today. I know it’s early. Had we lost, it’s not THAT big of a deal (we’re 3-2 if so) but I thought that with the crowd and the FoleyFest stuff today, which I was very glad they did, it was important to win today... more important for the program overall than just this season.
Today, in-game, felt a lot like last Sunday in Columbia at the plate. Cole Henry was really good... his curve was outstanding today and it kept us off balance. We had some poor at bats later in the game and some of our younger guys looked like younger guys... it was really a testament to our pitching and defense that we hung in there.
On that note, CJ Smith was outstanding... I think that’s as well as he’s over thrown, considering the lineup. We played some good defense behind him, but really, LSU didn’t square up very much either.
I thought the decision to go to Justin Glover was interesting on a few fronts. For one, I think it signifies where things stand right now with Ryan Webb. Glover didn’t throw a lot of pitches last night, but I’m fairly sure today was the first time we’ve ever asked him to throw back to back days. And I believe that today was the first time he’s come into a game with inherited runners. Good to see him handle all that and now we know that we can use him that way if need be.
I’m glad he got the hit, obviously, but I wasn’t a fan of pinch hitting Austin Biggar for Jernigan... Austin is probably the slowest guy on the team, and it seems like he hits a lot of ground balls... LSU did get the grounder they were looking for, but it found a hole... I acknowledge that Stricklin has some roster limitations right now, and I think he’s pushed all the right buttons this weekend, but I think that wasn’t a good decision that worked out anyway.
What was a good decision was the IBB to set up the double play the inning before... and LJ Talley was positioned perfectly on that one, also. Good decision and good scouting there.
Lastly, I sure had mixed feelings on that last review in the top of the 9th. The guy was safe by a half step, so the call on the field was correct... had they overturned it on review and called him out, that would have ended the game. My thought was that a game that good just shouldn’t end on a replay review. That just didn’t seem fitting.
What a series this has been... I’m trying to think of a series that felt this even and has been this well-played after the first two games. I think Arkansas back in 2009, we had walk off wins in each of the first two (Matt Cerione was the hero both times)... since then, I can’t of any that have been this well-played and this tight.
Ought to be a hell of a rubber game tomorrow
Today, in-game, felt a lot like last Sunday in Columbia at the plate. Cole Henry was really good... his curve was outstanding today and it kept us off balance. We had some poor at bats later in the game and some of our younger guys looked like younger guys... it was really a testament to our pitching and defense that we hung in there.
On that note, CJ Smith was outstanding... I think that’s as well as he’s over thrown, considering the lineup. We played some good defense behind him, but really, LSU didn’t square up very much either.
I thought the decision to go to Justin Glover was interesting on a few fronts. For one, I think it signifies where things stand right now with Ryan Webb. Glover didn’t throw a lot of pitches last night, but I’m fairly sure today was the first time we’ve ever asked him to throw back to back days. And I believe that today was the first time he’s come into a game with inherited runners. Good to see him handle all that and now we know that we can use him that way if need be.
I’m glad he got the hit, obviously, but I wasn’t a fan of pinch hitting Austin Biggar for Jernigan... Austin is probably the slowest guy on the team, and it seems like he hits a lot of ground balls... LSU did get the grounder they were looking for, but it found a hole... I acknowledge that Stricklin has some roster limitations right now, and I think he’s pushed all the right buttons this weekend, but I think that wasn’t a good decision that worked out anyway.
What was a good decision was the IBB to set up the double play the inning before... and LJ Talley was positioned perfectly on that one, also. Good decision and good scouting there.
Lastly, I sure had mixed feelings on that last review in the top of the 9th. The guy was safe by a half step, so the call on the field was correct... had they overturned it on review and called him out, that would have ended the game. My thought was that a game that good just shouldn’t end on a replay review. That just didn’t seem fitting.
What a series this has been... I’m trying to think of a series that felt this even and has been this well-played after the first two games. I think Arkansas back in 2009, we had walk off wins in each of the first two (Matt Cerione was the hero both times)... since then, I can’t of any that have been this well-played and this tight.
Ought to be a hell of a rubber game tomorrow
