Live from Eau Claire, WI

[nescacball]

going to head over for the first game to see the Salisbury all American pitcher. Going to be a very long day as 60-70 % chance of rain this afternoon. All American awards last night and there are four All American pitchers at Eau Claire should be some great games

[jonriv]

How are the fields there? Looked wild being there in a middle of a lake on an island.

[jonriv]

http://www.ncaa.com/scoreboards/softball/d3/2013/05/17

[jonriv]

SUNY Cortland beats Salisbury 2-1

[jonriv]

Luther beats Anderson 8-1

[as the world turns]

jr, I remember you once said that DIII could compete with DI softball, do you still subscribe to that thinking?

[jonriv]

What I said is that a top d3 team could compete and beat a d1 team that was not in the top 50-75. For instance I think tufts could beat 2/3 the ivy league

[as the world turns]

For instance I think tufts could beat 2/3 the ivy league

Really not saying much.....

[nescacball]

tufts smokes texas tyler 6 to 0. Fournier was dominant

[jonriv]

For instance I think tufts could beat 2/3 the ivy league

Really not saying much.....

Perhaps- my only point was that a team like Tufts could compete wityh all but the upper echelon of Div I teams. I am not familiar with what DIII teams are there in Cali and I am certainly aware of the DI powerhouse there. Here in the Northeast is different scenarios- with exception of Hoftstra, Umass, and perhaps Fordham- there really are no strong DI programs. There are however many very strong DIII. I would probably be able to argue that the talent difference and quality play between DI and DII in this area is really not that big.

Am I saying that play at DIII is as strong as DI- not at all. All I am saying as that where the difference between a Top 50 DI team and a DIII might be Black and White- the comparison between the rest of DI and DIII might be compared more in shades of gray