Rare Monday evening game at The Reck tonight (6:30pm CT start) against the Texas State Bobcats. Probable starting pitchers have not been announced by either team.

Texas State comes into the game with an overall 12-15 record (2-9 on the road, 1-11 vs. Top 100), but they have played much better ball since starting WAC conference action two weeks ago, and have now won seven of their last nine games. They have played a very tough out-of-conference schedule with games at Oregon State x 3 and Oregon x 2, at Texas, at Baylor and home against Houston x 3 (with lone win in these games coming in the series opener against the Coogs). Here's their schedule/results to date...

http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2013/sch...exas-State

Offensively, the Bobcats are hitting .261/.360/.342, with 4 HRs and averaging 2 extrabase hits and 5.4 runs per game. One of their better hitters (Andrew Stumph) went down a couple weeks back and is out indefinitely. However, they still have 3 other everyday players hitting above .300, led by Cody Lovejoy (.368/.430/.408, 3 doubles, 8 RBIs, 4-8 SBs), Kevin Sah (.325/.398/.494, 1 HR, 8 doubles/triples, 13 RBIs, 11-13 SBs) and Colby Targun (.303/.436/.434, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 2-2 SBs). Despite their lack of power, Texas State rarely employs the small ball game, as they've executed just 15 sac bunts in their first 27 games, and though they've stolen 28-37 bases, only two players are real threats on the bases (Sah 11-13 SBs, Mickan 6-7 SBs). The Bobcats are yet another aggressive, free-swinging team (unlike Tulane) with a high strikeout rate (7 Ks per game) and a relatively low walk total (112 BBs). Whomever gets the start (McDowell?, Simms?, other?) might be best served leading with the off-speed and breaking stuff.

On the mound, Texas State starting pitchers have struggled mightily (their best starter has a 3.59 ERA and it drops precipitously from there), but they boast a lock-down bullpen with a trio of quality relievers each with 14+ appearances...

Donnie Hart (Jr, LHP): 19 app, 1-0, 12.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, .186 BAA, 5 BBs, 13 Ks
Lucas Humpal (Fr, RHP): 14 app, 2-0, 20.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, .203 BAA, 4 BBs, 14 Ks
Hunter Lemke (Jr, RHP): 17 app, 0-2, 4 saves, 19.2 IP, 2.75 ERA, .229 BAA, 5 BBs, 18 Ks

It would obviously behoove us to get to their starters early, and not have to rely on coming back against thier bullpen. Overall, the staff ERA is 4.93 with a BAA of .270, and a 2:1 strikeout:walk ratio.

Here's their individual/team stats through their first 27 games...

http://www.txstatebobcats.com/cumestats....&year=2013

And here are the Bobcats official game notes for tonight's game...

http://www.txstatebobcats.com/documents/...df?id=2874

I guess the Monday game means Coach Graham won't be able to mention you on his radio show tonight. Tears. Look forward to your analysis, which is awfully nuanced for someone who's not actually at the game, like, hardly ever. Perhaps you have superior pixel settings.

^ Yay!! Sounds like Mort/Ira's back! I was afraid the Easter egg hunt had kept him too preoccupied to bag on Walt. I guess now that Mommy and Daddy are back at work, the family Dell is free. Don't forget to clear out the history AND cookies when you're "done"!

McDowell gets his accustommed mid-week start...

Quote:Rice Owls‏@RiceOwlsdotcom17m
Rice lineup: Byrd CF, Stringer 2B, Stainback SS, Aquino DH, Cook LF, Perrott C, Ratterree RF, Ewing 1B, Teykl 3B, McDowell P. 6:30

Wow, they're starting one of their top relievers, Fr RHP Humpal (stats provided in my original post above). First start of his career.

Anyone know the reason we are playing on Monday instead of Tuesday?

1-2-3 first inning for Chase (two fly outs, one ground out).

Byrd struck out swinging.
Stringer singled up the middle. Good start for Christian.
Stainback bunt single. Runners on 1B and 2B, one out.
Aquino flied out to CF.
Cook clutch two-out RBI single! Runners on the corners, two outs.
Perrott ground out to 2B.
Solid start.

Good guys take a 1-0 lead heading to the top of the second inning.

Glad to start out ahead for a change.

Another run in the 2nd for the Owls

1-2-3 second inning for Chase (two fly balls, strikeoutK). Lot's of fly balls; Chase needs to keep the ball down in the zone.

Ratterree singled down the 3B line. Leadoff baserunner!
Rat stole base #7 for him on the season!
Ewing executed the sac bunt, sending Rat to 3B with one out. Need to just make contact here...
Teykl RBI single through the hole! Well done!
Byrd walked. Runners on 1B and 2B, one out.
Stringer lined out to RF. Tough break for Christian.
Stainback ground out to 2B.

Good guys up the lead to 2-0 heading to the top of the third inning.

Ugh. Three run double for Texas State flips the lead. 3-2 Bobcats.

Chase digs himself a deep hole in T3. Gives up a bases loaded double that scores 3.
TexSt leads now 3-2

B3 now. Aquino leads off with a seeing-eye single. Well done, Mike. Cook up. Having already gotten 6 hits off this pitcher, the OG opts not to give up the out on a sac bunt. Cook swings away, flying out to left. 1 down.

Perrott flies out. 2 down.

Wild pitch to Ratterree moves Aquino into scoring position at 2B.

Ratt strikes out, and a smattering of applause sounds at the ballpark. A number of Bobcat fans must've made the trip. Welcome to Reckling; hope it's a long drive home.

Chase gives up a leadoff single then totally loses touch with the strikezone (BB, 2 wild pitches, HBP), then grooves one with the bases loaded for a 3-run double. Byrd saved at least another run with a diving grab to end the inning. We've got to quit gifting runs as we've done the past two games. Hopefully, the offense will not go dormant tonight.

Aquino singled to leadoff.
Cook flied out. So much for the sac bunt.
Perrott flied out. Runner on 1B, two outs.
Aquino advances to 2B on wild pitch.
Ratterree struck out.
We've left 3 runners in scoring position and 5 runners on base through 3 innings. We have 6 hits and 2 runs; TxSt as 3 runs on 2 hits. Go figure.

Down 2-3 heading to the top of the fourth inning.

Alright, Chase. He gets the Bobcats 3 up, 3 down. Didn't sound too routine though (tricky catch by Stringer on liner to 2B, hard-hit liner to Cook in LF). Let's go, Owls.

1-2-3 fourth inning for Chase, but after getting a strikeoutKKK, the final two batters hit him hard, lining out to 2B and RF. This is now Humpal's longest outing of the year-- let's get to him...and show a bit of patience up there.

Ewing flied out to Cf. We're suddenly first pitch hitting again against a pitcher who is likely tiring. Can't we work the count just a little?
Teykl grounded out to 2B.
Byrd out on a poor bunt to the pitcher.
Very fast and easy inning for the Bobcats.

Down 2-3 heading to the top of the fifth inning.

Another 3 up, 3 down inning for Chase. Seems to be pitching well after that rough inning. Time for the Owls to wear out this freshman closer and get some runs. Here we go, Owls!

Stringer grounds out to 2B. That's 7 straight retired for Humpal. Gotta make him work and get some baserunners.

Stainback then grounds out to SS. 8 straight for this pitcher (after giving up 6 hits before getting 7 outs in the game). Ford worked the count a bit, getting to 2-2 before finding his pitch.

Woohoo! Base hit for Aquino ends Humpal's streak. Man on 1B, 2 outs for Cook.

EDIT: Keenan works the count to 3-2, then pops a flyball for the third out. No damage done. On to T6, Owls still down 3-2.