1st game against Tenner (ranked 14th)

[flippinhogmana]

Obviously a lot of sports choices today!  in the middle of the 3rd, Moll has managed to spread her walks and wild pitches out and works out of a jam in the top half of the third (with the help of a popout double play cutting down the runner trying to score) 0-0 so far, hogs with 2 hits so far, vols with only one (with 4 walks)

[flippinhogmana]

Yani lines out to center
back to the top of the order and Hiers (vols pitcher matty moss is 11-0 with a 1.18 era) works a 3-2 count fouls off four pitches and then strikes out.  Either the pitcher isn't especially sharp today or we are battling hard.
Russell stands in an picks up her second single, one one two out for Nicole Schroeder
Nicole drew a walk first ab, she gets ahead 2-0, then 3-0, walks on four pitches, the word is out no one is going to let Nicole beat them.
Cooper stands in with two on, two out, she is 0-1 with a k first time, gets an infield single and the bases are loaded with two out for Belans,
Belans hits a grand slam, hogs 4-0!

[flippinhogmana]

canfield up with bases empty now and two out, gets behind 1-2, battles back to a full count, reaches on a throwing error and advances to second still with two out, Diaz lines out.  Lets see if Moll can hold em and if the Hogs can keep hitting.

[flippinhogmana]

Moll gives up two singles to start the top half of the fourth, gets a flyout to center,
still struggling with locating her pitches and throwing way too many balls and getting behind in the count,
1-1 now on the seventh place hitter who is 1-1 with a sb so far tonight,
Moll gets ahead, 1-2 and keeps pounding her in, gets a couple of pitches fouled off then strikes her out, still two on, but now with two out, runners on 1st and 2nd.
Moll throws a wp and runners advance to second and third,
Eight place hitter singles to center and two runs score.
Moll gets the third out from the ninth place hitter, and we go to the home half of the 4th now up by only two. 

[flippinhogmana]

Warrick (0-1) leads it off, and singles through the right side
Yani who hit the ball hard on a 2-0 count last time is up, sacrificed Beringdele (who is running for Warrick) to second, one down runner at second for Hiers
Hiers pops to third and Russell, 2-2, is up with two down
Russell flies out to left field and we go to the top of the 5th leading 4-2

[flippinhogmana]

Hogs have outhit the vols 6-4, both have left four on base,
top of the order for Moll facing the Vols,
Grace usually gets over her wildness as the game goes along, lets see how she does this time, gets a 1-1 count on the leadoff hitter, and something doesnt please the coach and Storms comes into pitch.
now the 1-1 count on the leadoff hitter is gone, maybe that was an error and Storms gave in to open the inning.
Storms strikes out the leadoff hitter on a full count, looking, one down, nobody on.
2nd place hitter, grounds to third, two down
3rd place hitter gets behind 1-2, evens it up, and then grounds back to Storms who throws her out, 4-2 good girls heading to the home half of the fifth.

[flippinhogmana]

Nicole steps in to lead it off, 0-0, with two walks and a run scored ahead of Belans homer.
Nicole gets behind 0-2 two fouls), works it even, then works a third walk on four straight pitches, one on nobody out for Cooper (1-2 and a run scored)
Cooper takes a strike, now down 0-2 in the count, grounds out to 1st but Nicole advances to 2nd (now Pocklington is running for her) with one out for Belans, who is second on the team in home runs
Belans gets behind 0-1, then fouls out to 3b,
brings up Canfield who is 1-2, she works it to a 2-2 count, singles and advances on the throw to third that doesnt get Pocklington, two on, two out (2nd and 3rd) for Diaz who is 0-2
Diaz gets behind 0-1, evens it at 1-1, now behind again 1-2, evens it again at 2-2, and then strikes out swining.

still 4-2 hogs to the top of the 6th.

[flippinhogmana]

Hogs have now outhit the vols 7-4 and have left six runners on to four for the vols.
number four hitter for the vols up against Storms
storms gives up a single to lead off the inning (Greer is 2-2 with a BB)
one on, nobody out
storms gets ahead of the 5th place hitter 0-1, runners is cut down at second one out (left early),
then the 5th place hitter lines out, two down nobody on,
6th place hitter, doubles on a 2-0 pitch, one on second, two down for the 8th place hitter who drove in the two runs that the Vols have, and the Vols pinch hit for her!
Storms works her to a 2-2 count, then gives up a single and an RBI, now 4-3 runner still on 2nd with two down
i got the batters mixed up, its actually the hitter up now who got the two rbis earlier,
this time she grounds out, inning over with the Hogs still up one going to the bottom of the 6th, 4-3.

[flippinhogmana]

warrick, Yani, and Hiers due up. (hits now even at seven and with the hogs leaving six on, vols five)
Warrick gets behind 0-1, works it to 2-2, now full, fouls a couple off and then fouls out to rf,
Yani (0-2) grounds out
Hiers (0-3) gets ahead 1-0, count now full, then strikes out swinging but at least Warrick and Hiers worked the pitcher to give Storms some rest.  To the top of the seventh 4-3 hogs.  Autumn will have to go through at least the top two of the order to get the win.

[flippinhogmana]

9th place hitter (1-2) gets ahead 1-0, then Autumn reaches down and strikes her out on three straight pitches.
top of the order now, 1st place hitter works a 2-1 count, now full, and then grounds out, two down,
2nd place hitter falls behind 0-1, then grounds out and thats a winner!
The difference in this game is that the hogs got the big hit when they needed it (at least once).

[hawgwatcher]

Thanks for the updates. Great win for confidence after the last week.

[flippinhogmana]

Thanks for the updates. Great win for confidence after the last week.

your welcome.  Psych or I one will usually try to keep the interested informed!

[Scott7703]

Big time win! Time to win a series at home against a top 15 team!

[Sow’sEar]

Great win!  Won't be able to get up there until Sunday.  Nice to get that first conference win!

[psycHOGlogist]

Thanks, Flippin! My mojo had clearly run its course, and we needed some new pbp blood!

This is a huge game for us to win -- not only to get off the 4-game schneid that included a bad loss to Tulsa, but to get a W over a ranked team (and give us the chance to win an SEC series). This is the kind of game that puts us closer to the post-season. Keep them coming, ladies!!

[flippinhogmana]

Thanks, Flippin! My mojo had clearly run its course, and we needed some new pbp blood!

This is a huge game for us to win -- not only to get off the 4-game schneid that included a bad loss to Tulsa, but to get a W over a ranked team (and give us the chance to win an SEC series). This is the kind of game that puts us closer to the post-season. Keep them coming, ladies!!

haha, its amazing what a pitcher like osario will do to pbp mjojo!

[hawg1221]

That Tulsa game hurts. The SEC is too tough to lay eggs like that.

[flippinhogmana]

That Tulsa game hurts. The SEC is too tough to lay eggs like that.

yeah, what really hurt is wasting Storms gutty performance in the second game of the Bama series.  I think that momentarily rocked the team.  The Tulsa game was just a result of that including Storms.  But credit the team for reaching deep.  I think Moll could have quit, but she didnt.  Storms could have quit but she didnt (she did get the save last night).  The team could have quit but they didnt.  The coach could have quit but she didnt.  She altered the lineup and came back at it.  Credit Russell, Canfield and Belans big time.  All the girls are battling.  I dont think there is much quit in this team.  It was just a learning time for them.  I really like the fight and grit in Storms and I think it is reflective of her coach.  I look for good things for this team.

Nicole being pitched around makes the rest of the team work harder, but I think they are taking up the challenge.  Nicole will still be in contention for POY, she is just that good and they cant always pitch around her.  She just needs to be patient and let the rest of the team pick up the slack.  this is a good team.

[psycHOGlogist]

Well, Tulsa beat LSU this morning, so clearly it's not a bad team. But getting run-ruled was not a good look. If by some chance we can win the series vs. Tenn, that will help us stay either in or near the top 25 for now.

[flippinhogmana]

Well, Tulsa beat LSU this morning, so clearly it's not a bad team. But getting run-ruled was not a good look. If by some chance we can win the series vs. Tenn, that will help us stay either in or near the top 25 for now.

I already knew (being in Tulsa they were a good team before we played them) that was no gimme.  They were well motivated (Tulsa always is when they play us in any sport) and we were not.  But they will likely win their division this year or do well in it at least.  By end of year it wont be such a blemish on our record.  still a loss is a loss.

this team was abysmal last year.  They will make major steps forward (have already) but it has to be kept in mind that it will still be an uphill battle nearly every weekend and sometimes mid week: this is a daunting schedule. 

[hawg1221]

Yes, I hope they can get one more win this weekend and take the series against Tennessee. When you're not used to being good, it can take some time to get to where you need to be, especially between the ears.