Ticker goes here
Press Releases
Entire MWC South Division Enters Final Saturday Tied
May 02, 2008
Press Release posted by Midwest Conference Permalink
The picture for the 2008 Midwest Conference Baseball Championship Tournament could become clearer on Saturday and then again, things may just stay the same.
All four South teams: Grinnell, Illinois College, Knox and Monmouth enter the weekend with identical 5-5 conference records. The South regular-season conference finales are set for Saturday, when Knox hosts Illinois College and Monmouth travels to Grinnell, but the odds are against a champion being crowned. Four of the seven possible scenarios (listed below) based on Saturday’s outcomes will require at least one playoff game to decide the South champ, while a pair of splits would leave all four teams at 6-6 and a four-team, three-game, single-elimination qualifying tourney would unfold on Sunday. If the mini-tourney is called upon to crown the South’s top team, it would mark the first time in league history that this scenario has ever played out.
The Conference Championship Tournament rotates between North and South each season and the South champ is set to host in 2008. Ripon (11-1 MWC) and St. Norbert (10-2), who will meet in a pair of Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders for the North crown, have long since clinched the North’s two tourney berths, but have yet to be able to make any travel plans. The Green Knights took three-of-four games from the Red Hawks a year ago to win the division.
The host schools in all playoff scenarios and matchups for Scenario No. 7 were all decided by a random draw.
SCENARIO #1
Monmouth (7-5) sweeps Grinnell (5-7) or Grinnell (7-5) sweeps Monmouth (5-7)
Illinois College (6-6) and Knox (6-6) split
-Monmouth/Grinnell is South champ and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament
-Illinois College is #2 seed based on 3-1 regular-season record vs. Knox
SCENARIO #2
Illinois College (7-5) sweeps Knox (5-7) or Knox (7-5) sweeps Illinois College (5-7)
Monmouth (6-6) and Grinnell (6-6) split
-Illinois College/Knox is South champ and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament
-Monmouth and Grinnell play one-game playoff based on 2-2 head-to-head record
Playoff Game: Grinnell at Monmouth (time TBA)
SCENARIO #3
Illinois College (7-5) sweeps Knox (5-7)
Monmouth (7-5) sweeps Grinnell (5-7)
-Monmouth is top seed and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament based on 3-1 record vs. Illinois College
-Illinois College is #2 seed
SCENARIO #4
Illinois College (7-5) sweeps Knox (5-7)
Grinnell (7-5) sweeps Monmouth (5-7)
-Grinnell and Illinois College both qualify for 2008 MWC Tournament, but play one-game playoff for top seed and hosting duties based on 2-2 head-to-head record
Playoff Game: Grinnell at Illinois College (time TBA)
SCENARIO #5
Knox (7-5) sweeps Illinois College (5-7)
Monmouth (7-5) sweeps Grinnell (5-7)
-Knox is top seed and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament on 3-1 record vs. Monmouth
-Monmouth is #2 seed
SCENARIO #6
Knox (7-5) sweeps Illinois College (5-7)
Grinnell (7-5) sweeps Monmouth (5-7)
-Grinnell and Knox both qualify for 2008 MWC Tournament, but play one-game playoff for top seed and hosting duties based on 2-2 head-to-head record
Playoff Game: Knox at Grinnell (time TBA)
SCENARIO #7
Knox (6-6) and Illinois College (6-6) split
Grinnell (6-6) and Monmouth (6-6) split
-All four teams play in a three-game, single-elimination tournament at a randomly selected site against a randomly selected first game opponent for the two berths. Winner hosts 2008 MWC Tournament, runner-up qualifies as #2 seed.
Playoff Games:
Grinnell (visitor) at Monmouth (home) 11 a.m.
Illinois College (home) at Knox (visitor) 11 a.m.
Winners play at Monmouth at 3 p.m. (or 30 minutes after winning team arrives from Knox)
All four South teams: Grinnell, Illinois College, Knox and Monmouth enter the weekend with identical 5-5 conference records. The South regular-season conference finales are set for Saturday, when Knox hosts Illinois College and Monmouth travels to Grinnell, but the odds are against a champion being crowned. Four of the seven possible scenarios (listed below) based on Saturday’s outcomes will require at least one playoff game to decide the South champ, while a pair of splits would leave all four teams at 6-6 and a four-team, three-game, single-elimination qualifying tourney would unfold on Sunday. If the mini-tourney is called upon to crown the South’s top team, it would mark the first time in league history that this scenario has ever played out.
The Conference Championship Tournament rotates between North and South each season and the South champ is set to host in 2008. Ripon (11-1 MWC) and St. Norbert (10-2), who will meet in a pair of Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders for the North crown, have long since clinched the North’s two tourney berths, but have yet to be able to make any travel plans. The Green Knights took three-of-four games from the Red Hawks a year ago to win the division.
The host schools in all playoff scenarios and matchups for Scenario No. 7 were all decided by a random draw.
SCENARIO #1
Monmouth (7-5) sweeps Grinnell (5-7) or Grinnell (7-5) sweeps Monmouth (5-7)
Illinois College (6-6) and Knox (6-6) split
-Monmouth/Grinnell is South champ and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament
-Illinois College is #2 seed based on 3-1 regular-season record vs. Knox
SCENARIO #2
Illinois College (7-5) sweeps Knox (5-7) or Knox (7-5) sweeps Illinois College (5-7)
Monmouth (6-6) and Grinnell (6-6) split
-Illinois College/Knox is South champ and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament
-Monmouth and Grinnell play one-game playoff based on 2-2 head-to-head record
Playoff Game: Grinnell at Monmouth (time TBA)
SCENARIO #3
Illinois College (7-5) sweeps Knox (5-7)
Monmouth (7-5) sweeps Grinnell (5-7)
-Monmouth is top seed and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament based on 3-1 record vs. Illinois College
-Illinois College is #2 seed
SCENARIO #4
Illinois College (7-5) sweeps Knox (5-7)
Grinnell (7-5) sweeps Monmouth (5-7)
-Grinnell and Illinois College both qualify for 2008 MWC Tournament, but play one-game playoff for top seed and hosting duties based on 2-2 head-to-head record
Playoff Game: Grinnell at Illinois College (time TBA)
SCENARIO #5
Knox (7-5) sweeps Illinois College (5-7)
Monmouth (7-5) sweeps Grinnell (5-7)
-Knox is top seed and hosts 2008 MWC Tournament on 3-1 record vs. Monmouth
-Monmouth is #2 seed
SCENARIO #6
Knox (7-5) sweeps Illinois College (5-7)
Grinnell (7-5) sweeps Monmouth (5-7)
-Grinnell and Knox both qualify for 2008 MWC Tournament, but play one-game playoff for top seed and hosting duties based on 2-2 head-to-head record
Playoff Game: Knox at Grinnell (time TBA)
SCENARIO #7
Knox (6-6) and Illinois College (6-6) split
Grinnell (6-6) and Monmouth (6-6) split
-All four teams play in a three-game, single-elimination tournament at a randomly selected site against a randomly selected first game opponent for the two berths. Winner hosts 2008 MWC Tournament, runner-up qualifies as #2 seed.
Playoff Games:
Grinnell (visitor) at Monmouth (home) 11 a.m.
Illinois College (home) at Knox (visitor) 11 a.m.
Winners play at Monmouth at 3 p.m. (or 30 minutes after winning team arrives from Knox)