Shocker SB at USF

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers continue their conference schedule this weekend with games against South Florida on Friday at 530 pm, Saturday at 330 pm and Sunday at 11 am - all times CT.

The Bulls are 31-10 and 3-3. In the AAC, they were swept by UCF and then swept East Carolina. When you talk about the stats for USF, you start with the pitching. Georgina Corrick has 80% of their starts. Her ERA is 0.42 with a WHIP of 0.48. She has struck out 280 in 182 innings while walking only seventeen. Erin Poepping (2.76 and 1.16) has five starts with one other "unclaimed." Corrick has pitched all but one inning of the conference shedule. On the hitting side, the best OPS on the team belong to Josie Foreman (.932 and six home runs) and Madison Epperson (.902).

The Shocks are now 20-11 and 3-0. Conversely, when you talk about stats for the Shockers, you start with the hitting. Sydney (1.503 and nine homers), Addison (1.480 and eighteen homers), and Neleigh (1.175 and nine homers) have the top three OPS with Lauren and Zoe also above 1.000. The Shocker pitching in innings-order is Erin (4.35 and 1.64), Caitlin (5.37 and 1.82), and Alison (4.38 and 1.81).

Here is the Web site write-up for the series.

[flyingMoose]

Friday Game

Stuff going on - this will be my "contribution" for the day.

[1972Shocker]

I think a more descriptive title may have been Shockers vs Georgina Corrick.

[shocks02]

We’ve struggled against elite pitching. I’m worried.

[1972Shocker]

We’ve struggled against elite pitching. I’m worried.

Oklahoma can make the smash and bash approach work against elite pitching. Unfortunately, they are the excerption and not the rule. Perhaps a small ball approach might work a little better but it's hard for a tiger to change its stripes. Just not sure the Shocks are built for that nor is it anything they seem to focus on developing. For the most part the smash and bash works pretty well for the Shocks. But as you say elite pitching has been a challenge although I think you can say that just about every team in the country with very few exceptions.

[1972Shocker]

We’ve struggled against elite pitching. I’m worried.

And Georgina Corrick definitely qualifies as elite. Very elite.

[1972Shocker]

[WuDrWu]

Welp, 5 batters into the bottom of the 1st and this game is over. 2-0 Bulls and still batting. Get ready for tomorrow.

[1972Shocker]

Hate to say but this game very well be over. USF leads 2-0 after 1.

[1972Shocker]

Slim has just left the ballpark. A single and home run to start the USF 2nd makes it 4-0. Corrick has 5 strikeouts in 2 innings.

[1972Shocker]

Final Score: USF 7 - Shocks 3

3 runs off Corrick is better than most teams due. But the Shocks probably don't have the pitching to make that work the majority of the time.

[shoxlax]

Have we had one athletic program overachieve this year? I can’t think of any.

This question has nothing to do with tonight’s game but it jumped out at me earlier this week.

72’, you would be the one to know.

[ShockTalk]

Have we had one athletic program overachieve this year? I can’t think of any.

This question has nothing to do with tonight’s game but it jumped out at me earlier this week.

72’, you would be the one to know.

Bowling

[shoxlax]

Bowling

Lol…maybe crew also?

[1972Shocker]

Have we had one athletic program overachieve this year? I can’t think of any.

This question has nothing to do with tonight’s game but it jumped out at me earlier this week.

72’, you would be the one to know.

I wouldn't say bowling has overachieved. Winning titles is kind of normal for them.

I guess you could say the Volleyball team overachieved a little bit. The were picked 8th and finished 5th in the AAC.

I think both the Men's and Women's XC teams were pretty good. Individually Yazmine Wright was outstanding.

Both basketball teams definitely underachieved.

Men's tennis has been okay but the AAC is a very good tennis league. The women are really struggling.

Men's golf is okay. Hard to sat how they will fare in the AAC Championship. Women's golf is not good.

Men's track and field has been pretty solid. But the women are definitely down. Although both have some very good individuals.

Baseball is seemingly underperforming but I think maybe expectation had gotten ahead of reality.

We knew coming into the season the softball team's pitching was a big question mark and that has proven to be their achilles heel. The will probably underachieve expectatations (they were picked to win the AAC) but again not sure how realistic those expectations were with what they lost from last year's team. Not too mention the team has been hurt by a couple of key injuries to position players. But this team can certainly be entertaining on offense against most teams.

It's one of those year's you have to celebrate small victories and perhaps some individual performances. And there are some bright spots for sure. Our best chance for a postive team surprise is probably the men's outdoor track and field team The AAC Outdoor Champioships are at Cessna Stadium.

But generally I would agree that it has not been a stellar year for Shocker athletics to say the least. Financially things are not great and that ain't helping. Seems like a bit of malaise has set in. The question is what will it take to break out of that. In any case, it will be good to put this year in the rear view mirror...