That totally took the air out of this team. Wouldn't be surprised if we give up runs this inning to put the game out of reach.

And, as predicted, Evan starts the inning with a single-strikeoutKKKKK-HBP

He's replaced by Gayle, who promptly gives up a 3-run HR. 3-8...and I'm afraid that's all she wrote. I'm out of here.

Talk about a momentum swing.

(05-18-2018 07:48 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Mike, you jinxed us by running off. Acker throwing batting practice in the 2nd inning ...

ACK!!! Sorry, Walt. (I had to pick up my son ... and then fix dinner sooner than I'd anticipated.)

Let's rally big now in these last two ABs, Owls!!

T8:

"A first-pitch single for Collins!"

That's the way to start!!

T8, cont'd:

"Collins moved his way up on a wild pitch." Yay!

Cruz walks on 3-2 inside pitch. Yay!

Dunlap "still 0-for-his-career against FIU" ... "hit high in thre air to left ... back, back, back ... hits high off the wall!" RBI Double. Runners at 2nd & 3rd.

New pitcher coming in.

8-4, FIU ...

T8, cont'd:

Sarchet - Sac fly to center! RBI, Dunlap to 3rd.

8-5, FIU ...

Gneiting - Ks swinging on three pitches.

Aviles - (Is that steel-band calypso music for his walkup.) "Well outside .... gets back to the backstop." Dunlap scores!! Bases now empty.

8-6, FIU ...

Aviles - Walks on 3-1 pitch! Yay!

Proctor - Fouls out to 2B.

8-6, FIU ... heading to B8.

B8:

Gayle pitching.

> Allen watches 3rd strike.
> Shenton fouls off a 1-2 pitch, then hits a soft single to left just over Comeaux.
> Silva hits bouncer to Sarchet ... he bobbles it, but gets control of the ball in time to make the toss to Gayle, covering 1st base, for the out. Shenton to 2nd.
> Garcia wiffs!! Yes!!!

8-6, FIU ... after 8.

Get another game-winning 9th-inning rally, Owls!!

T9:

Chandler - First-pitch comebacker to the pitcher. Bummer.

JP reports that UAB wins ... clinching the 8th seed.

Comeaux fouled off some 0-2 pitches ... but then wiffed. Arrrgh.

"Rice is down to its final out. Cruz, on deck, is the tying run"

Collins: 0-2 to 2-2 count ... but "a swing and a miss on a high hard one."

FIU wins, 8-6. Bummer. But it's not too bad, as we're in the tourney, of course.

- - - -

Regarding tournament seedings, usm99 posted this on the Conference Talk BB:

(05-18-2018 10:19 PM)usm99 Wrote:  Standings after Friday games:

USM (22-6) at Marshall (7-21) - USM up 2-0
WKU (11-18) at FAU (19-8-1) - FAU up 2-0
Rice (12-15-2) at FIU (15-13) - series tied
MT (11-17-1) at UAB (13-16) - series tied
ODU (7-21) at LT (20-9) - LT up 2-0
Charlotte (17-12) at UTSA (15-13) - series tied

1 - USM 22-6
2 - FAU 19-8-1------2.5 games back (percentage points ahead of LT)
3 - LT 20-9------2.5 games back
4 - Charlotte 17-12——-5.5 games back
5 - UTSA 15-13-----7 games back (won 2/3 from FIU)
6 - FIU 15-13----7 games back
7 - Rice 12-15-2----9.5 games back (won 2/3 from UAB)
8 - UAB 13-16-----9.5 games back
——teams below eliminated from making CUSA-T
MT 11-17-1-----11 games back
WKU 11-18———-11.5 games back
Marshall 7-21----15 games back
ODU 7-21---15 games back

USM locked as 1 seed
FAU and LT will be 2/3 seeds but won’t know until Saturday
Charlotte locked as 4 seed
UTSA and FIU will be 5/6 seeds but won’t know until Saturday
Rice and UAB will be 7/8 seeds but won’t know until Saturday

We’re the 7 unless UAB wins and we lose tomorrow.

(05-18-2018 10:25 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  We’re the 7 unless UAB wins and we lose tomorrow.

Which is a distinct possibility. I'm assuming Garcia will be starting, but who knows. I'm presuming we want to win to avoid a first round game vs. Southern Miss and Sandlin? I know we want FAU badly, and I'd certainly prefer FAU over the elite pitching of LaTech. Tomorrow matters if we hope to have any chance of pulling off a miracle in Biloxi.

I have mixed feelings about who I want us to face.. Reality is... Would USM pitch Sandlin game 1 on short rest given his issues earlier this season?

Charlotte and FIU/UTSA don’t really scare me whereas FAU and LT are a tough pair.

(05-18-2018 11:07 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  I have mixed feelings about who I want us to face.. Reality is... Would USM pitch Sandlin game 1 on short rest given his issues earlier this season?

Charlotte and FIU/UTSA don’t really scare me whereas FAU and LT are a tough pair.

We would be the only team USM fears in their bracket, so I definitely think Sandlin would start against us in a Game 1. And Sandlin pitched on Thursday, meaning he'd get 6 full days of rest; more than enough.