-Really nice W. Obviously, at 0-4, any win is nice, but I think it was important for us to win that way for a couple of reasons. For one thing, we didn't play THAT great... We had a lot of very quick innings offensively, we pitched pretty well, but we were in a lot of two ball counts and the tempo was lacking on the mound as well. Still, we won the game by three runs.... I think that goes to show that you don't have to do anything extraordinary to win these games.... and winning isn't some outcome that only arises when everything is perfect. I think that's a good experience for a young team and I think, or hope, that the way yesterday played out will allow everyone to relax a little bit.
-Keegan McGovern is red hot right now.... he's only raised his batting average around .100 points in the last week or so... This was how he started the season last year.... I'm glad this run is showing up in league play now.... He won't hit at this clip the rest of the way, nobody could, but he really is the quiet key to the offense.
-I mentioned above how we had some empty, very quick innings at the plate yesterday. Heck, I think it was the 2nd or 3rd inning, I got up to go to the bathroom after we'd gotten the last out defensively and we already had 2 outs on us by the time I got back. But when we DID get guys on base, he moved them along. It wasn't a great offensive day yesterday, but it was an efficient one, I think. Schunk's RBI (which came with 2 strikes and after he'd just fouled a ball off his lower leg) was HUGE in the 8th inning.... A night after we left 13 men on base, we left 6 yesterday.
-Ryan Avidano definitely did some good work yesterday. I questioned getting Locey when we did, but Avidano answered the call and was easily the best he's been in his career, all things considered. To be honest, I didn't think that Locey, Avidano, Shane Tucker, and Kristofak could hold Auburn to 1 run.... But that's something I remember thinking before the game on Friday.... we are a good defensive team. Cut out the walks and HBPs, or at least cut them down, and we'll be ok. We make a lot of plays around the IF and in the OF.
-I'm not sure I wouldn't look at Will Procter at the top of the order, or maybe the 2 spot. I know that's a jump for him, but I really like what does at the plate. I wouldn't mind seeing Camp Shepherd 1 and Procter 2 or vice versa. I think that may take some pressure off of Tucker Maxwell too....
-I was glad that they went back with Austin Biggar behind the plate yesterday. After his game Friday night, I really wanted him to get back out there as soon as possible.... I think Austin will get it going at the plate too... today may be a good day to sit him, catch with Curry, and DH Will Campbell (assuming Campbell can go, he got hit pretty hard on that elbow yesterday).
-How about those double plays we turned in the 8th and 9th? Auburn started to get a little life in their dugout, especially in the 8th, and those DPs really quashed that in a hurry.
-The pitching matchup today favors us, that's for sure. We can absolutely win this series this afternoon.... We've seen how this team has handled adversity. They bounced back very well from that awful Friday night game at Baton Rouge last weekend and they bounced back yesterday from that crushing loss Friday night. Let's see how we handle some prosperity. We won a very tight, intense game against Ga Southern on Friday night a few weeks ago and came back and played our best game of the year the next day... I hope we handle it the same way this afternoon. One thing you can say about this team is that they are mature.... I really feel good about this afternoon.
-Keegan McGovern is red hot right now.... he's only raised his batting average around .100 points in the last week or so... This was how he started the season last year.... I'm glad this run is showing up in league play now.... He won't hit at this clip the rest of the way, nobody could, but he really is the quiet key to the offense.
-I mentioned above how we had some empty, very quick innings at the plate yesterday. Heck, I think it was the 2nd or 3rd inning, I got up to go to the bathroom after we'd gotten the last out defensively and we already had 2 outs on us by the time I got back. But when we DID get guys on base, he moved them along. It wasn't a great offensive day yesterday, but it was an efficient one, I think. Schunk's RBI (which came with 2 strikes and after he'd just fouled a ball off his lower leg) was HUGE in the 8th inning.... A night after we left 13 men on base, we left 6 yesterday.
-Ryan Avidano definitely did some good work yesterday. I questioned getting Locey when we did, but Avidano answered the call and was easily the best he's been in his career, all things considered. To be honest, I didn't think that Locey, Avidano, Shane Tucker, and Kristofak could hold Auburn to 1 run.... But that's something I remember thinking before the game on Friday.... we are a good defensive team. Cut out the walks and HBPs, or at least cut them down, and we'll be ok. We make a lot of plays around the IF and in the OF.
-I'm not sure I wouldn't look at Will Procter at the top of the order, or maybe the 2 spot. I know that's a jump for him, but I really like what does at the plate. I wouldn't mind seeing Camp Shepherd 1 and Procter 2 or vice versa. I think that may take some pressure off of Tucker Maxwell too....
-I was glad that they went back with Austin Biggar behind the plate yesterday. After his game Friday night, I really wanted him to get back out there as soon as possible.... I think Austin will get it going at the plate too... today may be a good day to sit him, catch with Curry, and DH Will Campbell (assuming Campbell can go, he got hit pretty hard on that elbow yesterday).
-How about those double plays we turned in the 8th and 9th? Auburn started to get a little life in their dugout, especially in the 8th, and those DPs really quashed that in a hurry.
-The pitching matchup today favors us, that's for sure. We can absolutely win this series this afternoon.... We've seen how this team has handled adversity. They bounced back very well from that awful Friday night game at Baton Rouge last weekend and they bounced back yesterday from that crushing loss Friday night. Let's see how we handle some prosperity. We won a very tight, intense game against Ga Southern on Friday night a few weeks ago and came back and played our best game of the year the next day... I hope we handle it the same way this afternoon. One thing you can say about this team is that they are mature.... I really feel good about this afternoon.
