Baseball: WSU vs Air Force (Mar 3,4)

[1972Shocker]

Pretty decent debut for Beau Leonards. We can used a lefty that can get some outs.

[1972Shocker]

Love it that the guys are getting some decent weather to play in.

[1972Shocker]

Air Force actually hit the ball well today and they a very aggressive and pretty good with the running game.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks only outhit Air Force 13-12 but Shocker pitchers only walked 2 vs 7 for Air Force and the Shockers only made 1 error to 4 for Air Force and the Shocks made Air Forcxe pay for most of he walks and errors.

4 RBI for Couper Cornblum and 6 RBI for Hunter Gibson.

Deuce Couper was 3-3 plus 2 walks, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI. Couper's numbers are off the charts for a freshman. It will be interesting to see how he holds up once we get past Air Force and the competition gets a little tougher.

[Cdizzle]

Couper's numbers will obviously drop. They'd drop even if the competition didn't stiffen. But it's good to get it while you can, and confidence can be a wonderful thing.

[bleednblackngold]

Team looks very bought in! Rubber meets the road this weekend! Go shox!

[Shocker85]

Yep. Terrible idea by Gibson to run through the stop sign.

Worse umpiring to call him out. You don't have to ask the catcher to tea. He slid. The catcher blocked the plate and dropped the ball.

I thought this was a terrible call as well. I know they have pussied-up the rules with regard to the catcher but i thought he was blocking the plate, which is not allowed either. I would like to hear a good explanation of that call and see the specific time in the college rulebook. My goodness, he did not hold the ball.

Great game overall. I really think a schedule the Shox can handle will help in the long run to get minds right. It seems to me that plate approach is really good with patience and aggression when needed. I'm looking what i see so far.

[ShockerFever]

Good win. Glad the bats were able to come alive. A few bad plays and mistakes but again, overall trajectory is good.

Cant wait for the weekend to see how well they match up with a team with a pulse (huge Texas Southern win not withstanding)

[Cdizzle]

Collision Rule
SECTION 7. The rules committee is concerned about unnecessary and violent
collisions with the catcher at home plate, and with infielders at all bases. The
intent of this rule is to encourage base runners and defensive players to avoid
such collisions whenever possible.
a. When there is a collision between a runner and a fielder who is in clear
possession of the ball, the umpire shall judge:
If the defensive player blocks the base (plate) or base line with clear
possession of the ball, the runner may slide into to make contact with the
fielder as long as the runner is making a legitimate attempt to reach the base
(plate).
1) The runner must make an actual attempt to reach the base (plate).
PENALTY—If the contact is flagrant or malicious before the runner touches the
base (plate), the runner shall be declared out and also ejected from the
contest. The ball is immediately dead and all other base runners shall
return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
2) The runner may not attempt to dislodge the ball from the fielder. Contact
above the waist shall be judged by the umpire as an attempt by the runner
to dislodge the ball.
PENALTY— If the runner attempts to dislodge the ball or initiates an avoidable
collision, the runner shall be declared out, even if the fielder loses
possession of the ball. The ball is dead and all other base runners shall
return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
3) The runner must attempt to avoid a collision if he can reach the base
without colliding.
PENALTY—If the contact is flagrant or malicious after the runner touches the base
(plate), the runner is safe, but is ejected from the contest. The ball is
immediately dead and all other base runners shall return to the last base
touched at the time of the collision. If this occurs at any base other than
home, the offending team may replace the runner. If the contact occurs
after a preceding runner touches home plate, the preceding runner
is safe. The ball is immediately dead and all other base runners shall
return to the last base touched at the time of the contact.
4) If the runner’s path to the base is blocked and (1), (2) and (3) are fulfilled,
it is considered unavoidable contact (see Rule 2-55, Obstruction).
b. A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the
plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering
home plate), or otherwise initiate an avoidable collision. If, in the judgment
of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher
(or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out (regardless of whether the player covering home plate
maintains possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the umpire shall call
the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at
the time of the collision. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate
manner, he shall not be adjudged to be in violation of this rule.
Note: The failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner’s
lowering of the shoulder, or the runner’s pushing through with his hands, elbows or
arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway
in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation of the Collision Rule 8-7,
or otherwise initiated a collision that could have been avoided. A slide shall be
deemed appropriate, in the case of a feet first slide, if the runner’s buttocks and legs
should hit the ground before contact with the catcher. In the case of a head first
slide, a runner shall be deemed to have slid appropriately if his body should hit
the ground before contact with the catcher. If a catcher blocks the pathway of the
runner, the umpire shall not find that the runner initiated an avoidable collision
in violation of the Collision Rule.
c. Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the
pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the
umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the
runner, the umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Notwithstanding the
above, it shall not be considered a violation if the catcher blocks the pathway
of the runner in a legitimate attempt to field the throw, (e.g., in reaction to
the direction, trajectory or the hop of the incoming throw, or in reaction to a
throw that originates from the pitcher or drawn-in infielder). In addition, a
catcher without possession of the ball shall not be adjudged to be in violation
if the runner could have avoided the collision with the catcher (or other player
covering home plate) by sliding.
Note: A catcher shall not be deemed to have violated the Collision Rule unless he
has both blocked the plate without possession of the ball (or when not in a legitimate
attempt to field the throw), and also hindered or impeded the progress of the runner
attempting to score. A catcher shall not be deemed to have hindered or impeded
the progress of the runner if, in the judgment of the umpire, the runner would have
been called out notwithstanding the catcher having blocked the plate. In addition,
a catcher should use best efforts to avoid unnecessary and forcible contact while
tagging a runner attempting to slide. Catchers who routinely make unnecessary
and forcible contact with a runner attempting to slide (e.g., by initiating contact
using a knee, shin guard, elbow or forearm) may be subject to being ejected.

[Cdizzle]

Near as I could tell Gibson slid. He also slid toward the base and within the basepath. My reading of the rule says a baserunner ALWAYS has a right to do those things.

I did not think the AF catcher was overtly blocking the plate, but by rule I would say the catcher was much more likely in the wrong than the baserunner. You can't block a base and wait for a throw any more. You have to either have the ball and then block the base, or be led by the throw into the basepath.

It didn't and doesn't really matter in this game, but I'm curious about the rule application. Also, it was a bad idea from Gibson all the way around to run through the stop sign on a ball he had to play halfway.

[Kung Wu]

I saw that Louisiana Tech lit up Maine for 26-3. That's unreal. Now I see that Maine is awful, but still.

How would you project Air Force at year end? Somewhere between 150-200, 200-250, or 250+?

[DJShocker10]

I saw that Louisiana Tech lit up Maine for 26-3. That's unreal. Now I see that Maine is awful, but still.

How would you project Air Force at year end? Somewhere between 150-200, 200-250, or 250+?

Not sure where they finish up this year, but I would not at all be surprised to see them snag a few Ws from some pretty respectable programs.

[ShockerFever]

I saw that Louisiana Tech lit up Maine for 26-3. That's unreal. Now I see that Maine is awful, but still.

How would you project Air Force at year end? Somewhere between 150-200, 200-250, or 250+?

200-250. At 3-10, they aren't off to a hot start. Picked toward the bottom of the Mountain West.


RPIs and SOSs are still pretty much meaningless right now but even with that volatility, our SOS is currently 220.

[Cdizzle]

I saw that Louisiana Tech lit up Maine for 26-3. That's unreal. Now I see that Maine is awful, but still.

How would you project Air Force at year end? Somewhere between 150-200, 200-250, or 250+?

Others may be better at this than I....

Air Force has been between ~120-200 in the last several years. They were picked T6 in an 8-team MWC this season. I would guess somewhere in the ballpark of 200.

[Cdizzle]

Some joking about new WSU fans on the board, but....

A new WSU baseball fan just asked for projected RPI of a WSU non-con opponent on a Wednesday morning and got 3 responses in less than 2 minutes.

I'd say there's some renewed interest.