It's been quite a few years since we last swept both midweek games from Sam. Let's make tonight the night!

2010 to be exact. In 2013, we were swept in the two games, and in 2012, we lost 2 of 3 to the Bearkats (counting the regional game). In 2011 and 2014, we split the two games. So for those scoring at home (and congratulations if you are), that's a 6-6 split in the 12 games thus far this decade.

Quote:Rice Baseball ‏@RiceOwlsBSB · 1m1 minute ago
Rice lineup: Chandler cf, Stainback 2b, Byrd ss, Reeves dh, Taylor lf, Warren rf, Gray 3b, CTeykl 1b, Kopycinski c, Salinas p. 6:30 pm start

Would appear we're going against another RHP starter. I'm guessing it's going to be So RHP Dylan Ebbs, who, like Odom. has been a weekend starter this year, and has been solid, averaging better than 6.0 IP per start...

7 app, 5 starts, 3-1, 36.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, .277 BAA, 9 BBs, 16 Ks, 5 HRs

His stats were only slightly worse than Odoms before last night's game the only real difference is that whereas Odom had been striking out one batter per inning pitched, Ebbs is averaging half that frequency. In other words, it would appear he's s soft-tossing right-hander. If so, we need to hold back our swing and go the other way, which is what almost all our left-handed hitters do anyway.

Announcing the starting lineups.

Chandler reaches on an error by 3B... and gets picked off. Then Stainback doubles.

Chandler leads off with an E-3. Runner on 1B, no outs. Ford needs to break out of his week-long slump...
Chandler picked pff. Our baserunning has been abysmal the last 2 weeks.
Stainback doubles....and there goes another run lost due to running ourselves out of innings.
Byrd popped out to 1B.
Reeves flied to reasonably deep CF.
Same old, same old.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the first inning.

Salinas, who had pinpoint control the first month of the season, is falling behind both batters...and keeping the ball up. Not a good sign. Williamson and Orewiler already warming up in the pen. Ugh. I'd hate to burn the bullpen before a conference weekend series.

Everything Ricky is throwing is up in the zone.

Uh-oh.

Good grief-- a double steal on a bunt attempt with no one cover the bags. Runners on 2B and 3B, no outs. We've seen this movie before....and it does not end well.

Oh, that's good. A double steal by Sam.

(03-25-2015 06:44 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Chandler picked pff. Our baserunning has been abysmal the last 2 weeks.
Stainback doubles....and there goes another run lost due to running ourselves out of innings.
...
Reeves flied to reasonably deep CF.
Same old, same old.

On the audio, it sounded like Stainback stretched his hit into a double, so maybe Chandler doesn't score if he hadn't been picked off. But he probably would have come home had Reeves' fly been just the second out. Or better yet, Byrd and Reeves having better ABs with two runners in scoring position.

But I agree:

Quote:Same old, same old.

(03-25-2015 06:53 PM)elf owl Wrote:  Oh, that's good. A double steal by Sam.

And then yet another wild pitch that gets by Hunter scores a run, with a runner on 3B. We give away our runs and then gift runs to the opposition. Not a recipe for success. Mental errors on base offense and defense already.

That was excruciating.

I will check back in after the game. Everyone get away from the ledge...it is just the top of the second, lots of ballgame left.

Just a horrific start to the game-- offensively, defensively and on the mound. Better right the ship in a hurry or we'll revert to pressing mode. If not for the wild pitch, Sam doesn't score that inning.

Taylor leadoff Texas-leaguer single.
Warren swinging bunt moves Kirby to 2B with one out.
Gray flied out to LF.
Teykl first pitch ground out.
Yet another wasted leadoff runner.

Down 0-2 heading to the bottom of the second inning.

I can't recall a team that positioned its shortstop so close to secondbase as SHSU did last night. There was a lot of space between the SS and the 3Bman for much of the game. Of course Rice is taught to hit the ball back up the middle. It cost Rice several hits last night and maybe one tonight.

(03-25-2015 07:07 PM)13thOwl Wrote:  I can't recall a team that positioned its shortstop so close to secondbase as SHSU did last night. There was a lot of space between the SS and the 3Bman for much of the game. Of course Rice is taught to hit the ball back up the middle. It cost Rice several hits last night and maybe one tonight.

You would think the batter would make the proper adjustments, no? We are just not playing heads up baseball right now.

Williamson replaces Salinas after Ricardo gives up his 3rd hit in 7 batters faced. And Ricky joins McCanna, Fox and Orewiler in starting pitchers who have suddenly and inexplicably lost their stuff the past month.

(03-25-2015 07:03 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Just a horrific start to the game-- offensively, defensively and on the mound. Better right the ship in a hurry or we'll revert to pressing mode. If not for the wild pitch, Sam doesn't score that inning.

Taylor leadoff Texas-leaguer single.
Warren swinging bunt moves Kirby to 2B with one out.
Gray flied out to LF.
Teykl first pitch ground out.
Yet another wasted leadoff runner.

Down 0-2 heading to the bottom of the second inning.

The pressure is on SHSU to win tonight at home to split the series. Rice just has to keep it close, then good things will happen. I believe Rice fans believe the players are in pressing mode. The guys are just playing one of 54 and this one happens to be on the road.

(03-25-2015 07:11 PM)13thOwl Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 07:03 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Just a horrific start to the game-- offensively, defensively and on the mound. Better right the ship in a hurry or we'll revert to pressing mode. If not for the wild pitch, Sam doesn't score that inning.

Taylor leadoff Texas-leaguer single.
Warren swinging bunt moves Kirby to 2B with one out.
Gray flied out to LF.
Teykl first pitch ground out.
Yet another wasted leadoff runner.

Down 0-2 heading to the bottom of the second inning.

The pressure is on SHSU to win tonight at home to split the series. Rice just has to keep it close, then good things will happen. I believe Rice fans believe the players are in pressing mode. The guys are just playing one of 54 and this one happens to be on the road.

That's your explanation of the mental errors?