UConn and the 2019 AAC Baseball Championship Tournament

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You would love the set up for the college World Series. 8 teams split into two pods. Each pod plays a double elimination. The winners of each pod play each other in a 2 out of 3 series for the championship. Took me a while to figure that one out.

I’d love to figure it out this year...

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

Wills Montgomery had the same issue early on in his UConn career but figured it out by his Jr year and was dominant. It just seems that coming into Feole's Jr year we thought he would have figured it out, but just hasn't. He just doesn't have command of his pitches and it kills him. Too many deep counts and high pitch counts. Wish he would but know it's unlikely that he would come back for his Senior year and really work on his command.

Wills Montgomerie had it much worse than Feole at the start of his career, where he often created his own trouble with walks, wild pitches, balks, you name it. Early on it gave him a lot of trouble. This sort of thing lasted throughout his career at UConn, but late in his sophomore year and into his junior year he developed a great knack of getting out these jams while minimizing the damage. He was amazing at walking this tightrope and still being effective, I grew to admire him for it. He was truly an artful dodger on the mound. Still, I recall more than a few times in his junior year where Montgomerie would be around 30 pitches thrown after the first inning.

 

[huskymedic]

Cincy up on Tulane 6-1 in the 4th...

 

[SAMCRO]

All I know is UConn is firmly in the tournament! Doubt we get a 1 seed, even if we win out, so could care less about 2 or 3 seed (other than getting last at bat). Come on you Huskies. Looking forward to a UConn and Tottenham double win next Saturday.

 

[dbmill]

Ugh. Big Fedko, despite pinch hitting yesterday, still not able to start.

Chris Jones has not said anything about Christian Fedko being hurt. Fedko’s bat has been slumping, and Jones has been saying during the last few game broadcasts that Fedko and the coaching staff have been working on his swing to get him out of it. Jones keeps on saying that Fedko should be back in the lineup shortly. However, Paul Gozzo has taken over the D.H. spot with his recent hot hitting, so that takes way that spot in the lineup for Christian. Coach Penders has always been willing to go with the hot hand, and as long as Gozzo is producing, Gozzo will stay in the lineup. As Penders said in a recent interview, "Gozzo is kicking the door in", with his bat.

I would have expected Fedko to get the start at 2B today behind Feole, but obviously it didn’t happen. So as far as 2B goes, it is becoming apparent that Penders and the coaching staff isn’t interested in having his subpar glove starting at 2B, especially if he isn't hitting. And given the move to put Moriarty in for defense at 2B in the 9th inning after UConn took the lead, it sure looks like they want to limit Christian's time in playing the infield. They just don't like his defense, it's that simple. Coach Penders has apparently made a late season decision to put better defense out in the field in support of the pitching staff. It will be interesting to see what transpires next season, but I have an odd suspicion that Christian may end up in left field unless he makes a great improvement defensively over the summer.

 

[navery12]

Not a three game round in double elim. Either winners bracket champ wins game one or loses resulting in winner take all game. Teams could potentially play 3 times in a row but necessarily in one “round”

But that's not how it works, UConn and Tulane/Cincy can both make the final from the winners bracket of their side

 

[dbmill]

Cincy up on Tulane 6-1 in the 4th...

Cincy leading Tulane 7-4 in the top of the 6th.

 

[dbmill]

Penders drags out an annual quote at the end of this interview that is always a favorite of mine since it is oh so true, referring to UConn's long steak of playing in conference tournament semi finals.

"The Huskies play in Clearwater on Saturday, so that's what we do".

 

[uconnbaseball]

I would honestly rather play on the campus of a school like ECU or Wichita, but no question Clearwater has been good to us.

 

[dbmill]

Cincinnati beats Tulane 8-4.

 

[Husker Husky]

Very much like the AAC if you take out ECU. My point was that it's a fun conference tourney when the teams are all so competitive.

It really is. Damn thunderstorms are reeking havoc with tonight's games.

 

[Jaybird65]

You would love the set up for the college World Series. 8 teams split into two pods. Each pod plays a double elimination. The winners of each pod play each other in a 2 out of 3 series for the championship. Took me a while to figure that one out.

I went to the CWS in the mid 80’s when I was still in the coaching world. It was the old 8 team true double elimination format. Weather wrecked the tournament; took 11 days to complete. I had to leave after 8 days so I missed the last 3 games.

 

[uconnsouth]

I was one of the few willing to sit in the 95 degree sun haha! Go Huskies!

 

[Fairfield_1st]

"The Huskies play in Clearwater on Saturday, so that's what we do".

I just listened to the interview. Hadn't heard the quote before, but I do love it.

 

[dbmill]

I just listened to the interview. Hadn't heard the quote before, but I do love it.

Penders has said that line in interviews for at least the last couple of years.

 

[uconnbaseball]

The "easiest" path to a conference title would be Wichita and Cincy, but if we want to host as a 2 seed, beating ECU and Tulane would probably be optimal.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[businesslawyer]

Would have loved one more inning from Feole yesterday, but you can't overstate what good shape we enter the semis with in terms of pitching. Mason is done, and Dandeneau has been used extensively, but other than that everyone is totally fresh. Our 2 and 3 starters are certainly available tomorrow, having thrown under 40 pitches each on Tuesday in what were long relief appearances in effect. Wally and Wurster have thrown 1 1/3 and 1 2/3 innings respectively, and no one else has pitched yet. We will come out Saturday needing to win 1 of 2 with our #2 and #3 starters available against ECU's or WSU's #4 and #5. And a bullpen that's fresher.

Don't get me wrong -- you still have to win baseball games, and it's not like we've rolled over anyone this week (or frankly this conference season). But the staff enters the semi-finals as fresh as is possible in this type of tournament.

 

[DefCONNOne]

You would love the set up for the college World Series. 8 teams split into two pods. Each pod plays a double elimination. The winners of each pod play each other in a 2 out of 3 series for the championship. Took me a while to figure that one out.

The 2-out of-3 championship round is a recent addition. I believe they sarted that...5 years ago? 6? This decade for sure.

Note: Wow...I was way off. They started the best of-3 final round in 2003.

 

[JeannoCT]

watching ECU and Wichita now. How do they determine who the home team is?? I assumed it would be the higher seed, but it's not. Flip of coin?? Thx.

 

[huskymedic]

B2: Wichita State up 5-0 on ECU on a grand slam w/ 2 outs.

 

[businesslawyer]

B2: Wichita State up 5-0 on ECU on a grand slam w/ 2 outs.

Obviously ECU losing increases our chances of winning the championship greatly, but even if the Pirates come back the second key for UConn is that both staffs require using many pitchers throwing many pitches. And through two, both starters here are already hovering at 50 pitches.

 

[huskymedic]

Obviously ECU losing increases our chances of winning the championship greatly, but even if the Pirates come back the second key for UConn is that both staffs require using many pitchers throwing many pitches. And through two, both starters here are already hovering at 50 pitches.

7-1 Wichita State B3-> men on 2nd and 3rd no outs after ECU pitching change.

 

[huskymedic]

7-1 Wichita State B3-> men on 2nd and 3rd no outs after ECU pitching change.

Well, that escalated quickly... 11-1 w/ 1 out. Another pitching change for ECU coming. O'Brien w/ grand slam B2, 2 run HR B3).