Kentucky at Jacksonville State (Friday)
- Thread starter Comebakatz3
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As great as Harper was in the last inning, he leaves one up and the transfer from Alabama, Reeves, tattoos the third pitch into left and over the fence to bring Jacksonville State back within 1. That thing was absolutely crushed.
Harper then gets a pop out in foul territory to Plastiak for the first out. Plastiak had a touch of trouble with it, but he does grab it.
A blooper off the end of the bat goes into center for a dying quail single. This on an 0-2 count. That is just a good baseball swing and hit. Wasn't doing anything special with it, but just went with the pitch and sent it to right center for a single. Pretty baseball there by that hitter.
A grounder to Plastiak and he tries to step on first and send it to Ritter to get a double play, but the runner is safe at second as Ritter can't corral the throw and put the tag down in time. I think that is a play that Ritter should make. Just took his eye off the ball.
Harper ahead in the count again on this at bat 0-2. Line drive into right center and that will tie the ball game once again and the ball gets away from the UK outfield as Thrasher goes to corral it and it just bounces off the palm of his glove and gets away giving JSU an extra base. That looked like little league stuff right there. Not sure if they gave Thrasher an error, but it is 100 percent an error.
8-8 as we get a new pitcher for UK Tyler Guilfoil going to make his UK debut.
Harper then gets a pop out in foul territory to Plastiak for the first out. Plastiak had a touch of trouble with it, but he does grab it.
A blooper off the end of the bat goes into center for a dying quail single. This on an 0-2 count. That is just a good baseball swing and hit. Wasn't doing anything special with it, but just went with the pitch and sent it to right center for a single. Pretty baseball there by that hitter.
A grounder to Plastiak and he tries to step on first and send it to Ritter to get a double play, but the runner is safe at second as Ritter can't corral the throw and put the tag down in time. I think that is a play that Ritter should make. Just took his eye off the ball.
Harper ahead in the count again on this at bat 0-2. Line drive into right center and that will tie the ball game once again and the ball gets away from the UK outfield as Thrasher goes to corral it and it just bounces off the palm of his glove and gets away giving JSU an extra base. That looked like little league stuff right there. Not sure if they gave Thrasher an error, but it is 100 percent an error.
8-8 as we get a new pitcher for UK Tyler Guilfoil going to make his UK debut.
It's making me think of when the sun was going down and my friends and I had to break up our game and go home!
Guilfoil gets 2 straight strikes to end the 6th inning. 8-8 as we go to the 7th.
Guilfoil threw 3 straight fastballs. All of them were pretty Broadway. Don't know that a better hitting team wouldn't have put one of those into a tough spot for UK.
They did change the Thrasher play to an error.
They did change the Thrasher play to an error.
UK facing the same pitcher, the lefty. Rubalcaba will lead off the 7th. He strikes out to start this one.
Thrasher with a chance to redeem himself on the error, which really didn't hurt all that badly given that the runner didn't score, just got an extra base out of it. Thasher is making contact, but he can't find the turf as this one goes for out number two as a fly ball into the OF.
Ritter continues to struggle as he grounds out to short stop to end the UK 7th
We remain tied 8-8
Thrasher with a chance to redeem himself on the error, which really didn't hurt all that badly given that the runner didn't score, just got an extra base out of it. Thasher is making contact, but he can't find the turf as this one goes for out number two as a fly ball into the OF.
Ritter continues to struggle as he grounds out to short stop to end the UK 7th
We remain tied 8-8
Oh wow you can see something now, one of their lights from the 70s must've warmed up
Full count as the lights begin to come on at the ballpark. Still not hitting full effect yet. Seems a bit late to be turning them one as we can tell a big difference on camera now. Weird. Leadoff walk.
Guilfoil struggling as Roszel comes out to visit him. Guifoil really filling up the strikezone with fastballs and he throws another one and paints the outside corner for out number 1. Some of these are hittable fastballs that could be driven, but that last one was a beaut.
Guilfoil falls behind 2-0 before getting a strike and then Rubalcaba easily throws out the runner trying to steal. I don't know what that was, but he was a good 5 feet from the bag when Ritter tagged the runner. I don't know if that was a missed call or what, but that was easy as it gets. Full count drawn and then a walk. So, that caught stealing was massive.
UK now going to go to the bullpen and lift Guilfoil. I expect to see Harney here. Seems like a weird time to lift the guy with two outs, but that is what we will get and Harney.
Guilfoil struggling as Roszel comes out to visit him. Guifoil really filling up the strikezone with fastballs and he throws another one and paints the outside corner for out number 1. Some of these are hittable fastballs that could be driven, but that last one was a beaut.
Guilfoil falls behind 2-0 before getting a strike and then Rubalcaba easily throws out the runner trying to steal. I don't know what that was, but he was a good 5 feet from the bag when Ritter tagged the runner. I don't know if that was a missed call or what, but that was easy as it gets. Full count drawn and then a walk. So, that caught stealing was massive.
UK now going to go to the bullpen and lift Guilfoil. I expect to see Harney here. Seems like a weird time to lift the guy with two outs, but that is what we will get and Harney.
Radio guy basically said that they turned them on right near the start of this inning. Weird that they wouldn't already be on. I guess it's the first game jitters for support staff as well. lol
Ahh, Reeves is up, top of the lineup, so that is why they went to Harney. Reeves had the huge home run the last at bat, so they want to make sure he doesn't hurt them here. He gets a decent pitch, but he gets under it and it goes as a deep fly in right field that Fogel takes to end the 7th.
Still tied 8-8.
Still tied 8-8.
8-8 in the top of the 8th and I just "8" a sandwich....maybe the stars are aligning for a UK win here
JSU going to go with the same pitcher in the 8th to face Jump. Jump gets the early jump and then drives one, but it is right at Reeves in center for the first out. He drove that one well, looked really good off the bat, but it was just to well struck.
Plastiak then tries to kill the pitcher as he drives one head high right back up the middle. Hatchcock might need to check his pants after that single for Plastiak.
They will check on him on the mound and they will go to the bullpen. He is fine, didn't get hit, but after UK hitters put good metal on it, the Gamecocks decide to switch it up and will send their 1st baseman to the mound.
Plastiak then tries to kill the pitcher as he drives one head high right back up the middle. Hatchcock might need to check his pants after that single for Plastiak.
They will check on him on the mound and they will go to the bullpen. He is fine, didn't get hit, but after UK hitters put good metal on it, the Gamecocks decide to switch it up and will send their 1st baseman to the mound.
Jackson will be the new first baseman for JSU. Causey will go from first to pitcher and he throws submarine style as a righty.
Fogel up in the 4 hole with Plastiak at first with 1 out. He see ball one. Whew, not much velocity on this pitch that just kind of falls out of the zone as it gets to the plate. Fogel now behind 1-2, and he ends up going down swinging. Probably hard to adjust to this arm slot.
Estep out of the 5 spot and he's started with a strike. Estep will have a lot of time to see this pitch as it comes from a wide arm angle. He falls behind 1-2 as well. He battles and fouls a couple away. Wild pitch puts Plastiak into scoring position. Catcher and pitcher got mixed up as ball went inside and catcher went out. He swings at one in the dirt to end the inning.
8-8 going to the bottom of the 8th.
Estep out of the 5 spot and he's started with a strike. Estep will have a lot of time to see this pitch as it comes from a wide arm angle. He falls behind 1-2 as well. He battles and fouls a couple away. Wild pitch puts Plastiak into scoring position. Catcher and pitcher got mixed up as ball went inside and catcher went out. He swings at one in the dirt to end the inning.
8-8 going to the bottom of the 8th.
This is just game 1 and I am going to try to continue to stay positive, but this hasn't been a great game for UK, nor the start that I wanted. As I mentioned at one point, I wanted to see UK offense put up over 7 runs and the pitching to keep JSU to under 3. Instead, we're here at 8-8. The runs are great, but UK has struck out a good bit, and I'm not a fan of that against a pitching staff that isn't all that great.
Harney back out. Expect him to find a bit more of a groove as he goes on. He starts with a strike and then a low and away pitch for a ball. That ball was a good pitch though, would be a great 2 strike pitch. A little breaking ball falls under the bat twice in a row for the first out of the 8th for Harney.
Slow roller to second is swallowed up by Harris and he throws on to first to get an easy out number 2. Good range there by Harris on that one.
Crowe up again. He had a 3 run shot earlier, but Harney works ahead of him early getting to 0-2 without giving him anything easy to hit. Crowe works his way back to even. Harney got away with one a bit as Crowe was late on it, but it was cutting middle. Now full count with 2 outs. He gets the swinging strikeout to end the 8th.
8-8
Slow roller to second is swallowed up by Harris and he throws on to first to get an easy out number 2. Good range there by Harris on that one.
Crowe up again. He had a 3 run shot earlier, but Harney works ahead of him early getting to 0-2 without giving him anything easy to hit. Crowe works his way back to even. Harney got away with one a bit as Crowe was late on it, but it was cutting middle. Now full count with 2 outs. He gets the swinging strikeout to end the 8th.
8-8
Anu leading off the UK 9th. He will again hit from the left side. He takes the first pitch, going down to a knee and it goes way foul, but he made some big contact on that one despite being way out in front. Same big swing and to a knee, but no contact on this one. Weak grounder to the pitcher and Causey throws it like he plays first base and barely makes it to the corner bag, but it goes for the first out.
Harris now up. A couple of swings and he's behind 1-2. He waits back on a hanging curve and fouls it off to stay alive. He leans into a pitch and takes it off the knee and he gets first base. He definitely stuck the knee out on that one and he'll get the base for it. Smart play when down in the count and struggling with the slow pitch.
Rubalcaba with a chance to get UK a lead. Rubalcaba falls behind and on an 0-2 pitch he thinks it is going to hit him, but it dives into the zone and Rubalcaba goes down looking for out number 2. It honestly wasn't close to hitting him at all, but it did have some tail.
Thrasher and the 9 hole coming in. He shows bunt again and offers at it and misses one right down the middle. Have to get that down, even though I don't like the strategy. He gets the green light it seems as he now looks to hit and gets to 3-1 and a chance to turn the lineup over. Ball 4. Big at bat by Thrasher to draw the walk.
Ritter with his chance of redemption after being 0-5 so far. Ritter falls behind, but he trickles one through the infield and UK scores Harris from first.
UK leads 9-8
Harris now up. A couple of swings and he's behind 1-2. He waits back on a hanging curve and fouls it off to stay alive. He leans into a pitch and takes it off the knee and he gets first base. He definitely stuck the knee out on that one and he'll get the base for it. Smart play when down in the count and struggling with the slow pitch.
Rubalcaba with a chance to get UK a lead. Rubalcaba falls behind and on an 0-2 pitch he thinks it is going to hit him, but it dives into the zone and Rubalcaba goes down looking for out number 2. It honestly wasn't close to hitting him at all, but it did have some tail.
Thrasher and the 9 hole coming in. He shows bunt again and offers at it and misses one right down the middle. Have to get that down, even though I don't like the strategy. He gets the green light it seems as he now looks to hit and gets to 3-1 and a chance to turn the lineup over. Ball 4. Big at bat by Thrasher to draw the walk.
Ritter with his chance of redemption after being 0-5 so far. Ritter falls behind, but he trickles one through the infield and UK scores Harris from first.
UK leads 9-8
Would have liked to have seen Darren Williams get an inning of work in. I’m hoping he can make the jump to the SEC.
He's very possibly our closer.
With that, here's a negative... UK gave up 8 runs to Jacksonville State while arguably using their ace and three of their best relievers. Still a lot of guns left in the pen, but would have liked to have seen the others be like Harney and really shut them down.
I agree. First game of the year, you never know what can happen. I like that they found a way to make a clutch hit or get on base however they could. Watching the media day coverage Stupp talked about how this team was experienced and the guys just know how to win. He kind of threw some of last years guys under the bus a little bit saying that they didn't have that before. He said this team is guys who are going to do what it takes to win, and it happened just like he said. I think regardless of who you play in the first game of the year, for your Friday night ace to get beat up like he did and your Golden Spikes watch list guy to have a terrible game and still come away with the win? I'll take it.
Miss State lost, ECU lost, Arkansas lost, Auburn lost, SC barely snuck by UNCG, Bama barely beat Xavier, a ranked Duke lost.... I think it could definitely have been a lot worse.
The other thing to think about is these guys haven't been outside with any consistancy in a long time. Fielding indoors and pitching off a cage mound is totally different than being outside.
Let's see what Cotto and Bosma have to say Saturday and Sunday and then evaluate. If I remember right, JSU only had 1 lefty in the lineup tonight. Should be interesting what the 2 lefties do against a primarily right handed hitting lineup.
Still haven’t stated how you knew the weekend pitching rotation before it was posted. ??
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