Shocks and Houston Play Eight

[1972Shocker]

Kaminska retires the first two batters in the Houston 7th but an error by Jack Sigrist at 2nd extends the inning. A single up the middle puts runners on 1st and 2nd. Jace gets a fly ball to right center caught by CF Couper Cornblum to end the inning

Hell of an effort by the freshman Kaminska. Thought they might think about bringing him out for the 8th but I think the error by Sigrist that extended him for 2 more hitters probably ends any thought of that. I could be wrong but think the game will be turned over to the bullpen.

[1972Shocker]

2-out Kocis double to right field in the top of the 8th knocks out Houston's starter Jaycob Deese after a very fine outing by him as well. Corrigan Bartlett greeted the reliever with a single through the left side scoring Kocis with a badly needed insurance run before Gibson fouled out to 3rd.

Foster Gifford is on to pitch for the Shocks in the bottom of the 8th.

A single to left followed by a 5-4 force out at 2nd and a single to right put runners on the corners for Houston with 1 out. A stolen base put both the runners in scoring position. A sac fly to right plated one run with the runner on 2nd advancing to 3rd. A fly ball to right center caught by Seth Stroh ending the inning with the Shocks clinging to a one run lead. As I said the run in the top of the 8th was a badly needed insurance run.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks get a 2-out single to left from Andrew Stewart but nothing else in the top of the 9th.

Aaron Haase on in his closer role to pitch the bottom of the 9th.

Aaron throws 9 pitches. Ground out to 3rd, ground out to short, strike out. Shocks win 2-1.

As I said after Game 1 today, you have to win your share of these close ones to be a good team. But not sure you want to make that a every game thing,

Today belonged to the pitchers, for both teams. The Shocks were just a little bit better than the Cougars.

[WuDrWu]

Gifford was not sharp but damn, Haase was even better tonight. The 3rd batter had NO shot, half swung at Haase's slider that broke 3 feet outside, got away from Cadena and the batter was able to just make it to first.

Haase then froze the next guy with his curve to end it. Aaron picks up his 6th and 7th saves on the season. Good day!

[NCAABound]

I didn't get to see the 2nd game. How did Jace look? I'm assuming pretty good by the results. He can be special.

[shoxlax]

Jace seems to find another level when he has runners on base, which was an earmark of our starting pitchers in the days of yesteryear. That’s really impressive considering he didn’t have many opposing base runners in high school.

[SB Shock]

Great pitching today. Need another day of pitching and hope the bats come alive.

[ShockerFever]

This would be a nice series opening win. I have a feeling 2 runs won’t win it tomorrow.

Don’t settle for the split.

[Shockm]

From what I've seen this year, I'm not a big believer in Hynes. I hope our bats pick up, but today could easily become an exercise of which team has more pitchers to throw out there. I hope Wedge has seen enough from Hynes this year to pull him early and go with the pen, inning by inning.

[WuDrWu]

Cougars will counter with juco transfer Ben Sears from Rhode Island. 6'5" sophomore is highly regarded but has had spotty success so far this season.

2 to 1 K/BB ratio but batters are hitting .308 against him. The RHP has a 6.30 ERA, still lower than his Shocker counterpart today, but even that number is inflated because of his 4 and 2/3 disaster of an outing vs the Sooners where he gave up 8 hits (including 5 doubles and 2 HRs) and 9 earned runs.

He went 5.1 and gave up just 2 runs in getting the win over ranked Texas.

Not a flame thrower but a ++ breaking ball. Throws strikes. Got to punish his mistakes.

[WuDrWu]

Gifford was not sharp but damn, Haase was even better tonight. The 3rd batter had NO shot, half swung at Haase's slider that broke 3 feet outside, got away from Cadena and the batter was able to just make it to first.

Haase then froze the next guy with his curve to end it. Aaron picks up his 6th and 7th saves on the season. Good day!

I want to clarify my comment here. Cadena played the ball as well as he could have, the pitch was just that good. He scrambled out and managed to make a great throw that nearly got the batter (they had to replay to confirm the safe call).

What I wanted to add is the leadership Ross showed late in the game. Jack Sigrist was a bit casual on a ground ball that ended up putting Jace up against it. Ross called time and made sure everyone was focused. He appeared to get his point across. Outstanding leadership.

[1972Shocker]

Game 4 of 8

Spencer Hynes on the mound for the Shocks.

A lead off walk and a 1-out home run to left put Houston up 2-0 in the 2nd.

Houston gifts the Shocks a run in the 3rd on 4 walks. The only walks of the game through 6 innings by the Houston starter.

Paxton Wallace leads off the Shocker 6th with a long bomb into the trees in left center to tie the game at 2-all.

Hynes has been pretty good so far. His biggest issue is his command. He has 4 walks in 5 innings one of which scored ahead of the 2nd inning home run.

Hynes works around a lead off single and a 2-out stolen base to hold the fort in the bottom of the 6th.

Both teams down in order in the 7th. Houston's starter, Ben Sears, is at 105 pitches. Hynes, who got his 1st strike out of the game in the 7th, is only at 82 pitches.

Houston goes to the bullpen with Derrick Cherry in the 8th. I think we are likely to see Spencer back out in the 8th but we will see.

With 1 out in the 8th Wallace chops a two hopper toward the left side and the pitcher fielded it an threw wildly past first with Wallace advancing all the way to 3rd. Houston walks Kocis intentionally bringing up Barlett. Bartlett popped out to shallow right but Wallace tagged and tried to score and was out by a mile at the plate. Shocks blow a golden opportunity.

Hynes does come back out for the 8th. Hynes falls behind 3-0. Gets a strike on a borderline pitch then gives up a line drive that just eludes Sigrist at second for a lead off single and Spencer Hynes is done for the day. Ryan Suempfig on to try to hold the fort for the Shocks. I would anticiapte Houston will try to sacrfice the runner into scoring position. The sac bunt is wel executed and Houston has a RISP with 1 out. After going 3-0 the Shocks intentionally walk the next batter. Probably a good move. High chop back to Stuempfig for out #2 as runners advance to 2nd and 3rd. Couper Cornblum goes to the top of the wall in center to snag a long fly ball to center. Checking to see if it bounced off the top of the wall before being caught. Doesn't look like it to me. I think it will be ruled a catch. The call stands as the Shocks dodge a bullet.

Gibson walks. Cooper Elliott inserted to run for Gibson. Cornblum surprisingly not sacrificing flies out to center. Elliott steals second and advances to 3rd when the throw goes into the center. Stroh hit by a pitch an steals second. Another great chance for the Shocks. Stewart bounces back to the pitcher. Elliott caught off 3rd and the 3rd baseman runs him down. Jack Sigrist with an excellent at bat singling to right through the 3-4 hole to drive in Seth Stroh with the go ahead run. Shocks lead 3-2.

Look for Aaron Haase to come in an try to close. Nope. Looks like Wedge sticking with Stuempfig. Can of corn to right. 1 out. Error by Kocis at 1st. Tying run on base.we Runner takes off from 1st on a 1-2 pitch. Cadena got rid of it quick but short-hopped Stewart who made a nice pick and tag on a close play that was rules with the out call standing. Stuempfig then walks the batter. Stuempfig staying in. One way or the other this is probably his last batter. A pop up to Kocis in foul territory ends the game.

Shocker 3 - Houston 2. Shockers win the road half of the 8 game series 3-1.

[shocks02]

RF caught the ball about 20 feet from where second baseman sets up and the third base coach thought it was a good idea to send the runner from third? Yikes.

we are playing with fire keeping Hynes out there.

[1972Shocker]

RF caught the ball about 20 feet from where second baseman sets up and the third base coach thought it was a good idea to send the runner from third? Yikes.

we are playing with fire keeping Hynes out there.

At least we assume the 3rd base coach sent him. If he did tells you something about the confidence they have in Hunter Gibson who would have been up. Hopefully, Gibson takes that as in insult and does something about it leading off the 9th.

[shocks02]

Sigrist singles in Stroh and its 3-2! Get the Haase fella warmed up.