#25/RV Shocker SB at #23/25 UCF

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers continue their conference campaign with four games in Orlando against UCF. The Friday single game starts at 5 pm, the Saturday DH at 1 pm, and the Sunday single game starts at 10 am. All start times are CT.

The Knights have a record of 30-9 and 9-3 in the AAC. They swept Houston, lost three to Tulsa, and swept Eastern Carolina. Against ranked teams, they lost to #20 Missouri, beat #2 Arizona, took one of three from #24 South Carolina, and swept a home-and-home against #5 Florida. Clearly, UCF is quite a formidable opponent.

Since we are halfway through the conference season, it is time to use conference-only stats. The comparisons won't quite be apples-to-apples, but they should be better than using the season stats.

Among the starters, Jasmine Esparza (OPS of 1.238) and Shannon Doherty (OPS of 1.119 and a team-leading four homers) lead the offense.

Gianna Mancha (ERA of 2.41 and WHIP of 1.30) and Alea White ( 2.68 and 1.10) each have five starts in conference play.

The Shockers, playing the weaker part of the conference first, have seven starters with an OPS above 1.000 led by Sydney (1.700) and Neleigh (1.480). Addison has seven homers with Sydney, Butters, and Ryleigh each with four.

In innings order, the pitchers are Bailey (2.95 and 1.13), Caitlin (1.11 and 1.68), and Erin (3.71 and 1.12).

[1972Shocker]

Weather-wise glad the Shocks are on the road this weekend in Florida. Some scattered showers possible but temps in the 80's.

The matchup will be the first time in AAC history that two ranked programs will face off in conference play.

[flyingMoose]

Game One

All of the games of this series are on ESPN+.

Bailey is in the circle for the Shocks, and Gianna Mancha for the Knights. BaileyU is in left field and LoLo is the DP.

One of the umpires for this series is from the Wichita area! He was at USF last weekend.


In the top of the first, two-out walks to Butters and Neleigh create a threat, but Ryleigh fouls out. All three Shocker outs were in the air. Mancha is a rise ball pitcher? Three up, three down, including a strikeout, for the Knights.

In the second, Bailee walks, and LoLo singles. Kaylee moves them along with a sac bunt. Bailee is out at home on a contact play on BaileyU's ground ball to third. A walk to Sydney loads the bases with two outs, but Addison pops out.

A hit batter, infield single, and ground out puts Knights at second and third with one out in the second inning. A pop up and another ground out and Bailey is out of the inning. No score after two complete.

Same song, second verse, to start the Shocker third. Butters singles, Neleigh walks and Ryleigh lays down the sac bunt. After Bailee pops up (another one!), LoLo walks to load the bases. Kaylee follows with a double to score two runs. The Shockers take a 2-0 lead to the bottom of third but have left seven runners on in their three at-bats.

A walk, ground out, and wild pitch, and USF has a runner at third. But Kaylee gets the runner at home for the second out, and a ground out to Sydney ends the Knight third. 2-0 Shocks.

Ground out, strikeout, ground out, and we move to the bottom of the fourth. USF duplicates the feat. 2-0 after four.

A single in the Shocker fifth by Ryleigh , but nothing more. A Knight reaches on an error by Addison in the bottom half but only gets as far as second. Still 2-0 after five.

With one out in the sixth, BaileyU doubles and advances to third on a single by Sydney. Addison doubles home the two runners and advances to third on an error, a mishandled throw from center field. Cassidy Cangemi, a redshirt sophomore who has not pitched all year according to the stats, is on in relief. Butters brings Addison home with a sac fly. 5-0 Shockers as we go to the bottom of the sixth.

Bailey issues a two-out walk and then hits a batter but ends the inning with a ground out. 5-0 after six.

Ryleigh leads off the seventh with a double and one out later, LoLo homers. Grace Jewell, with only five innings in the circle all year, is on in relief. Two quick outs and we are on to the bottom of the seventh.

Three outs for the Knights, two by strikeout, and the Shocks take the first game of the series in impressive fashion.


Shockers 7-0 UCF


Bailey only gives up one hit in her shutout, along with two walks and two hit batters. She struck out five.

There were nine hits among seven different Shockers. Two hits by LoLo, including the homer, and by Ryleigh, including a double, lead the hitting. Others with a double were Kaylee, BaileyU, and Addison.


Who is in the circle tomorrow? Is it Erin and Caitlin or Caitlin and Erin?

[WichitaStateGuy]

Really fun, offensive team to watch.

[WuDrWu]

Has Lolo's homer landed yet? That ball was CRUSHED.

[1972Shocker]

Really fun, offensive team to watch.

Indeed it is but Bailey's work in the circle has been impressive this year and perhaps no more so than it was this evening. Far from a flame thrower Bailey gets it doen with finesse. But yes, it's nice have the run support.

Not only was UCF coming off of a 7-0 win over #5 Florida, their 2nd win over the Gators this year, but UCF had not been shut out in 39 previous games this year.

[flyingMoose]

Game Two

Weather delay, although there is no rain in the area.

[Shockm]

This shows a flaw in the ladies AAC scheduling. If they would have played the DH yesterday, they go more with the flow weather wise, in how many games they play afterward.

[flyingMoose]

This shows a flaw in the ladies AAC scheduling. If they would have played the DH yesterday, they go more with the flow weather wise, in how many games they play afterward.

I do not have ESPN+, so I have no idea what is going on.

On the other notion, I think that 1-2-1 makes sense. Asking a team to travel some distance and then play a Conference DH the next day strikes me as unfair. Could you do something different with Tulsa? With Memphis? Sure. With UCF and USF and ECU, 1-2-1 is the way to schedule. With known weather coming, you make an adjustment.

As noted above, I have no idea what is really going on. Radar says it is not a rain issue. 86 degrees a half-hour ago.

[flyingMoose]

And now the lineups are up. The delay will be roughly 1 hour 40 minutes.

Caitlin in the circle for the Shockers and Alea White for UCF. The rest of the lineup for the Shocks remains the same.

A two-out single by Butters in the first but nothing more. Three up, three down in the first for the Knights.

Ryleigh opens the second with a single and moves to third on a sac bunt and wild pitch. With two outs, Kaylee scores her with a single of her own. 1-0 as we go to the bottom of the second where a two-out error is the only UCF baserunner.

In the third, Addison reaches base on a fielder's choice and steals second with two outs, but Neleigh fans for the second time this game. Another three up, three down inning for Caitlin. 1-0 after three complete.

Bailee doubles in the Shocker fourth, but two strikeouts follow. Caitlin gives up a one-out double herself, the first hit by UCF, but then gets two flyouts. 1-0 after four.

BaileyU opens the fifth inning for the Shocks with a double. One out later, Addison homers for a 3-0 lead. Another three up, three down inning for Caitlin.

In the sixth, Bailee singles with one out but goes no further. Caitlin rolls on, and we roll on to the seventh.

Three Shocker outs. Caitlin's turn.

She starts by issuing her first walk. A force out is followed by a UCF double. Next is a groundout to short and the runners hold. A four-pitch walk loads the bases with two outs. Ugh! A foul out to first and the Shocks have their second shutout of the series.


Shockers 3-0 UCF


Caitlin survives the seventh inning scare without relief help. She gave up two hits and two walks and had one strikeout.

The Shockers had eight hits highlighted by Addison's two-run home run. Bailee had a double and single, and BaileyU had a double.

[jdmee]

A couple of nice defensive plays in that half inning.

[WuDrWu]

Umm, that might be the best defensive play you will EVER see by McKinney. EVER.

[WuDrWu]

And now the lineups are up. The delay will be roughly 1 hour 40 minutes.

Caitlin in the circle for the Shockers and Alea White for UCF. The rest of the lineup for the Shocks remains the same.

A two-out single by Butters in the first but nothing more. Three up, three down in the first for the Knights.

Ryleigh opens the second with a single and moves to third on a sac bunt and wild pitch. With two outs, Kaylee scores her with a single of her own. 1-0 as we go to the bottom of the second where a two-out error is the only UCF baserunner.

In the third, Addison reaches base on a fielder's choice and steals second with two outs, but Neleigh fans for the second time this game. Another three up, three down inning for Caitlin. 1-0 after three complete.

Bailee doubles in the Shocker fourth, but two strikeouts follow. Caitlin gives up a one-out double herself, the first hit by UCF, but then gets two flyouts. 1-0 after four.

BaileyU opens the fifth inning for the Shocks with a double. One out later, Addison homers for a 3-0 lead. Another three up, three down inning for Caitlin.

In the sixth, Bailee singles with one out but goes no further. Caitlin rolls on, and we roll on to the seventh.

Three Shocker outs. Caitlin's turn.

She starts by issuing her first walk. A force out is followed by a UCF double. Next is a groundout to short and the runners hold. A four-pitch walk loads the bases with two outs. Ugh!

That walk to load them was essentially intentional.

Seriously, the ground out to McKinney deserves a top 10 or better. It was a rope, 3rd base side, I don't know how it stayed in her glove and then she threw her out from her knees.

I PROMISE you that won't see a better play, certainly not a bigger time, than that play by Sydney McKinney.

[flyingMoose]

I PROMISE you that won't see a better play, certainly not a bigger time, than that play by Sydney McKinney.

And it appears we won't have the chance to see it on the Twitter feed. The game just completed is still in a Weather Delay.

[flyingMoose]

Game Three

I may be here for some of this, but it is unlikely I can be here for all of it.

Bailey starts for the Shockers and Breanna Vazquez for the Knights. Vazquez has 32+ innings this year, third on their pitching staff but well behind 124 and 104 innings.