Past Blue Streak teams with high expectations were unable to get to the postseason, so Marc Thibeault and his surprising Blue Streaks are heading to the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament this weekend with a carefree attitude.
The other three teams in the field -- #1 seed and host Heidelberg, #2 seed Marietta and #3 seed Otterbein -- have been in every league tournament since the 2003 season. The fourth-seeded John Carroll squad are looking to play the role of party crashers when the playoffs get underway on Thursday, May 7, at Peaceful Valley in Tiffin, Ohio.
Click here to access the official
2009 OAC Baseball Tournament website, which will include a link to live stats. There will be no John Carroll radio coverage but the other three schools will provide live audio, Check back for details.
The Blue Streaks will open play against host Heidelberg at 1:00 p.m., with Otterbein and Marietta matching up in Thursday's second game at 4:00 p.m.
John Carroll, which is 24-10 overall and posted an 11-7 mark in league play this season, is making its seventh all-time appearance at the OAC Tournament and its first since 2004. The Blue Streaks are 5-12 all-time in league playoff games, including 1-2 in its most recent visit to the postseason.
The Streaks' best showing in its previous six OAC Tournaments occured in 1998, when John Carroll forced a game seven and lost to eventual champion Marietta in the championship game, 12-7.
This season, John Carroll is ranked fourth in the OAC with a team batting average of .335 and third in team ERA with a mark of 4.48.