Shocker SB at Bradley

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers continue their conference play with a weekend series at Bradley. The Saturday DH will start at 11am rather than the customary time of noon. The Sunday single game stays at its normal time of 11am.

The Braves were a tie for seventh in the preseason poll. Their overall record is 18-18 and are 4-5 in the Valley. They took one game from Southern Illinois, two from Evansville and one from Missouri State. In non-conference, they have a win in their third tournament of the season over Louisiana-Lafayette, ranked 16 at the time.

The offense for Bradley is led by Caitlyn McCarron (OPS of 1.259 and five homers), Maria Schroeder (1.089 and four homers) and Kelly Kapp (1.000). The Braves use a pitching-by-committee approach. Seeing three pitchers in a game is not uncommon. The best stats belong to Jaelen Hull with an ERA of 2.75 and a WHIP of 1.32 and a record of 8-2, the only winning record on the staff. Yet she has not started a game all year. Most of the starts belong to Emily Visnic (3.81 and 1.81) and Julie Kestas (4.20 and 1.49).

For the Shockers, most of everything belongs to Katie - innings, starts and any other number you might think of. Her ERA is 2.24 and WHIP is 1.26. Katie's innings are now 159.1 while Bailey is at 35.0 and Jenni is at 24.0. The other numbers for the latter two are 5.25 and 2.33 for Jenni and 4.20 and 1.91 for Bailey.

The offense is led by Laurie (1.043 and eight homers) and Madison (1.033 and eight homers). Mackenzie, Macklin and Paige all have an OPS greater than .900.

[1972Shocker]

Looks like Bradley has some productive hitters in their lineup but perhaps not the depth or power that the Shockers have in there lineup although lately the Shockers have been scuttling a bit at the plate.

It will be interesting to see how Bradley pitches the Shockers. Lately it seems like teams have been effective throwing soft stuff for strikess and just showing their fastball for effect out of the zone. Has worked very well for the most part. Now Tulsa's Lexi Blevins did make a mistake and gave Madison Perrigan a center cut fastball in the 6th inning last night and it cost her dearly (again hope she is okay). Laurie Derrico then tomahawked the 1st pitch she saw from the Tulsa releiver past the Tulsa SS on a fastball that looked like it was just above the top of the zone but Laurie just attacked it.

Would love to see the Shockers get in a position where they could share the pitching worklaod a bit with Jenni and Bailey.

[flyingMoose]

Game One

Katie has the start for the Shockers and Visnic for Bradley. The Shocker lineup is Mackenzie-5, Kelli-7, Madison-2, Laurie-6, Paige-DP, McKenzie-9, Mauriana-4, Macklin-3 and Ashley-8.

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers threaten in the first when walks to Mackenzie and Madison are sandwiched around a bunt single by Kelli to load the bases with no outs. With two outs, McKenzie walks to score one run, and Mauriana follows with a two-run single. Macklin then triples for two more runs, and Mahaffey comes on in relief for the Braves. The Shockers have an early 5-0 lead.

With the Shocks still batting, I have to leave for the duration. Unfortunately, SidearmSports, the LiveStats provider for Bradley, uses the same link for every game. When Game Two starts, Game One stats will disappear.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks loaded the bases in the 1st on a walk, bunt single and a walk. A Laurie Derrico strike out and a Paige Luellen line out to 2B forced the Shocks try to do some two-out damage.

A walk to Mckenzie Adams forced in a run, Mauriana Jamele then drove in 2 runs with a single to right center, Mackin Hitz drover in 2 more with triple to RF. Bradley makes a pitching change. Ashley Johnson singled up the middle to score Macklin to make it 6-0. Mackenzie Wright singled up the middle as well but Kelli Spring ended the inning when she was thrown out at 1st on her 2nd bunt attempt of the inning.

I would say that qualifies as two-out damage.

Perhaps HCKB will be able to work Jenni and/or Bailey into this game.

[1972Shocker]

Katie has all of a sudden seemed to have lost her command in the bottom of the 6th. She gave up a lead off home run on an 0-2 count with a terrible pitch up and over the plate. She followed that up with 2 consecutive walks. On a 2-2 pitch Katie got a pop up caught by Shocker 2B Mauriana Jamele. Then all of a sudden Katie found it again striking out a pinch hitter on 3 straight pitches to end the threat.

Shocks lead 7-3 after 6 complete.

Shocks have had their chances but after the big 2-out rally in the 1st inning have not been able to come up with a 2-out hit as they have stranded 10 runners including on several strike outs looking on fastballs on the inside corner.

[WuDrWu]

Making a mess of the bottom of the 7th

[1972Shocker]

Shocks get 2 more runners in the 2nd with 1 out on sharply hit single by Mackenzie and Kelli and strand them on two weakly struck balls by Madison and Laurie.

Another center cut fastball on an 0-2 pitch is hit up the middle for a single to lead off the Bradley 7th. A sac bunt and a pop to short got the 1st two outs. Bradley's McCarron than singled to LF on 13 pitch at bat to put runner on 1st and 3rd. That is followed by a double down the LF line to plate 2 runs to make it 7-5 and bring the tying run to the plate.

On another 0-2 count Bradely gets a infied chop down the 1st base line for an infield single. Tyings runs are on 1st and 3rd. Winning run at the plate.

Katie goes to 0-2 again but this time gets the stirke out.

Shocks win 7-5 in a game that feels like a loss. Of coure, I much prefer a win that feels like a loss than vice versa.

[1972Shocker]

UNI beat SIU 4-0 in game 1 of their series which drops the Salukis to 7-3 and into a 5-way tie for 1st with UNI, MSU, ILS and the Shockers who all won the 1st game of their weekend series.

[1972Shocker]

Game Two

Jenni Brooks is in the circle for the Shockers. So. Julie Kestas is in the circle for Bradley.

A Mackenzie Wright walk, a Kelli Spring single and a Madison Perrigan double to lead off the top of the 1st puts the Shocks up 2-0. Macklin Hitz, Mauriana Jamele and Laurie Derrico all popped up to the SS in the 5-6 hole.

Bradley lead off with a bund single by Kelly Kapp. Kapp, who had stolen 38 bases in 43 attempts, promptly took off for 2nd but was thrown out by Madison Perrigan. The next batter roped a liner to right but Mauriana jumping as high as she could snagged the pitch. A walk and a 4-3 ground out finished off the Bradley 1st.

Shocks lead 2-0 after one.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks load the bases on a single, error and 2 walks and with 2 outs Madison Perrigan walked to force in a run and keep the bases loaded. Macklin Hitz then drove a ball to the wall in right center to clear the bases. Bradley had Hitz hung up between 2nd and 3rd but the Bradley looked like she was starting to throw to 2nd then tried to stop her throw and the ball just dribbled in LF and with the Bradley leftfielder backing up 3rd base Macklin scored. Huge 2 out hit by Macklin.

Shocks lead 7-0 heading into the bottom of the 2nd.

[1972Shocker]

Jenni hanging in there. Not overpowering as she never is but despite quite a few baserunners is keeping Bradley at bay.

Shocks lead 7-1 after 4 innings despite Bradley out hitting the Shocks 5-4.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks score 3 more on 3 hits and an error in the top of the 5th to take a 10-1 lead and put the run rule in play.

Bradley got a bunt single in their half of the 5th but nothing more and Jenni finished off the 5-inning run rule complete game.

Very good to see that from Jenni.

[WuDrWu]

WSU, UNI, ISU and MSU all swept their respective DHs today and are all tied for the league lead at 8-3. SIU (swept by UNI) is at 7-4. Evansville took 2 from hapless Drake and is next at 6-5.

[1972Shocker]

Game Three

Julie Kestas is in the circle for Bradley and in a bit of a surprise Jenni Brooks gets the start for the Shocks in a rematch of yesterday's Game 2.

If Jenni can pitch effectively this would go a long way to buidling her confidence and perhaps shoring up the Shocks pitching. Katie has been an absolute stud but you wonder how much longer she could handle that workload as the season wore on.

Shocks go quiently in the 1st.