With classes and Finals behind them (and now free of the burdens of academics), it is now or never for the Rice baseball team. Currently ranked just inside the Top 20 in most of the national polls, our RPI ranking sits at just #39 (though it has steadily dropped from well over #100 the past 5 weeks) and we find ourselves 2 1/2 games behind Southern Mississippi in the conference standings (though only one game back in the loss column)...and half a game behind UCF (who own the tie-breaker against us). Clearly, we have considerable work to do (and will needs some help from others) if we hope to win the regular season conference title. However, with 12 games remaining, plus the conference tournament (played at home at Reckling Park this year), we can still achieve season-long goals of an 18th consecutive conference championship and yet another 40-win season (to go along with our he retaining the Silver Glove trophy) with a strong stretch run. Unfortunately, we have no time to shake the rust off from the 10-day break from competitive action, as the Lamar game on Wednesday presents our final opportunity to improve our post-season resume and RPI, given they are the last team remaining team on our schedule with a sub-100 ranked RPI. .
Lamar is having it's best season in a decade, and is legitimately in the hunt for it's first post-season appearance since 2003. Though Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State are getting most of the national attention, Lamar is currently leading the Southland Conference with a 12-6 record (tied with SHS, but they own the tie-breaker), and they boast an overall 33-11 record (8-5 on the road, 6-6 vs. Top 100), with quality wins against #77 UH (when the Coogs were in the midst of their hot streak), #33 Central Arkansas, #74 SHS x 2 and #84 SE Lousiana x 2. The Cardinals currently have national rankings of #46 in ISR, #49 in RPI and #211 in Strength of Schedule. They enter Reckling on an 8-game win streak, during which span their pitching staff has given up on average just under 2 runs per game (and no game with over 4 runs). Consequently, as important a game as it is for us, it will be just as important for Lamar, who will also be seeking revenge for our 9-8 victory in Beaumont on April 9th (a game in which we very nearly blew an 8-1 lead following a rain delay). Here is their schedule/results YTD...
http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2013/schedule/Lamar
Lamar is a very good offensive team and an exceptional defensive squad (despite the 4 errors they committed against us in that first game). As a team, they're hitting .300/.384/.410, with 19 HRs, and averaging 3 extrabase hits and 6.7 runs per game. No doubt their stats are somewhat inflated due to their very weak (#211 ranked) schedule, but those offensive numbers are still impressive. And with Lamar you do not have the luxury of simply pitching carefully to one or two leading batters, as they have shown consistency in production up and down their everyday lineup. Eight of their nine regulars are hitting over .290, with five batting over .300, and eight of their nine regulars have 20+ RBIs (with 5 guys at 30+ RBIs). (Note-- Ratterree is leading the Owls with 27 RBIs, and we only have two other guys with 20+ RBIs.) Six batters have accumulated double-digit extrabase hit totals. Having said that, they're led by Darian Johnson (.374/.447/.486, 1 HR, 14 doubles/triples, 33 RBIs, 25 BBs, just 8 Ks), Sam Bumpers (.347/.414/.494, 3 HRs, 14 doubles/triples, 30 RBIs) and VJ Bunner (.317/.416/.532, 5 HRs, 12 doubles, 26 RBIs). Johnson is a switch hitter, while their next 4 top hitters are all right-handed.
Defensively, they continue to post one of the highest fielding percentages in the country (.985), with only one regular having committed more than 3 errors (SS Sam Bumpers with just 6 errors). They've turned 44 double plays, and have allowed just 7 passed balls. However, opponents have run against their pitchers/catchers, succeeding on 31 of 43 stolen base attempts (72%).
On the mound, forgetting their weak strength of schedule for the moment, Lamar's pitching staff has put up respectable across-the-board numbers: 3.54 ERA, 2:1 strikeout:walk ratio, 7 Ks/game. However, much of that is due to the strong performances of their co-aces (Harrington, Dzeidzic), who have each logged 75+ innings with ERAs under 2.85. Given our difficulties against southpaw pitching (which has to been known by opposing coaches by now), we'll like face their 3rd weekend starter, Jr LHP, David Carver (14 app, 9 starts, 5-3, 2 saves, 51.2 IP, 4.01 ERA, 20 BBs, 26 Ks), who worked 4 innings and threw 58 pitches in relief on Sunday-- either as their mid-week starter or in relief. (Note-- Lamar faces Oral Roberts in a non-conference series this coming weekend, so they may very well go all out to beat us on Wednesday.)
Will be interesting to see how Coach Graham decides to work the pitching staff. I'm assuming Kubitza will not be used since he'll be back as our Friday night starter at UAB in a couple days, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if we go with "all staff", with Stephens, Simms, Lemond, Fox and McDowell all getting 1 - 3 innings of work to shake the rust off.
Hopefully the team is refresh, rejuvinated and ready to bring heightened focus, energy and aggressiveness to the field of play. Time for a big-time and extended finishing kick. The time is now. Time to go on a roll. Go Owls!
Here's my preview posted prior to our April 9th game against Lamar, as well as the box score from that earlier game...
http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=628683
http://www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-b.../lu34.html
...and here are Lamar's individual/team stats over their first 44 games...
http://www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-b...mcume.html