By Ricky Nelson, D3sports.com
| Did St. Thomas peak too early
this season? St. Thomas athletics photo |
The Midwest Regional will have more than six teams for the first time since the seven-team tournament in 2006. The Midwest has won more national titles – three – than any other region in the 12 years since the championship moved to Fox Cities Stadium (St. Thomas in 2001 and 2009; UW-Whitewater in 2005). UW-Whitewater hosts the regional at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium for the third consecutive season.
This year’s regional field is larger than normal due in part to geography, but like usual, it isn’t lacking in depth. Top seed St. Thomas leads the nation in fielding percentage. No. 2 seed UW-La Crosse has won 21 of its last 22 games. No. 3 seed North Park has turned the second most double plays in the country. No. 4 seed UW-Whitewater is 56-11 at home over the past three seasons. No. 5 seed Concordia Chicago leads Division III in hits. No. 6 seed St. Scholastica has made the regional final twice in the last five years. No. 7 seed Aurora has scored eight or more runs 27 times this season. No. 8 seed St. Norbert has won 18 of its last 19 games.
Midwest Regional Schedule
Wednesday, May 16
G Time Participants
1 10:00 am UW-Whitewater (29-16)
vs. Concordia (IL) (33-12)
2 1:00 pm St. Thomas (34-8)
vs. St. Norbert (26-11)
3 4:00 pm North Park
(32-12) vs. St. Scholastica (33-9)
4 7:00 pm UW-La Crosse
(33-9) vs. Aurora (36-8)
Thursday, May 17
5 10:00 am Loser of game 1
vs. Loser of game 2
6 1:00 pm Loser of
game 3 vs. Loser of game 4
7 4:00 pm Winner of game 1
vs. Winner of game 2
8 7:00 pm Winner of
game 3 vs. Winner of game 4
Friday, May 18
9 10:00 am Winner of game 6
vs. Loser of game 7
10 1:00 pm Winner of game 5
vs. Loser of game 8
11 4:00 pm Winner of game 7
vs. Winner of game 8
12 7:00 pm Winner of game 9
vs. Winner of game 10
Saturday, May 19
13 1:00 pm Winner of game 12
vs. Loser of game 11
14 4:00 pm Winner of game 11
vs. Winner of game 13
Sunday, May 20
15 1:00 pm Same as game 14,
if necessary
Favorite: Ten days ago it would have been St.
Thomas, hands down. However, a combination of the Tommies’
recent inconsistency and UW-La Crosse’s incredible
consistency makes the previously moribund Eagles the pick. UW-La
Crosse nearly lost baseball due to budget cuts several seasons ago,
and now it’s the favorite despite making regionals for just
the second time ever (went 2-2 in 1998). The feel-good story of
last month has been replaced by great expectations. Not much has
fazed this deep and talented squad. All they’ve done is
win.
Most likely to disappoint: North Park. The
Vikings have only played one regional team all season –
Illinois Wesleyan, which is playing in Tennessee – so there
is a bit of an unknown factor for opponents at the regional. But
what is known is that the committee didn’t do North Park any
favors in terms of matchups despite the seeding. With apologies to
Trinity (Conn.), North Park may have the toughest road of any No. 3
seed this year. Facing St. Scholastica in the opener and then
either UW-La Crosse or Aurora in Round 2 is a difficult draw.
Cinderella: St. Scholastica. The Saints swept
UW-La Crosse, coughed up a chance to do the same against St.
Thomas, and split with UW-Whitewater at Prucha Field this season.
That loss at Whitewater is the only one the Saints have had since
March 16. Repeat, March 16. Add the fact that in their so-called
down portion of the season the Saints also split with Keystone and,
simply stated, St. Scholastica can beat anyone. The Saints were the
site’s pick to win the regional in the preseason, so it
wouldn’t be a big surprise if this No. 6 seed won it for the
first time in program history.
Players to watch:
SP Steve Maher, St. Thomas (11-1, 2.18 ERA, 74.1 IP, 56 H, 15 BB,
84 K, .207 OBA)
1B Jay Fanta, UW-La Crosse (.420 AVG, 39 R, 14 2B, 5 HR, 35 RBI,
97 TB, 1.110 OPS)
C Tony Sanchez, North Park (.390 AVG, 37 R, 15 2B, 6 HR, 58 RBI,
106 TB, 1.052 OPS)
1B Marty Herum, UW-Whitewater (.412 AVG, 36 R, 16 2B, 5 HR, 57
RBI, 110 TB, 1.050 OPS)
3B Anthony Even, Concordia Chicago (.442 AVG, 50 R, 22 2B, 2 HR,
38 RBI, 122 TB)
OF Kyle Flagstad, St. Scholastica (.451 AVG, 37 R, 13 2B, 7 3B, 3
HR, 48 RBI, 91 TB)
3B Tim Mackey, Aurora (.400 AVG, 57 R, 18 2B, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 106
TB, 34 SB, 1.047 OPS)
OF Matt Hannon, St. Norbert (.383 AVG, 38 R, 6 2B, 1 HR, 39 RBI,
73 TB, .899 OPS)