Unfortunately, they decided to cancel our home series versus UWM. I always thought that it was complete crap when a home series was canceled, and not made up within conference. It makes it an uneven competition if you lose home games, and/or play less or more games than the rest of the conferece.
http://valpoathletics.com/baseball/news/2013-14/13516/baseballs-weekend-series-cancelled/ (http://valpoathletics.com/baseball/news/2013-14/13516/baseballs-weekend-series-cancelled/)
I was at campus this afternoon, and I decided to check the condition of the baseball field. Unfortunately, the field is in a lot worse shape than in the picture at the link from the previous post. As you can see from the photo below taken behind home plate, the place looks like a tundra. In fact, the road to the field hadn't even been plowed. I'm afraid it will be quite a while before the diamond is in any kind of playing condition.
(http://i59.tinypic.com/24fwuja.jpg)
Quote from: valpopal on March 13, 2014, 02:54:45 PM
I was at campus this afternoon, and I decided to check the condition of the baseball field. Unfortunately, the field is in a lot worse shape than in the picture at the link from the previous post. As you can see from the photo below taken behind home plate, the place looks like a tundra. In fact, the road to the field hadn't even been plowed. I'm afraid it will be quite a while before the diamond is in any kind of playing condition.
(http://i59.tinypic.com/24fwuja.jpg)
Can't they just use an orange ball?
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I looked at the upcoming baseball schedule, and I don't see Valpo playing a game all week. They are scheduled to play the three games against Milwaukee that were already cancelled, then Chicago State at CSU on Monday, which will likely be cancelled, then Buffalo comes to the Em Bauer on Wednesday, which will fall by the wayside, based on the pictures and travel schedule for Buffalo. Finally, the three game weekend set at UIC. This is EIGHT games that won't get played because of the winter weather playing havoc on our baseball field and the fields in Chicago that we're supposed to play on as well. I hate the thought of it, but it just looks like the winter weather and field conditions will wash out most of this baseball season.
Quote from: valporun on March 14, 2014, 10:53:05 AM
I hate the thought of it, but it just looks like the winter weather and field conditions will wash out most of this baseball season.
I was driving down I-43 on my way to the Milwaukee airport last evening and just outside Milwaukee I saw some stadium lights on. I got over to right so I could see what was going on. It was outdoor soccer practice on a nice green turf field with HUGE piles of snow on the sidelines. But inside the sidelines -- business as usual. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Em Bauer field is gonna be BB's home for at least another decade. Might be prudent to turf it over as an interim measure.
Saw where Chicago state built an on-campus turf BB field and bleachers likefor something $2.25 million. Included all of the stuff already at Em Bauer. So turfing over the VU BB infiled and outfield might be under 2 mil???
It is surprising how much money CSU has put into their athletics facilities. Success hasn't followed for really any of their sports, but being in a more 'established' conference with NCAA bids might help.
According to the athletics site, the game at Chicago State is expected to be played at 1PM, might be a plus for having a turf field. The game against Buffalo has been cancelled because Em Bauer Field isn't thawed out yet. This game was scheduled for Buffalo as a "pass through" on the way to NIU for a weekend set. Still waiting to hear about the games at UIC for the weekend.
In terms of Chicago St., it has definitely helped that there has been large commitment to update facilities, conference affiliation or not. I mean the new convocation center was built while they were an independent, correct? Maybe it was conceived before they were kicked out of the Mid-Con? Sure, more people have gone to games at CSU when it has been a CPS game that was too big for the high school itself. I mean some of those CPS games have to play at CSU or the Pavillion at UIC because of the amount of people who want to go, and the host school doesn't have a big enough gym, or knows that fire code would be an issue.
Quote from: valporun on March 18, 2014, 10:49:14 AMIn terms of Chicago St., it has definitely helped that there has been large commitment to update facilities,
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It may help in the long run but not today as Valpo thumped em 7-1 with 10 hits to their 4. Nicely done!
This is the first time since 1997 that we have finished above .500 before playing a conference game :)
It isn't just the field that is in poor condition. Here is a picture from today of our wonderful parking lot that hasn't changed a bit over the years. Despite it being painfully obvious that repair is needed, nothing has been done. The second picture is that of my nephew's little league parking lot where it costs each player $135 a season to play. You tell me who is getting the better bargain. This is so bad it is laughable! Somebody from Valpo Law should explain negligence leading to personal injury to the Athletic Department. We are a better school than this. Right?
If you think that this is bad, you should have seen it 10 years ago when those paved gravel areas weren't as plentiful ;). It was just the main part that had rocks/gravel down, and I believe that there is more now. I had to park on the grass 'hills,' which wasn't a problem for my SUV, but it caused issues for others.