Eastern Meigs Vs Berlin Hiland/Strasburg

[HockingFan88]

Don’t know much about the east region. Does eastern have a shot? No local teams around here have played either of them.

[Kmit]

Looks like it's Hiland. They won 8-5.

[The Dude]

Strasburg had Hiland on the ropes. The sixth inning dropped foul led to a couple walks and loaded the bases. Grand Slam followed. Hiland’s very good, but I think Eastern can beat them. It will take a great team performance on both sides.

[HockingFan88]

Eastern beats D3 District Champions Fairland 11-3 tonight in a scrimmage.

[VetteMan]

Good luck to Eastern Meigs in your matchup against Berlin Hiland.

[Bozo]

Hiland 13
Eastern 2

Hard to beat the Yoders.

[MACDADDY22]

Saw that coming unfortunately. Berlin just too loaded. Hopefully they’ll be D 5/6 next year. Good run Eastern, good ball team.

[HockingFan88]

No matter what eastern does today they wouldn’t be able to pull out the win. Hiland is different, competitive balance just is crazy. Never have seen a team so strong offensively. Eastern needs an even harder schedule for next year, losing 1 senior the team will be even better next year. Hiland will win it all.

[IVCguy]

Hiland 13
Eastern 2

Hard to beat the Yoders.

Lol. They love baseball, for sure.

[IVCguy]

No matter what eastern does today they wouldn’t be able to pull out the win. Hiland is different, competitive balance just is crazy. Never have seen a team so strong offensively. Eastern needs an even harder schedule for next year, losing 1 senior the team will be even better next year. Hiland will win it all.

I like what you see in Hiland. They are just fundamentally sound. They don't beat themselves. They make all the routine plays and sometimes great plays defensively. It's hard to get balls on the ground past the infield.

Their greatest strength is hitting. They have explosive innings and it puts a lot of pressure on opposing teams.

I have felt all spring that they had solid pitching, but not dominant like they had last year - and that would be their weakness or area of least strength. However, Coblentz was was close to dominant today.

I especially agree with the idea that RE needs to schedule some teams like Hiland for the experience of seeing the kind of competition you see at the regional and state level and also as a measuring stick as to what they need to work on and improve.

But getting to the regional is a very good accomplishment for a relatively young group.

PS: 5 balks in 1 game. 4 on RE and 1 on Hiland. Don't think I have ever seen that!

[formerfcfan]

No matter what eastern does today they wouldn’t be able to pull out the win. Hiland is different, competitive balance just is crazy. Never have seen a team so strong offensively. Eastern needs an even harder schedule for next year, losing 1 senior the team will be even better next year. Hiland will win it all.

Not sure it was an issue of a preparation on Eastern’s end. Also not sure that the schedule makes a difference in the end as it relates to ‘what it takes to beat Hiland.’

Eastern, plausibly, was/is good enough to make the Elite 8 against the majority of other statewide opponents in a regional semi matchup. Someone has to play Hiland, and plenty of good teams over the years get the bad fortune of drawing the team that is just that much better this early (while other teams at, or less than, caliber get more favorable matchups.) Eastern falls in that category. It is what it is.

Beating Hiland requires a combination of 1) pitchers who can bring it, that have depth to their game and 2) pitchers who dig deep, grind, and keep grinding when the temperature is cranked up. Eastern definitely has the latter. They just don’t have the former (and it requires something along the lines of what Valley had in 2021.)


Valiant effort start to finish by Eastern. Although it wasn’t the difference between a win and a loss, that ridiculous first balk was the death knell. Weakest balk ever; overly technical application that was so far from the intent of why balks became emphasized. Would’ve rather seen Hiland try to break it open in the actual at-bat instead of the Ump Show making a cameo out of nowhere.

[IVCguy]

I had seen more balks called this year. IDK but it feels like it was a point of emphasis for umpires this year. FWIW.

To your point, I didn't see anything wrong on the first balk, but on replay, he had a bit of a start, stop and resume in his motion. It was subtle tho and certainly something I haven't seen called very often before. Will need to ask an umpire.

[formerfcfan]

I had seen more balks called this year. IDK but it feels like it was a point of emphasis for umpires this year. FWIW.

To your point, I didn't see anything wrong on the first balk, but on replay, he had a bit of a start, stop and resume in his motion. It was subtle tho and certainly something I haven't seen called very often before. Will need to ask an umpire.

Interestingly enough, the balk in question wasn’t called for an error pertaining to body motion or technique error. I’m not sure where the Blue got the idea that the action was deceptive or attained an advantage. I know that’s not the ‘rule’ per se in calling balks, but I have a hard time imagining it’d be called a ball with no runners on.

[The Dude]

Hiland won the Regionals tonight after a 18-0 victory over Fairfield. I’m not sure I’ve ever watched a better D4 (maybe even D3 team). I don’t know anything about the other 3 left but Hiland will be tough to beat.

[formerfcfan]

Hiland won the Regionals tonight after a 18-0 victory over Fairfield. I’m not sure I’ve ever watched a better D4 (maybe even D3 team). I don’t know anything about the other 3 left but Hiland will be tough to beat.

The only thing that poses a threat to Hiland at this point is facing Russia in the semi this time, instead of in the final.

Hiland’s shortstop, and the Coblentz kid (3-hole) that isn’t their pitcher, are without question going to be two of the most talented batters across all sixteen teams taking Canal Park next week.

[itsme]

I had seen more balks called this year. IDK but it feels like it was a point of emphasis for umpires this year. FWIW.

To your point, I didn't see anything wrong on the first balk, but on replay, he had a bit of a start, stop and resume in his motion. It was subtle tho and certainly something I haven't seen called very often before. Will need to ask an umpire.

They are 6-7 ways to balk. Even the first baseman can cause a balk

[IVCguy]

I had seen more balks called this year. IDK but it feels like it was a point of emphasis for umpires this year. FWIW.

To your point, I didn't see anything wrong on the first balk, but on replay, he had a bit of a start, stop and resume in his motion. It was subtle tho and certainly something I haven't seen called very often before. Will need to ask an umpire.

They are 6-7 ways to balk. Even the first baseman can cause a balk

Lay them out please.

[IVCguy]

Hiland won the Regionals tonight after a 18-0 victory over Fairfield. I’m not sure I’ve ever watched a better D4 (maybe even D3 team). I don’t know anything about the other 3 left but Hiland will be tough to beat.

The only thing that poses a threat to Hiland at this point is facing Russia in the semi this time, instead of in the final.

Hiland’s shortstop, and the Coblentz kid (3-hole) that isn’t their pitcher, are without question going to be two of the most talented batters across all sixteen teams taking Canal Park next week.

At the basketball final four a few months ago, a Russia fan pulled me aside and asked me what Hiland baseball had coming back. I told him that it doesn't matter because they always have quality kids behind their seniors.

But I got the idea that the loss last year has stuck in their craw. I'd bet Hiland gets their very best and determined shot. They are a fine squad, so certainly capable.

[itsme]

I had seen more balks called this year. IDK but it feels like it was a point of emphasis for umpires this year. FWIW.

To your point, I didn't see anything wrong on the first balk, but on replay, he had a bit of a start, stop and resume in his motion. It was subtle tho and certainly something I haven't seen called very often before. Will need to ask an umpire.

They are 6-7 ways to balk. Even the first baseman can cause a balk

Lay them out please.
[/quote
i think maybe up to 13 ways a pitcher can .if the first Baseman holding a running on and his foot is in foul territory that's one way. the catcher not in catcher box and pitcher starts to pitch is another way pitcher drops ball while on the rubber