AAC Tournament Games

[shockfan89_]

Nothing like 8am baseball to kick off the tournament (yes, I know it is 9 there but still). I don't really understand playing only 2 games today and starting so early.

UCF leads ECU 3-0 after the top of the 1st on 2 hits, 2 walks, a HBP and a wild pitch. Sounds like ECU has been watching too many WSU games. :)

[Play Angry]

Wondered the same thing - minor league home game tonight or something?

[shockfan89_]

The AAC seems a bit different so far. UCF starting their closer in their opening game. 14 appearances, 18.2 innings pitched on the year. Not their actual closer, but obviously has been in relief all year. They have 3 starters with sub 3.0 ERAs (2.47, 2.49, 2.82) and their #4 starter has a 3.36 ERA...

So far this unconventional approach is working well. They strike out the AAC player of the year, then go BB, BB, rbi double, HBP. Then they pull the closer and insert the #3 starter with the bases loaded, 1 run already home, and 1 out. The #3 starter induces a GIDP on his 1st pitch and inning is over.

UCF 3 ECU 1

[Cdizzle]

Wondered the same thing - minor league home game tonight or something?

IMO, it's a better plan than the 4-games per day plan the MVC used. That schedule was never realistic even with perfect weather and 8.5 inning games.

[1972Shocker]

I wonder if part of the consideration for the early start is that the loseers of Games 1 and Games 2 play again tomorrow evening while the winners get tomorrow off. Perhaps they want to give the losers as much rest as possible between their 1st and 2nd games.

OTOH the losers of Game 3 (WSU vs USF @ 11:00 am) and Game 4 (Cincy vs UConn @ 3:00 pm) get to comeback and play at 11:00 am on Thursday.

[shockfan89_]

I would understand that logic on day 3 or day 4, but does that really make a difference on day 2 of the tournament? The losers play tomorrow at 7pm, that is already more rest than a typical weekend series where you play Friday night at 6pm or 7pm and then 2pm Saturday afternoon.

[1972Shocker]

Last year they did play 4 games on Tuesday but only played 1 game on Wednesday. Not 100% sure that was scheduled that way or affected by weather.

BTW, the 8 seed, ECU did make it to the championship game last year where they lost to Houston 6-0.

[1972Shocker]

UCF and ECU now tied 3-3 at the end of 2.

[Cdizzle]

Tournament Central: http://theamerican.org/sports/2018/3/1/baseball.aspx

Game 1 Live Stats: http://aac.statbroadcast.com/

[ShockerFever]

They moved up the times because of expected rain moving in later.

[WuDrWu]

Rain everywhere down here. First time they’ve seen the sun in days and it won’t last. I’ll post if I here of a change planned for tomorrow.

not sure it was covered but Katzfey was hurt against Memphis and will be unavailable.

[1972Shocker]

That's too bad. Seems like Jacob was just starting to swing the bat well and he is valuable as a pinch runner. Is he out for the duration of the tournament?

[WuDrWu]

Local weather last night said there’s a 40% chance of the low around Belize turning into a Gulf hurricane by this weekend. So we’ve got that goi g for us, which is nice.

[1972Shocker]

Is that an artificial turf field or natural grass field?

[WuDrWu]

Already sprinkling here. Are the Rays in town?

[1972Shocker]

Appears to be a natural grass field.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_Field#/media/File:Bright_House_Field.jpg

[1972Shocker]

Tampa Bay Times

A 6-day baseball tourney in this weather? Good luck, AAC

"In the event that the tournament cannot be completed, then no champion would be declared," Sullivan said. "The automatic bid to the NCAA Championship would go to the highest remaining seed."

Rain chances in Clearwater Today through Monday: 80%, 20%, 80%, 100%, 90%, 80%, 80%.

A lot of rain delays could really play havoc with pitching staffs who in many cases would have stretched thin even in good weather.

[Play Angry]

Wow, that is an ominous forecast.

[Play Angry]

ECU downs UCF 8-4 in Game 1.

[WSUwatcher]

Too bad the conference can't / doesn't work things out to use Tampa's Trop. Probably too expensive to rent, which is too bad; they'd probably draw just as well as the Rays do, and then the weather wouldn't be a factor (although haven't they had leaky roof issues in the past there?).

It's a lot more important to be indoors for an 8-team double elimination tournament than it is for one (underattended) MLB game a day.

Update: By the way, based on the article '72 linked above, it sounds as though the games today weren't supposed to be morning matinees, but were moved (presumably to try to beat the weather). I also thought it was interesting that the league office said they could actually have two games going simultaneously to try to catch up if necessary. That would be quite the spectacle.