Cats vs Austin Peay, home opener....

[CloverforkCat]

UK takes on the APSU govenors today @ 4:00 pm at Cliff Hagan Stadium. AP ( 4-3 ) will send lefty Josh Rye to the mound, while the Cats ( 3-3 ) will go with Soph. Zack Pop on the hill.
The opener of a 10 game home stand, the Cats need to get off to a good start with a victory.

 

[Tskware]

I just walked up the street from lunch, it really is not as cold as I feared, and it is sunny, at least.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

In the sun, it's not too bad. Now once the sun goes down. Whole new story.

 

[Derek Terry]

Pop is sitting in the low 90s early in this one. Walked the leadoff man but got the two hitter to ground into a double play. Pop then struck out Logan Gray to end the inning.

Wilson, White and Shelby due up for UK.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

I'm glad UK got new speakers for the stadium, but damn they are loud.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Quiet inning for UK in the first. Pop back out for the second.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Well, nothing going for UK. No score top of the third.

I will say. For a Wednesday day game that's cold. A decent crowd.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Zach Pop is in bit of a jam. 2 on no out. Pop has lost the strike zone.

 

[Derek Terry]

Nice job by Pop to work out of danger. Runners reached first and second with no outs, but he got one guy to bunt out, the next guy grounded out to first base, and the final batter popped out to Heady at second base.

UK still looking for its first hit. Hairston, Mahan and Cottam due up.

 

[CloverforkCat]

After 3 full innings 0-0, both teams have 2 hits.

 

[Derek Terry]

Austin Peay tried to squeeze but the bunt was popped back to Logue. He caught it and ran to third to turn the inning ending double play.

So Pop's official line: 3.1 innings, 3 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 54 pitches thrown.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Gunner McNeil with a solo home run to left. Let me tell ya, when he hit it, I thought there was no way it was gone. UK leads 1-0

 

[CloverforkCat]

Gunner McNeil with a solo home run to left. Let me tell ya, when he hit it, I thought there was no way it was gone. UK leads 1-0

Shelby just missed a HR, how close was it ?

 

[Derek Terry]

Logue running into some trouble in the top of the 5th. Allowed a leadoff solo home run to Ridge Smith, the eight hitter, and the nine hitter doubled into the gap. Top of the lineup back up for Austin Peay with no outs.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Shelby just missed a HR, how close was it ?

From my viewpoint, it wasn't foul by much.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Pitching change for UK. Justin Lewis comes in with two out and the bases loaded.

 

[Derek Terry]

Lewis walked the man on a full-count and now Austin Peay leads 2-1.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

This team cannot hit. 2-1 Austin Peay top of the 7th

 

[Derek Terry]

Daniel Tillo enters the game to pitch. Runner on first, 1-1 count and two outs. Henderson does it a lot but I find it odd he takes pitchers out in the middle of counts so often.

 

[Derek Terry]

Riley Mahan has swung the bat well today. Now just 1-3 but he's hit the ball hard every at bat.

 

[Derek Terry]

Oh boy. With runners on first and second, Pompey bounced it back to the pitcher and it should've been an inning-ending double play, but the pitcher went to third base instead of second. McNeill made them pay the next at bat as he singled to tie it.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Wow sounds like we actually got lucky in this one. Thanks for the updates.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Luck is an understatement in this game. Hendersons in game decisions were horrible.

@Derek Terry who can we complain to about how loud the speakers were? I mean wow. It was so bad that I could not here the guy setting beside between innings.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Seems to me that Henderson still has no idea what roles everyone will play in the bullpen. I still don't like that he changes pitchers in the middle of a count.

 

[CloverforkCat]

Does any else think that Riley Mahan needs to move up in the line up, he is killing it at the plate. The top half of the order is under achieving so far.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Does any else think that Riley Mahan needs to move up in the line up, he is killing it at the plate. The top half of the order is under achieving so far.

I like the idea of Mahan leading off. If I was the head coach. Here's what my lineup would be.

-Mahan ss
-Pompey LF
-Shelby 3B
-McNeil DH
-White 1B
-Reks CF
-Hairston RF
-Cottom C
-Becker 2B

I like Becker in that 9 spot because in theory you have a second lead off hitter.

 

[Comebakatz3]

That's a pretty good lineup. I might put White 3rd, Shebly 4th and McNeil 5th. Not sure what to do with right field. Hairston, Carson, and Wilson have struggled. Might even try White in right with McNeil on first and then have a neweton face DH.

A whole lot of lineup problems that should really be hammered out by this point

 

[parrott]

While I understand the reasoning and agree somewhat with the 2nd lead-off theory with the 9 hole, it depends on the individual. Not everyone hitting 9th accepts the 2nd lead-off theory and sometimes underperforms because there is always a stigma of hitting 9th. Some live down to that expectation.

IMO - I would hit Becker lead-off, think White is a prototypical 2-hole hitter but you have to put him there and leave him. Shelby 3rd and McNeil clean-up. Would move Pompey down to 5th as I don't like a freshman hitting 4th unless his name is AJ Reed.

Mahan would then follow in the 6-hole. Just move the others down. It's early in the season for both pitchers and hitters. Think Henderson is still experimenting and the Cats will get some losses until the coaching staff can get a feel on who can produce in what situations during a game setting.

Say what you want, but until you get outside on a regular basis to take live pitching, it's difficult to field a consistent lineup -- UL notwithstanding.

 

[CloverforkCat]

While I understand the reasoning and agree somewhat with the 2nd lead-off theory with the 9 hole, it depends on the individual. Not everyone hitting 9th accepts the 2nd lead-off theory and sometimes underperforms because there is always a stigma of hitting 9th. Some live down to that expectation.

IMO - I would hit Becker lead-off, think White is a prototypical 2-hole hitter but you have to put him there and leave him. Shelby 3rd and McNeil clean-up. Would move Pompey down to 5th as I don't like a freshman hitting 4th unless his name is AJ Reed.

Mahan would then follow in the 6-hole. Just move the others down. It's early in the season for both pitchers and hitters. Think Henderson is still experimenting and the Cats will get some losses until the coaching staff can get a feel on who can produce in what situations during a game setting.

Say what you want, but until you get outside on a regular basis to take live pitching, it's difficult to field a consistent lineup -- UL notwithstanding.

Good observation.... I like the sound and look of your line-up, Becker has been a pleasant surprise, McNeil has had his moments.