The Charlotte 49ers come in with an overall 27 - 17 record (14-7 in CUSA, 11-8 on road, 7-7 vs. Top 50, 13-14 vs. Top 100), and winners of 10 of their last 11 games (mostly the dedge of CUSA, but also a midweek win against #8 Wake Forest). They rank a very respectable #47 RPI and #44 SoS.
They lost their #2 starting pitcher for the season, but still boast a POY candidate in Friday night starter, RHP Colton Laws...
11 starts, 5-1, 72.1 IP, 1.62 ERA, .211 BAA, 12 BBs, 0 HBP, 0 WPs, 69 Ks
...he obviously has very good control and is leading CUSA in ERA among starting pitchers.
They also have a couple quality relievers, but the strength of the team is their offense, ranked 2nd in CUSA behind USM. They're hitting .303/.379/.429 as a team, with 29 HRs, 95 doubles/triples and averaging 6.9 runs per game. Their led by leading conference Player of the Year contender TK Nichting (.400/.434/.595, 5 HRs, 17 doubles/triples, 41 RBIs, 12-14 SBs), but they have 3 other hitters batting above .340 and each with 4+ HRs and 30+ RBIs.
http://www.charlotte49ers.com/cumestats....clean=true
There could be some rain in Charlotte tonight, although it doesn't appear to be severe in nature at all.
Thankfully it appears that Dane's suspension was only one game, as he's back in the starting lineup.
Tonight's lineup...
Quote:Rice Baseball‏ @RiceBaseball 31m31 minutes ago
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Rice lineup: Chandler CF, Warren RF, Myers 3B, DiCaprio C, Gray 2B, Proctor SS, Sarchet LF, Sheppard 1B, Gneiting DH, Canterino P. 5:30 pm.
...and, AGAIN, why in the world in Warren anywhere near the top of the lineup with his .280 OBP? Absolutely idiotic, IMO....and why in the world in Sarchet batting ahead of Shepard? Insane. (Note-- Sarchet has only batted against RHP all year, and yet still has a woeful .233/.333/.356 line.
Doubles by Ryan and Dane get Rice on the board. 1 on, 1 out.
And Dom singles home Dane. 2-0 good guys!
Chandler leadoff double down RF line! Great start; now let's capitalize.
Warren struck out swinging. Ugh. WHY???? Lineup construction is counterproductive.
Myers RBI double down LF line!
We're pulling the ball off this guy.
DiCaprio infield single puts runners at the corners, one out. Situational hitting here-- need to get the ball in the air...
Gray sac fly (on 0-2 count)!
Well done. Runner on 1B, two outs.
Proctor flied out.
2-0 good guys heading to the bottom of the first inning.
First pitch HR for the 49ers.
(05-05-2017 05:45 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: [ -> ]First pitch HR for the 49ers.
...then a walk. This is going to be a looonnng game. Offense better be relentless.
Unlike us, Charlotte inteliigently places their top 4 hitters (and with the most power as well) atop their lineup to maximize production.
Canterino gets out unscathed.
Matt induces three consecutive grounders after the HR and walk, and strand the runner on 3B.
I got to go for 60+ minutes. Hopefully we'll still be in the lead when I return.
(05-05-2017 05:53 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: [ -> ]Canterino gets out unscathed.
Except for the lead off dinger.
Sheppard scores in T2.
Canterino allows an infield single to first batter.
Owls get the run back in T2. Darryn singled and stole 2B. Ryan brought him with his 2nd double of the game.
New 49er pitcher in T3 ... LHP Matt Horkey.
Charlotte video commentator is aghast ... along with, apparently a bunch of scouts, who are leaving. "You see a bunch of older men wearing golf hats packing up their things and leaving the ballpark."
He's wondering why the Charlotte ace, Colton Laws, was pulled. Does he have an arm problem? Or "just didn't have it" today.
Word from the Charlotte dugout is that Colton Laws "was not loose" . Announcer wonders if the cold weather (58 degrees at gametime) might have been a factor.
T4: Dunlap hits for Sarchet. "I was just getting used to saying his name, Sarchet. I kinda light it."
After three innings of no-hit hurling, the 49ers' 9+-ERA pitcher Matt Horkey gives up two sharp one-out singles to Gray & Proctor. He's pulled. RHP Brandon Vogler in. A "legacy" player ... his father played for Charlotte during its first 3 years of competition (1979-81) and earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
Wunderlich to bat for Dunlap.
1-2-3 inning for Matt in the fith, his first of the game, though a couple of those outs were line shots. I hope The OG starts getting some arms loose in the bullpen.
DiCaprio struck out. Owls are hitless since Chandler's double in the 2nd inning.
Gray singles through the hole. Happy to jinx the 49er pitcher!
Proctor singled though the hole. Runners on 1B and 2B, one out.
New 49er pitcher, Sr RHP Brandon Vogler (19b app, 18.0 IP, 7.50 ERA, .310 BAA)...
Wunderlich grounded out to 1B, but runners move up into scoring position.
Sheppard flied out. Darn.
3-1 good guys heading to the bottom of the sixth inning.