The KU baseball team defeated West Chester 6-2 and 8-7 on Saturday to claim the university's sixth PSAC Championship, which includes three titles in the last four years. Chad Lightcap was named the tournament MVP after a huge offensive showing.
Despite their recent dominance over the last few seasons, the young Golden Bears are unlikely champions in 2008 after not qualifying for the playoffs until the last day of the regular season after battling to stay above .500 all year long. That did not stop them in the PSAC playoffs, however, as they were able to win five of their six games in the tournament, including a 2-1 record against the rival Golden Rams. The win qualifies KU for the North Atlantic Region Playoffs, which will be held in two weeks. The winner of that tournament advances to the Division II World Series. KU won the regional title in 2007.
Check back during the week for full previews for both the softball and baseball regional tournaments.
Photo: www.kubears.com
Saturday, May 3, 2008
PSAC Champions!
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3 comments:
It was a rebuilding effort that turned out to be a reloading effort by the end of the season. The rebuilt all season long and by the end of it, Coach Blum knew what he had and the players had enough experience to know how to beat good teams. I mentioned several times that they could start to gel towards the end of this season, but I would never have predicted them to win the PSAC with the amount of youth they have. The next few years should be fun as they will only improve.
I thought you said this team wouldn't be able to hang with the nationally ranked Golden Rams of WCU? looks like when the season was on the line the Golden Bears were able to overcome the talen they lost from last year and mold together to produce what the team last year wasn't able to, a PSAC crown. I am excited to see how this team does in Regionals next week.
By the way, I guess being second to last in offesive categories gets you championships? Its all about breaking out at the right time.
I will admit that they proved me wrong that they would not compete in 2008. With that said, let me refresh your memory with this comment by me a few months back:
"Here are some numbers to support the offensive struggles.
Of the 10 PSAC teams, this is where KU ranks in several major categories:
Batting Avg: 7th
Slugging: 9th
On base %: 7th
Runs: 8th
Hits: Last
RBIs: Last
Triples: Last
Homers: Last
Total Bases: 9th
You can't honestly say that is a product of bad luck. Fortunately for KU, they rank near the top of the PSAC in most pitching categories, which could be their saving grace towards making the playoffs. With that said, you can't win if you don't score."
With that kind of offensive production, KU did have no chance. However, the bats came to life late in the regular season and the momentum carried the team right through the playoffs. The pitching has remained dominant, so it makes perfect sense that they can now compete with top teams. It seems that Coach Blum just needed a few months to get a feel for his young players before he could really maximize the team's potential. Had the offense been this productive all year, I would've never doubted them, but hey, that's a part of the game.
Thanks for the comment.
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