Shocker SB at East Carolina

[flyingMoose]

The conference matchup this weekend for the Shockers is against East Carolina. Games are Friday at 4 pm (all times CT), Saturday at 1 pm, and Sunday at 11 am.

The Pirates are 21-2 non-conference against a really soft schedule. The only school you have heard of is NC State, a runs-ahead loss. Well, almost the only school. They were swept last weekend by North Texas (0-5, 0-2, 4-7) to open their conference schedule.

Given their schedule, the stats may not tell us much. Nonetheless, ... Leading hitters are Emma Jackson (OPS of 1.366 and three homers), Morgan Johnson (1.211 and seven homers), Anna Sawyer (1.060), and Annie Kate Dalton (1.029). Pitchers in innings order are Taylor Apple (ERA of 1.39 and WHIP of 0.83), Jordan Hatch (2.96 and 1.23), and Addy Bullis (1.35 and 1.07).

Only two OPS above .900 now for the Shocks: CC (1.381 and six homers) and Addison (1.229 and eight homers). The only recent nice outings by the pitching staff are Alex against Oklahoma State and Alison against KU, both of them being finesse pitchers. But when a finesse pitcher is not hitting her spots, not spinning the ball well ... The big question of course is, When can Chloe get back to the start of the season?

Cool picture on the web site of Alison's knuckle grip for her change.

[flyingMoose]

Game One

Shockers at East Carolina

Lineup: CC dp, Addison, Bailey, Taylor, Krystin, Lainee, Caroline rf, Sydney 1b, Mila 2b with Alex in the circle. Shaking up the lineup to tighten up the defense? Taylor Apple is pitching for the Pirates.

Here is the LiveStats link. A bad link on the Shocker site and no link on the ECU site. You should not have to be bothered with the search, too. Or all may be fixed by now. Ha!


CC walks to open the game. After four foul balls on a 3-2 count, Addie walks also, and a passed ball moves them both up a base. Bailey loads the bases on another 3-2 walk. Taylor solves the bases loaded problem with a grand slam - on an 0-2 pitch no less. Lainee singles with one out, but Caroline and Sydney strike out to end the inning. 4-0 in the middle of the first.

With two outs, Alex issues a walk of her own but gets a K , her second, to end the inning. 4-0 after one.

With one out, CC gets another walk, but two fly outs follow. Alex retires all three Pirate batters including another K. Still 4-0.

PbP continued below.

[1972Shocker]

A bad link on the Shocker site and no link on the ECU site. You should not have to be bothered with the search, too.

That seems to be a relativley common problem on goShockers.com this year. I did find a link on the ECU site that worked.

[flyingMoose]

That seems to be a relativley common problem on goShockers.com this year. I did find a link on the ECU site that worked.

When I was first looking, there was no LiveStats link at all, just the Plus. I see a link now.

[1972Shocker]

I would let ECU's softball mascot, who is roaming the stands, shiver me timbers anytime.

[flyingMoose]

PbP continued.

It's not really play-by-play, but you get the idea.


Three quick outs in the Shocker third. With one out, a Pirate doubles, their first hit. On a single and a throw, there are runners at second and third. Alex escapes the threat with two pop outs to Taylor. 4-0 after three.

Same story for the Shockers in the fourth. Apple has now retired eight consecutive Shocks. Alexis is back on the beam, retiring all three batters with another K in the mix. 4-0 after four.

With one out, Addie singles and steals second, but Bailey and Taylor ground out. 4-0 in the middle of the fifth.

A single opens the Pirate fifth, but a force out and two strikeouts follow. Alex now has six Ks. Shockers still lead 4-0 after five.

PbP continued below.

[1972Shocker]

[1972Shocker]

Too many Shockers trying pull pitches on the outer 3rd.

[BAShocker]

Imo, which means virtually nothing, this is the lineup defensively and maybe offensively (without Sami), I think works best.

[flyingMoose]

PbP continued.

An even quicker three outs in the Shocker sixth.

A double and a single put Pirates at the corners with no outs. Another double scores a run. A pop out and a tag out at the plate (5-2) get two outs. Now runners at the corners. A force out ends the inning. 4-1 after six.

Two pinch-hitters to start the seventh for the Shocks don't help. Sophie and Jessica are out. As is CC. 4-1 in the middle of the last.

Chloe is on to pitch the bottom of the seventh. On the face of it (the bottom of the sixth), this is not a surprising decision. Unlike, ... nah, we won't go there.

K, walk, K (20 pitches already), line drive out.

Shockers 4-1 East Carolina


The Shocks ride Taylor's grand slam and a nice outing by Alex to a win to start the series. Only three hits for the Shockers. Alex gave up six hits and had six strikeouts in her six innings.

[1972Shocker]

Imo, which means virtually nothing, this is the lineup defensively and maybe offensively (without Sami), I think works best.

I would probably leave Krystin in the 9-hole.

[BAShocker]

I would probably leave Krystin in the 9-hole.

Yep, I don’t disagree.

[1972Shocker]

Better get Alex out of there.

They leave her in their and she escapes further damage thanks very largely to a great play by Krystin at 3rd on one hopper heading down the left field line that she snagged and from the 3rd base coaches box threw out the runner attempting to score from 3rd.

[1972Shocker]

I am not sure Sophie can reach anything on the outer third of the plate. She stands so far off the plate.

[1972Shocker]

Notwithstanding her 3 walks and a home run to the first 4 batters in the game, Taylor Apple, ECU's freshman pitcher has been very good.