Shocker SB v Creighton

[flyingMoose]

So as not to play on Easter Sunday, this conference series begins today at noon with a DH and then finishes with a single game on Saturday at noon.

Creighton is 17-15-1 overall and 6-3 in the MVC. They were a preseason pick for fifth in the Valley, just behind Missouri State. They return two all-conference second team picks from last year, catcher Amy Baker and pitcher Becca Changstrom. Their team SLOB is .852 with six hitters above .300. The opponents SLOB is .762. The team ERA is 3.69 with Changstrom getting half the starts. Among common opponents, they have split with South Dakota State (plus a tie), defeated Howard, and lost to North Dakota State and Boise State once each and #5 Arizona State twice. You may recall that they were at the Arizona State tournament at the same time as the Shocks, but we did not play each other. They were also shutout three times by #18 Louisville. In conference, they took two of three from Bradley, one from Southern Illinois and swept Indiana State.

It seems there is some hope of winning one game in this series and winning two, especially with the injuries, would be very nice.

Here are the game notes from the Creighton site and the LiveStats link for Game One.

Sloan has the start with Sammie and the others still out of the lineup.

[flyingMoose]

With one out in the top of the first, homer, walk, single, homer. It is 4-0 Jays, and Katie is in. I would love to see Sloan's pitching charts from last year. I don't recall the long ball being an issue to the extent it is this year.

After another out, Katie gives up a homer. Clearly, the air is not nearly heavy enough today.

We get two on with a Sydney single and Melanie walk but cannot score.

Creighton 5-0 Shocker, after one.

Gone for the rest of the day - I will have to check these scores much later.

[1972Shocker]

I believe Creighton won Game 1 by a 9-1 score. Not sure if it was a run-rule game or not. The live stats for Game 1 are gone.

Katherine Johnson started game two for the Shocks and after a scoreless 1st inning she gave up a 3-run homer in the 2nd and a 3-run homer in the 3rd. Katie came on in relief with no outs in the 3rd.

Coming into the Creighton series Sloan had given up 2.07 home runs per 7IP vs 1.14 last year, Katie has allowed 0.60 homer runs per 7IP vs 0.50 last year and Katherine had allowed 2.13 home runs per 7IP this year.

Those pitching charts @flyingMoose was wondering about would be interesting to see.

So Sloan's long ball numbers are almost double from last year and Kahterine's numbers are a shade worse than Sloan's this year.

Update: After the 8 dingers allowed today the updated home runs allowed per 7IP are as follows:

Sloan: 2.23 vs 1.14 last year
Katie: 0.78 vs 0.50 last year
Katherine: 2.52

[1972Shocker]

Katie got out of the 3rd uneventfully but gave up 4 in the 4th capped by a 2-out, 2-run homer. Sloan came in to relieve and registered the final out of the inning.

Shocks have been outhit 11-2 and trail 10-2 after 4.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks load the bases on a Fort 2B, Carey INF 1B and a Stuever 1B to left with no outs in the bottom of the 5th and pushed across 2 runs to extend the game for another inning or two. 10-4 after 5.

[1972Shocker]

Creighton comes right back with another 4-spot in the 6th. Creighton pitcher and clean-up hitter Alexis Cantu capped the inning with her 3rd home run of the game a 3-run shot. She hit a 3-run homer off of Katherine and a 2-run shot off of Katie so she isn't really picky about who is pitching. She only was able to get a single in her other at bat of the game. CU shortstop Liz Dike also added a 3-run home run.

That allowed Creighton to close out the game 14-4 in a 6-inning run rule as they outhit the Shocks 14-5 to cap off a rather forgettable day for the Shocks.

Creighton only left 1 runner on base in the game. Of course, the 4 home runs that accounted for 11 of CU's 14 runs were largely responsible for that.

[whatevershock]

Went to my first game today and it seems that this team is worse than last year (the returning players). I know we have players that are hurt, but the pitching isn't any better and the stats show it...plus mentioned earlier that Sloan's long ball numbers are doubled. What seems to be the problem? New pitching coach not communicating well? Not calling the correct pitches? I would be curious to know what is going on. Should be improving not getting worse. Some of the returning players have a worse batting average than last year. Like the young talent that is on this team. I know we had a different team last year and so did Creighton, but didn't we sweep Creighton at Creighton last year? Today we get run ruled twice??? Again, my first games of the season, but sure not impressed.

[WSU2011Parent]

I would be curious to know what is going on.

I'll bet the farm about 17 other people at Wilkins Stadium would like to figure it out too. If you're frustrated, imagine how the coaches and players must feel.

[Quick Pitch]

Its not too difficult to figure out. Take a team that finished almost at the bottom of the conference last year. Graduate two of the best hitters, bring back the same pitching staff which was below average D1 level, get 3 of your best hitters this year injured, and there you have it, the makings for a miserable season.
The only thing that is puzzling is why our pitchers seem to be less effective than they were last year. Other than that, I understand that the offensive numbers have to suffer with the loss of so many of our better hitters.

[WSU2011Parent]

Game start moved to 2pm.

[Hovpen]

WHERE THE HECK IS THE GAMETRACKER LINK AT?

[1972Shocker]

WHERE THE HECK IS THE GAMETRACKER LINK AT?

http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=4714

Creighton just scored 3 in the top of the 1st to take a 3-1 lead.

[WuDrWu]

Did they spot us 1 run to start the game??

[1972Shocker]

Did they spot us 1 run to start the game??

If they did it wasn't enough.

Katie, Katherine and Sloan combine to give up 5 runs in the top of the 5th on 1 hit and a 2B error by Holly Eckert in LF.
Yes 5 runs on 1 hit and Sloan got the 3rd out on a stirke out on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded.

Not sure how much outfield Holly has played in her Shocker career. I beleive she is primarily a catcher. Her error was to the lead-off hitter in the inning so it was not huge contributor to the damage.

Shocks now down 8-1.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks show some life of their own in the bottom of the 5th with the 1st 6 hitters reaching safely and scoring 5 runs:

Hayley Temple single, Kaitlyn Carey single, Sydney Stuever RBI single, Rachel Milnark HBP, Erin Carney RBI single and then Melanie Jaegers with a bases clearing double.

Unfortunately, Holly Eckert struck out, Brianne Bond lined out to 3rd and Hilary Fort struck out to strand Jaegers and end the rally.

CU 8 - WSU 6 after 5 full.