Champions are bourne in the face of adversity, and at no time will this be more true than the task facing the Baseball Owls this weekend. Though the team has already overcome early season-ending injuries to their Friday night ace (Jordan Stephens) and an upperclassman expected to be a key contributor in the bullpen (Evan Rutter), compounded by the loss of their all-american closer and replacement Friday starter (Zech Lemond) for the past month, as well as their starting SS and leadoff hitter (Leon Byrd), this coming weekend series at Southern Mississippi poses the teams' biggest challenge yet...and, with USM currently even with the Owls in the loss column and with the easier remaining CUSA schedule, the regular season conference championship is very much on the line. Game times are scheduled to begin at 6:00pm CT on Friday, 2:00pm on Saturday and 1:00pm on Sunday.
For those who may be uninformed, what makes the task so daunting this weekend is the convergence of a number of challenges: (1) two of our best players-- JC Reeves and Shane Hoelscher-- continue to play through severe pain and injuries, (2) the team has been stricken by both the flu bug (Chase McDowell) and severe stomach virus (Skyler Ewing, Ford Stainback), (3) all the student-athlete must deal with the omnipresent semester-ending academic pressures-- and one or two may actually have to miss the trip to meet required academic deadlines, (4) Hattiesburg, MS is a VERY difficult road trip requiring an extremely long bus ride-- not an ideal situation when so confined with several members of the team sick, and (5) though Rice has fared well playing in Hattiesburg since joining the conference in 2006, it has proven to be a very hostile environment...and USM will be playing for their post-season lives.. This will be quite the test-- both mentally and physically-- for the team, but if we hope to keep our championship streak alive, this is the time to make a statement. We really need our upperclassmen (especially, our Seniors), who have a bit less academic pressure, to step up big time this weekend. That means Aquino (time to take a leadership role and turnaround your season as Ratterree did late in 2012), Cook, Hoelscher and McDowell, in particular.
Here are the Rice game notes for the upcoming weekend series...
http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-basebl/...14aad.html
The USM Golden Eagles come into this series playing their best ball of the year, and with renewed confidence. After struggling to a 6 - 9 start to the season, they have now won five of their last six games (highlighted by their impressive 6-3 mid-week road win on Tuesday at #19 Alabama), ten of their last 13 games, and all six of their CUSA weekend series. They have not lost two consecutive games since March 8th. Overall, they have posted a 25 - 17 record (12-7 at home, 13-5 in CUSA, 7-8 vs. Top 100), and their national rankings, which were well over 100 just several weeks ago, have been climbing steadily and now stand at: #59 in RPI, #62 in ISR and #92 in Strength of Schedule (vs. #11, #17 and #17, respectively, for the Owls). Their turnaround has been spurred by a solidifying of their infield defense (which was giving away games early), a bit more timely hitting (though the offense continues to struggle), and a change in the weekend rotation. Having said that, it's pretty amazing they're in the position they're in-- and have posted a 19-8 record in their last 27 games-- given their CUSA rankings are 10th in offense, middle of the pack in pitching, and dead last in defense. Here's their schedule and results to date over their first 42 games, along with the latest CUSA individual/team stats...
http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2014/sch...thern-Miss
http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-ba...gsumm.html
Offensively USM is hitting just .244/.332/.334 as a team, with 19 HRs, 65 doubles/triples and averaging a sub-par 4.8 runs per game. Nobody is hitting above .300, but they are led by true Freshman Matt Durst (.297/.344/.432, 4 HRs, 7 doubles/triples, 24 RBIs) and Soph Tim Lynch (.293/.406/.367, 1 HR, 8 doubles, 24 RBIs, 25 BBs)-- both of whom are new to D-I action this year-- and Jr Mason Robbins (.236/.282/.388, 4 HRs, 12 doubles/triples, 28 RBIs), who's coming off a 4-4, 4 RBI game vs. Alabama. Compounding matters, they are not skilled in the small ball game (just 28 sac bunts and a woeful 16 - 29 in stolen bases), and appear to have even more difficulty than us in manufacturing runs. Most alarming is their VERY high strikeout frequency-- 7.1 strikeouts/game and more than twice as many strikeouts as walks received...and that's against a relatively weak, #92nd ranked strength of schedule. No less than four everyday players have 38+ strikeouts. In comparison, Rice strikes out at an above average pace, but only Michael Aquino (with 36 Ks) has struck out more than 24 times so far this season. With the exception of Tim Lynch and Austin Roussel (who's only hitting .176), this is a very aggressive, free-swinging team with very little patience or plate discipline. This is something our pitchers should try to exploit by pitching backwards; leading with the breaking ball and off-speed pitch to get ahead in the count.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles have improved a bit, but their fielding percentage is still a well below-average .956, having committed 71 errors in their 42 games (twice as many as Rice has committed in 43 games). Every infielder has committed at least 7 errors, with their SS (Michael Sterling) and 1B (Bradley Roney) leading the way with a whopping 17 and 12 errors, respectively. Having said that, they've turned more double plays than we have. Their catchers have thrown out only 28% of attempted basestealers, and though they've only allowed 5 passed balls, USM pitchers have thrown 51 wild pitches (more than twice as many as have Rice hurlers). Given all but two of USM's top nine pitchers are right-handed, including all three weekend starters, this may be a series in which we can finally get our running game going.
On the mound, USM's Friday and Saturday starters (Sr RHP Connor Fisk and JUCO Sr RHP Christian Talley) have very good across-the-board stats, but the strength of the team is in the bullpen where they feature a lights out-- but strictly one-inning-- closer (Jr RHP Bradley Roney), who is joined by 9 other relievers who have made at least 10 appearances so far this year. Once he pulls the starter, Coach Berry tends to make a series of righty-lefty bullpen moves, very rarely having any one reliever pitcher more than 1.2 innings in a game. The staff ERA is a rather pedestrian 3.55, but the 2.45 BAA is solid, and the 2.4 K:BB ratio and average of 8.2 strikeouts/game are excellent. However, keep in mind the stats may be somewhat inflated givent he relatively low #90th ranked SoS. Last weekend vs. Louisiana Tech, both Fisk and Talley threw complete game shutouts, while RS So RHP Cody Carroll made his first Sunday start. Roney currently leads CUSA in saves, ERA, BAA, and Ks per 9 IP, and USM is a perfect 20-0 when leading after 8 innings...
C.Fisk (S, RHP): 8 starts, 4-1, 55.0 IP, 2.29 ERA, .198 BAA, 17 BBs, 58 Ks, only 4 xtrabase hits
C.Talley (JUCO, RHP): 9 starts, 3-2, 55.1 IP, 2.11 ERA, .263 BAA, 8 BBs, 48 Ks, 7 xtrabase hits
C.Carroll (RS So RHP): 7 starts, 3-0, 33.0 IP, 3.27 ERA, .259 BAA, 13 BBs, 27 Ks
B.Roney (Jr, RHP): 12, app, 10 saves, 15.1 IP, 0.59 ERA, .080 BAA, 8 BBs, 23 Ks
L.Lowrey (RS So LHP): 16 app, 2-0, 12.1 IP, 2.19 ERA, ..255 BAA, 1 BB, 9 Ks
R.Milton (Jr, RHP): 14 app, 3-2, 2 saves, 14.1 IP, 2.51 ERA, .224 BAA, 8 BBs, 5 WPs, 14 Ks
AJ Glasshof (Sr, LHP): 12 app, 5 starts, 2-2, 33.1 IP, 3.78 ERA, .211 BAA, 19 BBs, 28 Ks
Here's their roster and individual/team stats over their first 42 games...
http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-bas...l-mtt.html
http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-bas...mcume.html
The Baseball Owls have already perservered through more challenges this year than almost any other D-I program and, as a consequence, find themselves in control of their own destiny-- to extend both our conference championship and post-season streaks, and host a regional at Reckling Park. If we can win the weekend series against Southern Miss, we will not only be well-positioned to achieve our goals, but the subsequent 10-day break (and the completion of academic burdens) should allow the team to come back refreshed, reenergized, with heightened focus, and most importantly, the healthiest we've been since the first month of the season; primed for our annual strong finishing kick to the regular season. This group of student-athletes has shown heart, has never quit (most recently exemplified in our near miraculous 9th inning comeback against the Aggies on Tuesday), has exhibited great team chemistry and, save for the Middle Tennessee fiasco, have proven to be road warriors (12-5 road record with series wins at #28 Stanford, #59 FIU and Tulane, the latter two in sweeps). This weekend will be the ultimate test. Let's show the leadership and mental toughness to overcome all the distractions and adversity. Time to prove yourselves true champions. Go Owls!
Kendall Rogers and Perfect Game picked USM to finish in the middle of the pack (#6) in CUSA, with OF Mason Robbins the only Golden Eagle selected to their preseason all-conference team...
http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=9331
Quote:• SOUTHERN MISS: Scott Berry’s crew always has an impressive stockpile of talent, but the 2014 campaign presents an interesting challenge for USM with the departures of talented pitchers such as someone like Andrew Pierce leading the charge. With that said, two-way player Bradley Roney is a very quality arm out of the bullpen … More importantly, a lot of USM’s success hinges on Mason Robbins and Connor Barron. Robbins has proven himself to be a contributor at this level, but Barron, who’s a good prospect, still needs to show what he’s made of at this level. Barron, for instance, hit .198 with just one extra-base hit in 86 at bats last season. That must change.
Baseball America picked USM to finish 4th in the conference and earn a bid into the post-season...
http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2...rence-usa/
Quote:Southern Mississippi: USM’s third-ranked 2011 recruiting class has yet to help the Golden Eagles make a regional, but the coaches are optimistic they are ready to do so as juniors. The biggest name in that class out of high school was unsigned third-round pick Connor Barron, who is finally completely healthy, has found a home in the outfield and looks poised to bring power to the middle of the lineup. Jr. 3B/RHP Bradley Roney has the most raw power on the team and also has nasty stuff off the mound, making him the likely closer once again. The Eagles also have a gifted pure hitter in Jr. OF Mason Robbins, but question marks abound in the infield and behind the plate. Bulldog Sr. RHP Conor Fisk is the only returnee to the rotation, and Southern Miss expects the bullpen to be the strength of the staff.
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USM Preview: Overcoming Adversity-- The Ultimate Test of Champions
