May 24, 2012

Eight teams with hope

Wheaton (Mass.) took batting practice at Fox Cities Stadium on Thursday.
Wheaton athletics photo

The 2012 Baseball Championship begins on Friday morning with the final eight teams with the same goal, a walnut and bronze trophy. The task for the eight head coaches is to let the players enjoy the experience, but one thing you hear them say is that they are keeping the routine the same.

Webster's Bill Kurich echoes all head coaches when asked about how the Gorloks are preaparing. "We try to prepare the same and don't change the routine."

Cortland State's Joe Brown has a slightly different approach. "We prepare the same way, but the biggest thing is rest and keeping the routine realistic."

All coaches want their players to enjoy themselves and experience the atmosphere but nobody wanted it more than Christopher Newport's John Harvell. "We have seven seniors starting as position players and I am glad they got a chance to come to the tournament after what happened last year. They are taking it all in but understand that we are here for a reason."

It's better later

The head coaches from Cortland State and Kean talked about the benefits of playing the first games in the opening session but in the 12 championships played in Appleton, only three title winners played in the first or second game on Friday.
Year Champion Opening game
2011 Marietta Game 2
2010 Illinois Wesleyan Game 4
2009 St. Thomas Game 4
2008 Trinity (Conn.) Game 4
2007 Kean Game 4
2006 Marietta Game 4
2005 UW-Whitewater Game 1
2004 George Fox Game 4
2003 Chapman Game 4
2002 Eastern Connecticut Game 3
2001 St. Thomas Game 3
2000 Montclair State Game 2*
* Lost opening game

There is a mix of teams whose coaches and players that have played in the Championship round, whose coaches only know the experience, and whose coaches are experiencing it for the first time with their players. Each head coach thinks that their circumstances is a strength toward a common goal, piling up wins.

Neil Ioviero from Kean said, "We know the routine and it is a matter of getting deep into the tournament." Whitworth's Dan Ramsey has a different take on it, however: "Being new is a benefit. We can concentrate on winning."

Marietta's Brian Brewer downplayed the Pioneers' experience. "This is a new season with a new team personality. We just have to be focused on the task."

No matter whether a team will be playing its first Championship series game or its 81st, the game is the same nine-inning game in the spring as it is on Friday. Wheaton's Eric Podbelski said it all when he said, "The game does not change."

On Friday we will find out who gets down to business on something that all eight teams have been doing routinely, winning.