NCAA Mideast Regional Game 5 Preview: (6) Case Western Reserve vs. (2) Heidelberg

Posted on May 21, 2011. Filed under: Game Previews, Game Recaps, NCAA | Tags: but I don't think Wordpress supports tildes, Cory Pecoraro, Gar Keen, Heidelberg University, I know there's supposed to be a tilde, Jason Lash, Josh Suvak, Matt Keen, NCAA Mideast Regional, Ray Kelly, Ricardo Lizcano, Steve Bills, Sylvester Nino, The Two Keens Are Not Related, Willie Brechun |

The Spartans jumped out with a 9-run first inning and didn’t look back, defeating Franklin 10-4 yesterday to keep Stayin’ Alive. Oh no, a disco reference in the first row? This is going to be a bad post…anyway, Josh Suvak threw wonderfully, pitching five and a third shutout innings in relief. Matt Keen, Steve Bills, and Cory Pecoraro each had three hits.

Now, Case again gets to face Heidelberg, this time in an elimination situation. Whoever loses, Case or Heidelberg, is no longer in the regional. I’m not sure what good a scouting report will do, because you can look at other posts I’ve written for in-depth analysis of the Student Princes. (A question I haven’t looked up yet: are the women’s teams the Student Princesses? Because that would be even more awesome. “Hey, princess, swing!”) Anyway, Keen, Brechun, Lash, and Lizcano are still good, and they still have really good pitching (giving up 23 runs against Marietta aside).

Game Preview: I think Case will start freshman Ray Kelly (5-1, 3.83 ERA, 25 K/16 BB in 42.1 IP), who was to start the game against Penn State-Altoona but left after the rains hit. Heidelberg will likely start junior Sylvester Nino (5-2, 2.72, 53 K/28 BB in 53 IP). This will need to be a well-pitched, well-defended, well-hit game for the Spartans to win, but it can be done. I hope to have to write even more of these!

I almost forgot: game is at noon, live stats, live video, something called Twitter?