-First, it was great to win. This was a big game for this team and for the program as a whole. After the first two days, another stinker performance, or even just a loss, would have set off some serious alarms. Today was much more relaxed and focused, I thought. Definitely our best defensive game of the young year, as well. It's easier playing with a lead, but College of Charleston just kept coming. It took some mental fortitude to win that game today.
-Adam Sasser is really seeing the baseball right now. On Tuesday, I have Keegan McGovern (if his back is ok) hitting 3rd, Curry 4th, Sasser 5th, and Biggar 6th.
-On Biggar, that was a sensational weekend that guy had... he's outstanding behind the plate, and he handles the bat really well too... I was a little surprised they went back with him behind the dish today, but I was glad they did.... and I like Curry DH'ing too.
-I agreed with Dave Johnston's assessment after the game that Chase Adkins pitched better than his line score. No question about it... His off-speed stuff is really good and he throws a lot of strikes... really fills it up. We needed a big start today. I did not like running him back out there for the 6th... He was already at 75 pitches, I understand their soft limit for this weekend was 90, and we had a very quick bottom of the 5th... That's really where the trouble started.... trying to get that extra inning out a starter has been a problem for us for awhile now and it almost cost us again today.
-I was glad that LJ Talley got both of those bunts down, but I didn't especially like the decision to sac bunt there, especially the first time. It's the 4th inning, 0 outs, and the pitcher has just walked the first two guys he's seen... Why give him an out there? There is a lot of game left... I know people say "you have to get those runners in scoring position and stay out of the DP chance." I get that... but at the same time, is the pitcher going to be able to get you out himself?
-Weird seeing an entire weekend series where neither team attempts a stolen base. I know we are technically 0-1 in that department now, but Tucker Bradley didn't appear to be running, it looked like was just leaning the wrong way on the throw over and then had to go to 2nd...
-The 8-6-2 put out in the 9th inning was obviously the play of the day, and may be remembered as one of those deals that changed the course of the season. I appreciated the head coach acknowledging too that we practice that every day. Everyone executed that perfectly, though, and it really brought some juice back into our dugout when we were looking a little bit flat. I didn't really think about this during, but how different of a game is it if College of Charleston doesn't send that runner? Then they're down 1, but with no outs and runners at 2nd and 3rd... They made us make a play though, with our backup CF, a freshman SS, and freshman C... and we did.
-I said after Friday's game that I didn't like using Blakely Brown when we did... Today showed why... If you hadn't used Blakely and burned him up in the first game, you could have rolled him out there in the 8th inning today and let him finish it.... and it would have most likely been a much lower stress ending. I'll say this too.... had Christian Ryder not gotten the K and had Stricklin brought Tucker Bradley back on, and had Tucker then given up the lead, I can't imagine how much heat Stricklin would be catching right now. I really think that Bradley will help us on the mound this year, but he just didn't have a lot today... Ryder really impressed me.... he threw some of the best pitches we've seen this year. His first pitch curveball was a thing of beauty and should have been a called strike. His last one to end the game was the same way. Very, very impressive.
-Logan McRae for CoC should win national player of the week for what he put together this weekend...
-Obviously pitching wise we need to tighten up some things. College of Charleston is a really good lineup though. Those guys can hit. Still, we gave up 32 runs this weekend, had 19 walks, hit 4 batters, and allowed 4 HRs. We also had 28 K's, which is just over 1 per inning... While College of Charleston is good offensively, we have to get that wildness under control.
-Again, big win today. I really didn't want to start this 4 game road swing being winless. These next four are going to be tough, but hopefully today will allow us to relax a little bit.
-Sure was great to get back over there.... Results aside, I really enjoyed the last three days.
-Adam Sasser is really seeing the baseball right now. On Tuesday, I have Keegan McGovern (if his back is ok) hitting 3rd, Curry 4th, Sasser 5th, and Biggar 6th.
-On Biggar, that was a sensational weekend that guy had... he's outstanding behind the plate, and he handles the bat really well too... I was a little surprised they went back with him behind the dish today, but I was glad they did.... and I like Curry DH'ing too.
-I agreed with Dave Johnston's assessment after the game that Chase Adkins pitched better than his line score. No question about it... His off-speed stuff is really good and he throws a lot of strikes... really fills it up. We needed a big start today. I did not like running him back out there for the 6th... He was already at 75 pitches, I understand their soft limit for this weekend was 90, and we had a very quick bottom of the 5th... That's really where the trouble started.... trying to get that extra inning out a starter has been a problem for us for awhile now and it almost cost us again today.
-I was glad that LJ Talley got both of those bunts down, but I didn't especially like the decision to sac bunt there, especially the first time. It's the 4th inning, 0 outs, and the pitcher has just walked the first two guys he's seen... Why give him an out there? There is a lot of game left... I know people say "you have to get those runners in scoring position and stay out of the DP chance." I get that... but at the same time, is the pitcher going to be able to get you out himself?
-Weird seeing an entire weekend series where neither team attempts a stolen base. I know we are technically 0-1 in that department now, but Tucker Bradley didn't appear to be running, it looked like was just leaning the wrong way on the throw over and then had to go to 2nd...
-The 8-6-2 put out in the 9th inning was obviously the play of the day, and may be remembered as one of those deals that changed the course of the season. I appreciated the head coach acknowledging too that we practice that every day. Everyone executed that perfectly, though, and it really brought some juice back into our dugout when we were looking a little bit flat. I didn't really think about this during, but how different of a game is it if College of Charleston doesn't send that runner? Then they're down 1, but with no outs and runners at 2nd and 3rd... They made us make a play though, with our backup CF, a freshman SS, and freshman C... and we did.
-I said after Friday's game that I didn't like using Blakely Brown when we did... Today showed why... If you hadn't used Blakely and burned him up in the first game, you could have rolled him out there in the 8th inning today and let him finish it.... and it would have most likely been a much lower stress ending. I'll say this too.... had Christian Ryder not gotten the K and had Stricklin brought Tucker Bradley back on, and had Tucker then given up the lead, I can't imagine how much heat Stricklin would be catching right now. I really think that Bradley will help us on the mound this year, but he just didn't have a lot today... Ryder really impressed me.... he threw some of the best pitches we've seen this year. His first pitch curveball was a thing of beauty and should have been a called strike. His last one to end the game was the same way. Very, very impressive.
-Logan McRae for CoC should win national player of the week for what he put together this weekend...
-Obviously pitching wise we need to tighten up some things. College of Charleston is a really good lineup though. Those guys can hit. Still, we gave up 32 runs this weekend, had 19 walks, hit 4 batters, and allowed 4 HRs. We also had 28 K's, which is just over 1 per inning... While College of Charleston is good offensively, we have to get that wildness under control.
-Again, big win today. I really didn't want to start this 4 game road swing being winless. These next four are going to be tough, but hopefully today will allow us to relax a little bit.
-Sure was great to get back over there.... Results aside, I really enjoyed the last three days.
