Shocker SB v Evansville

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers close out the conference regular season this weekend against Evansville. The DH on Saturday starts at noon with the single game on Sunday starting at 11am. These will be the last home games for seniors Katie Malone, Jenni Brooks, Kelli Spring, Macklin Hitz, Ashley Johnson, Kennedy Long and Ashley Malone (who came here from Butler County and was hit by a pitch in her only plate appearance). I assume there will be a Senior Sunday.

The Shocks are currently in fourth place in the Valley with the Purple Aces in fifth, two and one-half games behind. One Shocker win guarantees a finish of at least fourth and a single bye in the Valley Tournament. Southern Illinois, in third place and one game ahead of the Shocks, host Missouri State this weekend. The Shockers must have two more wins than the Salukis this weekend to gain the third seed in the Tournament as Southern Illinois owns the tiebreaker.

Evansville is 11-12 in the Valley. Their offense is led by Brittany Hay (OPS of 1.157 and four homers), Hayli Scott (.983), Morgan Florey (.951 and five homers), Chandra Parr (.902) and Morgan Lambert (five homers). Morgan Florey is the mainstay in the circle for the Purple Aces with an ERA of 1.72 and a WHIP of 0.95!. Ashleigh Downing is next on the starts list with an ERA of 4.99 and a WHIP of 1.46.

The Shockers are 13-9, but the offense has fallen off some. The OPS of Madison and Laurie are now in the .800s, below my self-chosen, important-enough-to-mention level of .900. Leaders are Mackenzie (1.199 with four homers), Asea (1.058) and McKenzie (.998). Laurie has five homers, and Madison has four.

Katie has an ERA of 2.28 and a WHIP of 1.33 with Jenni at 2.47 and 1.39.

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers must have two more wins than the Salukis this weekend to gain the third seed in the Tournament as Southern Illinois owns the tiebreaker.

I guess the difference between the #3 seed and the #4 seed is which side of the bracket you prefer. I guess Illinois State and UNI will meet up to determine the #1 and #2 seeds this weekend in Normal. UNI needs a sweep to to capture the #1 seed. On the other hand Illinois State is assured of at least a 2 seed and only needs 1 win to secure the #1 seed.

SIU could sneek into the #2 seed with sweep of MSU and an Illinois State sweep of UNI. Perhaps not likely but not impossible.

Looks like the bottom 4 teams are squaring off this weekend in a bit of a play-in round to see which two teams get left out of the tournament.

The weather is looking outstanding this weekend especially Saturday. I am going to have to try to get out to one or both days.

[flyingMoose]

I guess the difference between the #3 seed and the #4 seed is which side of the bracket you prefer. I guess Illinois State and UNI will meet up to determine the #1 and #2 seeds this weekend in Normal. UNI needs a sweep to to capture the #1 seed. On the other hand Illinois State is assured of at least a 2 seed and only needs 1 win to secure the #1 seed.

SIU could sneak into the #2 seed with sweep of MSU and an Illinois State sweep of UNI. Perhaps not likely, but not impossible.

Good explanation of the possibilities. I was just not motivated enough to do it. :)

The weather is looking outstanding this weekend especially Saturday. I am going to have to try to get out to one or both days.

I am the one helping out the umpires. Gently, of course.

[1972Shocker]

Saturday doesn't look like it's going to happen for me. Should be able to make it out Sunday.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks took to from Evansville today. 4-3 in 12 innings and a 5-0 shut-out in Game 2.

I'm sure @flyingMoose will have a first hand account of the games later.

UNI took 2 from Illinois State today 11-1 and 8-2. UNI can tie ILS for the Valley regular season title with a win tomorrow and earn the #1 seed in the Valley Tournament. In any case, the winner with the #1 seed and the loser the #2 seed.

SIU swept MSU today. I think that will secure at least a tie for 3rd in league play and the #3 seed in the Valley Tournament.

The Shocks still have a chance to tie SIU for 3rd place but will be the #4 seed in the Valley tournament.

I guess I will watch the replay of the Shockers games this evening.

[wusphlash]

Shame on me. Watching the first game when Evansville hit the late 2 run homer. Turned it off and went out and worked in the yard. Oh well, it was a beautiful day.

[1972Shocker]

That was a crazy 9th inning in Game 1.

Finally done watching the replay of Game 1. Very entertaining game. Great slide and reach around tag of home plate by Kelli Spring on the game ending suicide squeeze play and pretty nice bunt by Big Mack who isn't called on to bunt much.

[flyingMoose]

Game One

Evansville 3-4(12) Shockers

@1972Shocker: has already provided the scores, but I decide to use my normal "game summary" format.

Jenni had the start in this game. The lineup was Mackenzie-5, Kelli-4, McKenzie-7, Macklin-3, Paige-9, Asea-DP, Laurie-6, Madison-2, and Ashley-8.

In each of the first six innings, the Shockers had a runner in scoring position with less than two outs, but could only get a run across in the second when both teams scored a run.

The Shocks caught a break in the top of the second. Evansville had scored on a walk, a bloop single, sac bunt and another bloop single. On a 3-2 pitch there was catcher obstruction by Madison that I (and others sitting nearby) thought the home plate umpire missed. Those are hard - you have to call it by sound rather than by sight, but the sound did not sound like bat against ball but bat against leather. The batter said something and the Evansville coach came down to ask about it, but the call of foul ball stood. (Just after the 25:00 mark on the Replay.) The very next pitch was a soft liner toward second base that Kelli caught and turned into a DP at first to end the inning.

The Shockers scored their run on a walk to Laurie, stolen base (the Shocks stole six! bases in the game) and double by Madison that did not clear the glove of the second baseman by much but rolled to the wall. It was good to see these two manufacture the run as they have not hit much at all lately.

Evansville had a threat in the sixth. After a leadoff single, they tried a hit-and-run rather than the more traditional sac bunt to advance the runner. A line drive was hit to Kelli driving to her right, and the runner was easily doubled off first. With two outs, the Purple Aces got another single. Although a sac bunt was sure looking good then, the single was hard enough and directly to McKenzie, so a runner would not have scored from second. But still, Evansville would have had an extra out to play with. Here is a place to note that the Shocks had another line drive DP in the second and a 6-4-3 DP in the fourth.

In the Evansville eighth, the Shockers got another call to their benefit. On a slow bouncer to Laurie, the call at first was Out when the eye and the Replay (after 1:59) both seem to indicate Safe. The Evansville coach came out, but nothing is going to change in that situation.

The Purple Aces took the lead in the top of the ninth. A ground ball up the middle to Kelli's right was not backhanded cleanly, and she was given an error. It was a tough chance but you could tell by her reaction that she thought she should have made the play. At this point, Katie headed to the bull pen. Evansville followed on the first pitch with a two-run homer, a towering fly ball that cleared the fence in left center by less than ten feet. Three pitches later, Evansville bloops a single to right where Paige threw to first on a close play. This was the second attempt of the game by Paige to get an out at first. Four pitches after going to the pen, Katie is in the game in relief of Jenni. The runner moved to third on a ground out and wild pitch, but the batter lined out to third for the third out on a nice catch by a pulled-in Mackenzie.

In the Shocker ninth with one out, Laurie sat on an 0-2 change-up and cranked it well over the left-center field fence. Earlier in the game, she had looked bad striking out on a change. When one swing cuts the lead in half, the dugout perks up a lot. Another double to right by Madison, a single by Ashley that sent pinch-runner Cassidy to third and a stolen base put runners at second and third with one out. Mackenzie then hit a liner that appeared headed for the gap in left center. The Evansville left fielder made a great leaping, above-her-head catch of the ball. Cassidy was a bit off the base and had to reach back with her leg, barely retouching before scoring. Ashley was at least two-thirds of the way to third with the presumptive winning run and had to scramble back to second. Had the left fielder seen her, a throw to second could have been close.

After allowing a couple for runners in the tenth, Katie settled in and retired the side in order in the eleventh and twelfth innings. Part of that was a great diving catch by Laurie in the twelfth of a foul pop (3:13).

Kelli led off the Shocker twelfth with a bunt single and stolen base, and McKenzie moved her to third with a sac bunt. Then Macklin laid down a suicide squeeze bunt (which should be scored a sac hit, but isn't). Kelli got her right hand on the plate just before she was tagged on the left shoulder as she twisted by the catcher.


Katie got the win, going four innings and giving up a hit and a walk with six strikeouts. Jenni went the first eight inning plus, giving up eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Strangely, four Shockers got the eleven hits. Kelli had three singles, Laurie a double and homer, Madison two doubles with Paige and Ashley each having two singles.

[1972Shocker]

I think Evansville's Sophomore Ace Morgan Florey threw somewhere in the neighborhood of 175 pitches going the entire distance in the 12-inning game.

With Florey Evansville is a team you would just as soon avoid in the Valley Tournament. She is capable of shutting anyone down.

Pretty bad base running fundamentals on Mackenzie's smash to left field but the Shocks got away with it. It was a very good catch by the Evansville leftfielder. Perhaps the hardest hit ball of the game. If Mackenzie had just elevated it slightly it might have put a hole in the score board.

Great execution by Kelli, Mckenzie and Macklin in the deciding 12th. Pretty darn good play by Florey on the suicide squeeze to make it very close at the plate. Again a great slide by Kelli.

In Game 2 the Shocks put up a 5 spot in the bottom of the 1st and that was all Katie Malone needed as she spun a 2-hit complete game shutout earning her 24th win of the season which ties Margo Pruis at the top of the list for most wins by a Shocker pitcher in a season.

[flyingMoose]

Game Two

Evansville 0-5 Shockers

Katie continued in the circle to start this one. The lineup was shuffled some (isn't it nearly always?) with Mackenzie-5, Kelli-4, Paige-9, Madison-2, McKenzie-7, Macklin-3, Laurie-6, Asea-DP and Ashley-8.

Katie was in complete control in this one. She gave up a single in the second and a single and walk in the fifth - three baserunners for Evansville in the entire game. Katie had seven strikeouts and now has a record of 24-10. She had a very nice rise in this game that she did not use a lot, but it was very effective when she did.

The Shockers had six of their ten hits in the first when they scored all five of their runs. They had two more hits in the second, but an Evansville reliever to start the third only allowed two more hits. After the first inning, the game seemed to go on autopilot. This game was 1:36 with the first game being 3:32.

Mackenzie infield single, Kelli bunt single, fielder's choice force at third and a Madison single loaded the bases. A double by McKenzie scored two (if the relay infielder is paying enough attention, there was probably a play on McKenzie coming into second). After the catcher dropped Macklin's foul pop (the first baseman might have called her off), she smacked a double off the left center field fence. Laurie followed with another double to score Macklin and end the scoring for the game. The throw back into the infield from medium left-center after Laurie's hit went to third (I have no idea), allowing her to reach second easily.

The Shockers loaded the bases in the fourth on two infield singles and a walk, the only baserunners to reach against Downing, the reliever for the Purple Aces.

Laurie had a very nice defensive play in the first with a diving stop to her left and throwing out the runner from her knees. Other good defensive plays were in the third when Madison picked a bunt off home plate and got the out at first. The difficulty of this play is the very narrow angle for the throw with the runner moving down the line. Kelli helped by being slightly off the bag, thus giving a bigger target, and then tapping the bag with her foot after receiving the throw. In the fifth, Laurie and Mackenzie combined for another nice play when a slap hit to a pulled-in Laurie resulted in a force at third when she threw slightly backwards to Mackenzie who was able to get back to the bag. Mackenzie ended the game by chasing a pop up down the fair line behind third and making an over-the-head catch turned sideways. The Evansville shortstop made some nice play also.

Mackenzie, Kelli and Paige all had two singles. McKenzie, Macklin and Laurie all had a double.

This is the 30th win of the year, continuing a streak of I-don't-want-to-look-it-up years of at least thirty wins.

[WuDrWu]

It was a very good catch by the Evansville leftfielder. Perhaps the hardest hit ball of the game.

Yes it was. Ashlee Kawall snagged a ball that would have hit the fence otherwise. I think it surprised her as much as pretty much everyone in the park. Outstanding play.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks get some nice coverage in the Eagle.

Shocks were 2 - 17 with RISP in Game 1

In 11 scoreless innings on Saturday Katie Malone allowed 3 hits, walked 2 and struck out 13 to lower her season ERA to 2.21.

Game 1 tied the Shocker record for longest game. It was the 4th time the Shocks have gone 12 innings. They have won all 4 of those games.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks complete the sweep of Evansville with a 5-0 win which pretty much looked like a replay of Game 2 yesterday with the exception of Senior Day activities.

Evansville went with their second line pitching today and both teams subbed a ton to make sure all seniors got to play. The Shocks had 8 seniors and the Aces 9 seniors.

As in yesterday's Game 2 the Shocks put up a 5 spot in the 1st then sort went into cruise control, or should I say snooze control. Jenni Brooks started and pitched the 1st 3 innings. Katie pitched the next 3.2 at which point HCKB subbed all the seniors out. Bailey Klitzke came in to record the final out of the game with a strike out.

Katie picked up the win her 25th of the season establishing a new Shocker single season record.

Kelli Spring had her 57th career stolen base adding to her Shocker career record that she set on Saturday.

Congrats to all 8 Shocker seniors on a very solid run over the last 4 years.

HCKB will probably by a little unhappy with the offensive performance this weekend especially heading into the Valley Tournament. On the other hand Shocker pitching was very good this weekend.

[1972Shocker]

UNI finishes off a dominating sweep of Illinois State with an 8-2 win to forge into a 1st place tie with the Redbirds and grab the #1 seed in the Valley Tournament.

SIU finished of a seep of Missouri State with a 3-2 win to secure sole possession of 3rd place and the Shockers finish in 4th place.

Evansville and Drake tied for 5th. Evansville swept Drake this year and owns the tiebreaker and will be the 5th seed.

The Shocks will face the winner of the Thursday game between Evansville and #8 seedLoyola (Evansville swept Loyola during the season) on Friday at 11:00 am with the winner of that game facing UNI Friday at 4:00 pm.

Getting by Evansville (assuming the beat Loyola) and UNI on the same day will be tough.

[flyingMoose]

As best I can tell, Ashley Malone, one of todays' seniors who played a few innings of shortstop yesterday and today, had two plate appearances this year - both were HBP. Ouch!