First pitch 7:35

Thanks. TV looks like it's on LHN...

Quote:Rice Baseball‏@RiceOwlsBSB·1 hr
Rice lineup: Stainback 2B, Hoelscher 3B, Ewing 1B, Aquino LF, Reeves C, Byrd SS, Kopycinski DH, Cook RF, Williamson CF, Stephens P. 7:05 pm.

Need to keep the Big 12 winless at Minute Maid...and have our third consecutive good offensive game against a LHP.

Here we go.

Roger Clemens with the first pitch, apropos of the game.

Interestingly, I listened to a Frank deFord piece the other morning on NPR, arguing that MLB should narrow the plate to 14 inches to restore balance to the game (15 strikeouts in an average game). Perhaps college should narrow it to, say, 42 inches.

(02-28-2014 08:39 PM)I45owl Wrote:  Interestingly, I listened to a Frank deFord piece the other morning on NPR, arguing that MLB should narrow the plate to 14 inches to restore balance to the game (15 strikeouts in an average game). Perhaps college should narrow it to, say, 42 inches.

Wouldn't matter. Each ump has his own version of the strikezone. Most don't even bother to clean the plate regularly.

Fantastic at bat by Hoelscher, followed by a bad baserunning decision ... great slide to let himself off the hook.

L4, double, 6-3... runner to 3rd with two outs.

Play ball! Peters is your prototypical finesse, soft-tossing left-hander. Just 3Ks in 14.2 IP.

Stainback lined out to 2B. Tough break. Hit ball hard and went the opposite way. Encouraging.
Hoelscher double down the line! Two hard hit balls in a row. Keep it going.
Ewing ground out to SS. Runner on 3B, two outs.
Aquino ground out to 1B.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the first inning.

Anyone have LHN and see the slide? I assume he offered his arm and pulled it back when the tag was attempted.

(02-28-2014 08:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Play ball! Peters is your prototypical finesse, soft-tossing left-hander. Just 3Ks in 14.2 IP.

Stainback lined out to 2B. Tough break. Hit ball hard and went the opposite way. Encouraging.
Hoelscher double down the line! Two hard hit balls in a row. Keep it going.
Ewing ground out to SS. Runner on 3B, two outs.
Aquino ground out to 1B.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the first inning.

Walt Ford's ball was not hit hard. Off the end of the bat and even sounded like a broken bat.

(02-28-2014 08:45 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Anyone have LHN and see the slide? I assume he offered his arm and pulled it back when the tag was attempted.

Slid outside of the bag with left hand forward. Throw came in in time and in a good place. Shane rolled onto his side twisted the body and touched base with the right hand.

They showed two different angles, and neither was that good. I'm not entirely convinced that the tag missed.

Nice job by Jordan. Breaking ball early was tumbling but got tighter later.

Jordan got into a bit of trouble with a one-out walk (to Payton) an single, but just as quickly escaped with back-to-back strikeoutsKK.

Reeves grounds out to 3B. That's 3 consecutive ground ball outs. Too similar to Tuesday's game vs. SHS.
Byrd ground out to 1B.
Kopycinski ground out to 1B.
Too easy. 5 consecutive ground outs with 3 unassisted by 1B.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the second inning.

One hard hit ball by Shane everything else pretty weakly hit to the opposite side. Can't tell if his ball runs or just pitching away as we are behind the dugout.

(02-28-2014 08:53 PM)That Guy 2012 Wrote:  

(02-28-2014 08:45 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Anyone have LHN and see the slide? I assume he offered his arm and pulled it back when the tag was attempted.

Slid outside of the bag with left hand forward. Throw came in in time and in a good place. Shane rolled onto his side twisted the body and touched base with the right hand.

They showed two different angles, and neither was that good. I'm not entirely convinced that the tag missed.

He did an outstanding job on the slide itself. I'm surprised the defense didn't get the benefit of the doubt, but I think they made the right call. It's not really conclusive though.

(02-28-2014 09:06 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  One hard hit ball by Shane everything else pretty weakly hit to the opposite side. Can't tell if his ball runs or just pitching away as we are behind the dugout.

Hunter K. did hit the ball pretty hard on a couple of foul balls. He and Hoelscher worked the count pretty well.

Beautiful snag by Hoelscher to end the inning.