Too early? Who cares. Who's pitching when? Who's gonna take the series? Will either team sweep? I think LT takes the series...we're just too jekyll and hyde right now on offense and defense. Really wish they would've scheduled this series later in the year.

I don't think anybody sweeps. Hoping we can take the series.

Do we need a separate thread from the other games this weekend?

Playing this early in the year really doesn't bother me. USM not playing Charlotte and FAU not playing Tech (again) bugs me a lot more.

(03-16-2017 09:12 AM)TTT Wrote:  Really wish they would've scheduled this series later in the year.

Totally agree - should be the last series every year...

Should be ok weather, slight chance of rain Saturday

Kent Hasler is probably pitching for Tech tomorrow night

Just hope the 13-inning marathon last night doesn't hurt us. Ace closer Nate Harris pitched several innings so he's probably unavailable until Sunday.

I would love a sweep but I'll be happy just to win the series. Should be a good one.

Love my Eagles, but we are playing a hot team with talent on the road and we are not playing very consistently yet. If we can win one it will keep us in the running.

Let's get it on Mustard Buzzards!

(03-16-2017 02:24 PM)techdawg28 Wrote:  Just hope the 13-inning marathon last night doesn't hurt us. Ace closer Nate Harris pitched several innings so he's probably unavailable until Sunday.

I would love a sweep but I'll be happy just to win the series. Should be a good one.

Harris threw about 10 fewer pitches against ULL than he did to finish up the Sunday game against Wichita State. And then he pitched the 9th inning two nights later at Starkvegas.

Burroughs would probably like to keep from using Harris before Saturday, but he should be available for an inning or so Friday if needed. After all Harris just had 8 days off between his last two outings.

Techs Likely Starters
Friday: Ken Hasler 3-0 1.88 ERA 0.8 WHIP 24.0 IP. Has been great thus far. Pitching deep into ball games. Would love to get 7+ IP out of him.
Saturday: Cameron Linck 2-0 2.57 ERA 1.2 WHIP 21.0 IP Struggled with command. Lots of walks. Some speculation he is dealing with a shoulder injury. Sat out fall with soreness.
Sunday: Casey Sutton 3-0 2.86 ERA 0.95 WHIP 22.0 IP Was sick early in season but is getting back to form from last year.
Saturday and Sunday I'm not sure the order. Sutton was original Saturday guy but got sick a few weeks back and has been throwing Sunday. Hasler and Sutton are absolutely crucial to our success. The pen is lead by Nate Harris who has been dominate early on. After him there are question marks galore. Need 2-3 guys to step up over conference play. This was a week spot coming into the season and remains that way.

Offensively our 1-5 guys have been great. Overall they have shown the ability to be patient and create runs by being aggressive on bases (not in terms of base stealing) and, don't worry USM, getting HBP (41x vs 22x for USM). I think that was a discussion last season. Jordan Washam and Brent Diaz are the consistent guys. They have been doing well all season. But late in the game I like Chase Lunceford (HR leader with 6) and Raphael Gladu. It seems most of their hits come with RISP or after the 7th innning. Another name to note is Marshall Boggs with 13 rbi over last 4 games.

Team AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HBP SO GDP OB% SF SH SB SbATT PO A E FLD%
Louisiana Tech 0.3 17 597 155 179 50 4 20 142 297 0.497 93 41 132 11 0.421 13 15 11 16 477 191 13 0.981
Southern Miss 0.297 17 593 141 176 30 4 19 122 271 0.457 89 22 130 13 0.403 8 12 20 29 456 158 17 0.973

Weekend Spotlight: USM-La Tech

For the first time in approximately forever, Rice does not look like the prohibitive favorite in Conference USA as league play begins this weekend. That’s not to write off the perennial powerhouse Owls after their 6-13 start — no C-USA rival would be so foolhardy. But the combination of Rice’s early struggles and the robust starts of Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech — two confident veteran teams coming off regional appearances a year ago — adds up to a new dynamic in C-USA. Throw in the strong starts by Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, Florida International and Old Dominion, and this conference looks like it could be a free-for-all.

But right now, La Tech and Southern Miss look like the teams to beat heading into C-USA play. The Bulldogs are 15-2, with quality wins over Arkansas, Mississippi State and UL Lafayette. The Golden Eagles are 13-4, albeit against a slightly softer schedule. Both teams have played well in all three phases of the game, and the series between the two teams in Ruston, La., this weekend should be revealing.

“It is a big series. Tech’s playing as good as anybody in our league, and right there at the top with everybody in the country, really,” Southern Miss coach Scott Berry said. “They’ve been very impressive in all phases of their game. I watched them (Wednesday) night against Lafayette on their webcast. Those guys really compete, get after it. It’s a big one right off the bat.”

https://d1baseball.com/weekend-preview/w...m-la-tech/

At this stage of the season with our inexperience on the mound, it is hard for me to see us taking this series.

2/3 for Tech. Sweep would not surprise me, at all.

Eagles fans: do you have a potential pitching lineups for this series?

(03-17-2017 12:45 PM)NanoDawg Wrote:  Eagles fans: do you have a potential pitching lineups for this series?

McCarty, Roberts, Keys is what I would imagine it being.

(03-17-2017 11:49 AM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Weekend Spotlight: USM-La Tech

For the first time in approximately forever, Rice does not look like the prohibitive favorite in Conference USA as league play begins this weekend. That’s not to write off the perennial powerhouse Owls after their 6-13 start — no C-USA rival would be so foolhardy. But the combination of Rice’s early struggles and the robust starts of Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech — two confident veteran teams coming off regional appearances a year ago — adds up to a new dynamic in C-USA. Throw in the strong starts by Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, Florida International and Old Dominion, and this conference looks like it could be a free-for-all.

But right now, La Tech and Southern Miss look like the teams to beat heading into C-USA play. The Bulldogs are 15-2, with quality wins over Arkansas, Mississippi State and UL Lafayette. The Golden Eagles are 13-4, albeit against a slightly softer schedule. Both teams have played well in all three phases of the game, and the series between the two teams in Ruston, La., this weekend should be revealing.

“It is a big series. Tech’s playing as good as anybody in our league, and right there at the top with everybody in the country, really,” Southern Miss coach Scott Berry said. “They’ve been very impressive in all phases of their game. I watched them (Wednesday) night against Lafayette on their webcast. Those guys really compete, get after it. It’s a big one right off the bat.”

https://d1baseball.com/weekend-preview/w...m-la-tech/

So Braley has a hairline fracture in his ring finger. Not good.

(03-17-2017 12:45 PM)NanoDawg Wrote:  Eagles fans: do you have a potential pitching lineups for this series?

Kirk McCarty- Lefty - Junior (2-2, 3.33 ERA, 24.1 IP, 26:9 K:BB, .233 OBP)
Hayden Roberts -Right-Junior (1-1, 2.96 ERA, 24.1 IP, 33 K, 8 BB, .245 OBP)
JC Keys-Right-Sophomore (1-1, 1.64 ERA, 11.0 IP, 13 K, 4 BB, .179 OBP)

McCarty was First Team All-Conference last year. Rarely dominant but consistent. He gets hit hard but is usually able to pick up enough K's to avoid damage.

Roberts and Keys are wild cards. Roberts was drilled by bad competition in his first two starts, hit hard by an average at best ULL lineup in his third, and fell one out short of a complete game shutout last weekend.

Keys is little right-hander with a really good curveball but he has struggled with control in the past. Last weekend was his first start and he threw six shutout innings.

Main Bullpen Guys:

Nick Sandlin - Sophomore righty (6 APP, 3-0, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA, 11.0 IP, 20 K, 2 BB, .081 OBP)
Colt Smith - Junior righty (6 APP, 0-0, 1.88 ERA, 14.1 IP)
Trent Driver - Junior right (7 APP, 0-0, 2.70, 6.2 IP)

Sandlin's numbers speak for themselves. Throws from different arm angles: Can come more over the top with a fastball at 93 and then drop down with a slider that moves like a whiffleball. Driver is a submariner. Don't really know much about him or Smith. You may also see Wallner (2 APP, 2-0, 0.00 ERA) pull double duty this weekend at the plate and on the mound.

Good thing for LA Tech is that you may not see left-handers after McCarty. You would normally see Powers out of the pen but he started on Tuesday.

Y'all be safe coming over -

Parking is very limited around the stadium best bet is to park behind the Lambright Intramural Center or go under the RR tracks and park in the lots adjacent to Memorial Gym

Just as a point of reminder - if you buy a GA ticket, that is for the aluminum bleachers, not the green chair backs

One bad break after the other for USM....