The road ahead for UK....

[Black Diamond Cat]

Cats have 8 regular season games remaining, starting tomorrow @ Indiana. Then we host Miss. State this weekend in the finale for the Cliff. then a game against Murray State in Paducah, and wind up the regular season @ Vandy.
If the Cats could go 5-3, that would put their season record at 35-20, if they win 4 of the fianal 6 SEC games, they would finish at 15-15, win 1 or 2 SEC tourney games, and the regional host card is very much in play. Go 4-4 and 3-3 in SEC play, still get into the NCAA tourney, but will have to go on the road, most likely to Michigan or Minnesota, a Big 10 site.
So these final 8 games are going to be full of drama for the team and for the fans, here's hoping for at least a 5-3 ending or better for the Baseball Cats !

 

[sluggercatfan]

Cats have 8 regular season games remaining, starting tomorrow @ Indiana. Then we host Miss. State this weekend in the finale for the Cliff. then a game against Murray State in Paducah, and wind up the regular season @ Vandy.
If the Cats could go 5-3, that would put their season record at 35-20, if they win 4 of the fianal 6 SEC games, they would finish at 15-15, win 1 or 2 SEC tourney games, and the regional host card is very much in play. Go 4-4 and 3-3 in SEC play, still get into the NCAA tourney, but will have to go on the road, most likely to Michigan or Minnesota, a Big 10 site.
So these final 8 games are going to be full of drama for the team and for the fans, here's hoping for at least a 5-3 ending or better for the Baseball Cats !

Would like to do 6-2 , but I guess that's being a little greedy...mst is 7-3 in its last ten with an impressive sweep of Ark highlighting that streak.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Would like to do 6-2 , but I guess that's being a little greedy...mst is 7-3 in its last ten with an impressive sweep of Ark highlighting that streak.

Need to start it off right tomorrow @ IU. The Hoosiers were swept this weekend at Minnesota, so they are looking to get back on track against us.
I am guessing we go with either Harper or Haake to start the game, and each one goes 2 or 3 innings, then maybe Ramsey or Schaenzer to get hopefully to Machamer, and a big road win.

 

[ulismyman]

No way he puts Haake in another meaningful game...let him pitch against Murray

 

[167Hike]

When do we start to question the coaching of the pitchers? Or how much of it is Thompson's injury that just pushed guys out of their roll? Yesterdays game was another example of us leaving a starter in 2 or 4 batters too long. But at the same time I don't know who we could have gone to that would have been a safe move (after how we used our bullpen Friday and Saturday).

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

No way he puts Haake in another meaningful game...let him pitch against Murray

Haake pitched pretty well in Knoxville, he actually was the winning pitcher Saturday.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

When do we start to question the coaching of the pitchers? Or how much of it is Thompson's injury that just pushed guys out of their roll? Yesterdays game was another example of us leaving a starter in 2 or 4 batters too long. But at the same time I don't know who we could have gone to that would have been a safe move (after how we used our bullpen Friday and Saturday).

J Lew's mistake yesterday was hitting the guy before the HR, he had a 1-2 count on him and let one get away. He had thrown 95 or 96 pitches, and was seeming to tire a little. Not having Coleman available hurt the bullpen.

 

[sluggercatfan]

When do we start to question the coaching of the pitchers? Or how much of it is Thompson's injury that just pushed guys out of their roll? Yesterdays game was another example of us leaving a starter in 2 or 4 batters too long. But at the same time I don't know who we could have gone to that would have been a safe move (after how we used our bullpen Friday and Saturday).

Didn't score enough runs against a very poor ut staff

 

[AgesBlue]

Cats have 8 regular season games remaining, starting tomorrow @ Indiana. Then we host Miss. State this weekend in the finale for the Cliff. then a game against Murray State in Paducah, and wind up the regular season @ Vandy.
If the Cats could go 5-3, that would put their season record at 35-20, if they win 4 of the fianal 6 SEC games, they would finish at 15-15, win 1 or 2 SEC tourney games, and the regional host card is very much in play. Go 4-4 and 3-3 in SEC play, still get into the NCAA tourney, but will have to go on the road, most likely to Michigan or Minnesota, a Big 10 site.
So these final 8 games are going to be full of drama for the team and for the fans, here's hoping for at least a 5-3 ending or better for the Baseball Cats !

Good post, the road to NCAA tourney needs to start tomorrow at IU. Interesting that you mention Minnesota and Michigan sites if we do not host. Minnesota has a 32-12 record, 14-3 in Big 10 play. They have an RPI of 14. They sure look primed to host a regional, and they have options other than their small capacity stadium ie. Target Field, home of the Twins, and U S Bank stadium, where the Super Bowl was played this season, UM has actually played games already in both stadiums.
Another plot would be returning home for Luke Becker, Sean Hjelle, and Jimmy Ramsey, all 3 natives of the Gopher State !

 

[Comebakatz3]

Would like to do 6-2 , but I guess that's being a little greedy...mst is 7-3 in its last ten with an impressive sweep of Ark highlighting that streak.

Miss State hasn't played overly well on the road. They have yet to win a road series other than Bama this past weekend, and they really struggled and needed some late rallies to get wins in two of the games.

We also haven't played overly well on the road, so this one being at home should be very beneficial.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Good post, the road to NCAA tourney needs to start tomorrow at IU. Interesting that you mention Minnesota and Michigan sites if we do not host. Minnesota has a 32-12 record, 14-3 in Big 10 play. They have an RPI of 14. They sure look primed to host a regional, and they have options other than their small capacity stadium ie. Target Field, home of the Twins, and U S Bank stadium, where the Super Bowl was played this season, UM has actually played games already in both stadiums.
Another plot would be returning home for Luke Becker, Sean Hjelle, and Jimmy Ramsey, all 3 natives of the Gopher State !

That Minnesota scenario is very interesting, hope we are a host of course, but if not, that could very well be a destination as a 2 seed in a regional. Let's just win baby, and keep it at the Cliff !

 

[GGCAT]

Minnesota would be a likely destination if they continue to rise up the polls, as there certainly wouldn't be a lot of teams in proximity to them that you could place there.

Connecticut would be in the same boat as well, with not a lot of natural matchups.

If we don't host, my guess is that were somewhere in North Carolina. (Chapel Hill, Raleigh or Greenville)

Saw one projected bracket this morning that had us in Chapel Hill.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

If we are not able to host, my preference would have been a regional in Indiana, as it's close and I think they're beatable. #2 choice would be Minny, but not sure if we'd be sent there. UCONN would also be a good destination for us, as we can beat that team.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Minnesota would be a likely destination if they continue to rise up the polls, as there certainly wouldn't be a lot of teams in proximity to them that you could place there.

Connecticut would be in the same boat as well, with not a lot of natural matchups.

If we don't host, my guess is that were somewhere in North Carolina. (Chapel Hill, Raleigh or Greenville)

Saw one projected bracket this morning that had us in Chapel Hill.

IF we can't be a regional host, going to Minny would be pretty cool. Playing either at the Twins ball park, or the new Super Stadium where the Vikings play would be a trip !