Opening Weekend: Shox @ Arkansas Little Rock (Feb.16-18)

[shoxlax]

I've waited 10 years for this feeling. Other than onesy, twosy games here and there in the Gene Stephenson years I didn't get hooked on Shox baseball until Butler was at the helm.

It's been a grind manifesting my best inner forevershockerfan, being relentlessly hopeful even in the face of suckitude.

That has made this opening really, really sweet feeling!

Pretty sure “Butler“ and “hooked on Shocker Baseball” have never been used in the same sentence until now.

[ShockerFever]

UALR may be the worst team in D1, I don't know, but this is fun!

I think it’s more fun knowing that UALR is actually supposed to be pretty good and we took out their stud ace like it was tiddkywinks.

[1972Shocker]

[1972Shocker]

UALR may be the worst team in D1, I don't know, but this is fun!

SCOUTING LITTLE ROCK: The Trojans are coming off a 31-23 season in 2023, finishing second in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 14-8 record. Little Rock is the OVC preseason favorite and placed four players on the conference's preseason All-OVC team. The Trojans were at their best at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock, going 22-8 at home overall and 11-1 in conference home games. Little Rock returns every meaningful contributor from a year ago, highlighted by the nation's ERA leader in Jackson Wells. The rising junior right-hander was named the OVC Pitcher of the Year and an NCBWA All-American in 2023, finishing 7-4 with a 1.65 ERA in 93.0 innings. First Team All-Conference honorees Nico Baumbach (.372, 14 HR, 52 RBI), Skyler Trevino (.297, 15 HR, 46 RBI), and Tyler Williams (.363, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 23 SB) headline the returning position players from an offense that led the OVC with a .299 team batting average.

---

They sound decent enough on paper. Might have to question their bullpen after the first 2 games of the season. No one expected the shelling the Shocks delivered to Jackson Wells in game 1. Hopefully, PTSD won't be an issue for him. ALR's starter today wasn't too bad over his 5 innings. I was a little surprised that they pulled him when they did. He had given up 2 runs on 7hits with 8 K's and only 1 walk. But once the Shocks got into the bullpen the floodgates opened up.

The Shocks offense has been relentless in these first 2 games. I really can't imagine that the Shocks can keep up at this pace but they have scored in 12 of their 18 innings and in 11 of those 12 innings they put up a crooked number. They have had at least 1 baserunner in 16 of their 18 innings.

Looking forward to seeing if the Shocks can keep LaPouring it on tomorrow.

[Ashockalypse]

All I can say is let’s get the sweep! We need to make up for basketball.

[Kung Wu]

Shox on three!

One!
Two!
Three!
....

[WstateU]

nm

[WuDrWu]

Feels like for the first time in a decade we aren't "playing from behind" to start the season. These guys actually play like a team.

It's only 2 games and the competition steps up immeasurably next Friday, but I'm not sure anyone could have hoped or expected anything better so far.

Zang struggled a bit early but settled in nicely and was really good. Nate was solid enough. Tommy has a chance to really put his foot down tomorrow. The freshman has a big arm but he's got to be able to pitch not just throw hard.

Finishing off the series would be a nice step Sunday.

Camden Johnson has been a nice surprise. 5-11, 5 RBI, 1 walk and no strikeouts playing 3rd and short. That's kind of ridiculous.

Brayden Luikhart swung the bat well today going 2-4 and one of those outs was a screamer headed for extras when stabbed. Competing at the plate on a regular basis, mistakes kept to a minimum. Hitting .388, fielding .985, 2.50 ERA, more than a 4 to 1 K/BB ratio.

Thank you may I have another?

[molly jabali]

Love the start, love the optimism!

[Kung Wu]

Supposed to be a nice day in Little Rock?

[1972Shocker]

Supposed to be a nice day in Little Rock?

Yes. Quite pleasant. 54, sunny and winds at 6 mph.

[WuDrWu]

Forecast says high 40s to 50 and sunny by game time with a light breeze. Midday high sun can provide for a challenging day for flies. Everyone has said it, and everyone is right, it's just a couple of games.

But getting off on the right foot matters. Winning begets winning just like losing begets losing. Expectations are just that and they can go either way.

Mo said in an interview with the Jax tourney guys maybe last week that we didn't have anything to lose and that it was going to be a good opportunity to challenge the guys and see where we're at when they head there for Friday's game. Regardless of what happens today, that's all true. But if they can win again today in a convincing manner, that attitude will shift from "Let's see where we are" to "we're going there to win". And I don't care what ANYONE says, attitude is important. As is talent, preparation, execution and a myriad of other things, but attitude matters.


I'll get to some more detail later, but the American had a better day yesterday. Rice lost to Notre Dame again and Virginia Tech handled Charlotte for the 2nd day in a row, but UTSA swept a DH vs UTA, ECU looked great again in beating a solid Rider team 7-0, Memphis, Tulane and UAB all won, reversing their Friday woes and in the big prize of the day, FAU held on this time and got #6 Vandy in Nashville 5-4. 4 Owl pitchers combined to hold Vandy to just 3 hits. FAU is one pitch from winning both games. They had 9 pitches with 2 outs and the lead in the bottom of the 9th Friday with the lead before Vandy walked them off. USF had their game vs Louisville postponed. All 10 teams scheduled today, with everyone but USF playing the 3rd game of a series. The Bulls will take on a very good ISUb team. The Trees took down Louisville on Friday and Uconn yesterday.

[1972Shocker]

I certainly wasn't expecting this team consisting largely of juco transfers and freshman to go into Little Rock and do what the have over the first 2 games of the series. In the first game we relied on our most experienced players Favors, Stroh, Rogers and Millan to lead the way to a very unexpected blow out with the 2023 national ERA leader starting on the mound for ALR.

So if you told me that Stroh, Rogers and Millan would come back down to earth in game 2, I would have thought the newcomers would pretty much follow suit. And with a 1-year D-II juco transfer starting on the mound for the first time at the NCAA D-1 level I would not have expected a 14-0 whitewashing. Stroh, Rogers and Millan were a combined 2-11 atlthough they did draw 4 walks and no runs batted in. Cam Johnson, Ryan Callahan, Braden Luikart, Derek Williams, and Alex Birge (not exactly houserhold names to Shocker fans) were a combined 14-24 with 12 runs batted in. And Daniel Zang was superb over 6 shutout innings allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. Zang retired the last 9 guys he faced in order, striking out 5 of them. Nate Adler finished off the shutout with 3 solid innings of relief work.

At some point this Shocker team will have to come back down to earth I would think. Are they just young and dumb and running on adrenalin so far? Stay tuned in for the next episode of Who Are These Guys?

The Shockers have not swept a non-conference series on the road since 2018. The last group of guys your expect to break that streak was this tream of mostly newcomers to D-1 baseball. That was a season opening series at McNeese State.

[1972Shocker]

And I don't care what ANYONE says, attitude is important. As is talent, preparation, execution and a myriad of other things, but attitude matters.

The one thing that was pretty apparent with Coach Green from day 1 was that the Shocks were getting a guy with a positive attitutude backed up by a high level of energy. So far looks like that attituded and energy has been flowing in the right direction and being absorbed. Preparation and execution look good so far as well. The question is how all that will hold up when a little adversity hits. I expect we will find out soon enough.

[1972Shocker]

Mo Millan commented on today's starter, freshman Tommy LaPour, in the pre-series RoundHouse article:

"(LaPour) competes his tail off day in and day out," catcher Mauricio Millan said. "For him, I think it's more the mental side of the game, just being so young. It's time to slow the game down. Control his breaths. Control his tempo."