Oru

[1bunnies]

Looks like they are trying to tarp the field in anticipation of the weather the next 2 days. Hopefully they will get the ORU series in this week-end.

[89rabbit]

Re: Oru

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...30/1002/sports

Jacks face big series at home

Oral Roberts sets standard in baseball

Terry Vandrovec • tvandrovec@argusleader.com • May 2, 2008

In its first ever Summit League home series, the South Dakota State baseball team will face arguably the best program in the conference in any sport.

Since joining the league in 1998, Oral Roberts is 199-24 in regular-season conference play and 33-1 in the postseason tournament, winning 10 consecutive regular-season and postseason titles - one of four baseball programs in NCAA Division I history to amass such a streak.

Last year, five Golden Eagles were selected in the major league draft, and this year's club is receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25. Their coach, Rob Walton, will lead USA Baseball's collegiate national team this summer. . . . (read more)


Go State!

[1bunnies]

Re: Oru

First pitch was thrown. Game is suspended until 11:00 am Saturday. They will play 3 games Saturday and 1 on Sunday.

[rjacks21]

Re: Oru

Holy Crap! Three games tomorrow. I guess I don't really agree with that scenario, but I'm sure travel for ORU played a big part in the decision.

Go Jacks!!

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Oru

First pitch was thrown. Game is suspended until 11:00 am Saturday. They will play 3 games Saturday and 1 on Sunday.

I wonder if that was done on purpose, throwing the first pitch. Anyone know if there is a difference between the rules for suspending and rescheduling?

[thebluehatman]

Re: Oru

It was a loophole in NCAA rules. Can't normally play 3 games in one day, unless it is the completion of another game.

[JackFan96]

Re: Oru

dang dang dang ... might have to make the freakin' trip. TRIPLEheader. wow. tempting.

[State_fan]

Re: Oru

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about baseball (or any SDSU sport for that matter), but can we say 'bleacher butt'??? Three games in one day? Holy crap. And thats just a fans perspective, how does a player hold up for that long? Hopefully we do well throughout all games. ORU is a damn solid program, and definitely the standard we would like to be at eventually. That said, we are definitely playing at a high level right now, so I'm looking forward to seeing how we can do. I'm sure we will turn some heads.

[6-4-3 Jackrabbit]

Re: Oru

Has the Summit League looked into having teams travel out on Monday. Oh that's right these guys are "students" first.

We'll see what happens today, but in my estimation three games will lead to sloppy play. Hopefully the Jacks get it rolling early and keep the momentum all day long. What happens if a game starts today and is not completed because of daylight? Will they suspend a game until Sunday?

Go get'em Rabbits!

[rjacks21]

Re: Oru

Has the Summit League looked into having teams travel out on Monday. Oh that's right these guys are "students" first.

We'll see what happens today, but in my estimation three games will lead to sloppy play. Hopefully the Jacks get it rolling early and keep the momentum all day long. What happens if a game starts today and is not completed because of daylight? Will they suspend a game until Sunday?

Go get'em Rabbits!

I agree with you on the possibility of sloppy play. I've also been kind of surprised by the cancellation of conference games this year. I'm not sure if that's standard Summit League policy to not try and make games up or if it's just due to the Jacks not being playoff eligible this year. It seems a little unfair to all teams involved in the conference to not have these games played out.

Back in the D-II days, the NCC would give the teams until Tuesday to get the games in and then try to reschedule the games for a later date if necessary. I can't remember a conference game getting straight up canceled off the top of my head unless the game had absolutely no impact on the conference standings.

[cringer]

Re: Oru

I agree with you on the possibility of sloppy play. I've also been kind of surprised by the cancellation of conference games this year. I'm not sure if that's standard Summit League policy to not try and make games up or if it's just due to the Jacks not being playoff eligible this year. It seems a little unfair to all teams involved in the conference to not have these games played out.

Back in the D-II days, the NCC would give the teams until Tuesday to get the games in and then try to reschedule the games for a later date if necessary. I can't remember a conference game getting straight up canceled off the top of my head unless the game had absolutely no impact on the conference standings.

Any word on how these games are going?

[GoJacks]

Re: Oru

Oral Roberts University won game. I believe the score was 6-3.

Currently, in game two for the day. Robinson is pitching game two. The score is 0-0 going into the bottom of the 3rd inning.

[GoJacks]

Re: Oru

SDSU are batting in the bottom of the the seventh. ORU leads 5-3

[1bunnies]

Re: Oru

Jacks lose all 3. Last game was 12-1 in 5 innings and was called due to darkness.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Oru

I'm not sure if that's standard Summit League policy to not try and make games up or if it's just due to the Jacks not being playoff eligible this year. It seems a little unfair to all teams involved in the conference to not have these games played out.

Back in the D-II days, the NCC would give the teams until Tuesday to get the games in and then try to reschedule the games for a later date if necessary. I can't remember a conference game getting straight up canceled off the top of my head unless the game had absolutely no impact on the conference standings.

First...some insight on your question: the difference is that in the D-II days, the teams were close enough for travel for the most part to make up games. But when the teams have to travel the distances we do in the Summit League, that just isn't possible. So the answer I believe is that the policy is standard league policy and has nothing to do with the Jacks status.

As for the games: the Jacks are not a long ways from being able to compete with ORU, but the road won't be easy in catching them. That doesn't mean we won't be trying...and Coach Reggie said it well when he said our goal will be to compete with ORU every year in getting to the nationals. In my view, pitching was the major difference...which is, I guess, an obvious statement. I believe we can compete with them pretty well in the hitting category. The game difference came in ORU's ability to get the hits when they needed them. Again, pitching is a major factor in that observation...IMHO if we switched pitching staffs, I think we would have gotten the hits when necessary and they wouldn't have.

Getting the same level pitchers is harder for us...we have to grow them in our region for the most part, and the southern schools have an advantage there in recruiting that we have to somehow overcome with working harder and smarter at it. It won't be easy but it can be done.

Finally, there was no shame in losing to ORU. They deserve the higher rankings they get and their program's success bears that out. The first two games were separated by thin margins...we had a lot of chances to score more and couldn't get the hits when we needed them. They had lots of opportunities to score more and some great defensive plays by the Jacks (we are as good or better in that category in my opinion as ORU) was of major help. The last game should be just erased from memory...it came with players who had played 18 innings of baseball, and their better pitching just made everthing go down hill from there.

All in all, I believe we acquitted ourselves pretty well. GO JACKS!!