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Kentucky v. South Carolina (Sunday)

I was really hoping for 3 of 4 this week, if we win today, has been a darn good week.
 
These creams are awesome, but it is weird to not be wearing black with JLew on the mound.

Great first out by Becker is a great play after it comes back up the middle at Lewis and he knocks it down.
 
Not exactly the start I wanted as Lewis gets hit pretty hard. Still, the first two innings are almost always key for Lewis.
 
Not sure that I like the stirrup socks that aren't actually stirrup socks. Get actual stirrups, or at least have the stripe go higher than that.
 
They really gave Dawson an error for that throw? Ridiculous.

That definitely was not a routine play. He either rushes that throw and it is poorly thrown, or the hitter is safe. No way that he makes it by taking his time.
 
Chapman really grooved those two pitches right down Broadway. They were both no doubters for UK hitters.

Heyer went down swinging. Seems like Chapman settled in a bit and is really hitting that outside corner against the righties. Becker draws a walk! UK got a chance at a big time inning here if the bats keep alive.
 
Huge key after this inning will be JLew coming in and shutting down South Carolina in the second. I hit on it constantly, but when JLew struggles it is usually in the first or the second. So, getting over that hump would be huge and would help UK possibly pile on a few more runs before USC gets a chance.

Already a pitching mound visit for USC.
 
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Becker tried to steal second and gets thrown out. Pretty dumb move there. He is out by a mile. Have to stop that. Our most dangerous hitter at the dish and we get an out on the bases while their pitcher is struggling. Just silly.
 
Run ourselves out of another inning...oh well, i guess we can't complain after getting off to such a good start.
 
What I don't understand is that we seem to run with strange people and at strange times. In the first inning with 1 out it makes no sense to try to move Becker up 90 feet with a steal when the starter has struggled with back to back home runs and a walk. Cottam was possibly about to walk and someone on the bases was somewhat rattling Chapman. Not to mention that the USC catcher is pretty darn good at throwing out hitters.
 
UK gets out of the second with no damage done. UK winning 2-0. JLew gave up a 2 out walk (which should have been a strikeout looking IMO), but other than that he took care of business. That is a very good sign for UK.
 
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UK getting some pretty solid sticks on Chapman but some of them are just getting right under it or they are right at someone. Still, good that we are seeing him pretty well right now.

ARod with a strong two out single into left. Good to see him get a hit. Either he or Johnson need to step up at the dish as both are struggling some in SEC play. Dawson got good wood on it and almost made it through the left side, but he's thrown out for out 3. Good play saves a run.
 
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Lewis continues to have a problem giving up home runs. He gives up a solo shot to Cortes.
 
Lewis grooved that one down main street and Cortes didn't miss it. Hit it way over the UK sign. 2-1.

UK probably going to have to score a good chunk of runs to win this game.
 
Lewis gets out of the third with no more damage. UK up 2-1 in the bottom 3.

I have to say... just seems like both Haake and Lewis leave a ton of stuff right down the middle, and most of the time it is when they are ahead in the count.
 
Chapman is getting low and outside against right handed hitters and it is basically unhittable. Heyer has been victim to that spot several times, but he smacks one through the middle of the infield for a two out single. That is about all he could do with that pitch.
 
A low pitch and Heyer moves up to second. Great jump on that one and UK a bit fortunate that Taylor didn't field the ball entirely cleanly or we might have been out again.
 
Once again, seems like Chapman is somewhat struggling with runners on base. He is 3-0 against Becker with Heyer on... and he walks him. That is why the decision to steal in the first is so frustrating. Cottam up now with two outs and two on.
 
Whoa... a ton of luck there as Cottam swings at the first pitch and grounds one back to the pitcher and it goes off Chapman's glove and goes for a lucky lucky infield hit.
 
I'm frustrated with that strategy from Cottam and Guilliams. Chapman just threw 4 straight balls and Cottam goes after the first pitch, which was fairly low and but for that lucky bounce off the glove we'd be going to the 4th. He could have just been much more patient and found a much better pitch to drive.

Either way, it doesn't work out as Collett fouls out to third base. He is just terrible with the bases loaded. He has probably had more chances than anyone, and he is the guy that you want to have those chances and he's something like 2-9.
 
I'm frustrated with that strategy from Cottam and Guilliams. Chapman just threw 4 straight balls and Cottam goes after the first pitch, which was fairly low and but for that lucky bounce off the glove we'd be going to the 4th. He could have just been much more patient and found a much better pitch to drive.

Either way, it doesn't work out as Collett fouls out to third base. He is just terrible with the bases loaded. He has probably had more chances than anyone, and he is the guy that you want to have those chances and he's something like 2-9.

Most grand slams never happen when someone is trying to hit one. Makes himself easy to pitch to when people know he’s swinging for the fences.
 
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No two out clutch hitting by TJ. That has to change.

The somewhat weird thing about Collett is that there doesn't seem to be much in between for him in regards to power. It seems like he hits a pop up, a relatively weak grounder, or he hits it a long long way. There do not seem to be a lot of line drives in the gaps. Not sure if that is a product of how he takes his cuts or what, but I think if he wants to be successful he needs to start driving the ball a bit more consistently and hitting for some more gap power.
 
Ugh... second error of the game as Cottam gets a weak grounder behind first but can't pick it up. This is especially bad given that Lewis has lost a bit of his control and is falling behind on hitters. Very dangerous spot here for UK.
 
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