UNC Wilmington v. Kentucky (Game 1)

[Comebakatz3]

Ramsey gets a 4-6-3 double play to make up for the hit batter. That is definitely one way to speed up the inning. He then hits another batter. This one goes high off the helmet. He then gives up a single into right center. Once again UNCW goes first to third to put them on the corners with 2 outs.

94 pitches now.

Ramsey now working the outside corner at the knees. Gets the strike call both times. That is just not going to be a pitch that someone can do anything with and Ramsey gets a swinging strikeout.

Ramsey doing well to get himself out of the trouble he gets into.

Going to bottom 5 with UNCW leading 3-0.

 

[Comebakatz3]

UNCW has 9 hits in this one compared to UK at 2 right now.

By the way, that double play in the top of the 5th was just the 2nd DP for UK this season.

 

[Comebakatz3]

UNCW pitcher has just 38 pitches starting the 5th. Flynn states that he is throwing, 'quality strikes.'

True to form, Sharpe works ahead of Rhodes and Rhodes ends up popping out to second. Golda gets UK's third hit of the day with a nice line drive back up the middle. Holen gives one a ride into right, but basically right at the right fielder. That is what he needed to do. That RF had trouble with that one and he almost dropped it.

Golda stole second and UNCW threw the ball into center to give him third.

Nice battle here for Lewis, but as I type that he looks at a slow bender on the outside corner that the umpire calls a strike. That one was a bit off the plate IMO. Bad luck for UK there.

Going to the 6th still down 3-0 to UNCW.

 

[Old_Red]

Called third strike with a runner at third again.

 

[Old_Red]

UNCW has 9 hits in this one compared to UK at 2 right now.

By the way, that double play in the top of the 5th was just the 2nd DP for UK this season.

I thought we were in last place in the SEC in double plays last year also.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Going back to Hazard in this one as Cottongame takes over for Ramsey here in the 6th. Cottongame was going to pitch against EKU, but with that game canceled it makes sense to throw him here this afternoon.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I thought we were in last place in the SEC in double plays last year also.

Would not surprise me in the least.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Cottongame starts this one with a strikeout. Had to go to first to get it, but it still counts. Cottongame follows it with the same exact results and gets his second strikeout in as many hitters. This one at the neck with the high heat.

Wow... this one got up into the jet stream in right and it just carries out for a solo home run. 4-0.

 

[Comebakatz3]

That is not a horrible pitch. It was on the outside corner, but needed to be down more, it was a bit too close to thigh high.

Ouch... next hitter gets an absolute no doubter. Turned on it quick and it is in the bullpen in right 5-0 UNCW.

 

[dtjr]

Teeing off

 

[Comebakatz3]

Whoa... my heart went in my throat as I thought they had back to back to back, but this one goes to the warning track in left center and is hauled in by Rhodes just short of the wall.

Going to the bottom of the 6th, UK now down 5-0.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Teeing off

That is a product of young pitchers not having enough control. You can see CG had the stuff needed to get outs with the two strikeouts, but then he just loses a bit of focus and a bit of control and like that the two strikes turn into 2 runs.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Estep coming up for his second chance. Sharpe has faced just two over the min. Estep gets UK started with a leadoff single through the right side between second and first. Just rolls over the top of an inside pitch and gets rewarded.

Daniel... ugh... watches strike three. Seems like a bad call, but still hurts, and seems to happen frequently with BD.

Harmon gets ahead in the count. That hasn't happened often today, but Sharpe battles back to give it a full count. Harmon got one to send into next week, but he was well in front of it. He ends up popping up to shallow right for the second out of the inning.

UK wasting a lead off single by the 9 hole hitter. Sharpe might be getting a little bit tired at his 69th pitch. He falls behind 2-0, but Collett cannot lay off a neck high fastball. Can someone teach Collett that he will rarely hit those, and if he does he will pop it up? Kills me. Collett gets a hitter's count 3-1 and he actually does lay off the high heat to walk and give UK 2 runners.

Schultz to the plate draws a meeting on the mound by the UNCW pitching coach.

 

[Old_Red]

They are finally not giving Sharpe that "outside" strike off the plate.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Austin squares to bunt to try to steal a hit, but the ball is outside. Sharpe is starting to show fatigue. Falls behind 2-0 again. UK has to take advantage here. Now 3-0. A get me over strike before he loses Schultz.

Bases full of Cats for Rhodes. I think they have left Sharpe in too long. He falls behind with the first pitch a ball once again. Rhodes fouls off the next one before Sharpe puts a sinker down out of his reach for strike two. Grounder right to third and that ends the UK threat.

UK still down 5-0 going to the 7th.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Gentlemen you are watching what SEC play is going to be like for this team.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Brax staying in to start the top of the 7th. He gets a called strike three. Not exactly where Holen set up, but a pretty pitch. Think Holen wanted it outside, but CG put it in. Looks the same in the book though.

CG getting a generous zone at the bottom on that pitch for a second strike. Estep stabs a little dying line drive on the third base line to get the second out.

Estep gets another one over at third. Makes a routine play. The throw is a bit off, but Collett grabs it and tags out the runner. Throw wasn't horrible, and I feel like TJ didn't need to come off the bag too much on that one, but it worked out.

5-0 going to the bottom of the 7th.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Man you talk about! SLOW

 

[Comebakatz3]

Sharpe coming out again. This time with 81 pitches to start the bottom of the 7th. He will face Golda, who lines one right at the left fielder. I mean, did not even move. Holen up... HOLY COW!! Ground ball up the middle and second baseman comes out of nowhere and from his knees throws out Holen. A hell of a play!! Stinks for Holen because that thing is a single 99 percent of the time.

Lewis then flies out to right.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Sharpe coming out again. This time with 81 pitches to start the bottom of the 7th. He will face Golda, who lines one right at the left fielder. I mean, did not even move. Holen up... HOLY COW!! Ground ball up the middle and second baseman comes out of nowhere and from his knees throws out Holen. A hell of a play!! Stinks for Holen because that thing is a single 99 percent of the time.

Lewis then flies out to right.

SLOW!!!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Harper now coming into the game. Need to see Harper do some good. 10.39 ERA is not what you need from a Junior.

Grounder to Golda and he drops it. Picks it up and throws it a bit wide and Collett cannot get the tag. It goes as an infield hit, but should probably be an error.

A bunt attempt is popped up and Estep corrals it. Good job to not try an ill advised throw to first. Harper helps himself with a pickoff! Turf monster got the guy at first as his hand just stuck in the fake stuff instead of getting to the bag.

Harper ends the top of the 8th with a strikeout.

Game note: They did change the hit to start the 8th to an error on Golda.

Cats have just 2 at bats left in this one down 5-0.

 

[Comebakatz3]

New pitcher for UNCW... Deatherage is his name... what a good name.

Kid has a 3.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts to 0 walks.

 

[Old_Red]

Two errors by our infield today putting us at 17 error free games to reach Mingione's 980 fielding to be competitive in the SEC.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Estep may end up being the best player on this team in a month or so.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Estep starts it off with a leadoff hit for UK. That is the second time he has led off an inning by getting on base. Good job by the freshman 9 hole hitter.

Kessler going to pinch hit for BD here. Interesting choice. Will be interesting to see what Mingione does with the defense after this. Kessler battling well, gets a full count and draws a walk. Cats got something working here.

 

[sluggercatfan]

We must teach one thing well...looking at K3.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Anu now coming in for Harmon. This pitcher struggling horribly. Now falls behind 3-0 on Anu. Just no where close. He gets a get me over strike to make it 3-1 before finding a knee high strike that Anu fouls off. Back to back full counts. UGH.... Anu gets rung up looking at an outside fastball. Whew... that looks outside and down. Anu can't believe it. UK has struck out 5 times and 4 of those were looking.

Collett now up with 1 out. Ball in the dirt gets passed the catcher and everyone moves up. Collett ends up striking out swinging.

Schultz then grounds out to end the threat.

UK down 5-0 going to the 9th. UK has squandered leadoff runners twice now at least.

 

[Old_Red]

A single and a walk to put 2 on with no outs and we get nothing. Right now, UNCW looks like the better team. We have a lot to improve on to even be competitive in the SEC.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Schultz going to center, Kessler to 3B, Estep to RF, and Anu to DH.

Ron Cole coming in to pitch.

 

[dtjr]

It is very hard to watch this team at times.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Cole struggling early on and he gives up a full count walk. He then follows it up with a wild pitch that gets past Holen and the runner advances.

Cole looks pretty nervous to me. He gives up a four pitch walk to put the first two on with walks.

UK trusting Cole here with no one warming.

PH for the Seahawks who squares to bunt and takes the 6th and 7th straight balls. He gets the ball down and Lewis covers first and UK gets the out, but the runners move over.

RBI single gets passed the diving Kessler. It scores two runs and the ball is misplayed by Rhodes in left and that allows the runner to get all the way to third. 7-0 UNCW. Some bad luck there for Rhodes as the ball hits the corner wall and goes kind of under the pad and past him.

 

[Jeff12wb]

Yeah. This team against even decent competition is borderline unwatchable.

Unless there is DRASTIC improvement in a short time, this team is going to look like Little Leaguers in the SEC.

 

[Old_Red]

Ron Cole very shaky. Walks two and pays the price. Rhodes gets an unlucky error that scores two. We look like the bad news Bears.

 

[Comebakatz3]

They are going to give the error to Rhodes. Tough break for him. Deep fly gets another run home. 8-0 UNCW. They have just beaten us up.

No offense to Cole... but kind of feels like UK gave up in this one. Sending out this freshman, who has struggled, without anyone warming in the pen makes me believe that UK kind of conceded it.

Grounder to Lewis ends the top of the 9th with UK down 8-0.

 

[Tskware]

This just in, we are not good this year . . . again!

 

[Old_Red]

There goes the streak for games scored in. Not much left that is good.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Didn't think about this, but UK has not been shut out in over 100 games, we've scored in 203 of our last 204 according to DG. I think it is one of the longest in the country, third longest apparently. It is at danger with Rhodes flying out to second base.

Golda up. He grounds one to second for the second out of the last inning.

Pop out to second ends the inning.

128 games was our streak.

Cats lose 8-0.

 

[TuckyFB]

Well, that was god awful.

 

[dtjr]

Not a whole lot of good in this one. At all.

Very apathetic effort from the whole team.

Ramsey did ok but he left a few up in the strike zone and had too many pitches but did have 7 K's and 1 BB.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Hey. Where’s that linear guy who was all rainbows and unicorns? Not much to say about this one other than we took a whooping.