No Pepper! Game 2

[shoxlax]

The worst bullpen in the history of Shocker baseball.

[Rosewood]

7 to 4 on another 2 strike count

[WSUwatcher]

Wow

Three weaknesses:

1. Inability to get the third strike (plus a base hit on an 0-2 pitch to get things really rolling for Pepperdine, a serious faux pas) -- Pepperdine's last four runs scored on hits with two strikes.

2. The old nemesis, inability to get the third out. If the Shocks could hit with two out the way their opponents do, they'd be a better team.

3. Lack of a real closer in whom the coaches have confidence. No way Sossamon would have even started the 9th if they really trusted in McKeever (or anyone else), and in the unlikely event he had, he would have been gone after the leadoff man reached -- this is where the injuries to Hoch and Fleming are really being felt. That's a big part of why they lost the first TCU game, too.

(edited to add):
McKeever has been gas on the fire a couple of times now, kind of like Coleman was last year before they gave up on him as a ninth-inning guy, so maybe WSU should consider giving Sossamon a shot at being the one-inning closer. He apparently has good stuff, but today, as with Lowell, he just wasn't up to going as long as they asked. Of course, then someone else has to move into the role Sossamon filled today -- how about Maldonado? Is he ready to throw 40 or so pitches as a set-up man when Muncrief isn't available and then hand it off to a closer?

[ShockerFever]

The key here will be relief pitching.

[Rosewood]

another hit

1st and 3rd

[DUShock]

ERA on the relief is not in our beloved Shocks favor.

[Rosewood]

pepperdine did better after 26 outs then they did before

[im4wsu]

Can Coy pitch?

[Rosewood]

cook is out btw

[Rosewood]

pepperdine missed 3 throws in the infield toss around between innings

mitch to lead off

[DUShock]

Come on Shocks!!!!

[Rosewood]

mitch hbp

[1972Shocker]

Cook is out, but they have an All-American quality closer.

The Shocks lack of a closer looks like it will obviously be the key weakness of this team this year. Starting pitching is good.

Muncrief and Sossamon have been pretty good for the most part.

Are the Bluma boys raising any little closers for the future?

[Rosewood]

andrew letourneau gets worked on the zone

and pepperdine fans wake up

and he gets a single

[ShockerFever]

It's really sad we couldn't just stop the bleeding with a tie or one-run deficit. Being down 3 is brutal.