GAME 14 THREAD: #5 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-3, 0-0 SEC) vs Kent State (6-4, MAC)

[Wisco Pig]

O'Brien grounds to Biggers, who makes an excellent play to record the 2nd out.

[Wisco Pig]

Elsen grounds out to Vermillion, 1-3.

3 up, 3 down.   We go to the bottom of the 9th.  Hogs trail, 10-4.

[bulldog04]

It's hard to win both games of a double header. I don't really like them in college because the chances of sweeping decreases

[Razorbacks#1]

                                                                     
                                                                                                                           
                             10                        Bot 9th                 4

                   
                              1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | - |  R  |  H  | E  |LOB
KS                  3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | -  | 10 |  9  | 0  | 7   
Arkansas       1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |    | -  |  4  |  6  | 2  | 4   


                         

[Wisco Pig]

In the Arkansas 9th:

6 Shaddy, .268
7 Fletcher, .196
8 McFarland, .250

[Wisco Pig]

Shaddy flies out to the RF gap.

[Wisco Pig]

Fletcher strikes out swinging on a 1-2 pitch.    Two outs.

[Wisco Pig]

McFarland singles to left with two outs.

[tennesseehogwild]

I know they were up 5-3 at the time but this game turned in the 5th when Biggers failed to execute the bunt with no outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. Followed by two strikeouts. Sucked the life out of the Hogs since, or so it seems to me.

[Wisco Pig]

Opitz flies out to CF to end the game.

Kent State wins, 10-4.

Arkansas splits the doubleheader.

[tennesseehogwild]

McFarland singles to left with two outs.

[/b]

Has had a pretty good game at the plate.

[Razorbacks#1]

                                                                     
                                                                                                                           
                             10                        FINAL                 4

                   
                              1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | - |  R  |  H  | E  |LOB
KS                  3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | -  | 10 |  9  | 0  | 7   
Arkansas       1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -  |  4  |  7  | 2  | 5   


                         

[HuntsvilleHawgFan]

Not a happy ending, but I still appreciate the pbp, thanks for the effort.

[tennesseehogwild]

Great job Wisco! Thanks! GHG!

[SPAL]

I know they were up 5-3 at the time but this game turned in the 5th when Biggers failed to execute the bunt with no outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. Followed by two strikeouts. Sucked the life out of the Hogs since, or so it seems to me.

Yep.

Walks
Errors
Not executing bunts

My frustration trifecta.

[Razorbacks#1]

Thanks Wisco Pig for the PBP!

[HogsonHicks]

Yep.

Walks
Errors
Not executing bunts

My frustration trifecta.

I share that frustration.

You guys are troopers to keep these threads running so well during such a lopsided game.  Thank you.

[Wisco Pig]

Great job Wisco! Thanks! GHG!

My pleasure.

[MemphisBossHog]

The word is out on the Hogs, they can't hit lefties. Most of our best hitters are left hand hitters and they can't handle the southpaws. Luckily DVH played a little small ball for a change in game 1 with steals, bunts, squeezes, etc and we managed to win the game despite trouble hitting. When your Freshman all-american from a year ago is hitting .196 and playing every game and your second baseman has trouble with even the routine play, it's time to worry. There's a lot of the season ahead but maybe it's time to consider shifting Casey from third to second to get solid up the middle, put Wilson at 3rd, Cole to center and get a right handed bat in right field.

I know that it seems like we make a bunch of errors for a team that fancies itself an SEC power and is trying to get to Omaha. 

[(notOM)Rebel123]

It's hard to win both games of a double header. I don't really like them in college because the chances of sweeping decreases

Miss State split a DH vs Utah Valley as well.
Well, MSU lost game 1, but lead game 2, 4-2 in 8th

[Kevin]

We have to stop beating into ourselves.
Every rally started with a error walk.

[pigture perfect]

Ouch! Great job by our EI crew. Bless you all.

[BigBrandonAllenFan]

This was our cr@p game of the year.  S*** happens. 

[BroyledNutts]

Well, that didn't go like I thought it would. I'm beginning to dread double headers - we never seem to play to our capabilities in game two.

Johnson and Thompson both need to be held to account for what once was a one off that is now becoming all too regular. From start to finish the pitching staff looked ill prepared. My concern is growing regarding everyone beyond Friday night - there is way too much inconsistency in the staff at this point. Granted, I think Mr. Home Plate had a lot to do with it, as once again that outer edge was wherever he wanted it to be at the time, but Wes needs to answer some tough questions on why there's no progression in the rest of the bullpen.

There's no way an SEC team should struggle that much with the kind of pitching Kent State puts on the mound. Am I saying we should score 15 every game on these guys? No - but we shouldn't struggle to get 5-7 across any way. Those guys are SEC caliber-ish relievers being thrown as starters for the Flashes. If we're not handling these types of pitchers well we're really not going to have any fun after SEC play begins in a week.

Thompson has some questions of his own to answer on offensive approach and production. Once again we've degraded into chasing bad pitches and way too many pop ups. Strikeouts are becoming ridiculous - Sure, it's hard to hit a pitch a foot off the plate that's a strike - see Mr. Home Plate again for the answer to that one ... and I get that you have to wait for your pitch - but with all that waiting around you better do something with it when you get it ... and what if you don't get it? Flail until you miss? Pray for a walk? It would seem the scouting report on us is getting around, and we'd better adapt to hitting off speed because it seems that's all we're going to see.

Our offensive scheme has become a frustrating codependency of walks and home runs ... yes, I'm aware that it's more complicated than that - it just appears that way live and in person. Guys aren't relaxing and letting the game come to them; I see a lot of pushing - and, unexplainably, I see experienced upperclassmen either playing timid, or playing very tight - the freshmen on this squad are playing are more relaxed than veterans. 

By this point in the season I was expecting to see the lineup card solidified, the offense producing consistently, the fielding cleaned and polished, and the pitching staff starting to separate itself from its peers. It would seem we're behind the bell curve in all categories. We have a lot of season left to make this thing work at its full potential, but I think we're in for a good bit more wailing and gnashing of teeth before May gets here and we fully know what we are.

[dotnet]

The word is out on the Hogs, they can't hit lefties. Most of our best hitters are left hand hitters and they can't handle the southpaws. Luckily DVH played a little small ball for a change in game 1 with steals, bunts, squeezes, etc and we managed to win the game despite trouble hitting. When your Freshman all-american from a year ago is hitting .196 and playing every game and your second baseman has trouble with even the routine play, it's time to worry. There's a lot of the season ahead but maybe it's time to consider shifting Casey from third to second to get solid up the middle, put Wilson at 3rd, Cole to center and get a right handed bat in right field.   

I'm not sure what you're getting at.  Shaddy has made one error this season. Does the fact that it was during the last game you saw mean you think he makes one every game?

If you make all of the moves you just said, all you're doing is replacing Shaddy with Wilson.  There still has to be someone play right, and by all accounts that person would be Lee, a LHH.

[dotnet]

Well, that didn't go like I thought it would. I'm beginning to dread double headers - we never seem to play to our capabilities in game two.

Johnson and Thompson both need to be held to account for what once was a one off that is now becoming all too regular. From start to finish the pitching staff looked ill prepared. My concern is growing regarding everyone beyond Friday night - there is way too much inconsistency in the staff at this point. Granted, I think Mr. Home Plate had a lot to do with it, as once again that outer edge was wherever he wanted it to be at the time, but Wes needs to answer some tough questions on why there's no progression in the rest of the bullpen.

There's no way an SEC team should struggle that much with the kind of pitching Kent State puts on the mound. Am I saying we should score 15 every game on these guys? No - but we shouldn't struggle to get 5-7 across any way. Those guys are SEC caliber-ish relievers being thrown as starters for the Flashes. If we're not handling these types of pitchers well we're really not going to have any fun after SEC play begins in a week.

By this point in the season I was expecting to see the lineup card solidified, the offense producing consistently, the fielding cleaned and polished, and the pitching staff starting to separate itself from its peers. It would seem we're behind the bell curve in all categories. We have a lot of season left to make this thing work at its full potential, but I think we're in for a good bit more wailing and gnashing of teeth before May gets here and we fully know what we are.

Campbell hasn't been lights out but his ERA is still 2.

As far as Johnson - I thought the bullpen was the biggest question mark coming into the year and I think it has done as well as one could reasonably hope.  Kostyshock, Scroggins, Ramage, Cronin, Bonnin, Rutledge... have all performed as well as you could hope in my opinion.  Bolden has been great until yesterday, and Lee and Reindl have been dissapointing but we're only talking about a few appearances.

I'm really not sure what to complain about from a pitching staff with a 2.1 ERA. 

From a hitting side, the lineup was never going to be set.  There are too many guys to get ABs this early in the season for that to happen.  But yeah, the team is worse when the guy you thought would be the best hitter on the team is hitting under 200.  The team is still hitting 300 with Fletcher and Koch doing as poorly between them as I can imagine.

Kent State is not a terrible team. If Arkansas wins Sunday, then this NC slate will have gone perfectly fine - especially considering no one thinks this team is clicking on all cylinders or anything. 

[Dr. Starcs]

Well, that didn't go like I thought it would. I'm beginning to dread double headers - we never seem to play to our capabilities in game two.

Johnson and Thompson both need to be held to account for what once was a one off that is now becoming all too regular. From start to finish the pitching staff looked ill prepared. My concern is growing regarding everyone beyond Friday night - there is way too much inconsistency in the staff at this point. Granted, I think Mr. Home Plate had a lot to do with it, as once again that outer edge was wherever he wanted it to be at the time, but Wes needs to answer some tough questions on why there's no progression in the rest of the bullpen.

There's no way an SEC team should struggle that much with the kind of pitching Kent State puts on the mound. Am I saying we should score 15 every game on these guys? No - but we shouldn't struggle to get 5-7 across any way. Those guys are SEC caliber-ish relievers being thrown as starters for the Flashes. If we're not handling these types of pitchers well we're really not going to have any fun after SEC play begins in a week.

Thompson has some questions of his own to answer on offensive approach and production. Once again we've degraded into chasing bad pitches and way too many pop ups. Strikeouts are becoming ridiculous - Sure, it's hard to hit a pitch a foot off the plate that's a strike - see Mr. Home Plate again for the answer to that one ... and I get that you have to wait for your pitch - but with all that waiting around you better do something with it when you get it ... and what if you don't get it? Flail until you miss? Pray for a walk? It would seem the scouting report on us is getting around, and we'd better adapt to hitting off speed because it seems that's all we're going to see.

Our offensive scheme has become a frustrating codependency of walks and home runs ... yes, I'm aware that it's more complicated than that - it just appears that way live and in person. Guys aren't relaxing and letting the game come to them; I see a lot of pushing - and, unexplainably, I see experienced upperclassmen either playing timid, or playing very tight - the freshmen on this squad are playing are more relaxed than veterans. 

By this point in the season I was expecting to see the lineup card solidified, the offense producing consistently, the fielding cleaned and polished, and the pitching staff starting to separate itself from its peers. It would seem we're behind the bell curve in all categories. We have a lot of season left to make this thing work at its full potential, but I think we're in for a good bit more wailing and gnashing of teeth before May gets here and we fully know what we are.

Does DVH not get questioned too then?

[BroyledNutts]

I'm worried about Campbell - He hasn't looked comfortable at all in a single start. Struggling with his fastball, not much movement - throwing way too far glove side.

The Freshmen have been the nicest surprise on the whole pitching staff - sure, they're Freshmen, and are going to have the yips at times, but I've liked what I've seen - some really live arms with good stuff - the upperclassmen have not produced as they should have. Lee, Reindl, Loeske, Scroggins - all struggling to find consistency.

The stats for the staff are skewed somewhat, thanks to Knight and Murphy being lights out, and the freshmen doing very well but in limited appearances.

Next weekend will be the litmus test for this team, offensively and defensively. 

[BroyledNutts]

.

[Dr. Starcs]

He's been out there in the press interviews - I'd specifically like to hear from Johnson and Thompson.

Oh. Gotcha.

[Kevin]

Fletcher & gates struggling is a real concern. Dom just looks confused

[ucahogfan]

Fletcher & gates struggling is a real concern. Dom just looks confused

Yeah, it is concerning to me as well.  Fletcher did go about 20 games last season in a similar slump to bring his average from about .300 all the way down to like .230 before finding a groove in late April / May.  Hopefully it is just one of those and he comes out of it.

Both Gates and Shaddy have shown way too much swing and miss in their game this year.  Hopefully they get it corrected moving forward.

[PintailKiller]

Campbell is coming off an injury.  It takes a while to get back in the game grove.  He will be fine.

[Kevin]

Yeah, it is concerning to me as well.  Fletcher did go about 20 games last season in a similar slump to bring his average from about .300 all the way down to like .230 before finding a groove in late April / May.  Hopefully it is just one of those and he comes out of it.

Both Gates and Shaddy have shown way too much swing and miss in their game this year.  Hopefully they get it corrected moving forward.

McFarland looked good his last couple of at bats

[ucahogfan]

McFarland looked good his last couple of at bats

He has a ton of talent.  I would like to see him start during the midweek games.  I would like to see DVH run out the following lineup against Texas next week:

C - Koch
1B - McFarland
2B - Shaddy
3B - Martin
SS - Biggers
LF - Bonfield
CF - Cole
RF - Kjerstad
DH - Turney

Gives Fletcher and Gates a day off to rest and get their head straight as well as gets Turney some ABs.  His ceiling at the plate is one of the highest in the country.  Potential 25 HR guy at Arkansas.