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| Webster starting righthander Matt Mulhearn is one reason that the Gorloks are expected to be back in Cedar Rapids in June. Webster athletics photo |
by Jim Dixon
D3sports.com
When looking for World Series contenders in the Central Region, start at the back of the alphabet. No. 8 Washington University and No. 2 Webster have put themselves first in the conversation. Both the Bears and Gorloks have a strong nucleus from last year’s Top 25 teams.
No. 21 North Central (Ill.) will be looking to add a baseball title to go along with the Stagg Bowl trophy earned a little over a month ago. They are averaging 30+ wins over their four-year playoff run and would like to make 2020 a special season.
No. 18 Coe was the surprise team last year in the American River Conference and was one win away from making their first title series in Cedar Rapids a hometown affair. The challenge in the ARC will come from the other ARC playoff team, Buena Vista. Five different Midwest Conference champions in the last five years have them out of title contention.
New Faces
Zach Bishop, Westminster (Mo.): Bishop replaces Denny Hughes, who retired at the end of the 2019 season. In Hughes' eight seasons, the Blue Jays made the conference tournament seven times, including one championship. Bishop comes to the Blue Jays after two years as an assistant at Webster. He worked with the hitters and catchers and took on many of the team's recruiting responsibilities. "Westminster has a strong tradition and does things the right way," said Bishop. "The facilities on campus are beautiful and it's a great place to get an education. The baseball program has consistently been successful and returns many impactful players from last season. This is a place where special things can happen."
John Rypel, Nebraska Wesleyan: Rypel as the new head coach for the Prairie Wolves, becomes the 11th head coach in NWU program history. Rypel comes to NWU from University of Alabama Birmingham where he spent the past season serving as the Director of Operations for the UAB baseball team. He has a NCAA Division III head coach background having served as head baseball coach at two different NCAA III institutions amassing 132 victories. Prior to UAB, Rypel was head coach at Calvin. He won 74 games during his tenure, leading the Knights to three berths in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament, including a trip to the finals in 2015.
Games to Watch in 2020
April 1st: Webster and Washington Univ. square off in a single game that will come into play when the regional rankings determine the top Central team at the end of April.
April 4th: The Midwest Conference playoff bid was denied to Chicago by Cornell in 2019. On the first weekend in April, Chicago can exact some revenge as they meet the Rams and look oo take a step towards a second straight regular season title.
April 18th: Coe and Buena Vista end a three-game set with a doubleheader and the winner getting control of the American River title chase.
May 2nd: North Central (Ill.) and Carthage end the CCIW conference slate and if the past is a predictor, this series will be key in determining the lineup for the conference tournament.
Conference Previews
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| D3baseball.com Preseason All-American reliever Gage Smart appeared in 24 games out of the bullpen and led the conference and ranked sixth in DIII with a 1.14 ERA over 47.1 innings pitched in 2019. Photo by Buena Vista athletics photo |
American Rivers Conference: No. 18 Coe (37-8) ran away with the regular season title, ending seven games above second place Buena Vista. Despite falling in the ARC tournament, the Kohawks went as far as the Super Regional, falling to the eventual national runner-up Birmingham Southern. Coe will play one of the toughest schedules in the nation with 11 games against teams in the Top 25 poll. Zach Kaman (2.17 ERA, 11-1, 40K) will need the same stellar season if Coe has their eye on making it a hometown D-III World Series. Two more pitchers and four offensive starters are back to see if the Kowawks can build on last year's success.
Buena Vista (26-19) was the second team in the ARC to get attention in the preseason poll, appearing in the list of schools receiving votes. They also have two D3baseball.com Preseason All-Americans in second baseman Bryce Rheault (.399, 49 R, 21 RBI) and reliever Gage Smart (1.14 ERA, 5-1, 8 SV, 54K). The coaching staff will need to build around these two seniors if the Beaver want to keep pace with a loaded Coe team.
Luther (23-20), Dubuque (26-15-1), Central (24-16) and Loras (16-20) all made the conference post season with Dubuque making to the final day before being eliminated by Coe. Central returns 40 lettermen with the likes of reliever Ryan Riddle (1.29 ERA, 2-0, 9 SV, 26K) who will challenge Buena Vista's Smart as the top reliever in the ARC.
Wartburg (13-26) finished a half game over Nebraska Wesleyan (10-25) and four over Simpson (13-23) in 2019 at the tail end of the standings. Keep an eye on Simpson's Truman Schmitt (.390, 37 R, 25 RBI). The senior is one of seven returning starters on the Storm roster and will key in getting out of the ARC cellar.
Favorite: Coe
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin: No. 21 North Central (Ill.) (34-13) has become comfortable at the top of the CCIW standings en route to five straight titles and expect the same in 2020. The Cardinals return a lot of depth and experience, especially in the pitching staff. Junior Charlie Klemm (2.20 ERA, 9-0, 84K) is the ace of the staff and will be throwing to 2020 D3baseball.com Preseason All-American catcher Rob Marinec (.344, 50 R, 54 RBI).
Augustana (26-15-1) played above there competition to earn a second seed in the 2019 CCIW post season tournament. Finishing no higher than third in the team batting, pitching and fielding stats, the Vikings made a quick exit in the CCIW tournament, going 0-2. With their only members of the first team All-CCIW earning diplomas, expect Augustana to slip in the standings.
Millikin (23-20), Illinois Wesleyan (24-19), and Wheaton (Ill.) (24-16) finished with identical records and it was the games on the final day that decided the seeding for the conference tournament. Illinois Wesleyan outfielder Nick Figus (.399, 36 R, 25 RBI) will challenge NCC's Rob Marinec in the 2020 Player of the Year race. With senior infielders Garrett Shea (.342, 29 R, 34 RBI) and Brandon Skopick (.329, 32 R 23 RBI), the Titans look to top NCC in the CCIW title race. Wheaton will have an exciting mix of talented roster additions and returning experience as they look for another postseason run.
North Park (24-18) squeaked into the conference tournament and one voter in the Top 25 saw some positives for the Vikings as they garnered a vote in the preseason Top 25. Carthage (18-22), Carroll (15-25), and Elmhurst (11-27) all missed the tournament. Carroll will have a young pitching staff that will need some development if the Pioneers are to change their fortunes.
Favorite: North Central (Ill.)
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| In 2019 Brian Lyle stole 19 bases, the third most in a season for the Maroons. Photo by Nicole Watkins, Chicago athletics |
Midwest Conference: Chicago (24-12) is still the favorite in the Midwest despite losing the core of their team for the last three years. Sophomore Sam Bennett, (4.50 ERA, 3-2, 58K) is what is left as last year's staff as the rest graduated. Junior David Clarke (1.29 ERA, 2-0, 5 SV, 13K) will be in the bull pen and the pitching staff will need some run support from the likes of Payton Jancsy (.361, 38 R, 26 RBI, 13 SB) and Brian Lyle (.378, 30 R, 24 RBI, 19 SB) to keep the Maroons at the top of the standings.
With some rebuilding in the Chicago pitching ranks Monmouth (22-15) will be looking to take advantage and contend for the conference title. A good, young pitching staff, backed by a veteran infield, should turn heads. The infield is a mix of senior and juniors with senior first baseman Mike Dato (.300, 20 R, 39 RBI) the best of the bunch. Senior Conner Sharp (3.69 ERA, 4-3, 42K) will join a pair of sophomore starters to start the season in the starting rotation.
Cornell (26-19) will have big shoes to fill. Gone is their top pitcher and everyday player but they have a pair of seniors in key positions in the field. Catcher Alex Schwartz (.259, 12 RBI) is back behind the plate and John-Michael Osley (.317, 44 R, 20 RBI, 12 SB) stays at shortstop. The Ram's senior third baseman Cale Jamesson (.365, 34 R, 50 RBI) will provide some punch in the lineup with seven home runs in 2019.
Ripon (24-18) and St. Norbert (19-17) use to make the Midwest their stepping stone to the NCAA playoffs but with just two combined trips the NCAA's in the last five years the torch has been passed to their conference rivals. Beloit (16-18), Grinnell (14-20), and Illinois College (18-18) have hovered a little above or below the .500 mark for much of the last decade. Illinois College returns a veteran squad of position players with added depth on the mound that will put the Blur Boys into Midwest Championship contention. Lawrence (5-23) and Knox (9-31) finished well out of contention for a Midwest crown in 2019 and 2020 looks much the same.
Favorite: Chicago
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| Seth Meyer was awarded hitter of the week three times in the 2019 season. Photo by Spalding athletics |
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: No. 2 Webster (37-13) comes into 2020 with a lot of expectations. Having lost only three players that saw significant action from last season's D-III World Series team, the Gorloks should once again be a top contending team for a conference, regional and super regional titles and have a chance to return to the World Series and compete for a national title. Matt Mulhern (2.13 ERA, 12-2, 102K) is their top pitcher and third baseman Ben Swords (.358, 53 R, 52 RBI) is the top returning everyday player.
Spalding (31-12), the top pick in the East bracket in the 2020 preseason poll will have the last two SLIAC Players of the Year to build a team around. Last year's Player of the Year, infielder Eric Meyer (.380, 49 R, 42 RBI) and teammate, the 2018 SLIAC Player of the Year, Garrett Wilson (.368, 39 R, 29 RBI, 18 SB). The Golden Eagles will be opening their 2020 campaign against number 17 ranked UW-Whitewater once again and hope for another upset win.
Past the top two teams in the SLIAC it is hard to see who will challenge them. Greenville (23-17) and Westminster (Mo.) (17-15) have pushed them in the past and with Luke Summers (0.67 ERA, 11-2, 127K) on the staff, Fontbonne (25-13) is part of this list. Principia (12-21), Blackburn (9-31), MacMurray (9-30), Eureka (16-20), and Iowa Wesleyan (8-30-1) will not be looking for a conference title.
Favorite: Webster
Independents: No. 8 Washington Univ (34-7-1) has a good nucleus back from 2019 squad. Tops among the returning Bears is senior utility man John Brinkman (.417, 35 R, 51 RBI, 0.00 ERA, 2-1, 5 SV, 17K) and junior shortstop Caleb Durbin (.392, 51 R, 26 RBI, 18 SB). Washington ranked high in most team statistical categories with a top ranking in ERA. Expect this to continue with the likes of senior starting pitcher Matt Ashbaugh (2.63 ERA, 7-0, 48 K) leading the staff.