Shocker SB at Missouri State

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers have a mid-week matchup with Missouri State in Springfield on Wednesday at 4 pm.

The Bears are a pick for third in the MVC. Shortstop Daphne Plummer and Utility/Pitcher Madison Hunsaker are picks for the Preseason All-Conference team. Missouri State have a record of 4-11 against some stout competition. Their tournaments have been hosted by Arizona State, Texas A&M, and Arkansas. Looking at common oppenents with the Shocks, they have lost to Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Arkansas twice. They split with Kansas City.

Alex Boze has an OPS of 1.483, and Plummer is next at .833. Innings leader are Steffany Dickerson (ERA of 3.10 and WHIP of 1.41) and Hunsaker (5.09 and 1.82).

Sydney (1.460 and five homers), Addison (1.350 and eight homers), Zoe (1.118), and Bailey (1.084) lead the hit parade for the Shockers. Caitlin (3.68 and 1.48) and Erin (5.13 and 1.70) have over half of the innings between them.

[shocks02]

First rendition of the RPI is out. I was pleasantly surprised.

Wins:
@ Charlotte (8)
Minnesota (31)
Illinois (57)
SD State x2 (55)
UNI (107)
@ Sam Houston x2 (157)
Dayton (240)
Houston Baptist (229)
Western Illinois (245)

Losses:
@ Charlotte (8)
@ Arkansas (42)
@ Nebraska x2 (62)
South Dakota (34)
Longwood (186)

Future opponents:
@ Mo State (182)
SEMO (125)
Iowa (44)
Kansas (90)
@ Omaha (171)
UMKC (223)
@ Oklahoma St (6)
@ OU (3)

AAC:
UCF (20)
USF (51)
Houston (115)
Tulsa (134)
Memphis (185)
ECU (238)

[flyingMoose]

Uh, the one I am most interested in -

Shockers (32)

unless I missed it above.

[1972Shocker]

Uh, the one I am most interested in -

Shockers (32)

unless I missed it above.

Boyd's World has the Shocks at #37 in his Iterative Strength Ratings. He has Missouri State at #156

http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/isr/d1s_isr.html

[1972Shocker]

[flyingMoose]

Bailey is still out with an assumed injury. I suppose some kind of COVID protocol is possible, too.

Dickerson is the starter for the Bears.

[1972Shocker]

Jessica Garcia getting the call at DP today in place of Lauren Mills. Lolo has been struggling some lately especially with runners on base.

Lauren Lucas moves into Lolo's 5th spot behind Neleigh with Jessica slotting in behind her in the #6 spot on the order.

Bailey Urban still sidelined.

The injury to Arielle James must have been pretty signficant.

These 2 injuries have a definite impact with the lineup.

[flyingMoose]

The Shocks load the bases with one out in the first on a swinging bunt single by Sydney, single by Zoe, and Neleigh being hit by a pitch.

And now Sidearm says the game has not started yet. It's back. Lauren clears the bases with a double. 3-0 and Alison is in the circle.

Single, sac bunt, a walk, and another walk loads the bases to start the Bear's first. A groundout scores one run. 3-1.

[1972Shocker]

Sydney may have established a new career record for shortest distance travelled by a base hit. One that might be very difficult to break.

Putting Lauren into the 5 spot pays immediate dividends.

I wondered what that was in the outfield? A new drainage system. Announcers said it was badly needed.

Alison has, what seems to me anyway, to be a bit of an unusual delivery. Most pitchers plant foot comes down with the toe pointing more or less at home plate. Alison's plant foot (her right foot) comes down perpendicular to the plate with the outside of her plant foot facing home plate. As a result she kind of throws across her body. Might affect her velocity by help her movement. Perhaps that is more common than I realize.

[1972Shocker]

Live stats down (frozen) again. I have it on ESPN+. A one-out single by Wylie and a 2-run homer to center by Syd and the Shocks are up 5-1.

[1972Shocker]

Addison Barnard called out attempting to steal 2nd for the final out of the season. I say called out because she was safe. She slid foot first and made a pop up slide. The 2nd baseman tagged her on the letters as she was popping up. I thought it was a poor call.

Looks like live stats are working again.

On slow mo replay it was closer than I thought. I doubt there was enough evidence to overturn the call. But at the very least the tie goes to the runner. But that may not apply in a review replay scenario. The call stands as made. Hard to argue with that. Not enough clear evidence on the replay video.

[flyingMoose]

Alison has, what seems to me anyway, to be a bit of an unusual delivery. Most pitchers plant foot comes down with the toe pointing more or less at home plate. Alison's plant foot (her right foot) comes down perpendicular to the plate with the outside of her plant foot facing home plate. As a result she kind of throws across her body. Might affect her velocity by help her movement. Perhaps that is more common than I realize.

In one (NE?) Twitter clip I saw, she left a curve in the middle of the plate, and the batter homered. Her motion may be an attempt to get movement on that curve. You will have to tell us what her go-to pitch seems to be, because that is the only pitch I have seen her throw.

Supper break soon. Since LiveStats are erratic and you have ESPN+, I'll let you take over, so to speak.

[1972Shocker]

In one (NE?) Twitter clip I saw, she left a curve in the middle of the plate, and the batter homered. Her motion may be an attempt to get movement on that curve. You will have to tell us what her go-to pitch seems to be, because that is the only pitch I have seen her throw.

Supper break soon. Since LiveStats are erratic and you have ESPN+, I'll let you take over, so to speak.

I have it on in the background at work and am kind of watching intermittently.

I can tell you that MSU's Dickerson has a nice change up. Syd's home run was on an offspeed pitch according to the color commentator.

Shocks down in order in the 3rd, Caitlyn Bingham on to pitch in the 3rd. A walk and a homer makes it 5-4 as Caitlyn continues to struggle when she pitches in relief roles.

A lead off walk by Krystin Nelson and double to center by Wylie Glover sandwiched around a pop to 2nd by Lainee Brown puts runners at 1st and 2nd. MSU discussing whether or not they want to pitch to Syd. On a 2-2 count Syd slaps a grounder to 3rd with Krystin waiting for a throw to 1st then breaking for home and slides in safely ahead of the throw form 1st. To top it off Sydney just barely beat the throw at first. The call was reviewed and confirmed. Addison forces Syd at 2ns with Wylie moving to 3rd. Zoe lined the 1st pitch she see right at the center fielder he had to make a full reach to grab. Probably the hardest hit ball ofthe game for the Shocks including Syd's homer. Shocks lead 6-4 heading into the bottom of the 4th.

Caitlyn gets an out on a bunt for base hit attempt, a caught stealing after a 1 out single and a strike out on a great change up.

Dickerson gets the 1st two Shockers in the 5th and MSU, for some reason changes pitchers. Different look I guess. Madison Hunsaker is a lefty. Interestingly, lefty Lolo comes on to pinch hit for righty Jessica and delivers a towering home run that landed about 50 feet beyond the right filed wall. It definitely qualified as a moon shot. Good for Lolo. She needed that Hi-Chew. Shocks lead 7-4.

Wylie Glover with a nice running catch in left center to open the bottom of the 5th. Alex Bose follows with her 2nd home run off of Caitlyn. I still say Caitlyn simply cannot get away with pitch up in the strike zone. The next batter follows with another home run on waist high pitch. MSU closes to 7-6. That does it for Caitlyn. Erin "The Nibbler" McDonald comes on in relief and promptly walks the 1st batter she faces with ball 4 not being close. A ground out to 2nd moves the walk into scoring position at 2nd base. Erin gets a fly ball to left in foul territory to end the MSU at bat.

Steffany Dickerson is back in the circle for MSU to start the 6th. Cassie Passwaters batting for Lainee Brown hits a grounder into the hole that tipped off the 3rd baseman's glove. But Cassie, who got a poor jump out of the box and is not a speedster was called out in a close play at 1st. The umps reviewed the play and it was overturned as Cassie was clearly safe on the replay. Ruled an error. Madyson Espinosa pinch running for Cassie. Wylie puts down a bunt foul, Pops up to the 3rd baseman just in foul territory but the 3rd baseman drop the easy pop. Wylie takes the next pitch for a called 3rd strike. Syd bunts for a base hit, her 4th hit of the game and her 3rd of the infield variety. Addison does not look all that comfortable against Dickerson. Dickerson strikes Addie out swinging with a nice change up. Zoe drops a Texas leaguer into left center to score Madyson. Syd takes 3rd and Zoe takes 2nd on the throw to home. Neleigh flies out to right to end the Shocker 6th. Shocks lead 8-6.

In the bottom of the 6th a lead-off single and a fielder's choice grounder to 1st puts a MSU runner on 2nd with 2 outs. A single to left scores a run and now the 2 hitters that went yard back to back in the 5th are coming up. Alex Bose works the count full then drills her 3rd home run of the game off a batting practice fast ball right in her wheelhouse. MSU leads 9-8 after 6 innings.

Lauren leads off the Shocker 7 with a strike out looking and was not competitive after having 3 very good AB's in the game. Lolo flares a single to center. Jordyn Pipkin comes in to run for Lolo. Krystin Nelson walks after falling behind in the count 2-0 to move Jordyn into scoring position although I though Nelson may have got the benefit of a close call on a 2-2 count. Lainee ground out to short and Wylie flied out to right and the game is over.

MSU 9 - WSU 8

[flyingMoose]

I have it on in the background at work and am kind of watching intermittently. Caitlyn Binghan on to pitch in the 3rd.

Oh, boy! Be interesting to see how this goes.

It occurs to me that this may be a "You have got to learn to pitch in relief - we are going to need you to do that" exercise.

[1972Shocker]

Lauren Lucas is 1 for 3 but has hit the ball on the nose every time. She had her line double that rolled to the wall in her 1st at bat. Took the leftfielder to the wall in the corner on her 2nd at bat and then hit a sharp line drive that appeared destined for center but Dickerson deflected the ball of the end of her glove to short who threw Lauren at at first.