#23/23 Shocker SB v USF

[flyingMoose]

The conference schedule for the Shockers continues with a Senior Weekend series against USF. The standard 1-2-1 format will have an adjustment with a 1 pm start time on Friday ahead of the expected rain. The DH on Saturday starts at 2 pm and the single game on Sunday has a noon start.

USF has a record of 21-11 with a 9-2 mark in the conference, good for second place. They are 0-6 against the ranked teams they have played, Florida and Arizona. They also lost three exhibition games to the National Team. In conference, they swept Memphis, took three of four from Houston, and two of three from Tulsa.

Back to conference stats for these games, Georgina Corrick is the name to talk about for USF. She has won multiple Pitcher of the Week awards this year. She has an ERA of 0.16 and a WHIP of 0.70. Each with about a third of Corrick's innings, Vivian Ponn (3.13 and 1.12) and Camryn Dolby (3.06 and 1.75) have the remaining conference starts.

The one bat in the lineup for the Bulls is AnaMarie Bruni with an OPS of 1.311. All other starters have an OPS below .900. The team has only three home runs in conference play but has only given up two.

The Shocks are 32-6-1 overall and 14-1-1 in the conference. Five Shocker starters have an OPS above 1.000 with Sydney leading the group at 1.426. Addison leads the long-ball hit parade with eight homers. The offense, however, is clearly in a slump over the last few games. Corrick is unlikely to bring them out of it. That aspect of the weekend will be intriguing.

In innings-order, the stats from the circle are Bailey (2.42 and 1.00), Caitlin (0.58 and 1.25), and Erin (3.71 and 1.12). Erin did not pitch last weekend and only lasted three innings in her last start against Houston.

All in all, this should be an informative weekend. Going 5-3 in the remaining conference games for the Shockers may not be a bad result.

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers are also making this Senior weekend. The 6 seniors will be honored before the games on Saturday and Sunday.

.

From left to right: Bailee Nickerson (CF), Hailey Martinez (RHP), Ryleigh Buck (3B/1B), Madison (Butters) Perigan (C), Bailey Lange (RHP) and Kaylee Huecker (2B).

A very fine group of seniors who represented Shocker Nation with great class and skill and whose departure will leave some big holes in the lineup to fill next year.

Congratulations Ladies, Thank You, and Best Wishes in your future endeavors.

[1972Shocker]

All in all, this should be an informative weekend. Going 5-3 in the remaining conference games for the Shockers may not be a bad result.

Totally agree with that assessment.

[flyingMoose]

Game One

Bailey is in the circle for the Shocks with LoLo as the DP and BaileyU in left. Corrick is in the circle for USF - and she bats cleanup! Hitting .150. On the season, she has 215Ks in 130+ innings - just over 1.6 per inning.

[1972Shocker]

LoLo has really been struggling with the rise ball lately and she is seeing a lot of them. It will be interesting to see if that continues today. Neleigh and Kaylee have not looked very good recently either although these 3 aren't the only ones scuttling a bit. Everyone may find the going tough against Corrick.

[flyingMoose]

A nice short hop by Ryleigh to get the first out of the top of the first. An out-of-the batter's-box out is followed by a homer off a change. The Bulls take an early 1-0 lead.

The outfield is deep for USF, a no-doubles defense. The left fielder is one stop off the warning track. Addison is the first of hopefully-not-too-many Ks on a pitch in her eyes. Nobody reaches for the Shocks. 1-0 after one.

A hit batter by Bailey with one out in the second that HCKB protests, saying the batter stuck her arm into it. No harm was done though.

Neleigh leads off the Shocker second by being hit but remains there. Two more strikeouts for Corrick - nice rise, nice change, something inside - a screwball?. 1-0 after two.

Bruni gets a two-out slap single and steals second, but a ground out ends the at-bat. For the Shocks, two more strikeouts on rise balls at the shoulders or better. Sydney lined out to right to end the inning. She sent a fly ball to deep left in the first, the only two well-struck balls off Corrick. The K-count is now five. 1-0 after three. It must be nice to feel comfortable with a 1-0 lead.

Three up, three down for USF in the fourth. A two-out walk for the Shocks to Neleigh, but two more strikeouts. 1-0 after four.

A double, ground out, and single plate another run for the Bulls. Another ground out and dribbler single fielded by Bailey put runners at the corners with two outs. A strikeout ends the inning. 2-0 after four and one-half.

In the sixth, Sydney gets an infield single and scores on Addison's triple. Only one out, but no one can get her home.

With one out in the seventh, Bailee is hit by a pitch and LoLo walks. Jessica Garcia hits a soft liner to short and pinch-runner Lauren Lucas is doubled off first to end the game. Not good baserunning at all.


USF 2-1 Shockers


Shockers got the two hits in the sixth, and Corrick fans ten. Bailey only gave up five hits and hit a batter, striking out three.


Will the Shocks see Corrick three times this weekend?

[1972Shocker]

Will the Shocks see Corrick three times this weekend?

I was kind of thinking they might if they got this game in today.

[shocks02]

Runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out... what was the runner on first doing? Hope the guy in the yellow jacket wasn't scooting out of there to catch the baseball team on ESPN+.

[flyingMoose]

what was the runner on first doing?

And the runner on second, for that matter. I think they could have gotten either one of them. And the hit is just a soft line drive head-high. Dunno.

[jdmee]

I guess the ladies found their bats. Won 14-3

[1972Shocker]

I guess the ladies found their bats. Won 14-3

More likely they found much weaker pitching. Let's see how the do in Game 2 against Georgina Corrick.

[1972Shocker]

More likely they found much weaker pitching. Let's see how the do in Game 2 against Georgina Corrick?

Unfortunately, the answer is not very good.

Yesterday, the Shocks only managed 2 hits and 1 run in their 2-1 loss to Corrick. Today, they were shutout and only managed 3 hits.

Of those 5 hits, 3 were by Sophomore Sidney McKinny and 2 were by Freshman Addison Barnard with Addison's RBI triple on Friday the only extra base hit and the only run producing hit. One of Sidney's 2 hits was erased in today's game when she was caught stealing at 2nd base.

On top of that the Shockers the Shocker struck out 10 times in Friday's game and 12 times in today's game vs Corrick. So the Shocks are only putting the ball in play in 54% of their at bats.

Credit to Corrick, she is a great pitcher, and seemingly a bit more than the Shockers can handle. They may get another shot at Corrick in tomorrow's series finale. My guess is that probably will happen especially after the way the Shocks roughed up USF's secondary pitchers today.

[1972Shocker]

As I speculated yesterday Georgina Corrick is in the circle for USF. I would have been surprised with anything else. Caitlin Bingham gets the start for the Shocks.

Basically, the Shocks need to figure out how to push a run across and hope Caitlin is on top of her game and can shut down this USF team. A lot to ask with the way the wind is blowing out today.

USF put runners at 2nd and 3rd in the top of the 1st with no outs but Caitlyn managed to escape with no runs scoring.

The Shocks got their run right off the bat. Sydney tripled to left field to lead off the bottom of the 1st and Addison delivered the run with a sacrifice fly to right. Sydney and Addison continue to be the two Shockers who seem to be able to compete against Corrick.

USF ties it up on a single and a double in the top of the 3rd.

Shocks miss a good opportunity in the bottom of the 3rd. Bailey Urban single up the middle leading off the Shocker at bat. Sydney reach on a fielder's choice as Bailey is out at 2nd 1-6. Sydney steals 2nd and takes 3rd on an overthrow but just barely beat the throw to 3rd. Addison hit a hard liner foul down the left field line then struck out. Butters lined out to 3rd to end the inning. Maybe need try bunting that run home against with less than 2 outs against a pitcher like Corrick.

USF with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the 5th. Shocks on the brink. Middle of the order up. A 6-2 force out at home for the 1st out. Solid single through the 5-6 hole into left gives USF the lead. The next batter is hit by a pitch. A sac fly to centerfield makes it 4-1. With Corrick on the mound I am putting this one in the deep freeze for USF.

To add insult to injury Corrick hits a 2-out, 3-run home to center to make it 7-1. Put in in the deep freeze and add some dry ice.

[flyingMoose]

Other AAC Series

Tulsa 4-0 ECU

UCF 4-0 Memphis

Houston (Bye)


Conference Standings

12-3 USF
12-3 Tulsa
15-4-1 Shockers
13-6-1 UCF
4-12 Houston
2-14 East Carolina
0-16 Memphis


The conference series of note next weekend is the Shockers at Tulsa. USF is at UCF the last weekend of the regular season.


All seven teams qualify for the single-elimination conference tournament with the first-place finisher receiving a bye in the first round. It seems likely that the Shocks and Tulsa will be the #2 and #3 seeds in some order in that tournament.

[flyingMoose]

Hits v Corrick

4 Sydney
3 Addison
1 Ryleigh
1 BaileyU