, OSU, ORU, Oklahoma, Texas, Rice, Baylor, Houston

West Conference

• In: Pepperdine (Champions)
• Alive: Cal Poly, Santa Barbara
• Out: Long Beach, Fresno, San Diego, Fullerton, San Diego State, CSUN, LMU

Here's the WC Standings in full:




Cornell has the toughest assignment, hosting both Hofstra and Navy. Auburn also has a tough road in with games at TCU and MSU. Other games of particular interest are Kent State v Navy, Illinois v Hofstra, Harvard v Mizzou, UNLV v Santa Clara, Tulane v FSU, Clemson v Nevada and Cal Poly @ Pepperdine.

Little chance there won't also be one or more tiebreakers required to sort this all out before the Big Dance begins.

[luckymann]

Thought I'd do these day-by-day to ratchet the suspense a bit tighter.


Hofstra Result

Thursday, August 2 - Game 85

Bob Feller tunes up for the playoffs in fine style with a stunning 18-K no-hitter at Cornell in a 4-0 win for the Flying Dutchmen that also puts paid to the Big Red’s hopes for the year.







Around the Grounds

• Virginia needs a 4-hit, 4-run performance from freshman whiz Willie Mays to see off a pesky Villanova 14-13.
• Ohio State exits the competition meekly, shut out on 3 hits in a 2-0 loss at USC.
• GWU scores late to knock out fellow aspirant Michigan with a 6-4 win.
• Harvard’s shot at redemption comes up short as a 5-1 home loss to Mizzou eliminates them from the postseason equation.
• Kent State shows the requisite grit for this part of the season, holding off Navy for a famous 5-4 win at home to give itself every chance of getting into the playoffs.
• Army gives up a handy lead and end up being run down by Wazzu in a 7-6 walkoff heartbreaker for the Black Knights, ending their season.
• Santa Clara jeopardises its finals aspirations with a messy 11-inning 5-4 loss at Stetson.
• A&M’s Kelly Wheeler delivers a timely 2-hitter to blank Ole Miss in a 1-0 squeaker for the Aggies, but TCU stays just one back as a Jack Stivetts 2-hitter earns them a 3-0 win over Auburn.
• Carl Weilman’s sublime 1-hitter gives Houston a 3-0 home win over New Mexico State.
• Another hurler to step up big time is UNLV’s Gary Bell, who 1-hits Vandy as the Rebs win it 2-0.
• Dan McGann goes yard three times in Fullerton’s 7-0 whitewash of Duke.
• FSU literally gives it the old college try, but comes up a run short in a 3-2 loss to LSU and is eliminated.
• A hard-fought 8-5 home win over Long Beach improves Arizona State’s chances of getting to the Big Dance.

BOX SCORES


PLAYOFF-BOUND

• Tulane

ELIMINATED

• Ohio State, Ball State, Minnesota, Michigan, Bradley, Army, Harvard, Cornell, FSU

On a day of outstanding pitching, there was also a no-no in the AA Liberty Brotherhood League, with Reading’s Francisco Miranda achieving the feat against Peoria.


STANDINGS

REPORTS HOME

LEADERBOARDS & TEAM STATS

INJURIES

[luckymann]

Hofstra Result

Friday, August 3 - Game 86




Around the Grounds

• This astounding final week sees another no-hitter thrown, this time by UNLV’s Kyle Mezenov in a 5-0 home win over Vandy.
• Another outstandingly dogged win for Kent State as they see off Navy 10-8, with 3B David Rich and 1B Luke Hebble powering the bats.
• Saint Louis digs deep for a 3-2 decision at Dartmouth despite managing only one hit.
• A 5-3 loss at Michigan State puts paid to Washington’s playoff hopes.
• Emil Yde shuts out GWU on 3 hits to both give Michigan a 3-0 road win and send the Colonials packing.
• An Antonio Banuelos 1-hit gem earns Bradley a key 1-0 victory at Notre Dame.
• Illinois keep their playoff dream alive with a thrilling 3-2 walkoff win over UCLA on an Evan Baranowski single in the 13th inning.
• Wazzu’s Ray Sanderson finishes his 1951 campaign off in fine style with a 2-hitter against Army in a 3-0 win.
• Santa Clara is eliminated from calculations despite a dominant 8-0 win at Stetson behind Mike Galliher.
• Cal Poly’s season hangs by a thread after the Mustangs drop a 2-1 nailbiter at South Carolina.
• With GA Tech winning at home against ORU, Clemson’s gutsy 4-3, 15-inning victory over Nevada takes on extra significance, with Matt Terry the walkoff hero for the Tigers.
• Diverging fortunes for A&M and TCU, with the Aggies’ 10-inning 5-4 win over Ole Miss putting them into the postseason and two games clear of the Horned Frogs after their 13-6 home loss to Auburn, a result that keeps the Tigers’ hopes well and truly alive.
• Another close-run thing as Arizona State narrowly avoids a disastrous slip-up with a walkoff 3-2 win over Long Beach.
• BYU do themselves no favours with an insipid 12-0 loss at home to Alabama, with Paul Dean throwing a magnificent 2-hitter for the Crimson Tide.
• Santa Barbara makes an ignominious exit from this year's competition with an 11-4 loss at home to The Citadel.

BOX SCORES


PLAYOFF-BOUND

• Texas A&M

ELIMINATED

• Washington, GWU, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara

STANDINGS

REPORTS HOME

LEADERBOARDS & TEAM STATS

INJURIES

[luckymann]

Hofstra Result

Saturday, August 4 - Game 87




Around the Grounds

• That win over Hofstra secures a Wild Card spot for Illinois.
• An 8-2 victory against Purdue nails down the HML Atlantic for Kent State.
• Indiana gives their all, but in the end come up short at home to Ohio, losing 5-4 in 11 and being eliminated.
• GWU shows great heart to bounce back from its elimination yesterday, with an epic walkoff 5-4 win over VA Tech in 17. George Sibley has 5 hits for the Colonials.
• All their efforts in procuring a thrilling 4-3 win at Louisville are for nought as Saint Louis is eliminated from the playoff race.
• Washington pays the ultimate price for some prodigious wastefulness, blowing a 2-run lead in the 10th at Yale to lose 5-4 and exit the competition.
• Kansas is headed to the post-season after beating Maryland 7-3 at Hoglund Ballpark.
• A 3-1 home loss to Alabama puts paid to Clemson’s title aspirations.
• TCU’s Aaron Small 3-hits Fresno in a 3-0 home win for the Horned Frogs that keeps them in the mix.
• BYU’s 9-3 home loss to New Mexico State exits them from calculations.
• A 3-1 win to Arizona State over Utah means they are still alive entering the final day, whereas exactly the same result does neither UNLV nor GA Tech any good, as both are eliminated.
• Pepperdine proves too much for Cal Poly, knocking the Mustangs out of the competition with a 5-2 home win that, given this week’s other results, may well also bring the treasured #1 ranking the Waves’ way.

BOX SCORES


PLAYOFF-BOUND

• Kansas, Illinois, Kent State

ELIMINATED

• Saint Louis, Indiana, BYU, UNLV, Clemson, GA Tech, Cal Poly

Which means all the HML playoff spots have now been decided, while the JDL's WC2 and WC3 slots are still up for grabs - with one from TCU, Arizona State and Auburn to be eliminated.

STANDINGS

REPORTS HOME

LEADERBOARDS & TEAM STATS

INJURIES

[luckymann]

Hofstra Result

Saturday, August 5 - Game 88




Around the Grounds

• Almost unfathomably, we get our third ACBA no-hitter of the weekend, this time from Virginia’s Alex Flores against Kansas State, with a solo shot from Willie Mays the only run scored by either side.
• Nevada completes the unlikeliest of comebacks, winning both Saturday and today at Arizona to tie them atop the Pacific and force a tiebreaker tomorrow to decide who goes into the playoffs as Conference Champ and who as the first Wild Card.
• Ed Swartwood goes yard three times in Maryland’s 9-8 win over Kansas.
• Kent State apparently takes the foot completely off the gas after clinching, dropping a 15-0 laugher at home to Purdue.
• On a day with a high number of shutout wins and low-scoring affairs, Wazzu’s Juan Lara 2-hits Richmond in a 7-0 win for the Cougars.
• TCU sneaks past Fresno 4-3 in front of their delirious fans to lock down the second JDL Wild Card.
• Wins to Arizona State (8-1 at home to Utah) and Auburn (3-1 at MSU) means they’ll need a tiebreak game to decide that final WC slot.
• Florida’s Joe Hauser breaks John Knight’s HR record from last season, belting his 39th roundtripper in the Gators’ 8-6 defeat of Vandy. Knight, the very picture of consistency, hits 38 again this year.

BOX SCORES


PLAYOFF-BOUND

• TCU

TIEBREAKER-BOUND

• Arizona State, Auburn

STANDINGS

REPORTS HOME

LEADERBOARDS & TEAM STATS

INJURIES

[luckymann]

Vastly divergent fortunes for the two Arizona schools as State is eliminated after dropping a close one at home to Auburn and UA locks down the Pacific title with a road win at Nevada.

BOX SCORES


And so, the full final standings look like this:

Here are the final leaders and Top 25s by WAR:

And finally, here's how the 1951 ACBA Playoffs will line up, starting with the best-of-three Sweet Sixteen Round.

STANDINGS

REPORTS HOME

LEADERBOARDS & TEAM STATS

INJURIES

[luckymann]

A newly-instituted tradition for the ACBA is that, on the eve of the playoffs, the season's final official rankings are released.

A strong finish, coupled with struggles for the others in contention, has put Pepperdine on top by what turns out to be a fairly comfortable margin from a cluster of schools.

At the other end of the table, a horror 5-11 month sees Northern Colorado finish with the dreaded #100 ranking.

[luckymann]

Best of three, all at the higher seed’s home ground. Seedings are from regular season record, not official rankings.

Horace Mann League

#1 Virginia Cavaliers v # 8 Kansas Jayhawks

Game 1: Kansas 5, Virginia 3 (11 innings)
The Cavs pay the price for not putting their opponents away as the Jayhawks come back to tie the game late and then win it in 11. Arky Vaughan has 3 RBI for the victors, Willie Mays the same for the vanquished. Worse still for the Virginians, they lose ace Isaiah Blue for the remainder of this season and all of the next to an elbow injury.

Game 2: Kansas 7, Virginia 1
A thoroughly disappointing Virginia exits the tourney with nary a whimper, totally outplayed by a Kansas side that seems to have timed its run perfectly. The Cavs bats go cold with just 6 hits as MVP Arky Vaughan leads the Jayhawks offence with 2 hits and 2 RBI.

Kansas wins series 2-0
MVP: Arky Vaughan (Kansas)


#2 Hofstra Flying Dutchmen v #7 Illinois Fighting Illini

Game 1: Hofstra 4, Illinois 3
The Illini come back from an early 0-3 deficit to get back on level terms as this one looks set for spares, but Tony Kubek delivers a thrilling walkoff win for the Dutchmen with his third hit of the game, singling in the decisive run in the 9th.

Game 2: Hofstra 6, Illinois 0
Ray Fisher gives the sort of controlled performance for which he is becoming renowned, with his 6 scoreless setting the path for Hofstra to proceed to the next round in the minimum time. Tony Kubek has another multi-hit game and is named series MVP.

Hofstra wins series 2-0
MVP: Tony Kubek (Hofstra)


#3 Navy Midshipmen v #6 Missouri Tigers

Game 1: Navy 2, Mizzou 1 (12 innings)
Tim Keefe pitches 7 strong innings in a solid duel with George Meakim, but it takes the defending champs 12 to finally get it done, with Cory Cadieux the walkoff hero.

Game 2: Navy 4, Kent State 1
The Midshipmen survive an almighty scare from a talented Mizzou group, sweeping the series with a dramatic walkoff win in Game 2. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom 9th, Navy’s hitters manage to string together 3 hits and score the tying run off Lefty Grove, then win it on a run-scoring single by Jim Rivera off Andy Coakley. A bunch of parallels starting to emerge with their Championship run a year ago as they move on for a blockbuster Elite Eight contest with Hofstra.

Navy wins series 2-0
MVP: Cory Cadieux (Navy)


#4 Oregon State Beavers v #5 Kent State Golden Flashes

Game 1: Oregon State 6, Kent State 2
8+ quality innings from Scott Stratton are the foundation for a fairly cruisy opening game win for the Beavers, with Blayne Fugitt leading the offence with a couple solo shots and Cosmo Chacon driving in 2 as well.

Game 2: Oregon State 6, Kent State 3
The OSU boys barely raise a sweat in dispatching Kent State to make it four sweeps from four series in the HML. Catcher Billy Thompson homers and drives in 3, while Blayne Fugitt takes MVP honours.

Oregon State wins series 2-0
MVP: Blayne Fugitt (Oregon State)

John Dewey League

#1 Pepperdine Waves v # 8 Auburn Tigers

Game 1: Pepperdine 2, Auburn 1
Auburn find themselves in exactly same spot as a year ago, when they got all the way to the CWS, and push the top seed here before succumbing in 15. Another top-notch contest that reinforces just how even this competition is.

Game 2: Pepperdine 13, Auburn 6
No repeat of last year’s heroics as Auburn go out in straight sets, manhandled by the powerhouse Pepperdine bats. Josh Sauber, Logan Hall and Blake Dunn each drive in 3 for the Waves, with Hall named MVP.

Pepperdine wins series 2-0
MVP: Logan Hall (Pepperdine)


#2 Arizona Wildcats v #7 Texas Christian Horned Frogs

Game 1: TCU 3, Arizona 1
Perhaps that tiebreaker took a bit out of the Wildcats because they look flat here in an upset loss to the Horned Frogs, managing just 4 hits. Jack Stivetts fans 10 in a poised 7-inning effort and Mike Allen sends the final 6 down in order to save it for him.

Game 2: Arizona 6, TCU 2
Arizona bounces back strongly to send this to a deciding game behind an outstanding performance by 3B Fred Thomas. Thomas doubles twice and knocks in 5 of the Wildcats’ 6 runs, with the other coming via a TJ Banagan solo homer.

Game 3: Arizona 5, TCU 0
No problems in the end for Arizona, who see off Jackie Robinson and his TCU teammates with a minimum of fuss in the deciding game. Jouett Meekin is dominant in a 5-hit, 10-K shutout win that also earns him the series MVP gong. Robinson hits just 182, with fellow highly-touted prospect Fred Clarke going an even worse 1-for-12.

Arizona wins series 2-1
MVP: Jouett Meekin (Arizona)


#3 Mississippi State Bulldogs v #6 Nevada Wolfpack

Game 1: Mississippi State 8, Nevada 5
The Bulldogs earn themselves a hard-fought win against a determined Nevada outfit, seeing off the visitors’ challenge by matching their 4-run 6th. Home runs to Sherm Lollar, David Childs and Jerry Smith power the home side’s offence.

Game 2: Mississippi State 6, Nevada 3
MSU advances confidently with a controlled Game 2 win. Amos Cross tries hard for the Wolfpack with 4 hits, but they just seem ever so slightly outmatched here and never really challenge in either game.

Mississippi State wins series 2-0
MVP: Sherm Lollar (Mississippi State)


#4 Tulane Green Wave v #5 Texas A&M Aggies

Game 1: Texas A&M 9, Tulane 5
An inspired 3-hit, 4-RBI performance by 3B Ryan Allen pushes the Aggies past Tulane in the opening game of a toss-up series. The Texans post a 5-spot in the 2nd and, while challenged early, are never headed. It comes at a heavy cost, however, with rotation leader Zion Speller suffering an elbow injury that will keep him out of action well into next season.

Game 2: Tulane 9, Texas A&M 8
Undoubtedly the game of the round so far, as the Green Wave stake out to an early lead and then hang on for grim death as the Aggies come charging back, eventually falling just one run short of a miracle. Gun SS Tobias Delgado belts 3 homers for Tulane while driving in 4, with Ryan Allen again starring for A&M with a 3-ribbie effort.

Game 3: Texas A&M 10, Tulane 1
Tulane’s season ends weakly as the Aggies destroy them in the decider and move into the next round. Evan Pitts allows just one unearned run on 5 hits over 8, while his bats score in bunches to keep the pressure at a minimum. Their reward? An Elite Eight meeting with the rampant Pepperdine.

Texas A&M wins series 2-1
MVP: Ryan Allen (Texas A&M)

[luckymann]

Best of five, in the familiar 2-2-1 format.

Horace Mann League

#2 Hofstra Flying Dutchmen v #3 Navy Midshipmen

Game 1: Hofstra 7, Navy 6
It may not have been the pitching duel expected with Tim Keefe and Duke Esper on the mound, but Hofstra and Navy deliver all the same in a gripping one-run contest that goes the way of the hosts. Bill Galietti goes 3-for-4 with 2 RBI for the victorious Flying Dutchmen, while teammate John Peters has a 4-hit game.

Game 2: Hofstra 8, Navy 3
Hofstra’s bats stay hot and Bob Feller gives them a typically eventful yet effective start to put the Dutchmen within a win of the Final 4. Catcher Seb Timmons has 4 hits and an RBI, while Tony Kubek goes deep. For the second straight game, one of Navy’s highly-touted starting pitchers struggles, with Bill Sowders – 15-4 / 1.24 on the regular season – can’t make it through the 4th here.

Game 3: Navy 4, Hofstra 0
Alex Pearson stands tall, blanking Hofstra on 7 hits with 10 strikeouts to keep Navy in the game. All the Midshipmen’s runs come in the 4th, with Harry Stovey’s longball providing 3 of them.

Game 4: Hofstra 8, Navy 6 (11 innings)
In a truly epic game that will be spoken about for years to come, Hofstra pulls off an amazing comeback, blows the save and then wins in 11 to advance to the Final 4. Entering the 8th, the Hofstra offence had managed just 3 hits and struck out 10 times against Tim Keefe and trail by four, but then they find their range and add 3 in that inning on a Jake Gettman homer then 3 more in the 9th to suddenly lead 6-4. Carmen Hill then lets the Midshipmen tie it with a deuce to send the game into extras, with Hofstra going ahead again in the top 11th before Dutch Ruether closes it out for a famous, if fraught, victory that ends Navy’s title reign. Dutchmen 2B Seth Ross has four hits in this game and wins series MVP honours.

Hofstra wins series 3-1
MVP: Seth Ross (Hofstra)


#4 Oregon State Beavers v #8 Kansas Jayhawks

Game 1: Oregon State 6, Kansas 3
Another disciplined win by the Beavers to open this series, who get to the usually reliable Toad Ramsay early and never look in danger as Scott Stratton gives them his second strong performance of these playoffs.

Game 2: Oregon State 2, Kansas 1
Jon Huffman outduels Bobby Voccio as the Beavers come from behind to get a hard-fought win and 2-0 series lead. OSU’s Bobby V – Vachon, that is – delivers the game-winning blow with a 2-run homer in the 6th and the Beavers BP hangs tough to close it out.

Game 3: Kansas 4, Oregon State 0
An uncanny similarity to the Hofstra-Navy game here, as Todd Bagley helps Kansas extend the series with 8 shutout innings and the Jayhawks win 4-0. As in that other game, all the runs come in one frame, albeit this time the 8th.

Game 4: Kansas 1, Oregon State 0
Toad Ramsay more than atones for his earlier disappointment with a sparking one-hitter as the Jayhawks sneak home 1-0 to send this series to a deciding game. Matt Cordero doubles twice and plates the game-winner.

Game 5: Kansas 6, Oregon State 1
Kansas completes an amazing comeback with a fairly anticlimactic 6-1 win at Coleman Field. Despite a bit of wildness, Bobby Voccio comes through for the Jayhawks, limiting the Beavers to a run on 4 hits over 8+. Arky Vaughan wins his second straight MVP award of the postseason.

Kansas wins series 3-2
MVP: Arky Vaughan (Kansas)

John Dewey League

#1 Pepperdine Waves v #5 Texas A&M Aggies

Game 1: Pepperdine 4, Texas A&M 1
Pepperdine scores all its runs in the 6th, three of them on a bases-clearing double by Logan Hall, and pitchers Ben Tincup and Harry Coveleski do the rest as the prohibitive favourites keep A&M quiet in an opening game win.

Game 2: Texas A&M 6, Pepperdine 2
The Aggies put a scare into the Waves and then some, earning a road split with a really gutsy win at Field Stadium. The game is tied at 2 entering the 9th before the Texan bats explode with a 4-spot, thanks mainly to a 3-run home run by Catcher Bill Merritt, and the home side comes up empty in the bottom half to send this series over to the Lone Star State tied at a game apiece.

Game 3: Pepperdine 4, Texas A&M 0
Almost unbelievably we get our third 4-0 scoreline for the day as the Waves regain control of this series behind Jeff Erickson’s 4-hit / 10-K shutout.

Game 4: Texas A&M 12, Pepperdine 6
The twists and turns continue in this engrossing series as the Aggies once again shock the Waves to necessitate a Game 5. The sides exchange big innings early before the Aggies bats maintain their attack and win it going away. Ryan Allen’s huge playoff run continues as he has three hits including his 4th homer of the post-season and drives in 4.

Game 5: Texas A&M 6, Pepperdine 5 (11 innings)
In an upset of almost biblical proportions, the Aggies rally from four runs down and go on to win the game in 11 and the series in five. It can perhaps be argued that a team who can’t close out a game so seemingly under its control doesn’t deserve to advance, but still one has to feel for the young Pepperdine lads as this one will take a lot of healing. For A&M, who manage this win despite losing their starting pitcher Kelly Wheeler to an elbow injury, no such questions can be posed. Aggies 1B George Burns is named MVP.

Texas A&M wins series 3-2
MVP: George Burns (Texas A&M)


#2 Arizona Wildcats v #3 Mississippi State Bulldogs

Game 1: Mississippi State 4, Arizona 2
Chris Woltz gives up just 3 hits and a pair of unearned runs over 7 as MSU takes the home advantage away from Arizona with a tight road win. Sherm Lollar’s 2-run double in the 7th proves the decisive hit of the game.

Game 2: Mississippi State 5, Arizona 3
MSU give themselves two chances to clinch at home with another grinding win on the road. Wayne Bell goes deep with a man on as part of a 5-run 2nd inning, and only 2 runs in the 9th by the hosts make this seem close as Stephen Schoonover is near-faultless over 8+.

Game 3: Arizona 3, Mississippi State 0
Four shutouts from four on the day, as Jouett Meekin’s dominant post-season continues with a 11-strikeout 4-hitter to earn the Wildcats their first win and keep the series going.

Game 4: Arizona 2, Mississippi State 1
This one, too, is going the distance after the Wildcats grind out a tight 2-1 road victory to level things up. Antonio Burrell allows just one run on two hits over 7 and Neymar Englert closes it out with a 2-frame save.

Game 5: Arizona 5, Mississippi State 2
Another miraculous comeback is completed as Arizona’s 5-2 win – the first by the home side this series – propels them into the penultimate playoff round. TJ Banagan does most of the damage with a grand slam in the 3rd, while Stubby Overmire gives the Wildcats 7 strong innings for the W. His rotation mate Jouett Meekin wins the MVP.

Arizona wins series 3-2
MVP: Jouett Meekin (Arizona)

[luckymann]

Best of five in the standard format once again.

Horace Mann League

#2 Hofstra Flying Dutchmen v #8 Kansas Jayhawks

Game 1: Hofstra 4, Kansas 2
Bob Feller and Toad Ramsay duke it out for 6 before Feller exits with the game still tied at 2, and it takes a pinch-hit 2-run double in the 8th by Chris Huber to finally put the Dutchmen ahead for good in a gripping opening game.

Game 2: Hofstra 18, Kansas 6
The Hofstra bats run amok with 16 hits including 4 homers, - two of them grand slams - to send the Dutchmen westward needing just one win to lock down its place in the CWS. Jake Gettman and John Peters lead the way, combining for 5 hits and 10 ribbies thanks to those aforementioned slams, with Luke Surles also mashing a 3-run tater.

Game 3: Hofstra 4, Kansas 1
Hofstra shows that it can grind out wins when needed, as they ride a strong outing by Duke Esper all the way into the ACBA World Series. Jake Gettman adds a couple more hits to his tally, earning series MVP honours, but to a man the Dutchmen have shown they belong where they now find themselves. Kansas gives it all they’ve got and can hold their heads up for the season they have put together, but it just isn’t to be for the Jayhawks this time around.

Hofstra wins series 3-0
MVP: Jake Gettman (Hofstra)

John Dewey League

#2 Arizona Wildcats v #5 Texas A&M Aggies

Game 1: Arizona 12, Texas A&M 2
After a tentative early section, Arizona busts this one wide open with a 7-run 5th and goes on to take an easy victory. Fred Thomas and Ty Banagan power the Wildcats offence, each belting 2 homers and driving in 7 between them. Jouett Meekin goes the distance for the W.

Game 2: Arizona 9, Texas A&M 5
The Wildcats recover from an early setback after A&M grabs a 4-0 lead in the 3rd to run right over the top of them with a late rally to win easing up. Homers to Mickey Cochrane and Alexander Gambrell are the springboard and it’ll be tough from here one would think for the Aggies.

Game 3: Arizona 5, Texas A&M 1
Arizona also has little trouble disposing of a game A&M group in the minimum, booking their place in the final dance with a fairly comprehensive road win behind Stubby Overmire. Mickey Cochrane goes yard again but it is teammate Ty Banagan who is named MVP.

Arizona wins series 3-0
MVP: MVP: Ty Banagan (Arizona)

[luckymann]

Hofstra Flying Dutchmen v Arizona Wildcats
Best of seven in the 2-3-2 format. Hofstra with the home-field advantage.

Well here we are at the final stage of this 1951 ACBA season, the success of which has consolidated its strong debut year. The ACBA World Series will be fought out by two schools who have been consistently at the top of the rankings throughout the year but who also seem to have struck form at the perfect time. Arizona have had a tougher road to get here, especially with that early tiebreaker, and one has to query how these young bodies are going to hold up. Still, there's no denying these are two evenly-matched squads and expectations are high for a really competitive contest.

Game 1: Arizona 2, Hofstra 0
First blood to the visiting Wildcats in a low-scoring affair as Jouett Meekin dominates Hofstra, shutting them out on 4 hits with 11 strikeouts. Bob Feller gives the Dutchmen 6 scoreless as well, but the bullpen gives up the tie on 2 unearned runs in the 7th and that’s all it takes.





Game 2: Hofstra 3, Arizona 0
Ray Fisher gives Hofstra the steadying start they need and Jake Gettman belts a 2-run homer as the Flying Dutchmen get this series back on an even keel in another dour contest. Fisher goes 7 innings, scattering 6 hits without ever seriously looking in trouble, and the relief corps finishes off his good work without incident.





Game 3: Arizona 4, Hofstra 1
Another high-quality game from these two really talented squads but it is the home side who prevails behind a fine outing from Stubby Overmire. The Wildcats get to Duke Esper early as Mickey Cochrane takes him deep with a couple aboard in the 1st, and then add another run in the 5th. While they try valiantly, the Hofstra bats cannot make up the gap although they do give Arizona a scare in the 9th by bringing the tying run to the plate before Neymar Englert closes it out for his 6th save of the playoffs.





Game 4: Hofstra 6, Arizona 3
Two of the ACBA’s hottest young prospects combine for 27 strikeouts as Hofstra ensures their home fans will see them play at least once more with an impressive 6-3 win. The Dutchmen stake Bob Feller to an early 5-run lead as Jouett Meekin gives up a 3-run homer to John Peters but is also let down by some porous defence, with Arizona’s fielders eventually committing 4 errors and allowing 4 unearned to score. The Wildcats chip away at the deficit, but Hofstra adds another run in the 9th and gets there fairly comfortably in the end.





Game 5: Arizona 6, Hofstra 5
The Wildcats continue to dictate terms as this engrossing series provides a game that will no doubt – and rightfully – be regarded as an ACBA classic. Hofstra will perhaps look back ruefully on a couple of strategic misfires over the late innings that keep the scores tied before Mickey Cochrane gives the hosts a walkoff win with a single off Dutch Ruether to put them just a win away from glory as we head back to Hempstead.





Game 6: Arizona 9, Hofstra 7
In a spectacle befitting such a grand concept as the ACBA, the Wildcats and Flying Dutchmen stand toe-to-toe and slug away until the Wildcats are the only ones left standing. It is messy, erratic, highly fraught and emotionally taut, all the things you’d expect given the circumstances, but in the end Arizona make more of the key plays when they need to, especially over these final two games, and thoroughly deserve their win. Disappointment no doubt for Hofstra, but what Coach McCormack and his staff have achieved with this small institution in such a short time is absolutely amazing and something of which the entire school body should be extremely proud. Arizona catcher Mickey Cochrane is named series MVP.





Arizona wins series 4-2
MVP: Mickey Cochrane (Arizona)

[luckymann]

HORACE MANN LEAGUE HISTORY INDEX 1951

JOHN DEWEY LEAGUE HISTORY INDEX 1951


MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

RELIEVER OF THE YEAR




MANAGER OF THE YEAR

HML: Murphy McCormack (Hofstra)
JDL: Edgar Avila (Arizona)


PLATINUM STICK
HML / JDL




GREAT GLOVE
HML / JDL

[luckymann]

Another class of graduates are leaving the ACBA along with some who have opted out early and decided to chase their baseball dreams instead. The following alumni were selected in the First Round of this year’s MLB Rookie Draft:

• SS Jamie Barry (Northern Colorado) - Philadelphia Phillies (2nd)
• OF Jessie Walsh (Minnesota) - New York Giants (8th)
• 1B Leonardo Molina (Santa Clara) - Boston Red Sox (11th)
• 3B Ryan Allen (Texas A&M) - Pittsburgh Pirates (13th)
• 2B Roger Andersen (ORU) - Cincinnati Reds (14th)
• OF Justin Warrick (Mizzou) - Brooklyn Dodgers (18th)
• SS Rich Haddad (Holy Cross) - Chicago White Sox (19th)

[luckymann]

Murphy McCormack sits in his apartment, feet on the desk, massaging his eyes with one hand and his temples with the other. He is, he had only just realised a few minutes earlier, more bone tired than he can ever remember being in the nearly 32 years he has been on Earth. A crackle followed by a rumble from his open fireplace as some of the logs resettle sends a rather macabre thought floating through his grey matter: if that thing gets out of control, I’m pretty sure the first responders will find a crispy version of me where I am sitting right now.

It has been quite a ride these past few months.

Even with the pressure of clinching a spot removed early and Hofstra’s relatively straightforward passage through the early rounds of the playoffs, the pressure Murphy had felt throughout was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. In the end it showed, as his opposing skipper Ed Avila outmanaged and outmanoeuvred Murphy all throughout the World Series. A more experienced Manager wouldn’t have made the mistakes Murphy did, especially in Games 5 and 6, and he knows deep down that this – not the untimely errors or GIDPs or waywardness on the mound – is what cost Hofstra the title. Winning Manager of the Year a fortnight later only compounds his feeling of being a fraud.

Perspective is the darnedest thing. If at the start of the year somebody had told him they thought Hofstra would go within a couple games of winning the competition, he almost certainly would have looked at them like they were “touched”, so far-fetched an idea would it seem to him at that time. Now, however, with that being precisely what had happened, the only thought he has been able to muster is how badly losing sucks.

Around the campus, however, he seems to be the only one that feels this way. The students and his fellow faculty members see both the #4 national ranking and runner-up performance as nothing short of twin triumphs. They are calling him “M4”: Murphy Mac, Miracle Man.

He understands why they feel this way and has no problem with it at all as long as it isn’t the parent to a sense of apathy moving forward. As far as Murphy is concerned, no miracle has been performed until Hofstra wins it all and the program is robust enough to allow them to compete year in, year out. And yet, he also understands how important it is to enjoy moments like this. That doesn’t mean he knows how to do so personally. For now, he’ll have to do it vicariously through everyone else in the extended Hofstra family.

Despite the Series loss, the increased interest in the Hofstra athletic program and baseball in particular is expected to rise exponentially. This in turn should mean that whereas a year ago they really had to hard sell prospective students, now – thanks to what Murphy’s group had achieved and, perhaps more importantly, the fact that the new TV networks had given it plenty of nightly coverage – the necessary pitch – pardon the pun – should be greatly reduced. In essence, Hofstra’s reputation would now precede it in a beneficial way. That said, the timing of the matter had proven too late to hold any sway over the nominations submitted by next year’s incoming class, meaning the full benefit would only be derived down the track somewhat. This year remained a bit of a slog in this regard.

Thankfully, the squad was in good shape with only Seth Ross, Bill Galietti and Josh Munson among the starters having moved on. (Of those, only Munson had found a new club – picked 184th overall by, would you believe it, Brooklyn.) During the second half of the season, Murphy and his staff had identified five key needs they wanted to address over the break:

1. A quality OF prospect that can play all 3 slots; LH or Switch-hitter preferred
2. A plus IF utility to give them coverage around the diamond with roughly equal offensive and defensive abilities
3. A slow-burn Catcher who can eventually take over from Seb Timmons in a couple years
4. Starting Pitcher prospects
5. LH relief pitcher(s)

The scouting department then got to work and compiled the requisite dossiers for each with their top picks among available players and in particular those who had nominated Hofstra as one of their preferred schools. From there, Murphy, his Assistant Coach Cayson Olmstead and Scouting Director Colby Cross assembled their plan of attack. The implementation of which had finished at midnight – 35 minutes ago – when the recruitment deadline had passed.

Their efforts had resulted in the following students being added to the program:

• OF Jeff Hill
• IF Xavier Bartholomew, Paul Courter
• C Carlos Vela, Jarred Logan
• UT Josh Tomko, Luiso Gutierrez
• P Satchel Paige, Ryan Bracken, Josh Anderson

Some really nice pickups there, with Paige to come into the rotation so Canfield can be added to the LH relief crew along with Bracken. Hill and Bartholomew will vie for backup spots. The others will have to improve if they want to make any meaningful contribution over their four-year stay.

Murphy drags himself upright and starts returning the papers strewn about his desk to their folders. He has planned to spend Christmas at home with his mother and is driving there two days hence. After that, he is headed to the Poconos for a couple weeks with Omar and his family, and has convinced Amanda Charles to join them with Oliver in tow. He has recently been named the #3 High School prospect in the country and will be thrilled to spend some time with Omar, who with his Dodgers teammates had won their second straight title in the season just past by sweeping the White Sox again. Omar – always fairly handy with the bat – had won his first Platinum Stick this year (Murphy was not looking forward to hearing about this on repeat for a fortnight…) and also finished 6th in the Pitcher of the Year voting, even topping a couple of ballots. Teammate Jeremy Anderson (a catcher) who played in the 1950 ACBA tournament for Columbia and wasn’t drafted until the 6th round, had nabbed both the RoY and NL MVP award, bringing all the more cachet to the ACBA.

The squad is due to report on February 1st, with Opening Day a month after that.

For now, bed and the sleep of the dead.

[luckymann]

It takes the Brooklyn Dodgers 49 fewer years to win their second Championship than it did their first as they stretch their unbeaten run in the World Series to eight games with another sweep of the White Sox after both had cruised to their respective pennants.

No new records set or outlier seasons delivered, with the main point of note being that David Verdugo will begin next season at his new club - he signed a 7-year deal with the Pirates in the offseason -needing just 6 home runs to become the league's all-time leader.

Aaron Sampsel finally gets his plaque after a few narrow misses, but he only just scrapes in. Same goes with Ramon Bernal, who makes it with just 75.1% on his 5th try.

AL 1951 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1951 HISTORY INDEX

[luckymann]

March 1, 1952

Well to say I’m itchin’ for this season to get started would plumb about be the understatement of my short life, I reckon. Such a different lead-up to Opening Day this time around, with me firmly entrenched in the squad and central to the coach’s plans rather than off to one side trying to make myself seen. If I’m nervous about the added pressure then I can’t feel it other than that sensation of eagerness to just get on with things.
I’m sure I’ve never been so ready for something, so well-prepared. All the stuff I got to work on up in the Poconos with Murphy and Omar Rodriguez changed my whole approach to hitting. Despite bein a hurler by trade, Omar fancies himself quite the lumberjack and he sure had some interesting things to say from the pitching perspective.

What it comes down to in short is I need to be much more scientific with my approach going forward. I gotta start paying more attention to what a pitcher throws me in different situations, different counts, men on or bases empty—that sorta thing. Note them down after every game and keep a log for future reference. This mightn’t pay such big dividends now, but as Murphy and Omar said, it’s the habits you form when you’re young that stay with you the longest.

So I used some of my allowance to by a small filing system with index cards of different colours and I’m gonna upkeep that for the rest of my playin days. It’s a bit of work but I reckon it’s well worth it.

We start the new season next Friday with a couple at the CSI Dragons. Coach Torres has got me hittin third and playing at short. It’s where I see myself playing moving forward, mainly because I think there are fewer top-notch guys at that position and it’ll give me the best chance of progressing all the way up. Still, I’m gonna keep polishing my defensive skills all round the field, both in and out, to keep my options as open as possible. Danny Fernandez and Mark Myers will be behind me and with both of them real mashers in the making I reckon I’ll see my fair share of hittable pitches. Now I just gotta make sure I hit ‘em. Watch this space, as they say in the funny papers.