Shocker SB v Bradley

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers host (weather permitting) a conference series with Bradley this weekend. The Saturday DH starts at noon and a single game is at noon on Sunday.

Bradley has an overall record of 13-20 and a 7-5 record in the Valley, good for a tie for third place with the Shockers. The Braves have two wins in their series with Indiana State, Missouri State and Evansville and one win in the series with Northern Iowa. For both Bradley and the Shocks, Northern Iowa is the only conference opponent to be above .500 in the current standings.

The individual stats for both teams are for conference games only. There is the issue of small sample size, but we are closer to comparing apples to apples.

For Bradley, Rachel Huggins has an OPS of 1.330 with five home runs, while Alyson Clemente has an OPS of 1.272 and three home runs. Katie Habryle (1.029) and Maria Schroeder (1.004) also have significant OPS.

Julie Kestas (ERA of 5.45 and WHIP of 2.42) and Jaelen Hull (6.68 and 2.11) have all of the conference starts. Dani Cowan (4.62 and 1.74) has the principal relief role.

For the Shockers, leading the offense are Brittany (OPS of 1.339 and three home runs), Macklin (1.220 and three homers) and Cacy (1.007 and four home runs).

Jenni (ERA of 3.43 and WHIP of 1.38) and Katie (5.89 and 1.76) have split the conference starts to this point. Kelsey's ERA is 1.31 with a WHIP of 1.31. Yes, they are same number.

[1972Shocker]

Hopefully, Shocks will get today's DH in. Tomorrow sounds pretty iffy.

[1972Shocker]

In Game 1 Bradley had tied it up in the top of the 5th at 1-1 with a solo homer. The Shocks bounced back in the bottom of the inning to scratch out 2 runs and a 3-1 lead.

However, the roof caved in on the Shocks in the top of the 6th. Jenni Brooks who had been pretty much in control of the game up to that point gave up a double, hit a batter, and gave up another double to make 3-2 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. At that point Katie Malone relieved Jenni. She walked her 1st batter to load the bases then, as she has been prone to do too often this year, she gave up a grand slam home run as Bradley took a 6-3 lead. After Katie then walked the next batter HCKB brought Jenni back on to try to finish off the inning. The runner that Katie had walked was the then caught stealing which was fortunate because Jenni then gave up a solo homer to make 7-3 Bradley heading into the bottom of the 6th.

The Shocker offense battled back in the bottom of the 6th. With one out Bradley opened the door with an error by the 2B allowing Cacy Williams to reach safely. The Shocks accepted the opening as Liz Broyles and Laurie Ann Derrico singled to load the bases. Ashley Johnson then cleared the bases with a double to center making it 7-6 Bradley. Kelli Spring bunted safely moving Ashley to 3rd and Brittany Fortner delivered the tying run with a sac fly. After 6 innings it is 7-all.

In the top of the 7th Jenni gives up a double and a walk to start the inning but works out of the jam getting the next 3 batters with no advance by the runners.

In the bottom of the 7th the Shocks loaded the bases with no outs on a Macklin Hitz walk, a Paige Luellen single and a Cacy Williams walk. Liz Broyles then ended the game with a single to center scoring Macklin.

Interesting game but perhaps should not been as tough as it was.

[flyingMoose]

Game Two

Kelsey got the start in this one after a rather dispirited relief appearance by Katie in the opener. The rest of the defensive lineup is the same with Cassidy as the sitter.

Kelsey did no better than Katie might have. She faced seven hitters in the top of the first, giving up five hits (including a three-run homer) and four runs. Ashlynne came on in relief.

The Shocks got a run back in the bottom half when MackenzieW and Macklin walked and Cacy drove in a run with a single. They scored another in the third when Brittany doubled (setting the career record for two-base hits), MackenzieW singled and Macklin scored Brittany with a ground out. Bradley leads 4-2 after three complete.

Ashlynne gave up a three-run blast in the fourth to run the score to 7-2.

But the Shocks countered with a big nine-run bottom of the fourth. Ashley walked, Laurie Anne doubled (tomahawked a pitch in her eyes) and Brittany walked to load the bases. MackenzieW scored a run with a sac fly for the second out, and then the flood gates opened. Macklin doubled home two runs (I think this was the play that should have been scored a single and E7), and PaigeL and Cacy walked to reload the bases. Liz then hit a hot smash to third that she knocked down and smothered, but when she spun around to go tag third base for the out, the ball came loose and everyone was safe. Ashley then doubled (one of the rare times I have seen her take a full swing) to score two runs - six for the inning so far. LA completed the scoring with a three-run bomb that went well over the scoreboard in left - the kind an outfielder doesn't even bother to move on. Shocks lead 11-7 after four.

Bradley got two back in the fifth. They loaded the bases on an error, single and walk. Jenni then entered the game in relief of Ashlynne. A ground out scored one run and a bloop over the pitcher's head scored another. The runner from second got a little rambunctious on the play and was caught in a rundown between third and home for the last out of the inning.

The Braves had runners at second and third with one out in the sixth, but Jenni got a fly out to short right field and a ground out. The Shockers returned the favor in the bottom half, loading the bases with no one out, but ending the inning with a pop up and two called strike threes. (The plate umpiring was not the best we have ever seen - maybe they were in the zone and maybe they weren't.)

Bradley opened the seventh with a single, but the Shocks got a double play on a speedy left-handed batter with LA making a terrific turn at short. (Well, she also made the error in the fifth.) This was a pivotal play as the Braves followed with three singles to score a run. Jenni then ended the game with a strike out as the batter chased a really bad pitch up and away.

Bradley 10-11 Shockers


A couple of games where teams had some pitching in the first part of Game One and not much after that. In this one, Bradley had ten runs on seventeen! hits and five walks and left eleven on base. The Shockers scored their eleven runs on eleven hits and nine walks and left nine on base.

Ashlynne got the win to move her record to 2-2, and Jenni earned her third save.

LA had three hits, including a double and a homer, and three RBI. Macklin and Liz each had two hits. Other extra-base hits were doubles by Brittany, Macklin and Ashley. Macklin also had three RBI and Ashley had two.

[1972Shocker]

There has to be some concern over the Shockers pitching. The Shocks offense bailed out the pitching today but that is an awful lot to ask and more often than not the kind of pitching the Shocks had today won't end up with wins. They got away with it today though.

[flyingMoose]

Game Three

To absolutely no one's surprise, the last game of the series has been cancelled due to the rain.

[flyingMoose]

In watching the game and a half yesterday, the most interesting thing was the contrast in the two teams approach to hitting.

Bradley uses the hands-split, collapse your backside, strong upper cut, big power swing approach popularized by Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Shockers use a firm backside, bat flat through the zone as long as possible, line drive approach.

Yesterday, both approaches were working.

[1972Shocker]

Key stretch for the Shocks coming up. DH at Missouri State on Wednesday and then travel to Des Moines for a 3-game series at league leader Drake on Saturday and Sunday before returning home and playing Missouri State again in a single game on Tuesday of next week.

A little apprehensive about the state of our pitching at this point. Could be a make or break week for the Lady Shocks.