(05-18-2023 09:27 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Rice wins.

Need a win either tomorrow or Saturday and we're in.

Magic number is 1 for Rice to clinch.

JUST WIN BABY

(05-18-2023 09:00 PM)Swede Owl Wrote:  Max Johnson misplays a rocket to LF, so now the 8th starts with the tying run on 2B. Moved to third in groundout, and a sac fly scores him. Medium range fly to Max Johnson , but the throw was way off line. Why is he playing the outfield??

Why is he and Duke playing instead of Smiggy. I'm seriously concerned that Smiggy may go into the portal after this season.

Offense went ice cold after the first couple innings against gawd awful pitching. During the middle inning stretch once we had the 5-3 lead, we had just 3 singles (2 infield variety) over 4.2 innings against a guy with a 6.85 ERA. The 6th and 7th runs we scored were both unearned (on a combined 2 singles). Even our game-winning runs in B8 came courtesy of a infield single, a walk, a sac bunt, wild pitch (one run) and infield single (2nd run).

Nice outing by Linskey. First time we've held a 1 or 2-run lead late in like forever. To win another we're going to need at least 2 other pitchers to come up big for us, and the offense needs to pummel FIU's awful pitching.

(05-18-2023 09:33 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Remember that Rice's last SWC championship came from an 8th seed in the conference baseball tournament.

I was the baseball SID at the time so yes, I do remember that tournament vividly.

We were actually the sixth seed in a 7 seed tournament. All 7 teams got in - we tied UH for sixth place in the regular season and we had the tiebreaker over them so we were the sixth seed and they were the seventh seed.

For those not there, Long was typically 94-96 on his fastball and Linskey was 93-95. On the broadcast last week, the WKU announcer said Long hit 98 on a pitch.

(05-18-2023 11:04 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 09:33 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Remember that Rice's last SWC championship came from an 8th seed in the conference baseball tournament.

I was the baseball SID at the time so yes, I do remember that tournament vividly.
We were actually the sixth seed in a 7 seed tournament. All 7 teams got in - we tied UH for sixth place in the regular season and we had the tiebreaker over them so we were the sixth seed and they were the seventh seed.

Good catch. I stand corrected. I should have remembered that there were only 7 because SMU had dropped baseball. And I should have remembered that because I bought my current house from a friend who is an old SMU baseball player and who is still angry that they dropped baseball.

Owls down 1-0 in B2. FIU pitching a guy named Kevin Martin who was only placed in their weekend rotation a couple weeks ago. Honestly he hasn’t pitched badly the last two weeks.

FYI ... I wonder why the "Listen" link on the Riceowls.com baseball schedule page (https://riceowls.com/sports/baseball/schedule) links only to the subscription required CUSAtv VIDEO feed.

For JP and the free audio feed, here's the link that worked for me:

https://thevarsitynetwork.com/feed/sourc...-Live-6301

Same score after 5. Rice seemingly doomed by bad baserunning gaffes??

Wasting McCracken's best outing of the year-- 1-hit through 6 IP. Gallo leads off B5 with a double, but makes a baserunner gaff when at 3B with one out.

B6: Back-to-back walks to Johnson and Reidel to leadoff the inning. I'm tempted to have Walsh bunt here.

FIU replaces Martin with a LHP with the best ERA on the staff (3.60). BUT a LHP to go against Walsh? Do those guys read scouting reports?

Walsh lined into a doubleplay. Another baserunner gaff, this time by Johnson.

Another wasted opportunity. Time is running out.

We got this…. Let’s go owls…

FIU 3 up 3 down T7

Another 1-2-3 inning for McCracken: 7.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 Ks...90 pitches

Come on, offense-- do something!

Gallo answers Walt’s request with a lead off 1B…

FINALLY. After Garibay sac bunted (when's the last time Guy got a hit?) and Royo struck out, Holderbach hits a 2-out, 0-2, opposite field RBI double to tie things up. The Dukes strikes out. This FIU pitcher is averaging just over 0.5 Ks/IP, yet has struck out 3 Rice batters in 1.1 IP.

O w L s
owls owls owls

McCracken walks the leadoff man. That may be it for him, but who do you go to? I guess I'd roll the dice with Raj, but regardless I'd have a couple guys warming up and ready to go. This game is just too important.

Next FIU batter pops up a bunt. One down. Wild pitch moves him to 2B. Ground out moves him to 3B with two outs. Leadoff hitter due up. JD up to 110 pitches. I would have pulled him, but Jose is hoping he's got one more out in him.

Jose goes to Ben-Shonan. Again, I just don't know what Jose sees in this kid. Yet he continues to go to him in game-deciding situations even when he has other options. Last time out I believe he came in and immediately walked in a run on 4 pitches. But Jose's hunch was right this time as Ben-Shonan strikes out Girardi.

What an outing by McCracken-- 7.2 one-hit innings. And for those who argued with me recently that Jose kept inexplicably pulling JD before the 5th inning and under 80 pitches because he couldn't go any longer-- say what? McCracken has been our 2nd best pitcher all season long, and has a BAA under .200. Why Jose kept pulling him early made absolutely no sense....and we got burned by it repeatedly.

(05-19-2023 08:25 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  What an outing by McCracken-- 7.2 one-hit innings. And for those who argued with me recently that Jose kept inexplicably pulling JD before the 5th inning and under 80 pitches because he couldn't go any longer-- say what? McCracken has been our 2nd best pitcher all season long, and has a BAA under .200. Why Jose kept pulling him early made absolutely no sense....and we got burned by it repeatedly.

Or… saved the best for last.

Couple of one-out walks has the Owls set up again in the B8…

…. And a pitching change for the Pant Hers

Oh boy I’ll let Walt tell you about the B8…