NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME THREAD: #1 ARKANSAS (43-18) vs #4 ORAL ROBERTS (43-15)

[tennesseehogwild]

I think we are the only team in the 4-team regional that hasn't hit a homer yet! I am ready for that to change!

[jry04]

I think we are the only team in the 4-team regional that hasn't hit a homer yet! I am ready for that to change!

We are, and we had the most HRs entering the regional with arguably the hottest hitter in the country.

[razorbackfanatic]

Any updates on the rain? Has it stopped raining there? Is the tarp still down?

[HogFansReunited]

Any updates on the rain? Has it stopped raining there? Is the tarp still down?

They have not announced a start time yet.

[Kevin]

Still raining. Tarp is on. Sitting in parking lot. Waiting on the word

[TikiHog]

Bunch of players just left to eat so we won't start before 6

[SPAL]

I fully expect us to hammer ORU today. I think we score at least 10 runs and move on.

I know conventional wisdom says you gotta start Murphy today, and I know you have to win or go home
...but you have to piece together a bullpen against somebody. I would rather piece together the pen against ORU as opposed to mo state.

So I start Alberius today and see what he gives you and go from there.

I know that's not likely to happen but playing devil's advocate, what would you do?

[razorbackfanatic]

Thanks for the updates. If we don't start until 6, looks like only one game today at best.

[jry04]

I fully expect us to hammer ORU today. I think we score at least 10 runs and move on.

I know conventional wisdom says you gotta start Murphy today, and I know you have to win or go home
...but you have to piece together a bullpen against somebody. I would rather piece together the pen against ORU as opposed to mo state.

So I start Alberius today and see what he gives you and go from there.

I know that's not likely to happen but playing devil's advocate, what would you do?

I don't disagree with this theory. We have to win 3 games with what we have left. Would you rather your "worst" starter face ORU or in one of the final games v MSU? They all have to pitch at some point.

[FrankCourtneyNicodemus]

I fully expect us to hammer ORU today. I think we score at least 10 runs and move on.

I know conventional wisdom says you gotta start Murphy today, and I know you have to win or go home
...but you have to piece together a bullpen against somebody. I would rather piece together the pen against ORU as opposed to mo state.

So I start Alberius today and see what he gives you and go from there.

I know that's not likely to happen but playing devil's advocate, what would you do?

I like it. Underrated hog pitchers, from what i've seen, tend to get in the zone in these regional situations. Jackson Lowry came to mind, though I'm no expert on how apt that example is.

Any weather delay helps the hogs relative to m-state right?

[DLUXHOG]

We need more of this attitude.

Time to win 3 in a row.  Screw the odds.

+1000 if I could.... and if I could, I would...........

[jry04]

Bunch of players just left to eat so we won't start before 6

Seems silly to me if true. The rain appears to be stopping in the next 15-30 minutes. It has already lightened up considerably, and the radar shows it is almost out of the area of the stadium. There is a huge break with the rest of the rain appearing to stay 10-15 miles east of the stadium for a while. Local meteorologists have said as much. That means this game could potentially start by 4:30-5:00pm. They were expecting to be playing right now anyways, and hopefully playing for 6-7 hours if there wasn't rain, so why would they be leaving the stadium to go eat? Unless the forecast has changed and they are sure there isn't a game until this evening it seems silly to not be standing by. Some of the calls made in inclement weather puzzle me anyways, though.

[tennesseehogwild]

I fully expect us to hammer ORU today. I think we score at least 10 runs and move on.

I know conventional wisdom says you gotta start Murphy today, and I know you have to win or go home
...but you have to piece together a bullpen against somebody. I would rather piece together the pen against ORU as opposed to mo state.

So I start Alberius today and see what he gives you and go from there.

I know that's not likely to happen but playing devil's advocate, what would you do?

I like your thinking. Why not gamble? If it works out we could have Murphy and Taco waiting in the wings!

[ricepig]

Another thought, say we get this game started at 5-6pm, but another area of rain moves in at 7? Do you waste a guy who can go potentially 7 innings, vs piecing it together from the bullpen with expected delays?

[Kevin]

Got to win the one in front of you. If you get a good lead then start going to pen

[Kevin]

My pops says start kopps.  Murphy for msu.

[Knot2brite]

This is reminding me too much of the season that the Hogs hosted and MSU beat us in the last inning and then we turned around and lost to Clemson...2003 I think...that team was loaded...it may have been earlier than that ....we have to blast ORU and fight the bears for two games...

[jry04]

My pops says start kopps.  Murphy for msu.

I would be cool with that. I get you have to play for now and worry about tomorrow when it comes, but at the same time we have to win 3 games to win this regional, and you have to play the matchups. MSU had 3-4 lefties, so Murphy may be a good matchup against them. Also, you don't want to waste Murphy against ORU if you think you can beat ORU without him. If you think Kopps, Taco, or Alberius can beat ORU but maybe not MSU then you have to throw those guys. In a situation like this you definitely have to think big picture. If Kopps or whoever you plan on being a 3rd starting in the coming games cannot beat ORU, then they probably couldn't beat Missouri State anyways.

[MSUDuo]

This is reminding me too much of the season that the Hogs hosted and MSU beat us in the last inning and then we turned around and lost to Clemson...2003 I think...that team was loaded...it may have been earlier than that ....we have to blast ORU and fight the bears for two games...

1999

[Dr. Starcs]

You'll have to excuse him. He's Knot2brite

[theFlyingHog]

There is a wreck in the tunnel on 49. Sitting still

That's one of my nightmares. And I've seen some really bad stuff

[12247]

Its mindset.  We must come to work today and refuse to be denied.  We are the best team in this regional, have been awarded the home field advantage, have played the easier schedule in the tourney so far and we've put ourselves in a bad situation.  No damn excuses.  Play ball like we are capable and coach the same way and be the Alpha Team we are. 

[Knot2brite]

1999

I knew 2003 sounded wrong but I know that MSU went to the CWS in 2003 and I thought they went through Fayetteville to get there

[onebadrubi]

We are, and we had the most HRs entering the regional with arguably the hottest hitter in the country.

I thought mo st had more home runs than us on the year?

[Beaverfever]

thank goodness

[Kevin]

Is charley Boyce warming up

[MSUDuo]

I knew 2003 sounded wrong but I know that MSU went to the CWS in 2003 and I thought they went through Fayetteville to get there

Went through Nebraska and Ohio State that year.

[AirWarren]

I believe we start looking forward to football after today.

[WhenPigsFly]

Is charley Boyce warming up

Doesn't need to warm up.  He's pitching both games today.

[jry04]

I thought mo st had more home runs than us on the year?

We have 80, they have 76 counting the HRs they have hit this weekend. They had 72 entering the weekend.

[TikiHog]

4:55 First pitch

[98hogs]

Win today,  DH tomorrow?

[SPAL]

Let's play a game while we wait....

Name a school and then someone name the mascot of that school. No Google....

Long Beach state

[ricepig]

https://twitter.com/RazorbackBSB/status/871473220754460672

[bosshog84]

Let's play a game while we wait....

Name a school and then someone name the mascot of that school. No Google....

Long Beach state

Dirtbags

[HogFansReunited]

Let's play a game while we wait....

Name a school and then someone name the mascot of that school. No Google....

Long Beach state

Banana Slugs I think

[Pudgepork]

Let's play a game while we wait....

Name a school and then someone name the mascot of that school. No Google....

Long Beach state

Bikini Babes?

[rljjr]

Let's play a game while we wait....

Name a school and then someone name the mascot of that school. No Google....

Long Beach state

West Coast teams ... ugh. What are they? Gauchos?

[Stewhog 11]

Banana Slugs I think

That is UC Santa Cruz. LBSU are the dirtbags. California is weird.

[BroyledNutts]

Everyone knows today is eat or be eaten.

Unless the offense can explode early and take the pressure off the pitching staff, everyone on the staff with even a pitch left in the arm needs to be ready to go from first pitch today to last out tomorrow.

The time to strategize and scheme and save arms or worry about pitch counts was last night - and that luxury evaporated with another feeble offensive effort. Now it's do whatever you have to to extend the season, or accept defeat.

With the exception of Stephan and Knight, every pitcher we have needs to accept the fact that it's time to turn into Charlie Boyce.

Same with the offense.  No more ho-hum efforts. S@$t or get off the pot time. Your at home, time to play like it.

End of rant.

[SPAL]

Dirtbags

Technically, that's incorrect

[Kevin]

Bunch of players just left to eat so we won't start before 6

I hope those players ate light & quick.  I kid

[HogFansReunited]

That is UC Santa Cruz. LBSU are the dirtbags. California is weird.

I knew it was one of those socal teams.

[SPAL]

I'll accept dirtbags because the baseball goes by it but officially, they are the 49ers.

University of Maryland Baltimore County

[Kevin]

49ers

[Kevin]

Retrievers

[ricepig]

https://twitter.com/wholehogsports/status/871474407423696896

[PORKULATOR]

Alright, play already.

[jb11]

Bikini Babes?

That's their softball team.

[Pudgepork]

I'll accept dirtbags because the baseball goes by it but officially, they are the 49ers.

University of Maryland Baltimore County

Snowflakes