N orth Dakota vs WSU

[SB Shock]

This series will be the opening series for North Dakota.

ND is projected to finish 6th ouf 9 teams. Conference was 2nd worst conference last year.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/season-preview/2012/2612958.html

ND catcher (Zack Trygstad, C) is #5 rank prospect in the league.

ND RHP Andrew Thome is ranked the top #2 newcomer in the league.

Last year opponents hit 0.353 versus ND pitching
ND hit 0.291 last year, but lose 3 of their 4top hitters:

Andy Sadler (0.385/0.467/0.462)
Josh Ray (0.354/0.389/0.521)
Jake Magner (0.313/0.382/0.530)

but return Kwak (0.339/0.407/0.554)

ND will be a young team. 3 out of their 4 projected starters are freshman. Their coach said with the mild winter they have been able to get out and do lot of work outside.

Senior LHP Kevin Auth
FROSH RHP Tyler Ruemmele
FROSH RHP Andrew Thome
FROSH RHP Jeff Campbell (will also play 1B/DH when not pitching)

[shoxlax]

Normally I would say anything less than a sweep is unacceptable. However, with the youth of our team, I would be happy with 3 of 4 from these guys. Real question is: which team will show up?

[shox1989]

A sweep would be great and would do a lot to give our team some badly needed confidence. It is hard to sweep a team 4 straight games in baseball, but I am sure that is the goal. I would also be happy with 3 out of 4, but I am hoping for the sweep.

[1972Shocker]

Weather a key element for baseball this time of year. The weekend looks pretty good for this time of the year.

Friday: Sunny, Hi 52. Mid-40's by 5:00. Winds out of the NW 15 to 25 mph. Winds may make it a little chilly. Will be tough to hit one out. Perhaps from the flagpole to the right field line.

Saturday: Sunny, Hi 59

Sunday: Mostly Sunny, Hi 61

Should be no problem getting all the games in. On Saturday enjoy the basketball game and the Senior Day festivities and then mosey on over to Eck for some baseball.

[shox1989]

Weather a key element for baseball this time of year. The weekend looks pretty good for this time of the year.

Friday: Sunny, Hi 52. Mid-40's by 5:00. Winds out of the NW 15 to 25 mph. Winds may make it a little chilly. Will be tough to hit one out. Perhaps from the flagpole to the right field line.

Saturday: Sunny, Hi 59

Sunday: Mostly Sunny, Hi 61

Should be no problem getting all the games in. On Saturday enjoy the basketball game and the Senior Day festivities and then mosey on over to Eck for some baseball.

That is what I plan on doing. Unfortunately I have to work on Friday, so I am going to have to miss the home opener. I hate it, but 2 pm on a Friday is just a little hard to make.

[1972Shocker]

A sweep would be great and would do a lot to give our team some badly needed confidence. It is hard to sweep a team 4 straight games in baseball, but I am sure that is the goal. I would also be happy with 3 out of 4, but I am hoping for the sweep.

The Shockers are 65-0 all-time at home (Eck and Lawrence-Dumont) in the month of February. Yeah, I'm hoping for a sweep too. No doubt this streak will end sometime but let's not break it this year.

[JaminShock]

WSU gets 1 in the 1st, Smith strikes out the first 5 hitters he faces, then a bloop hit, but gets a grounder to 3B to end the 2nd, bottom 1, 1-0 Shox.

[RoyalShock]

Bases loaded, no outs.

No runs.

Ugh.

[WuDrWu]

Shocks load the bases with nobody out. Ground into a 5-2-1 fielders choice, and then a 5-2-1 double play. Dynamite.

[WuDrWu]

Smith is dealing.

[WuDrWu]

Dinger. 1-1. No hitter and shutout gone. Top 4.

[WuDrWu]

8 Ks through 4 for Josh. 1-1 going to the bottom of the 4th.

[WuDrWu]

Smith is dealing.

Nice kiss of death Doc.

[WuDrWu]

1-1 through 4.

By the way, this is the 1st game of the season for North Dakota. They begin the season with a 26 game road trip and 31 of their first 33 away from the friendly confines of Kraft Memorial Field.

[WuDrWu]

Shocks get one home when Hall grounds out to the right side plating Parker.


Josh Smith has 9 strikeouts through 5 and his pitch count is at 59.