Indiana State at Shocker SB

[flyingMoose]

The Shocks open conference play this weekend with a DH against Indiana State on Saturday with a 12pm start time and a single game on Sunday, again with a 12pm start time.

The Sycamores were picked last in the Valley in the preseason poll. They along with the Shockers and Evansville were the bottom "clump" in the poll. They have a record of 9-12 but are playing a single game this evening (Thursday) at #21/20 Tulsa. They have played tournaments hosted by Iowa State, by Auburn (run-ruled by Kansas), by Memphis (beating Wright State, but losing to UMKC) and by #25/28 Georgia. Indiana State dropped a DH to Southeast Missouri State yesterday.

The Sycamores have a team OPS of .718 v an OPS of .819 for their opponents. Their team ERA is 4.54 v 3.43. They have three hitters (Shelby Wilson, Megan Stone and Morgan Allee) with an OPS above .900. Ashlii Scott has almost half of their starts and has an ERA of 3.88 with a WHIP of 1.66. The remainder of the starts are about evenly divided between two other pitchers, but there is a lot of pitching by committee as they have only six complete games.

The comparable OPS and ERA numbers for the Shockers are .690 v .751 and 2.68 v 2.82. We no longer have anyone with an OPS north of .900.

I have officially retired from the schedule comparison/winner picking business :), but there is probably not a lot to choose between us.

EDIT: Tulsa beat the Sycamores, 8-1, using their #3 pitcher, a freshman who only had about one-eighth of their innings. Indiana State used all three of their pitchers for two innings each. Their record is now 9-13.

[WuDrWu]

Well the Shocks managed to turn a potentially disastrous day to a wash. Trailing 1-0 entering the 9th, Indiana State turned a couple of errors, a couple of walks and a double into 3 runs and a 4-0 lead and held on 4-2 after WSU was able to bring the tying run to the plate twice in the bottom of the 7th.

In the nightcap, ISU led 2-1 into the 7th and tacked on an insurance run for a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the 7th, the Trees gave WSU a walk, walk, passed ball, strikeout, and another walk to load the bases. An error made it 3-2 and a Laura Vickers double brought home the tying and winning runs for the Shocks and a split of the DH.

[1972Shocker]

Shockers with a big 3-run rally in the bottom of the 7th to pull out a 4-3 win over Indiana State in their MVC opening.

The Shocks had only 2 hits and 1 earned run of off INS starter Steph Fougerousse. INS had put single runs on the board in the 1st, 3rd and 7th against Sloan Anderson who went the distance for the Shocks to take a 3-1 lead into the 7th.

Ashli Scott replaced Fougorrousse in the 6th after Fougerrouse walked the lead off hitter. After a sac bunt Scott hit a batter and walked a batter to load the bases but Brianne Bond struck out and Megan McCracken grounded back to the pitcher stranding the 3 Shocker runners.

INS added an unearned insurance run in the top of the 7th to take a 3-1 lead into the Shocks final at bat.

Scott walked Melanie Jaegers and Kaitlyn Carey leading off the 7th. INS then replaced her in the circle with Halle Humphrey. Danika Miller struck out swinging but Melanie and Kaithlyn moved up a base on a passed ball on strike 3. Humphrey then walked Hayley Temple to load the bases with 1 out.

Ali Vandever then reached safely in an error by the INS 3B to score a run pulling the Shocks to within 1 at 3-2 and keeping the bases loaded with 1 out.

INS then brought their starting pitcher Fougerousse back into the game. Laura Vickers promptly greeted her with a walk-off 2-run double.

An improbable win for the Shocks but one that can do a lot for a team's psyche.

Edit: In other words what @WuDrWu said.

[WSU2011Parent]

Ali Vandever then reached safely in an error by the INS 3B to score a run pulling the Shocks to within 1 at 3-2 and keeping the bases loaded with 1 out.

I disagree with the official scoring. My observation: Ali had a well-hit single, untouched by ISU, to left field. Not playable.

Congratulations on the win today, ladies. Let's take Game 3!

[flyingMoose]

I disagree with the official scoring. My observation: Ali had a well-hit single, untouched by ISU, to left field. Not playable.

The official scoring has been uniformly questionable for years. I think there are two factors involved: 1) they are try to watch the game from ground level right behind home plate where the plate umpire, the catcher and on hard hit balls, the batter still in the box are all obstructing the view, and 2) they were all badminton players in college and have never seen softball before.

[Hovpen]

Grand daughter and I braved the cold today and took in a game. They actually swung the bat better than I was expecting. A few errors of commission and a couple of obmission but otherwise, hey, it's a W, ring it up.

[1972Shocker]

Shockers 6 - Inidana State 3 as the Shockers take the rubber game of the series.

Shocks scored 3 in the 1st and 3 in the 3rd, 5 of those with 2 outs. Brianne Bond delivered a 2-out bases loaded double to deliver the 3 runs scored in the 1st and in the 3rd Erin Carney delivered the 4th Shocker run with and RBI double and with 2-outs Danika Miller delivered a 2-run single.

Katie Armagost went the first 3.1 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits and 2 walks and Sloan Anderson picked up the win going the final 3.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, no walks and 8 strikeouts.

Shocks really needed to win this home series over Indiana State who was picked to finish last in the Valley.

[SBFan]

I too braved the cold to watch the game. It was nice to see the men's tennis team at the game and cheer for the team. To be fair to Katie, the plate umpire was terrible. The crowd let him know several times we disagreed with his calls. Nice win for the team at home.

[Hovpen]

We must have saw a different game. I didn't think he was that bad. For a right handed hitter, a ball on the batters box inside was a ball, but for a lefty, that same pitch was a strike and it was both ways. About the only thing I saw that might have been different was the high change which could have dropped, but it was up in the zone. I thought Katie moved the ball well and hit her spots. I personally thought she could have stayed in. Both teams got the same calls from where I was sitting and that's about all you can ask for. If anything, he gave Katie the box line on the righties that probably should have been a ball outside. Both pitchers pitched too many pitches behind in the count. But hey, it was a W and should keep WSU out of the Cellar at least. Now to move up.