Kentucky @ Elon - Game 2
- Thread starter CockyCat3
- Start date
No idea why UK is putting Pitre 4th in the lineup if all they want is him to bunt. Really don't understand it at all. Runners on the corners with one out in the first inning and they're safety squeezing.
Waldy gets things started well with the first extra base hit of the year, a strong hit off the wall in left. McCoy strikes out. Burkes works a 2-2 count and grounds one up the middle, but Elon's short stop commits an error and drops the ball to put UK at the corners with 1 out. Pitre once again squaring to bunt in the 4 hole. I hate this. Absolutely hate it. He is in the 4 hole for a reason! Let the kid swing the freaking bat! He puts down a bunt that scores Waldy and they throw Pitre out at first. 1-0 UK. Gilliam bounces it to short and that ends the top of the first.
I am raging right now about that stupid bunt.
1-0 UK going to B1
I am raging right now about that stupid bunt.
1-0 UK going to B1
3-1 count with 2 on in the 4 hole and we are giving them an out. Don't understand.
It's just bad baseball.
Mingione has loved that stupid sac bunt since he came here. I don't mind it in some situations, but in this one it is just ridiculous. Especially given this opponent.
It's horrible optics having a 4-hitter who you feel HAS to bunt to score a run. They squared Pitre around, what, twice yesterday? I watch a ton of baseball and you just never see this. Ever.
Grounder to Pitre for the first out of the inning. Bosma does it himself on the second out, grabbing up one at his ankles and escorting it to first base for the 1-3 out. Bosma then gets a strikeout to end the inning.
Pitre has squared to bunt 3 times this season so far. He has put down 2 sac bunts already. They had him squaring to bunt in the 9th inning with 2 outs last night.
Gray strikes out to start the UK 2nd. Fly ball into center by Stanke on the first pitch. Byars fighting hard at the plate with a 2-2 count, but he goes down swinging and Cats go quietly.
1-0 b2
1-0 b2
Bosma gets another K to start the Elon 2nd. Another K for Bosma. Starting off hot in 2023. Another chopper to the mound and Bosma does it all himself in the B2.
1-0 UK going to 3
1-0 UK going to 3
Incredibly small sample size but Smith looks like a candidate to move up the lineup. He's had some good ABs so far.
Leadoff single for UK and Smith. I believe that is his first hit as a Cat, but I could be misremembering. A bunt by Waldy moves Smith to second. Once again... I hate this crap. It is the third inning. Let your 1 hole hit, especially after he led off with a double to start the game. McCoy and Burkes goes down swinging.
Wasted another out with the silly bunt. UK winning 1-0 going to B3
Wasted another out with the silly bunt. UK winning 1-0 going to B3
Bosma doing work with another K. Fly ball into center, first ball to reach the outfield, but Gray brings it in for out 2. Hit to first and Bosma plays great defense, along with Gilliam and they cover the base and end the inning.
Pitre strikes out to start the 4th. A problem with the bunt as well is that you aren't letting a kid see pitches to actually get a hit, so when you ask him to actually get the hit, he isn't as ready for it. Gilliam grounds out to third on a real close play. Gray puts an 0-2 pitch into the corner that goes for a ground rule double. Ground out to second ends the inning and we strand another at 2nd
1-0 UK going to B4.
1-0 UK going to B4.
Waldy works a walk. First one of the day. McCoy with a 2 out single and that puts them at the corners for Burkes. Phoenix going to the pen
They give McCoy a stolen base as he takes second without a throw, and standing up. Burkes works a full count. He gets a huge hit to score 2 runs with 2 outs. Great hitting there. 3-0 UK
I think Elon finally got a hit in the 5th, but it didn't go anywhere and Bosma gets out of the inning pretty clean.
Great job Mingione... send your 1st baseman on a steal and once again gets thrown out, basically gave Elon a double play as it was a strike 'em out throw em' out. So silly.
Bosma saving this. Another one up the middle hardly hit and he knocks it down and throws them out at first. This after a ball ate up Byars and Bosma sailed one trying to hold the runner.
Okay @Derek Terry... let's play a crazy hypothetical... if UK fails to make the tournament this season and we let Mingione go, would you consider Roszel for the HC position?
Sounds like UK will go to the bullpen in the bottom half of this inning.
Sounds like UK will go to the bullpen in the bottom half of this inning.
I dont mind running with a full count there with Gilliam. Its a 3-2 count, the only time it's a problem is on a K. Otherwise he is in motion to score on a double. Thats showing confidence in your hitter not striking put as opposed to bunting your 4 hole hitter, smashing confidence.
Savino strikes out 4 in a row, the first two in this inning before he plunks Waldy. McCoy then gets a full count walk after Waldy had moved to second on a wild pitch. Seems like Savino has lost it now as he falls behind 3-1 on Burkes. Another full count and Burkes also draws a walk. Bases full of Cats for Pitre. He is once again bunting... what in the ever loving hell... 2 out bunting with our 4 hole. He strikes out. Gave away a strike trying to bunt. Holy hell....
Fair. Just seems to me that when you're only up 1-0 and you have 0 outs that it might be good there not to risk it and to try to play for that bigger inning.
Fair. Just seems to me that when you're only up 1-0 and you have 0 outs that it might be good there not to risk it and to try to play for that bigger inning.
Ok, so I think I have some insight on these Pitre bunts... I dont think Mingione is calling them. Pitre squared right there with bases loaded and Mingione yelled at him to hit the ball. So, I think these may be Pitre making the call himself. I don't think Ming is calling them.
Then he shouldn't be in the 4 hole when he has that mindset.
Should be getting to the point of the weekend where UK's depth in the bullpen starts to show up.
He probably wasn't wanting a bunt there with two outs, but he squared around several times that first at-bat. If Mingione didn't want a bunt, he had a chance to tell him to swing away.
