Before we jump into this week, please know that this year is in no way, shape, or form normal for Conner & I. In a lot of ways for me this will never be normal again, and that presents its own challenges. Conner is working his first real job in a field he wants a career in, and that position he’s in can make him work for 7 straight days. I myself am a manager of the sales department in a television station, meaning I am made available to those who need me in my career at all times to help us hit our goals. We’re busier than normal; we have families, and kids we want to spend time with. We are working this out each day as we formulate a plan for the future. So if we don’t post all of the scores or we don’t get yours then its not personal. Sometimes we just fall asleep with Twitter open after a long day. Know that there is a plan for the future and a return of the podcast next year, along with this. Which is something that I have come to love to do while on my lunch break. Thanks for growing with our family. We appreciate you.
Hitter of the week
Jarrett Batanian- Concordia-Ann Arbor (MI): 7h-10ab, 4r, 2 doubles, 3 HR, 14 RBI vs Shawnee State
Pitcher(s) of the week
Reece Clapp- Columbia College (MO): 1-0 5ip 1h 0er 14k on 84 pitches vs Graceland (IA)
Other players/pitchers receiving consideration this week include: Eric Maffie- St. Francis, Austin Dill- Evangel, Alex Huey- Freed-Hardeman, Camden Karlin- Baker, Jarrett Gable- Kansas Wesleyan, Aaron Forrest- Doane, Elijah Rude- Morningside, Bryce Dye- Park, Brook Heinen- Grand View, Keaton Ashby- Avila, Jaider Morelos- Montreat, Henry Ogando- Southwestern Christian, Reed Butz- Science & Arts, Dane Smith- Aquinas, Tanner Moylan- Bryan, Brandon Mooney- Loyola, Carson Cheaney- Texas Wesleyan, Marques Titiali- Arizona Christian, and Christian Mojica- Indiana Tech.
Touching Base- Week 4
#1 SEU sweeps the Big Series of the Week vs #17 Oklahoma Wesleyan in Lakeland this past weekend. The Fire only found themselves in a hole in game one, where they trailed by 4 heading to the bottom of the 6th. SEU eventually tied the game in the 8th on a Gary Lora sacrifice fly; the teams would then trade runs in the 9th to remain tied. In the bottom of the 10th, Gary Lora doubled to win game 1. Over the next two days, the Fire would prove to be insurmountable winning games 2 & 3 by a combined score of 21-2. #1 Southeastern is now 12-0 with 7 wins versus Top 25 competition, and they rank nationally top 5 in homeruns, extra base hits, total bases, slugging percentage, runs, hits, runs batted in, stolen bases, staff earned run average, and opponent average. La Machina.
Grand View (IA) and Missouri Baptist make fast starts in 2023 and each of the schools is off to their respective best in quite a while. For Missouri Baptist, it was the schools best start since 2015; that 2015 squad went 43-13 and opened the year 21-2, only losing back-to-back games twice that season. Not including the 2020 COVID year (which we do not count for any teams), 2022 was Missouri Baptist first time missing a 30 win season since 2009. MoBap will be tested this weekend with 4 games against ranked Central Methodist and a neutral site Jamestown. Grand View (IA) on the other hand, under first year skipper Doug Brinker, is off to its best start at a solid 7-0 since as far back as we can go, which is 2006, the beginning of the Dak Stats era. GVU is in search of its first 20 win season since 2018, when the team went 28-22 overall. They wont play a home game untill the 18th of March, but up next is the Russ Mat Invitational for the Vikings who look to continue history.
On the road again this week, both Conner and myself can be found at a ballgame this weekend. Friday Conner will be at the first game between MACU (OK) vs Southwestern (KS) in Oklahoma City, and Saturday he’s working in Chickasha but if you’re a McPherson fan, you can find him there at the ballgame. I will be hitting the road early Friday morning, making the 225-mile trip north from McAllen, TX to Victoria, TX to catch an entire weekend of UH- Victoria vs #23 Loyola.
- Robby Gutierrez