Clearing the bases: Underway
Friday, February 16th, 2007Here the sun is shining and snow still blankets the ground but the 2007 Division III Baseball season has begun. Two no hitters are already in the books as I clear the bases for the first time.
Most teams are preparing for their spring trips but there is some baseball being played in the South and West regions this week. A few NJAC teams (Rowan, Rutgers-Newark, Rutgers-Camden) are heading south to play teams in the ODAC and USA South.
Four teams in the USA South have had good starts. Methodist (4-0) and Christopher Newport (3-0) are at the top with NC Wesleyan (6-1) and Averett (6-1) close behind. Both NC Wesleyan and Averett started 6-0 but losses to Mt Olive (NCW) and Hamden-Sydney (Averett) knocks them out of the ranks of the unbeaten. In the season opener, Blake Rice threw a no-hitter against Frostburg State. Rice stuck out 7 and walked 2 in a 7 inning 2-0 win. Rice was chosen as the Athlete of the Week in the UAS South for his accomplishments.
The SCAC is off and running as three teams emerge with unbeaten records. Oglethorpe (3-0), Rhodes (3-0), and Millsaps (3-0), start the season with perfect records. Outfielder Hunter Owen, Millsaps was the SCAC player of the week with 2 HR, 5 runs and 5 RBI in two games last week.
In the ODAC, Virginia Wesleyan (1-0) starts off the season with a win against Salisbury. The baseball gods were not kind to the Great South AC as the conference went 0-10 to start the season.
In the ASC, Texas Lutheran starts the season 4-0 and heads on the road for a DH against Huston-Tillotson. Bulldog’s Jacob Kaase, SS, hit .583 with 6 runs, 2 walks, and 3 RBI to be named the ASC West Hitter of the Week. West Pitcher of the Week was RB Garza from Mary Baylor Hardin with 2 saves in 4.6 innings of work. Garza did not allow a run with 5 strikeouts. The second no-hitter of the short season was Ozark’s Ted Kock’s gem. Kock, ASC East Pitcher of the Week, beat Principia in the Eagle’s season opener (sound familiar) with 9 strikeouts in only the second Ozark no-no in modern day history. Kock’s teammate, Andrew Teaster was the ASC East Hitter of the Week. The Ozark first baseman hit .900 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 RBI. Ozark finshed the week 3-2.
Rounding out the west region, Lewis and Clark (2-0), Geoege Fox (1-0), Linfield (1-0), Redlands (1-0) and Chapman (6-0) start the season undefeated. Chapman has shown mid season form with a .373 batting aveara and a 2.33 ERA though their first 6 games of the season.
My pick for game of the week is George Fox at Redlands (Friday 16 Feb) as two top teams in the west try to stay unbeaten.
