Baseball vs Samford

[AU64 10,122]

Ouch ....got the game on streaming just in time to find that Samford scored 6 runs in the top of the first and AU responded by stranding 2 runners in the bottom of the inning. 

Guess I will have to wait and listen to the announcers to tell us what happened that allowed the game to get away from the Tigers so quickly.

Looks like AU is suffering from one of their famous mid-week slumps...

[AU64 10,122]

OK...in second Samford gets two walks but runners are left on base thanks to a K and a squibber to Robert at first base.....4 walks by AU pitching today thus far....and sme timely hits by Samford. 

AU coming to bat in bottom of 2nd

[AU64 10,122]

Looking back...Sprinkle started the game...responsible for all six runs .....gave up two walks and was pulled after he got one out....bad start for him.  Herndon came in and finished the inning and has done pretty well since then.

[AU64 10,122]

OK...Herndon wiggles off the hook...had runners on base, man on 3rd with one out but got him at the plate and also picked off a runner.  Struggling a bit but some good defense behind him. 

Still trailing Samford 6-0t

[AU64 10,122]

Well....AU battling back and Robert clears the bases with a double into the left center gap and the score is now down 6-5 with Anthony at bat.

 

Looking like the FAMU game last week.....off to a sleepy start but finally found their bats.

[AU64 10,122]

Well, Anthony goes down looking for out 3 but it's a new ball game....

[AU64 10,122]

Klobositz gets out of a little trouble but a grounder to short ends the inning and AU comes to bat trailing by one....6-5

[AU64 10,122]

The down side of the game is that Samford has 9 hits to AU's 3.....Tigers fortunate to be in the game still.

Ingram singles and Decker takes one in the back and we have 2 on and no outs....Ingram advances to 3rd on liner to right....very nice catch by the Samford RF.

Logan grounds into an inning ending DP leaving Ingram at first....

AU still trailing 6-5

[AU64 10,122]

And Klobo gets out of trouble again...couple walks but get a DP to end the inning and leave a runner stranded.  Pitchers have struggled ....hits and walks but managed to keep Samford off the scoreboard after the first.  

Bottom of the 6th...

[AU64 10,122]

OK....AU up and down in order.....and Samford coming to bat in top of 7th still in the lead

[au302 2,669]

Can't afford to keep getting behind in these mid-week games. Don't want to waste Lipscomb by starting him in these games. 

[AU64 10,122]

Samford starts the inning with a single.....they have a hitting team....no doubt....putting runners on base almost every inning.  Another single to center and two runners on and no outs...

 

Looked like Klobo was going to get out of trouble....two Ks but then a single up the middle drives in run #7.....Samford up by 2. 

Next batter walks and the bases are loaded and GK's day is done.

[AU64 10,122]

Calvin Coker comes in with bases loaded and 2 down.....needs to keep the game in reach....Coker is a side arm pitcher with a nasty slider.....

A couple quick strikes and the batter worked a full count before bouncing to Anthony at 3rd who fired across to first to end the inning.

 

So AU comes to bat trailing by 2

[AU64 10,122]

Well....wife has advise that dinner is served.....someone else can take it from here.....and maybe coax a win. 

[AU64 10,122]

Well darn.....came back after dinner and game was over.

 Samford hangs on to win 7-6 after AU scores a run in the bottom of 9th but can't push across the run that would tie the game.  Sprinkle takes the the loss....6 ERs in 1/3 of an inning.....his ERA must be approaching infinity....youngster is off to a bad start for the season and we really need him. hope he is able to pull his game together. 

Herndon had several pretty good innings and Klobositz had a tough day too but managed to escape trouble after he took over from Herndon.....allowed I think it was 9 base runners in less than 3 innings but only one run to help keep the game in reach.  Coker closed out the game.   AU pitchers gave up 9BBs and 12 hits to make things hard on themselves...probably fortunate to still have a chance to win in the ninth. 

Samford just seems to give us a hard time......hate that.....

[augolf1716 21,123]

thanks for the updates 64

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Damn, that Anthony has an arm. Saw him make that one play, the ball is just a blur going to first. Noticed Kaylee Carlson and McKayla Martin in the stands during the 7th and 8th.

[au302 2,669]

I'm a little troubled by some of CBT's in-game decisions. A couple times we'd have runners on first and second with no outs. I believe once or twice Jarvis was up. Yes, he can hit, but I don't see why we don't bunt. If it was Daniel Robert or Josh Anthony I'm ok with letting them swing, but I just don't see why you don't bunt them over. We lost a lot of close games last year. Today we had to come back but damn. I like CBT, I'm not trying to complain because I like this team he's assembled, I'm just a little curious about some of his choices

[Mikey 16,587]

38 minutes ago, au302 said:

I'm a little troubled by some of CBT's in-game decisions. A couple times we'd have runners on first and second with no outs. I believe once or twice Jarvis was up. Yes, he can hit, but I don't see why we don't bunt. If it was Daniel Robert or Josh Anthony I'm ok with letting them swing, but I just don't see why you don't bunt them over. We lost a lot of close games last year. Today we had to come back but damn. I like CBT, I'm not trying to complain because I like this team he's assembled, I'm just a little curious about some of his choices

Just so you know, I'm notorious for not liking the idea of trading an out for a base, or in the case of a messed-up bunt, which happens a LOT, trading an out for nothing. I'll side with Coach on this one. If you want to win, somebody is going to have to HIT THE DAMN BALL!

 

[au302 2,669]

12 hours ago, Mikey said:

Just so you know, I'm notorious for not liking the idea of trading an out for a base, or in the case of a messed-up bunt, which happens a LOT, trading an out for nothing. I'll side with Coach on this one. If you want to win, somebody is going to have to HIT THE DAMN BALL!

 

Your right, and for the most part we did make that effort. I'm just concerned why we don't do that with zero outs. Look, last year we had guys who could kill the ball. It leads to several big innings but we also stranded a lot of runners. We have bats this year but they're not as "powerful" as last years guys. I'm not saying they can't hit as well, but I think this team isn't made for gorilla ball. If CBT wants to do the "let em hit" strategy that's fine with me. He knows what he's doing. Sure, theres a chance someone messes up a bunt, but sometimes you have to take risks. 

[AU64 10,122]

2 hours ago, au302 said:

Your right, and for the most part we did make that effort. I'm just concerned why we don't do that with zero outs. Look, last year we had guys who could kill the ball. It leads to several big innings but we also stranded a lot of runners. We have bats this year but they're not as "powerful" as last years guys. I'm not saying they can't hit as well, but I think this team isn't made for gorilla ball. If CBT wants to do the "let em hit" strategy that's fine with me. He knows what he's doing. Sure, theres a chance someone messes up a bunt, but sometimes you have to take risks. 

The odds are probably higher that a singles hitter will hit into a double play or strike out....than mess up a bunt attempt.   I don't know the stats but I bet our .250 hitters have a better than 1 in 4 chance of getting their bunt down. I hate the thought that we are back to the situation where it takes 3 singles to get a run in.