2015 Gopher Baseball

It's now down to Nebraska and Gophers for the final spot. Gophers must sweep MSU and Nebraska must lose its last 2 @ Illinois.

Illinois is locked in as the top seed, Iowa as the #2 seed. Seeds 3-8 still TBD.
Thought Ohio State would have went to their closer earlier than they did maybe even to start the 8th but they waited too long and let the win slip away.
 

Updated RPI Field of 64 (through May 14)

This is based on RPI only; not breaking it down like I do for basketball. Certainly there are teams currently "in the field" who absolutely would not receive an at-large bid at this point, example #1 being free-falling Nebraska. Nevertheless, the RPI serves as a pretty solid guide to which teams the Selection Committee will be looking at on Selection Monday (May 25).

Automatic Bids/Conference Leader (31)
#3 UCLA (Pac 12)
#4 TCU (Big XII)
#6 LSU (SEC)
#9 Missouri State (Missouri Valley)
#10 Louisville (ACC)
#12 Illinois (B1G)
#15 Houston (American)
#17 College of Charleston (Colonial)
#18 Radford (Big South)
#28 Rice (Conference USA)
#33 Nevada (Mountain West)
#34 Cal State Fullerton (Big West)
#37 Oral Roberts (Summit)
#42 North Florida (Atlantic Sun)
#44 Southeastern Louisiana (Southland)
#68 COLUMBIA (Ivy)
#72 Stony Brook (America East)
#75 Saint John’s (Big East)
#81 San Diego (WCC)
#85 South Alabama (Sun Belt)
#93 Saint Louis (Atlantic 10)
#95 Rider (MAAC)
#99 Central Michigan (MAC)
#121 Southeast Missouri State (OVC)
#127 Mercer (Southern)
#155 Alabama State (SWAC)
#162 UIC (Horizon)
#175 Bryant (Northeast)
#210 Navy (Patriot)
#252 Norfolk State (MEAC)
#256 Seattle (WAC)

At-Larges (33)
#1 Dallas Baptist
#2 Miami
#5 Texas A&M
#7 Florida State
#8 Florida
#11 Vanderbilt
#13 Oklahoma State
#14 FAU
#16 UCSB
#19 Coastal Carolina
#20 Auburn
#21 Bradley
#22 North Carolina
#23 USC
#24 Iowa
#25 Arizona State
#26 Virginia
#27 Ohio State
#29 Georgia Tech
#30 Ole Miss
#31 Notre Dame
#32 USF
#35 Oregon State
#36 Cal
#38 Michigan State

Last 8 In
#39 East Carolina – 10-13 vs. top 50
#40 NC State – 7-13 vs. top 50
#41 NC Wilmington – 1-9 vs. top 50
#43 Nebraska – 2-9 vs. top 50
#45 Indiana – 8-8 vs. top 50
#46 Liberty – 4-8 vs. top 50
#47 Arkansas – 7-10 vs. top 50
#48 UCF – 10-16 vs. top 50

First 8 Out
#49 UC Irvine – 4-6 vs. top 50
#50 Connecticut – 6-11 vs. top 50
#51 South Carolina – 8-9 vs. top 50
#52 Alabama – 7-16 vs. top 50
#53 Maryland – 11-11 vs. top 50
#54 Tulane – 12-12 vs. top 50
#55 Missouri – 5-13 vs. top 50
#56 Kentucky – 7-14 vs. top 50

B1G Standings
1. Illinois (20-1)
2. Iowa (18-4)
3. Michigan State (13-8)
T-4. Maryland (13-9)
T-4. Ohio State (13-9)
6. Michigan (14-10)
7. Indiana (10-10)
8. Nebraska (9-13): clinches final spot in BTT with a win over Illinois or any Minnesota loss
9. Minnesota (7-14)

Records vs. B1G Tournament Field
Illinois (8-1)
Iowa (10-2)
Michigan State (5-5)
Maryland (7-8)
Indiana (6-9)
Ohio State (5-8)
Michigan (5-8)
Nebraska (4-9)

Records vs. Projected NCAA Tournament Field
Illinois (14-3)
Iowa (8-2)
Ohio State (9-8)
Maryland (12-11)
Indiana (8-8)
Michigan State (9-10)
Michigan (6-9)
Nebraska (2-9)
 

Gophers lose, BTT chances done

Michigan State uses a pair of 2-run HRs in the top of the 8th and 9th innings to beat the Gophers 5-4.
 

Gophers find yet another way to lose and eliminate themselves from conference tourney contention with a 5-4 loss in game 1. Gophers lead most of the game and held a 4-1 lead going to the 8th but a walk and Ryan Krill's 2nd homerun would cut it to 4-3. Michigan State would get a leadoff single in the 9th and after a sacrifice bunt they would get another homerun for the 5-4 lead. Gophers would get a leadoff single in the bottom of the 9th but did nothing with it. Matt Fiedler and Michael Handel hit back-to-back homeruns for the Gophers in the 3rd to give them a 2-0 lead. Ben Meyer had a very good start and was cruising until the solo homerun in the 6th. I thought Meyer did show signs of tiredness in the 8th and fully expected to him be done after 8 but they tried to let him go and it came back to cost them. 5 runs, 7 hits, and 2 errors for the Spartans 4 runs 10 hits and 0 errors for the Gophers. The Gophers also left 11 runners on base as well while Michigan State only left 3 on base.
 

Gophers pick up a win in game 2 7-5. Motl and Skjefte both had homeruns for the Gophers while Ryan Krill also added another one for the Spartans.
 


Seeds 1, 2, 7, and 8 are set. Illinois the 1, Iowa the 2, OSU the 7, and Nebraska the 8.

3 through 6 will be determined tomorrow. MSU gets the 3 if it wins tomorrow, will fall to 4 or 5 with a loss. Michigan will be no worse than the 4 seed.
 

Gophers pick up a 2-1 win over Michigan State to close out the season. Gophers got a good start from Dalton Sawyer who went 6.1 innings struck out 7 walked 1 gave up 1 unearned run on 4 hits. Brian Glowicki pitched 2 perfect innings striking out 2 and Lance Thonvold finished the game off getting the last 2 outs. 2 runs on 6 hits and 1 error for the Gophers, 1 run on 4 hits and 2 errors for the Spartans.
 

The B1G Tournament bracket

I like Indiana's draw. Hoosiers in great shape for a NCAA bid after impressive late-season run.

Bubble teams Maryland or MSU will have a huge opportunity vs. Illinois in 2nd game. Sparty, especially, could pretty much lock up a bid if it knocks off the Illini for a second time. But first Sparty has to get by Terps ace Mike Shawaryn, probably the last guy anyone wants to face on Day 1 of the BTT.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...4-15/misc_non_event/2015BSBTourneyBracket.pdf
 

I like Indiana's draw. Hoosiers in great shape for a NCAA bid after impressive late-season run.

Bubble teams Maryland or MSU will have a huge opportunity vs. Illinois in 2nd game. Sparty, especially, could pretty much lock up a bid if it knocks off the Illini for a second time. But first Sparty has to get by Terps ace Mike Shawaryn, probably the last guy anyone wants to face on Day 1 of the BTT.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...4-15/misc_non_event/2015BSBTourneyBracket.pdf
I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan make a run. Indiana was really the only team that helped themselves this weekend in terms of getting closer to a tourney bid but their starting pitching is still a bit of a question and that's why I think Michigan beats them right away. Iowa losing 2 to Rutgers has to hurt their chances to host pretty bad.
 




I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan make a run. Indiana was really the only team that helped themselves this weekend in terms of getting closer to a tourney bid but their starting pitching is still a bit of a question and that's why I think Michigan beats them right away. Iowa losing 2 to Rutgers has to hurt their chances to host pretty bad.

Excellent call on Michigan. Great work! They were the best team in this tournament by a significant margin. Impressive. Illinois pitched great, but otherwise didn't play very well.
 

Excellent call on Michigan. Great work! They were the best team in this tournament by a significant margin. Impressive. Illinois pitched great, but otherwise didn't play very well.
Thanks SS! Lots of talent on that Michigan team and they put it together this week and had some things break their way. Some really good close games throughout the tournament really showed how improved the conference as a whole is.
 




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