Shocks and Houston Play Eight

[WuDrWu]

Shocks go quietly in the 2nd. Flyout, groundout, strikeout. Ingram even got 4 strikes before the K.

1-1 bottom 2.

[Kung Wu]

What's the rule when a batter hits the ball almost straight down? Sometimes they let the play occur, other times it's a foul ball? What's the deciding factor?

[Kung Wu]

Oof that was an ugly sequence right there.

[DUShock]

Errors abound, costly errors.

[WuDrWu]

2nd starts off bad again. Snavely can't throw a strike. Single (on a ball) followed by a 3-1 count (gift strike) and then a ground out where the Shocks couldn't turn the 3-6 double play. One out, runner on 2nd. Preston really struggling to throw a fastball for a strike. He does get a flyout for out 2, but keep throwing only curves up and they are going to eat him alive.

Lovelace hits a screamer that barely makes it past Snavely for an excuse me infield single. 1st and 3rd, wild pitch, runner scores, and moves to 2nd.

Preston misses high and outside on a 3-2 pitch. Ump has an odd zone so far. I think that was a ball, but still, has been called a strike.

1st and 2nd and Preston gets Almendarez to swing at 3 pitches in the dirt and gets out of the inning. 2-1 Houston after 2.

[WuDrWu]

Stewart flies out to deep 2nd base, Sigrist grounds out to 2nd and Stroh grounds out to 1st. 2-1 Houston going to the bottom of the 3rd.


Preston needs an easy inning here.

[DUShock]

A nice 3 up, 3 down inning by Snavely

[WuDrWu]

Much better inning for Preston. 2 ground outs then actually threw 5 strikes (one foul) before freezing the hitter on a sweet off speed pitch.

Much much better young man. Dotted a couple of fastballs there too.

2-1 Cougars top 4.

[NCAABound]

Just what the Doctor ordered. It's a lot easier when you get ahead in the count.

[DUShock]

Kocis continues to deliver from the plate with his 30th RBI of the season.

[WuDrWu]

Wallace singles to start off the inning.

Kocis needs to be patient here. They don't want to give him anything to drive. Ball 1, 2, 3.....a gift strike, then Kocis drives one the other way for a double scoring Wallace.

Excellent job of hitting by Kocis. Bartlett however doesn't get Garrett to 3rd on a groundout. Gibby strikes out on a breaking ball (not sure he's hit one this year) and Harris tries to fix things with 2 outs.

Harris gets ball 1,2 and 3. Better look at a couple here unless it's underhanded. Hit him. I hope Ingram is patient.

[WuDrWu]

Chuck fouls off ball 1.....grrrr.

Ball 2 (1-1)

fouls off ball 3. (1-2)

Ball 4 (2-2)

Cougs get a bit lucky on a ground out to end the inning. The mound saves a run for sure.

2-2 after 3 and a half.

[WuDrWu]

Snavely returns to struggling to throw his fastball for a strike. He does get a flyout, a nasty hook for his 3rd strikeout, and Dave Condon again blows a strike call, extending the at bat before finally getting strike 5 to end the inning.

2-2 after 4.

[WuDrWu]

Not much patience in the top of the inning, especially given Henry's struggles in the 4th. 3 pitches and a ground out and flyout.

Condon misses another call, this time against the Shocks and Stroh ends up flying out fairly deep.

2-2 bottom 5.

[WuDrWu]

Snavely getting stronger as the game goes on. Quick 1,2,3 inning with 2 more Ks. That's 5. Preston at 75 through 5.

Stilled tied at 2 going to the 6th.

Like it or not, this is crunch time.