If we are to have a viable chance of winning this tourney it is imperative that we stay in the winners bracket; something we have failed to do in any double elimination CUSA or Regional tournament since we beat Oregon in 2012. We simply do not have the pitching this year to survive, and quite frankly, not sure how we can survive a 4th or 5th game either....but that's getting ahead of ourselves.

Game start time: 4:26pm CST.

(05-26-2016 03:41 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  If we are to have a viable chance of winning this tourney it is imperative that we stay in the winners bracket; something we have failed to do in any double elimination CUSA or Regional tournament since we beat Oregon in 2012. We simply do not have the pitching this year to survive, and quite frankly, not sure how we can survive a 4th or 5th game either....but that's getting ahead of ourselves.

Rice can beat anyone in a 3-game series this year if all 3 starters get into at least the 7th inning (assuming Otto gets back to where he was 3 weeks ago). If the opponent knocks out a starter early or if Rice has to play a 4th game in a short time, then I'm with you. Staying in the winners bracket at the Regional is critical, and winning today and getting a bunch of innings from Fox is critical!

Not being critical, but what happened to "the deepest Rice pitching staff since the NC team"? Are we just over-reacting to a terrible 10-15 days of pitching?

(05-26-2016 04:07 PM)owlsfan Wrote:  Not being critical, but what happened to "the deepest Rice pitching staff since the NC team"? Are we just over-reacting to a terrible 10-15 days of pitching?

Well that, and we used a large chunk of our pen yesterday (Otto, Myers, Kravetz)

Same players, but different lineup-- appears we're going against a RHP-- either Stewart or McKay...

Warren
Chandler
Proctor
Teykl
Gray
Lewis
Wunderlich
Kopycinski
DiCaprio

Fox

I must say I just don't get DiCaprio batting behind Lewis, Wunderlich and Kopy. The only rational I can think of is Wayne plans to yank him for a pinch runner at some point and, unlike last weekend, doesn't want to get burned with a weak replacement hitter in the middle of the lineup.

(05-26-2016 04:07 PM)owlsfan Wrote:  Not being critical, but what happened to "the deepest Rice pitching staff since the NC team"? Are we just over-reacting to a terrible 10-15 days of pitching?

That was before Pettitte and Parthasarathy went down. Overreacting to the past 3 weeks of pitching? You do realize in 8 short games (out of 56 played) we have gone from a staff ERA of 2.59 to 3.56...and almost none of our pitchers can consistently throw strikes. We've been averaging 7+ free passes per game over the past 3 weeks.

Opposing pitcher is FAU's best starter statistically...

Marc Stewart (So, RHP): 13 starts, 6-0, 69.2 IP, 3.23 ERA, .231 BAA, 28 BBs, 40 Ks

...he started the Sunday game which ended in a 4-4 cancellation. We did hit him then, but then, of course, they clobbered Blake in the Saturday game.

(05-26-2016 04:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Opposing pitcher is FAU's best starter statistically...

Marc Stewart (So, RHP): 13 starts, 6-0, 69.2 IP, 3.23 ERA, .231 BAA, 28 BBs, 40 Ks

...he started the Sunday game which ended in a 4-4 cancellation. We did hit him then, but then, of course, they clobbered Blake in the Saturday game.

Leadoff batter with 2-0 count and we seriously swing at the next pitch. Just no concept at the plate.

hey, we are averaging 13 runs a game in this tournament. I admit that is a small sample size, but still...

(05-26-2016 04:32 PM)owlsfan Wrote:  hey, we are averaging 13 runs a game in this tournament. I admit that is a small sample size, but still...

I was referring to the leadoff batter. Next 2 guys walk. That is why at 2-0 as leadoff you take a strike.

Play ball!

Interestingly, Teykl is playing 3B and Gray 1B. Strange move.

Warren ground out.
Chandler walked. One out.
Proctor walked. Runners on 1B and 2B, one out.
Teykl struck out swinging. Ugh.
Gray first pitch (what a shock!) ground out to 2B.
Wasted to baserunners.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the first inning.

(05-26-2016 04:31 PM)Howlomaha Wrote:  

(05-26-2016 04:20 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Opposing pitcher is FAU's best starter statistically...

Marc Stewart (So, RHP): 13 starts, 6-0, 69.2 IP, 3.23 ERA, .231 BAA, 28 BBs, 40 Ks

...he started the Sunday game which ended in a 4-4 cancellation. We did hit him then, but then, of course, they clobbered Blake in the Saturday game.

Leadoff batter with 2-0 count and we seriously swing at the next pitch. Just no concept at the plate.

And this is new news? I think Tristan has swung at the first pitch his last 7 - 8 plate appearances.

Alright boys, got ourselves a little two-out rally with singles from Hunter and Dom

1-2-3 start for Blake as he pounded the strikezone (two fly outs, strikeoutK).

Lewis ground out to SS.
Wunderlich struck out. Come on, guys-- this guy is NOT a strikeout pitcher.
Kopycinski bloop single. Two outs.
DiCaprio ground single up the middle-- neither hit hard, but runners on 1B and 2B, two outs.
Wild pitch moves both runners into scoring position. Two outs.
Warren flied out.
Not capitalizing on early opportunities.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the second inning.

Blake gives up a two-out single, but Hunter throws him out attempting to steal 2B.

Just a reminder that FAU catchers are not very good defensively-- 23 passed balls and 51 wild pitches. Need to take advantage of this.

Chandler struck out looking.
Proctor foul pop out. Ugh.
Teykl ground out to 1B.
We have yet to square up on a single ball against Stewart.

Scoreless heading to the bottom of the third inning.

RBI single by Dom gets the Rice Owls on the board. 1-0 T4 with 2 on, 2 out.

Blake gives up a two-out double, but strands him there (ground out, two strikeoutsKKK).

Gray swings at first pitch (as always! Ugh), but misses...leadoff walk on 3-2 count. Gotta bunt with Grayson here. Play the odds.
Lewis swinging away, but advances Gray to 2B on a hit and run ground out. One out. Gray is limping. Probably why he's playing 1B after collision yesterday.
Wunderlich flied out to deep CF. Gray advances to 3B. Important given FAU's penchant for PBs and WPs...
Kopycinski walked. Runners on 1B and 2B, two outs. Stewart has thrown a ton of pitches...but, remember, FAU has a very deep and quality bullpen.
DiCaprio RBI ground single up the middle (same place he hit it last AB)! Runners on 1B and 2B, two outs.
Warren slow ground ball to 2B. 3-1 count and he couldn't square up on a fastball down the middle. Charlie is having a rough game so far.

Good guys take a 1-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth inning.

(05-26-2016 05:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  RBI single by Dom gets the Rice Owls on the board. 1-0 T4 with 2 on, 2 out.

Still have yet to really hit the ball hard, but I'll take the run. We've stranded 6 already.

Back to back leadoff singles for FAU. Bear down, Blake!

Blake is struggling with his control a bit for the first time this game.

Blake gets a big strikeout on 3-2 count, but once again falls behind the next batter. He's already up to 80 pitches and is against threatening to walk the bases loaded.

Blake again gets the out after a couple 3-2 fouls, but runner tags up to 3B on fly ball. Runners on corners, two outs.

Blake escapes unscathed after a deep fly ball to CF. On the negative side, he's thrown 83 pitches by my count, and we've only gone 4 innings.

I'm out for an hour to grab dinner.

Hold the fort, Owls!