BSB Final: Cougs 10, Santa Clara 6 (Game #4)
- Thread starter ScottHood
- Start date
Big improvement is the number of walks the pitchers are issuing. Only 19 BB in 8 games.
Now they did hit 20 batters and had 16 WP in those 8-games, but at least their leaving their mark
Lees stuck with the same line-up so he must see something.
Freshman Manzardo and Kolden were solid in CA.
Lot of freshmen pitchers also saw their first action. Feel badly as they return to 20 degree weather for the home opener vs. Nevada. It’s possible it may be cancelled, much like the first home series was last year.
I can’t imagine they’ll play those games at home unless they play in snow shoes. This is a real winter.
I'll just repeat my comments from the 3rd game thread......
Yeah - not a good start. What will really be interesting is that our next 7 games (starting on Thursday) are at home. While I assume that they have already cleared the snow off the field, I believe that there is at least a foot on the ground in Pullman, and the weather forecast predicts temperatures (daily highs) to stay below freezing for the next 2 weeks. ElC will surely get his wish of 200 fans per game for those.
Maybe Lewis-Clark State will let us use their field for these games. They are on the road during this period. Although I heard they got 6 inches of snow last week.
Pretty much everyone who grew up in E WA and played baseball in HS has played on a frozen field, with a tractor dragging railroad ties to break up the frozen baseline dirt. The foot of snow is an issue if it melts and drowns the field, or worse yet if it rains and the combination of the melting snow and rain creates a lake. I've only been to the new baseball field once, and that was in nice weather, but my dim memory is that it probably drains pretty well. My guess is they will play unless rained (or snowed, or sleeted, or hailed) out...or if there is a big wind chill. No wind and no precip probably means a game regardless of temperature.
The drainage and field turf (no dirt anywhere) are built for the Northwest, but high temps for the 4-game series are 22 degrees, 27 deg, 26 deg, and 22 deg. I see TX Tech and Oregon just cancelled a game with the temperature in the 20’s.
I watched (streamed) WSU vs. Santa Barbara a few years ago with the temp in the 20’s and the UCSB players couldn’t get out of Pullman fast enough.
I agree and find this pleasantly surprising. They cannot have had much real outside field practice prior to the season so the team cohesion is pleasing and a bit unexpected. An IPF can only help in this area. The bats have shown signs of life and hopefully this can continue on an upward path. Pitching is off to a halting but promising start if not yet consistently successful. As others have noted, less bases on balls but, strangely and ironically, a number of hit batters and wild pitches.
Kayak, my utterly unscientific theory is that in the same way that the pitchers are a little wild early in the season, the batters are also a little less able to anticipate and get out of the way. Hence, more hit by pitch.
Of course, it could just be the cold weather and slower reflexes, but hey, I like my theory better...
Marbut would bench guys if they made any effort to get out of the way of a pitch. He wanted runners on base and suspect he’s not the only coach preaching this. Safe to say batters might be leaning in a bit
They apply the Chase Utley AB rule, get on base anyway possible even if it means getting drilled.
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I remember a game my son played in high school when he was drilled in the leg by a wild pitcher, but was so slow to react to the pitch (he has his Dad's lack of quick) he couldn't move a muscle to get out of the way. Umpire said there was no effort to avoid the pitch and kept him at home plate. He was immediately drilled in the back with the next pitch....also not moving very much to get out of the way. This time the umpire awarded first base. I think he felt getting hit twice is enough pain for one batter.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
The ump has a difficult job, Glad. I suspect that unless you have more self discipline than I possess, you may have been just a bit vocal about the non-call. I may have been that way a time or two (or three) with my son who played baseball. And I have a lot of sympathy for the pitcher that you described. He was probably just having an embarrassingly wild day...nobody deliberately hits a batter twice unless they are dating the same girl.
I didn't realize that I needed glasses until right after baseball season, my senior year. I've often wondered what my batting average might have been if I could see the ball well. As it was, I tended to swing late and hit to the opposite field. I also had the most HBP on our team, and in hindsight a lot of that was not seeing the ball well enough to decide to get out of the way in time.
Of course, neither I nor the ump knew about that at the time.
I didn't realize that I needed glasses until right after baseball season, my senior year. I've often wondered what my batting average might have been if I could see the ball well. As it was, I tended to swing late and hit to the opposite field. I also had the most HBP on our team, and in hindsight a lot of that was not seeing the ball well enough to decide to get out of the way in time.
Of course, neither I nor the ump knew about that at the time.
