WSU at USF (Apr 5-7)

[Kung Wu]

It's really a great trip. Clearwater Beach is gorgeous. Just sit on the beach if you want. Some good fishing, plenty to do or not do, your choice. Food is amazing and a million choices. Tampa offers options. Getting to and from the stadium is fairly routine and the stadium itself is an excellent venue for college baseball. Plenty of shade too for those sunny hot days. Also an amazing farmers market just down the street from the stadium with fruits and veggies that just are better than what you can get in the 316 (and a hidden sandwich shop that brings tears to my eyes). Only thing missing is our team getting to the finals or better.


Shocks mix things up a bit in the lineup, putting freshman Lane Haworth in the leadoff spot today. He worked a 3-1 count before flying out grrrr......Tommy gave up 2 solid singles but no further damage and it's no score after 1.

Tommy gives up a leadoff single to start the 2nd.

Seems like the scout is out on us right now, especially at the plate. Don't pitch us inside A)because we'll take one and B) because you don't have to. Don't get behind, just throw strikes because we don't swing the bats well enough to worry too much (and we have too many holes in the lineup even if we are 'hitting'). Throw strikes and just don't give us free passes, walks or HBP and you'll be fine.

And while we can pitch some, we don't have enough swing and miss stuff to fear too much. Be aggressive, don't let our guys get free strikes and get ahead and you'll get good pitches to hit.

Don't like our chances today.

Another single, a K and then a HBP and Tommy is in deep **** in the 2nd with Drew Brutcher, WSU killer, at the plate.

Tommy settles in and gets the next 2 out swinging. GREAT effing job TOMMY!!!

Now LET'S GO SHOCKS!

I am arriving in Clearwater on May 25 around noon. :)

PLEASE let the Shockers make it that far.

[WuDrWu]

Top 5 weird....Rogers bunts and is called safe. Bang bang play. Review. Called safe. Looked like a tie.

Birge sacrifices to 2nd and its a bad bunt. Might have been caught and if so, double play. Still, pitcher made an error NOT throwing to 2nd because Jordo is probably out if he does. But anyway, runner at 2nd, 1 out (and NO bitching from me about the bunt.)

Then after a ball and a pitching change, Durnin, who is really starting to settle in and hit the ball, shows bunt, then blisters one down the left field line for a run scoring double. 1-0 good guys!

A wild pitch moves Durnin to 3rd (USF has a football player pitching now). Haworth walks (excellent...just our 2nd drawn walk all weekend).

Camden squeezes and no one covers first and Camden's great sac turns into a single and it's 1st and 2nd, 2-0 Shocks.

DWill drives one to the deepest part of the park that looked like a double, triple or HR. Mayo tracks it down and 2-0 out. Saved 2 runs no doubt.

Gus drives one foul but honestly just a tick from another bases clearing double. Works it full then swings at ball 4. Great getting 2 runs. Could have been a ton more.


REALLY need a shutdown inning from Tommy here. Tommy gets no help from blue and walks the first batter. Grr.

[WuDrWu]

Atta boy Tommy. REALLY battled today. Not sure he'll be out for the 6th, maybe, maybe not. 92 pitches and he's probably done.

5 full, 7 hits but no runs, 2 walks, 1 HBP and 7Ks. Well done young man, especially working out of tough, tough spots.

Got the last 2 guys on Ks to end the 5th.

[Kung Wu]

I haven't been able to watch until now. Does the USF strike zone still extend halfway into each of the batter's boxes?

[Kung Wu]

Atta boy Tommy. REALLY battled today. Not sure he'll be out for the 6th, maybe, maybe not. 92 pitches and he's probably done.

5 full, 7 hits but no runs, 2 walks, 1 HBP and 7Ks. Well done young man, especially working out of tough, tough spots.

Got the last 2 guys on Ks to end the 5th.

Sounded like Tommy was nails on the radio. Or at least able to dig himself outta some holes over and over, anyway.

[WuDrWu]

Tommy was really good. Had 3 pitches working. Thought he got squeezed a bit but I know I'm biased. That 9 pitch walk in the 6th killed his chances to go further but Hunter Holmes has been dynamite, getting Brutcher to end the 6th then shutting the Bulls down quickly in the 7th just needing 5 pitches total.

Shocks missed a great chance to make it at least 3-0 in the top of the 7th with 2nd and 3rd and just one out, but DWill and Gus couldn't bring anyone home.

That being said, we didn't get to see a good replay, but I'm pretty sure the ump missed DWill's grounder to 3rd. The 3B ump was basically the only guy in the stadium that thought it was foul.

The ball absolutely hit in fair territory then the 3B...the question I have and don't know the answer to is if it's initially fair, bounces, then goes into foul territory but hasn't touched foul, then is contacted by a player, is it fair or foul? And that doesn't take into consideration it may have been fair anyway when the 3B touched it.

Anyway, nothing for the Shocks in the top of the 8th except Jordan getting hit.

And another quick 9 pitch 1-2-3 inning for Triple H.

Shocks will have at least a 2 run cushion in the 9th. Let's make it 5, what do you say guys?

[Kung Wu]

Holmes was on fire until his final walk, so heeeeeeeere comes Aaaaaadlerrrrrr!

[1972Shocker]

The ball absolutely hit in fair territory then the 3B...the question I have and don't know the answer to is if it's initially fair, bounces, then goes into foul territory but hasn't touched foul, then is contacted by a player, is it fair or foul? And that doesn't take into consideration it may have been fair anyway when the 3B touched it.

If it was fair when it passed over the base then it is fair wherever it landed and regardless of when it was touched.

[WuDrWu]

Welp, our freshmen again doing their jobs but can't get any help. It will have to be 2. Zero room for error.

Hunter is out to try and finish. Gets 1-2 but can't close. USF has the tying run at the plate. Players and fans whooping it up.

Adler in to close.

Ugh, single and it's 1st and 3rd nobody out. Disaster looming and you can just feel it.

[Kung Wu]

NOOO

[Kung Wu]

Ugh, single and it's 1st and 3rd nobody out. Disaster looming and you can just feel it.

[ShockerFever]

This team sucks. They were a miracle away on Wednesday from being on a 5-game losing streak. This series proves all the wins have been because of fluff. Oh well. It’s year 1 right?

[Kung Wu]

They should bunt here.

[Kung Wu]

OMG

[Kung Wu]

They should DEFINITELY bunt here.