Reusse: Up north, college schedule is cold comfort

The frustration level among major college baseball coaches located in a northern climate is such that there are suggestions that two College World Series would make sense: one for teams in the east and north, and another for teams in the south and west.

John Anderson completed his 38th season with the Gophers a week ago when they went 3-2 in the Big Ten tournament to finish at 29-27. Baseball teams were banned from the ZygiDome in February and March due to preparations for the Final Four, meaning the Gophers' nonconference schedule opened with 18 road games. Their first game at Siebert Field: against Augsburg on March 27.

The Gophers played mostly first-class opponents in that first month, and their record was 5-13. That meant the only options for reaching the NCAA tournament were to win the Big Ten's regular season in runaway fashion or win the conference tournament.

There's a good chance that all those travels reinforced Anderson's belief that a North and South College World Series is an idea to strongly consider.

It's also understandable that Anderson's frustration level over the southern and western advantage — both in kicking off their schedules on home fields in the middle of February and luring recruits from the north (including Minnesota) — would be considerable:

He's had many Big Ten titles and strong teams, but never a trip to Omaha for the College World Series as the head coach. A year ago, the Gophers won both the Big Ten regular season and tournament, won a first-ever regional at the new Siebert Field, and still had to go to Corvallis, to face eventual champion Oregon State in a super regional.

Don't bring up the Gophers' three national championships — with the namesake, Dick Siebert, as the coach in 1956, 1960 and 1964 — as examples it can be done. There were 30% as many competitive programs and not nearly the number of baseball edifices across the south and along the West Coast built to support winning programs. I mean, Maine used to go to the World Series.

The disadvantages faced by softball teams from the north is similar: weeks of nonconference road games, few home games.

Throw in a week earlier start to the season, and that's why coach Jamie Trachsel's Gophers were able to play 31 road games before playing a first home game at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on March 29.

The Gophers played 11 home games (with two weather cancellations) in the Big Ten, and then went 5-0 while hosting a regional and a super regional to gain entry in their first Women's College World Series.

The Gophers went 0-2 vs. UCLA and Washington. Florida became the other 0-2 team when it was pounded 15-3 by Alabama.

Insulting Kendyl Lindaman, the slugger who transferred from Minnesota to Florida for this season, seemed to be a popular exercise for commenters on sports sites in the Twin Cities. The guess here is that a majority of those taking shots had never graced Jane Sage (as the Gophers call it) to watch a softball game.

Maddie Houlihan, a senior playing her last college game, said: "I think you get used to it when you're a northern [team], knowing your first six weeks are going to be on the road. I think that makes coming home more special."

Houlihan started 235 (of 236) games for the Gophers in four seasons, and 59 of those were played in her home stadium.

Here were the dates for the home openers for the other seven teams in the WCWS: Washington, March 8; UCLA, Feb. 15; Arizona, Feb. 15; Florida, Feb. 12: Alabama, Feb. 22; Oklahoma State, March 1; Oklahoma, March 1.

And, to repeat: Minnesota, March 29.

What do you think about that, Coach?

"This is such an amazing atmosphere, such an amazing event. And one of the best things about the Gophers being here is that it's hard. And it will be hard the next time, when we come back."