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OWH: Freshman's first career home run helps Huskers past Mavs in 10th
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OWH: Freshman's first career home run helps NU
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OWH: Freshman's first career home run helps NU
LJS: Schreiber homers to lift Huskers in 10 innings
PAPILLION - Scott Schreiber hit the brand new scoreboard during batting practice, then slammed a long fly ball to the left of the scoreboard with two outs in the top of the 10th inning to give Nebraska a 3-2 victory Wednesday night over Nebraska-Omaha at Werner Park.
"It felt pretty good and I did get to see the end of the ball hitting the stands," said Schreiber, a Husker freshman from Menasha, Wisconsin, who was known for his power but hadn't hit a college home run until there were two outs and the game was tied and many of the 4,183 fans were standing and screaming.
"I went through that at-bat mentally all night long," said Schreiber, who didn't enter the game until the sixth inning. "That way, if I get called to hit, I'm already in the game."
Nebraska's Josh Roeder ended the drama when he struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th.
"That was some great baseball," said Nebraska coach Darin Erstad, whose Huskers (23-7) have 16 wins in their last 17 games. "I was feeling really smart to have Scott out of the lineup with the wind blowing out to left at 117 miles per hour. We needed to get Austin Christensen some at bats, he's a big part of our plan.
"Scott stayed ready," said Erstad. "Not only the homer but the pick (out of the dirt) for a double play in the eighth. Just an awesome night."
No. 18 Nebraska travels to College Park, Maryland, to face the No. 17 Terrapins in a three-game Big Ten series that starts Friday night at 5:35 p.m.
UNO (13-12) was up to the challenge against the Huskers. The Mavericks jumped on NU starter Zack Engelken for a run in the first.
Jake Schleppenbach, who had two hits, singled in Jake Placzek in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1.
Alex Schultz then put UNO back in the lead in the fifth with a home run to left off the outstretched glove of Luis Alvarado, who had jumped high enough to stretch at least a foot over the left-field wall.
Cole Gruber then doubled off Alvarado's glove, again, and Clayton Taylor hit a ball to the warning track in center, but Ryan Boldt made the catch to end the inning.
"That's a good team, and we didn't take advantage of our opportunities when we could have scored some more," said UNO coach Bob Herold. "We had some freshman-itis. Nebraska put on a great hit-and-run to get that first run. That home run (by Schreiber), well that was a good swing on a pitch."
Nebraska tied the game in the seventh when Boldt singled and scored on Schleppenbach's double down the left-field line. Blake Headley then flied out to center, but Schultz threw a dart to third to catch Schleppenbach.
"That was a great play, great throw and that's really good baseball by UNO," Erstad said.
Schultz, a junior, finished the game with two doubles, the home run and two stunning catches to go with his dazzling throw.
LJS: Schreiber homers to lift Huskers in 10
PAPILLION - Scott Schreiber hit the brand new scoreboard during batting practice, then slammed a long fly ball to the left of the scoreboard with two outs in the top of the 10th inning to give Nebraska a 3-2 victory Wednesday night over Nebraska-Omaha at Werner Park.
"It felt pretty good and I did get to see the end of the ball hitting the stands," said Schreiber, a Husker freshman from Menasha, Wisconsin, who was known for his power but hadn't hit a college home run until there were two outs and the game was tied and many of the 4,183 fans were standing and screaming.
"I went through that at-bat mentally all night long," said Schreiber, who didn't enter the game until the sixth inning. "That way, if I get called to hit, I'm already in the game."
Nebraska's Josh Roeder ended the drama when he struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th.
"That was some great baseball," said Nebraska coach Darin Erstad, whose Huskers (23-7) have 16 wins in their last 17 games. "I was feeling really smart to have Scott out of the lineup with the wind blowing out to left at 117 miles per hour. We needed to get Austin Christensen some at bats, he's a big part of our plan.
"Scott stayed ready," said Erstad. "Not only the homer but the pick (out of the dirt) for a double play in the eighth. Just an awesome night."
No. 18 Nebraska travels to College Park, Maryland, to face the No. 17 Terrapins in a three-game Big Ten series that starts Friday night at 5:35 p.m.
UNO (13-12) was up to the challenge against the Huskers. The Mavericks jumped on NU starter Zack Engelken for a run in the first.
Jake Schleppenbach, who had two hits, singled in Jake Placzek in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1.
Alex Schultz then put UNO back in the lead in the fifth with a home run to left off the outstretched glove of Luis Alvarado, who had jumped high enough to stretch at least a foot over the left-field wall.
Cole Gruber then doubled off Alvarado's glove, again, and Clayton Taylor hit a ball to the warning track in center, but Ryan Boldt made the catch to end the inning.
"That's a good team, and we didn't take advantage of our opportunities when we could have scored some more," said UNO coach Bob Herold. "We had some freshman-itis. Nebraska put on a great hit-and-run to get that first run. That home run (by Schreiber), well that was a good swing on a pitch."
Nebraska tied the game in the seventh when Boldt singled and scored on Schleppenbach's double down the left-field line. Blake Headley then flied out to center, but Schultz threw a dart to third to catch Schleppenbach.
"That was a great play, great throw and that's really good baseball by UNO," Erstad said.
Schultz, a junior, finished the game with two doubles, the home run and two stunning catches to go with his dazzling throw.
LJS: Schreiber homers to lift Huskers in 10
NU: Schreiber Homers in Extras, NU Wins 3-2
Papillion, Neb. - Freshman Scott Schreiber found the perfect time for the first home run of his Husker career, as the Menasha, Wis., native broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 10th inning with a two-out solo home into the left field seats at Werner Park. Senior Josh Roeder took the mound in the bottom of the 10th and struck out the side to notch his ninth save of the season.
The No. 18 Huskers are now 23-7 on the year following the 3-2 win over the Omaha Mavericks.
The Mavs scored first on the night and after the Huskers tied the game 1-1 in the fifth, UNO retook the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the frame. NU tied the game again, 2-2, in the seventh and after neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, Schreiber delivered the biggest hit of his young Husker career.
After the Huskers stranded a pair of singles to start the game, the Mavs struck first on the night with a run in the bottom of the first. Alex Schultz led off the frame with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Clayton Taylor. Nebraska starter Zack Engelken lasted just 0.1 of an inning after giving up a double and two walks to three of UNO's first four batters.
Fellow freshman Jake Meyers took over for Engelken in the first with one out and a pair of runners on base, the Omaha Westside got two straight ground balls to limit the damage to one run. Meyers went on to throw a season-high 4.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits with a season-high four strikeouts.
Following a one-out single by Austin Christensen in the second, Omaha starter Shane Meltz hit a groove and retired 10 straight Huskers before Jake Placzek lined a single to left field with one out in the fifth. Meltz came back and got Ryan Boldt for the second out of the inning, but Placzek moved to second on the play. Jake Schleppenbach stepped up and drove a RBI single to right field that tied the game, 1-1. Meltz then walked Blake Headley before retiring Ben Miller to end the top of the fifth.
Meyers came out and retired the first two UNO batters he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but then Schultz came calling with a solo home run that just snuck over the left-field wall. Cole Gruber followed with a double, and the Huskers turned the ball to Jake Hohensee, who retired Taylor to end the fifth, but not before the Mavs regained the lead, 2-1.
The Huskers kept battling and tied the game in the seventh when Boldt led off with a single and scored all the way from first on a double by Schleppenbach. The Mavs then took back the momentum when Headley flew out to center, Schleppenbach tagged on the play and tried to take third, but was cut down on a perfect throw by Schultz. UNO reliever Corey Binger retired Ben Miller to end the inning with the game tied, 2-2.
Luis Alvarado led off the top of the eighth with second single of the night and was later in scoring position when he stole second base. The Huskers were unable to come up with a hit though and he was stranded at second at the end of the inning.
The Mavs then had a shot to score in the bottom of the eighth after Alex Mortensen hit a one-out double and NU reliever Max Knutson hit Daniel Jewitt. The HBP ended up helping the Huskers, as Knutson got a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
The Huskers had the go-ahead run on base in the top of the ninth when Boldt reached on an error by third baseman Justin Threlkeld and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Schleppenbach. NU would strand its 11th runner of the night though, as UNO reliever Zach Williamsen retired Headley and Miller in order.
Omaha then had its chance to end the game in the ninth when Threlkend led off with a single and was in scoring position with one out following a bunt. Knutson struck out pinch hitter Adam Caniglia looking and then had to face Schultz, who was 3-for-4 on the night with a home run and two doubles. NU's sophomore lefty won the battle and sent the game to extras with a 4-3 groundout.
The Huskers will be back in conference action this weekend with a three-game series against the Maryland Terrapins in College Park, Md. The Huskers and Terps open their series on Friday at 6:05 p.m. (CT), continue it on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. and wrap up the series on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. Friday's game will be shown live on the Big Ten Network, and Sunday's game will be shown on tape delay at 2 p.m.
NU: Schreiber Homers in Extras, NU Wins 3-2
Papillion, Neb. - Freshman Scott Schreiber found the perfect time for the first home run of his Husker career, as the Menasha, Wis., native broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 10th inning with a two-out solo home into the left field seats at Werner Park. Senior Josh Roeder took the mound in the bottom of the 10th and struck out the side to notch his ninth save of the season.
The No. 18 Huskers are now 23-7 on the year following the 3-2 win over the Omaha Mavericks.
The Mavs scored first on the night and after the Huskers tied the game 1-1 in the fifth, UNO retook the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the frame. NU tied the game again, 2-2, in the seventh and after neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, Schreiber delivered the biggest hit of his young Husker career.
After the Huskers stranded a pair of singles to start the game, the Mavs struck first on the night with a run in the bottom of the first. Alex Schultz led off the frame with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Clayton Taylor. Nebraska starter Zack Engelken lasted just 0.1 of an inning after giving up a double and two walks to three of UNO's first four batters.
Fellow freshman Jake Meyers took over for Engelken in the first with one out and a pair of runners on base, the Omaha Westside got two straight ground balls to limit the damage to one run. Meyers went on to throw a season-high 4.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits with a season-high four strikeouts.
Following a one-out single by Austin Christensen in the second, Omaha starter Shane Meltz hit a groove and retired 10 straight Huskers before Jake Placzek lined a single to left field with one out in the fifth. Meltz came back and got Ryan Boldt for the second out of the inning, but Placzek moved to second on the play. Jake Schleppenbach stepped up and drove a RBI single to right field that tied the game, 1-1. Meltz then walked Blake Headley before retiring Ben Miller to end the top of the fifth.
Meyers came out and retired the first two UNO batters he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but then Schultz came calling with a solo home run that just snuck over the left-field wall. Cole Gruber followed with a double, and the Huskers turned the ball to Jake Hohensee, who retired Taylor to end the fifth, but not before the Mavs regained the lead, 2-1.
The Huskers kept battling and tied the game in the seventh when Boldt led off with a single and scored all the way from first on a double by Schleppenbach. The Mavs then took back the momentum when Headley flew out to center, Schleppenbach tagged on the play and tried to take third, but was cut down on a perfect throw by Schultz. UNO reliever Corey Binger retired Ben Miller to end the inning with the game tied, 2-2.
Luis Alvarado led off the top of the eighth with second single of the night and was later in scoring position when he stole second base. The Huskers were unable to come up with a hit though and he was stranded at second at the end of the inning.
The Mavs then had a shot to score in the bottom of the eighth after Alex Mortensen hit a one-out double and NU reliever Max Knutson hit Daniel Jewitt. The HBP ended up helping the Huskers, as Knutson got a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
The Huskers had the go-ahead run on base in the top of the ninth when Boldt reached on an error by third baseman Justin Threlkeld and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Schleppenbach. NU would strand its 11th runner of the night though, as UNO reliever Zach Williamsen retired Headley and Miller in order.
Omaha then had its chance to end the game in the ninth when Threlkend led off with a single and was in scoring position with one out following a bunt. Knutson struck out pinch hitter Adam Caniglia looking and then had to face Schultz, who was 3-for-4 on the night with a home run and two doubles. NU's sophomore lefty won the battle and sent the game to extras with a 4-3 groundout.
The Huskers will be back in conference action this weekend with a three-game series against the Maryland Terrapins in College Park, Md. The Huskers and Terps open their series on Friday at 6:05 p.m. (CT), continue it on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. and wrap up the series on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. Friday's game will be shown live on the Big Ten Network, and Sunday's game will be shown on tape delay at 2 p.m.
NU: Schreiber Homers in Extras, NU Wins 3-2
UNO: Omaha Drops 3-2 Heartbreaker to Nebraska in Extras
PAPILLION, Neb. -- The Omaha and Nebraska baseball teams clashed in their first meeting of the season on Wednesday night, with NU prevailing 3-2 in 10 innings in front of 4,183 fans at Werner Park. The Mavericks are now 13-12 (6-3 Summit League) on the season, while the 18th-ranked Huskers improve to 23-7 (3-0 Big Ten).
Max Knutson (1-1) earned the win in relief, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings with two hits, no walks and a strikeout. Senior right-hander Zach Williamsen was tagged with the loss in relief, going 2.2 innings with no walks and two strikeouts while allowing NU the go-ahead run on a solo homer in the top of the 10th. Josh Roeder picked up his ninth save of the year for Nebraska, tossing a scoreless, hitless final inning and striking out the side.
Junior Alex Schultz had an outstanding night at the plate for Omaha, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles and a solo home run -- his second roundtripper of the season. Junior Cole Gruber joined him with another multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4.
Jake Schleppenbach went 2-for-4 while driving in two runs for the Huskers, and Luis Alvarado also had a pair of hits for the night.
Omaha took the lead first, tallying one run on a pair of hits in the bottom of the first inning. Schultz led off with a double to left center and later scored on junior Clayton Taylor's sacrifice fly to left. The Mavericks tallied a double and two walks over the first four batters in the lineup, ousting NU starter Zack Engelken after just 0.1 of an inning.
With UNO starter Shane Meltz retiring nine consecutive Husker batters beginning in the second inning, Nebraska was quiet until the top of the fifth. Jake Placzek came up with a one-out single through the left side and advanced on a groundout, then scored on an RBI single to right by Schleppenbach to tie it at 1-1.
The Mavericks quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame when Schultz ripped a solo homer to left on a 3-1 pitch with two outs, making it 2-1.
Nebraska, however, knotted the game once more in the seventh. Ryan Boldt singled through the right side and promptly scored on Schleppenbach's first-pitch RBI double down the left field line for a 2-2 tie.
After the game was sent to extra innings, Scott Schreiber delivered the first home run of his career in the top of the 10th by sending an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to put Nebraska up 3-2. Roeder then came in for the bottom of the 10th, shutting down Omaha with three straight strikeouts.
Omaha resumes Summit League play this weekend, hosting Western Illinois for a three-game series at the Ballpark at Boys Town, April 3-5. First pitch all three days is set for 1 p.m., and links to live stats and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
UNO: Omaha Drops 3-2 Heartbreaker to Nebraska
PAPILLION, Neb. -- The Omaha and Nebraska baseball teams clashed in their first meeting of the season on Wednesday night, with NU prevailing 3-2 in 10 innings in front of 4,183 fans at Werner Park. The Mavericks are now 13-12 (6-3 Summit League) on the season, while the 18th-ranked Huskers improve to 23-7 (3-0 Big Ten).
Max Knutson (1-1) earned the win in relief, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings with two hits, no walks and a strikeout. Senior right-hander Zach Williamsen was tagged with the loss in relief, going 2.2 innings with no walks and two strikeouts while allowing NU the go-ahead run on a solo homer in the top of the 10th. Josh Roeder picked up his ninth save of the year for Nebraska, tossing a scoreless, hitless final inning and striking out the side.
Junior Alex Schultz had an outstanding night at the plate for Omaha, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles and a solo home run -- his second roundtripper of the season. Junior Cole Gruber joined him with another multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4.
Jake Schleppenbach went 2-for-4 while driving in two runs for the Huskers, and Luis Alvarado also had a pair of hits for the night.
Omaha took the lead first, tallying one run on a pair of hits in the bottom of the first inning. Schultz led off with a double to left center and later scored on junior Clayton Taylor's sacrifice fly to left. The Mavericks tallied a double and two walks over the first four batters in the lineup, ousting NU starter Zack Engelken after just 0.1 of an inning.
With UNO starter Shane Meltz retiring nine consecutive Husker batters beginning in the second inning, Nebraska was quiet until the top of the fifth. Jake Placzek came up with a one-out single through the left side and advanced on a groundout, then scored on an RBI single to right by Schleppenbach to tie it at 1-1.
The Mavericks quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame when Schultz ripped a solo homer to left on a 3-1 pitch with two outs, making it 2-1.
Nebraska, however, knotted the game once more in the seventh. Ryan Boldt singled through the right side and promptly scored on Schleppenbach's first-pitch RBI double down the left field line for a 2-2 tie.
After the game was sent to extra innings, Scott Schreiber delivered the first home run of his career in the top of the 10th by sending an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to put Nebraska up 3-2. Roeder then came in for the bottom of the 10th, shutting down Omaha with three straight strikeouts.
Omaha resumes Summit League play this weekend, hosting Western Illinois for a three-game series at the Ballpark at Boys Town, April 3-5. First pitch all three days is set for 1 p.m., and links to live stats and audio will be available on OMavs.com.
UNO: Omaha Drops 3-2 Heartbreaker to Nebraska
D1 - Midweek Madness: Wednesday, April 1
Upset of the Day
Virginia Military Institute logoNo. 13 Virginia saw its five-game winning streak snapped in a 7-6 home loss to VMI on Wednesday. The Cavs did get three scoreless innings apiece from Alec Bettinger and Adam Haseley, but Jack Roberts, Tommy Doyle and Riley Cummins each struggled in one-inning stints. This is not a good loss for Virginia, as the Keydets are just 7-15 overall. Jordan Tarsovich and Will Malbon had two RBIs apiece to lead the VMI offense.
Five More Thoughts
Vanderbilt University logo1. Top-ranked Vanderbilt completed a two-game midweek sweep of Wofford with a 5-3 win Wednesday. John Kilichowski (6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) turned in a strong outing for the Commodores, rebounding nicely from a poor start last week against Middle Tennessee State. The two games against Wofford were very encouraging for Vanderbilt because some of its talented arms appear to be getting on track - Tyler Ferguson on Tuesday, and Kilichowski on Wednesday. As good as Vandy has been this season, its pitching staff has not yet come close to performing up to its capabilities, and if that component really clicks, look out.
University of Maryland, College Park logo2. No. 17 Maryland stumbled to a 1-3 record last week, losing a road series in frigid Ann Arbor against Michigan, but the Terrapins rebounded in strong fashion Wednesday with a 3-0 win against James Madison. Three Maryland pitchers - Kevin Mooney, Brian Shaffer (6 IP, 1 H, 0 R) and Alex Robinson - combined on a one-hit shutout. The Terps needed to build a little momentum heading into a huge showdown series against Nebraska this weekend - a set that could have regional hosting implications down the line.
UCS Santa Barbara logo3. UC Santa Barbara has gotten hot. The 12th-ranked Gauchos won the opener of their four-game home series against Fresno State 6-5 on Wednesday, giving them seven wins in their last eight games. Peter Maris (3-for-4) delivered a tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning after UCSB had squandered a four-run lead two innings earlier. Leadoff man Andrew Calica went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to extend his on-base streak to 27 games, and Robby Nesovic worked a scoreless ninth for his second save. The Gauchos needed someone to step up at the back of the bullpen after losing closer James Carter to injury, and the funky Nesovic looks like an excellent solution.
Clemson Tigers logo4. Clemson just can't get any momentum going. After losing a home series to Wake Forest for the first time since the 1970s, the Tigers beat Furman on Tuesday, then took another step back Wednesday with a 5-4 home loss to Presbyterian. And the way Clemson lost was characteristically heart-breaking: after the Blue Hose broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the top of the ninth, Clemson got a run back in the bottom of the frame and then had the bases loaded with just one out. And Tyler Slaton proceeded to hit into a game-ending 1-2-3 double play. The Tigers fell back to 14-14 heading into a do-or-die home series against North Carolina - a team that has had Clemson's number over the last decade.
Georgia Tech's Matt Gonzalez (Aaron Fitt)
Georgia Tech's Matt Gonzalez (Aaron Fitt)
5. Georgia Tech is the king of the Peach State, for now at least. A day after beating rival Georgia in Athens, the Yellow Jackets won another road game at Georgia State, 6-3, to improve to 5-0 this season against in-state opponents. The Jackets are now 2-0 against Georgia Southern (a team that owns a weekend series sweep against Georgia) and 1-0 against Georgia, Georgia State and Kennesaw State. A day after collecting three hits and four RBIs to lead a 13-hit assault against Georgia, Matt Gonzalez had two more hits to spearhead a balanced 11-hit attack against the Panthers. Ben Parr (5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER) turned in a solid start to earn the win for Tech.
D1 - Midweek Madness: Wednesday, April 1
Upset of the Day
Virginia Military Institute logoNo. 13 Virginia saw its five-game winning streak snapped in a 7-6 home loss to VMI on Wednesday. The Cavs did get three scoreless innings apiece from Alec Bettinger and Adam Haseley, but Jack Roberts, Tommy Doyle and Riley Cummins each struggled in one-inning stints. This is not a good loss for Virginia, as the Keydets are just 7-15 overall. Jordan Tarsovich and Will Malbon had two RBIs apiece to lead the VMI offense.
Five More Thoughts
Vanderbilt University logo1. Top-ranked Vanderbilt completed a two-game midweek sweep of Wofford with a 5-3 win Wednesday. John Kilichowski (6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) turned in a strong outing for the Commodores, rebounding nicely from a poor start last week against Middle Tennessee State. The two games against Wofford were very encouraging for Vanderbilt because some of its talented arms appear to be getting on track - Tyler Ferguson on Tuesday, and Kilichowski on Wednesday. As good as Vandy has been this season, its pitching staff has not yet come close to performing up to its capabilities, and if that component really clicks, look out.
University of Maryland, College Park logo2. No. 17 Maryland stumbled to a 1-3 record last week, losing a road series in frigid Ann Arbor against Michigan, but the Terrapins rebounded in strong fashion Wednesday with a 3-0 win against James Madison. Three Maryland pitchers - Kevin Mooney, Brian Shaffer (6 IP, 1 H, 0 R) and Alex Robinson - combined on a one-hit shutout. The Terps needed to build a little momentum heading into a huge showdown series against Nebraska this weekend - a set that could have regional hosting implications down the line.
UCS Santa Barbara logo3. UC Santa Barbara has gotten hot. The 12th-ranked Gauchos won the opener of their four-game home series against Fresno State 6-5 on Wednesday, giving them seven wins in their last eight games. Peter Maris (3-for-4) delivered a tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning after UCSB had squandered a four-run lead two innings earlier. Leadoff man Andrew Calica went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to extend his on-base streak to 27 games, and Robby Nesovic worked a scoreless ninth for his second save. The Gauchos needed someone to step up at the back of the bullpen after losing closer James Carter to injury, and the funky Nesovic looks like an excellent solution.
Clemson Tigers logo4. Clemson just can't get any momentum going. After losing a home series to Wake Forest for the first time since the 1970s, the Tigers beat Furman on Tuesday, then took another step back Wednesday with a 5-4 home loss to Presbyterian. And the way Clemson lost was characteristically heart-breaking: after the Blue Hose broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the top of the ninth, Clemson got a run back in the bottom of the frame and then had the bases loaded with just one out. And Tyler Slaton proceeded to hit into a game-ending 1-2-3 double play. The Tigers fell back to 14-14 heading into a do-or-die home series against North Carolina - a team that has had Clemson's number over the last decade.
Georgia Tech's Matt Gonzalez (Aaron Fitt)
Georgia Tech's Matt Gonzalez (Aaron Fitt)
5. Georgia Tech is the king of the Peach State, for now at least. A day after beating rival Georgia in Athens, the Yellow Jackets won another road game at Georgia State, 6-3, to improve to 5-0 this season against in-state opponents. The Jackets are now 2-0 against Georgia Southern (a team that owns a weekend series sweep against Georgia) and 1-0 against Georgia, Georgia State and Kennesaw State. A day after collecting three hits and four RBIs to lead a 13-hit assault against Georgia, Matt Gonzalez had two more hits to spearhead a balanced 11-hit attack against the Panthers. Ben Parr (5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER) turned in a solid start to earn the win for Tech.
D1 - Midweek Madness: Wednesday, April 1
D1 - The Fives: Effects Of New Baseballs
Ever since the introduction of BBCOR bats in 2011, college baseball has been in a state of imbalance, where power just seemed too hard to come by. With every ball that fell 40 feet short of the warning track during the College World Series, there grew a feeling that something needed to be changed. So before this season, the NCAA ordered the seams on regulation baseballs to be flattened, to the kind of loud and universal acclaim that we usually reserve for a new Beyonce album.
Yesterday, the NCAA released a report that attempted to quantify the effect of the new baseballs. In addition to having a pretty infographic, the report illuminates some revealing trends on exactly how much the new balls are affecting play. I have some thoughts on the raw data, as you might imagine.
1. Home runs are up 39 percent, which is good.
I don't think that's particularly controversial. While nobody wants to go back to the slow-pitch softball era of the late 1990s, the introduction of the BBCOR bats didn't so much turn college baseball into the exciting showcase of athleticism and tactics that we all hoped dead-ball baseball would be-it just reduced scoring. The reintroduction of a livelier ball has gotten the league average to 0.50 home runs per team per game, which keeps the threat of the home run alive-along with the strategic and dramatic baggage that carries-without making it the primary mode of offense, as it is in the major league game, where the league average was 0.86 home runs per team per game in 2014.
2. Strikeouts are up 10.5 percent, which is very bad.
The higher seams on the old baseball created more friction against the air as the ball went from the pitcher's hand to home plate, and while the conventional wisdom was that the increased friction would cause breaking pitches to break more, in fact, the lack of friction means the lower-seamed baseball moves more, because less friction means less in-flight stability. Less stability means a less predictable flight path and more fastball run, which leads to more swings-and-misses.
The result: teams are striking out 7.34 batters per nine innings, up from 6.64 last year. That's no good. Home runs, strikeouts and walks involve only the batter, catcher and pitcher. There's no running, relatively little teamwork and, most importantly, no plays on the bases. Runner-fielder confrontations are the most exciting play in baseball, particularly in college, where it's far from certain that a ball gets fielded cleanly. (More on that later.)
3. Even with more home runs and more strikeouts, college baseball is still more of slap-and-run game than major league baseball.
Not everyone likes this, but I do. I'd rather see more singles than home runs, because baserunners are fun. And even with the new ball, college baseball features a higher batting average (.269 to .251) and lower slugging percentage (.377 to .386), with fewer strikeouts (7.3 K/9 to 7.7 K/9). More players are involved in every play, and not every hit goes for extra bases. On a macro-level, this game would encourage contact skill over plate discipline and speed over power.
With that said, the bat and ball rule changes over the past five years seem to be aimed at bringing college baseball in line with the pro game, from a stylistic standpoint, so I might be alone in wanting to be distinct.
4. Bunts are down, but not enough.
Through this point in the 2014 season, college teams executed 0.74 sacrifice bunts per game, a number that has dropped to 0.66 bunts per game so far in 2015, which is nice, but we still have a ways to go until coaches realize that they only get 27 outs a game, and maybe trading one of them to move a guy from first to second in the third inning, while taking the bat out of your cleanup hitter's hands, is a bad idea.
Sorry if this is annoying.
5. Fielding percentage remains more or less constant.
As you'd expect, because I can't imagine a scenario in which changing the baseball would make it substantially easier to field the ball. As a spectator, I actually like that college defense is worse, on the aggregate. The MLB average fielding percentage was .984 last year, while in college this year, it's .964. That might not sound like a big difference, but errors are more than twice as common in the college game as they are in the pro game. We've got better measures for defense in the pro game than fielding percentage, but that's about the difference, defensively, between Zack Cozart (who's got a reputation as a very good defensive shortstop) and Hanley Ramirez (whose reputation as a defensive shortstop is that he's really a left fielder).
That bouncer to third base is an automatic out in the majors, but if there's a 3.6 percent chance it isn't, as is the case in college, that's a non-trivial chance that the kid boots it or throws the ball away, and that makes you lean forward on every routine defensive chance just a little more. It's not enough to generate so many errors that the bad defense is annoying, the way it is in tee-ball, but just enough to spice up the routine. It gives the college game a sense of unpredictability, a sense of riding the lightning, that you just don't get elsewhere.
D1 - The Fives: Effects Of New Baseballs
Ever since the introduction of BBCOR bats in 2011, college baseball has been in a state of imbalance, where power just seemed too hard to come by. With every ball that fell 40 feet short of the warning track during the College World Series, there grew a feeling that something needed to be changed. So before this season, the NCAA ordered the seams on regulation baseballs to be flattened, to the kind of loud and universal acclaim that we usually reserve for a new Beyonce album.
Yesterday, the NCAA released a report that attempted to quantify the effect of the new baseballs. In addition to having a pretty infographic, the report illuminates some revealing trends on exactly how much the new balls are affecting play. I have some thoughts on the raw data, as you might imagine.
1. Home runs are up 39 percent, which is good.
I don't think that's particularly controversial. While nobody wants to go back to the slow-pitch softball era of the late 1990s, the introduction of the BBCOR bats didn't so much turn college baseball into the exciting showcase of athleticism and tactics that we all hoped dead-ball baseball would be-it just reduced scoring. The reintroduction of a livelier ball has gotten the league average to 0.50 home runs per team per game, which keeps the threat of the home run alive-along with the strategic and dramatic baggage that carries-without making it the primary mode of offense, as it is in the major league game, where the league average was 0.86 home runs per team per game in 2014.
2. Strikeouts are up 10.5 percent, which is very bad.
The higher seams on the old baseball created more friction against the air as the ball went from the pitcher's hand to home plate, and while the conventional wisdom was that the increased friction would cause breaking pitches to break more, in fact, the lack of friction means the lower-seamed baseball moves more, because less friction means less in-flight stability. Less stability means a less predictable flight path and more fastball run, which leads to more swings-and-misses.
The result: teams are striking out 7.34 batters per nine innings, up from 6.64 last year. That's no good. Home runs, strikeouts and walks involve only the batter, catcher and pitcher. There's no running, relatively little teamwork and, most importantly, no plays on the bases. Runner-fielder confrontations are the most exciting play in baseball, particularly in college, where it's far from certain that a ball gets fielded cleanly. (More on that later.)
3. Even with more home runs and more strikeouts, college baseball is still more of slap-and-run game than major league baseball.
Not everyone likes this, but I do. I'd rather see more singles than home runs, because baserunners are fun. And even with the new ball, college baseball features a higher batting average (.269 to .251) and lower slugging percentage (.377 to .386), with fewer strikeouts (7.3 K/9 to 7.7 K/9). More players are involved in every play, and not every hit goes for extra bases. On a macro-level, this game would encourage contact skill over plate discipline and speed over power.
With that said, the bat and ball rule changes over the past five years seem to be aimed at bringing college baseball in line with the pro game, from a stylistic standpoint, so I might be alone in wanting to be distinct.
4. Bunts are down, but not enough.
Through this point in the 2014 season, college teams executed 0.74 sacrifice bunts per game, a number that has dropped to 0.66 bunts per game so far in 2015, which is nice, but we still have a ways to go until coaches realize that they only get 27 outs a game, and maybe trading one of them to move a guy from first to second in the third inning, while taking the bat out of your cleanup hitter's hands, is a bad idea.
Sorry if this is annoying.
5. Fielding percentage remains more or less constant.
As you'd expect, because I can't imagine a scenario in which changing the baseball would make it substantially easier to field the ball. As a spectator, I actually like that college defense is worse, on the aggregate. The MLB average fielding percentage was .984 last year, while in college this year, it's .964. That might not sound like a big difference, but errors are more than twice as common in the college game as they are in the pro game. We've got better measures for defense in the pro game than fielding percentage, but that's about the difference, defensively, between Zack Cozart (who's got a reputation as a very good defensive shortstop) and Hanley Ramirez (whose reputation as a defensive shortstop is that he's really a left fielder).
That bouncer to third base is an automatic out in the majors, but if there's a 3.6 percent chance it isn't, as is the case in college, that's a non-trivial chance that the kid boots it or throws the ball away, and that makes you lean forward on every routine defensive chance just a little more. It's not enough to generate so many errors that the bad defense is annoying, the way it is in tee-ball, but just enough to spice up the routine. It gives the college game a sense of unpredictability, a sense of riding the lightning, that you just don't get elsewhere.
D1 - The Fives: Effects Of New Baseballs
D1 - The Fives: Effects Of New Baseballs
Ever since the introduction of BBCOR bats in 2011, college baseball has been in a state of imbalance, where power just seemed too hard to come by. With every ball that fell 40 feet short of the warning track during the College World Series, there grew a feeling that something needed to be changed. So before this season, the NCAA ordered the seams on regulation baseballs to be flattened, to the kind of loud and universal acclaim that we usually reserve for a new Beyonce album.
Yesterday, the NCAA released a report that attempted to quantify the effect of the new baseballs. In addition to having a pretty infographic, the report illuminates some revealing trends on exactly how much the new balls are affecting play. I have some thoughts on the raw data, as you might imagine.
1. Home runs are up 39 percent, which is good.
I don't think that's particularly controversial. While nobody wants to go back to the slow-pitch softball era of the late 1990s, the introduction of the BBCOR bats didn't so much turn college baseball into the exciting showcase of athleticism and tactics that we all hoped dead-ball baseball would be-it just reduced scoring. The reintroduction of a livelier ball has gotten the league average to 0.50 home runs per team per game, which keeps the threat of the home run alive-along with the strategic and dramatic baggage that carries-without making it the primary mode of offense, as it is in the major league game, where the league average was 0.86 home runs per team per game in 2014.
2. Strikeouts are up 10.5 percent, which is very bad.
The higher seams on the old baseball created more friction against the air as the ball went from the pitcher's hand to home plate, and while the conventional wisdom was that the increased friction would cause breaking pitches to break more, in fact, the lack of friction means the lower-seamed baseball moves more, because less friction means less in-flight stability. Less stability means a less predictable flight path and more fastball run, which leads to more swings-and-misses.
The result: teams are striking out 7.34 batters per nine innings, up from 6.64 last year. That's no good. Home runs, strikeouts and walks involve only the batter, catcher and pitcher. There's no running, relatively little teamwork and, most importantly, no plays on the bases. Runner-fielder confrontations are the most exciting play in baseball, particularly in college, where it's far from certain that a ball gets fielded cleanly. (More on that later.)
3. Even with more home runs and more strikeouts, college baseball is still more of slap-and-run game than major league baseball.
Not everyone likes this, but I do. I'd rather see more singles than home runs, because baserunners are fun. And even with the new ball, college baseball features a higher batting average (.269 to .251) and lower slugging percentage (.377 to .386), with fewer strikeouts (7.3 K/9 to 7.7 K/9). More players are involved in every play, and not every hit goes for extra bases. On a macro-level, this game would encourage contact skill over plate discipline and speed over power.
With that said, the bat and ball rule changes over the past five years seem to be aimed at bringing college baseball in line with the pro game, from a stylistic standpoint, so I might be alone in wanting to be distinct.
4. Bunts are down, but not enough.
Through this point in the 2014 season, college teams executed 0.74 sacrifice bunts per game, a number that has dropped to 0.66 bunts per game so far in 2015, which is nice, but we still have a ways to go until coaches realize that they only get 27 outs a game, and maybe trading one of them to move a guy from first to second in the third inning, while taking the bat out of your cleanup hitter's hands, is a bad idea.
Sorry if this is annoying.
5. Fielding percentage remains more or less constant.
As you'd expect, because I can't imagine a scenario in which changing the baseball would make it substantially easier to field the ball. As a spectator, I actually like that college defense is worse, on the aggregate. The MLB average fielding percentage was .984 last year, while in college this year, it's .964. That might not sound like a big difference, but errors are more than twice as common in the college game as they are in the pro game. We've got better measures for defense in the pro game than fielding percentage, but that's about the difference, defensively, between Zack Cozart (who's got a reputation as a very good defensive shortstop) and Hanley Ramirez (whose reputation as a defensive shortstop is that he's really a left fielder).
That bouncer to third base is an automatic out in the majors, but if there's a 3.6 percent chance it isn't, as is the case in college, that's a non-trivial chance that the kid boots it or throws the ball away, and that makes you lean forward on every routine defensive chance just a little more. It's not enough to generate so many errors that the bad defense is annoying, the way it is in tee-ball, but just enough to spice up the routine. It gives the college game a sense of unpredictability, a sense of riding the lightning, that you just don't get elsewhere.
D1 - The Fives: Effects Of New Baseballs
Ever since the introduction of BBCOR bats in 2011, college baseball has been in a state of imbalance, where power just seemed too hard to come by. With every ball that fell 40 feet short of the warning track during the College World Series, there grew a feeling that something needed to be changed. So before this season, the NCAA ordered the seams on regulation baseballs to be flattened, to the kind of loud and universal acclaim that we usually reserve for a new Beyonce album.
Yesterday, the NCAA released a report that attempted to quantify the effect of the new baseballs. In addition to having a pretty infographic, the report illuminates some revealing trends on exactly how much the new balls are affecting play. I have some thoughts on the raw data, as you might imagine.
1. Home runs are up 39 percent, which is good.
I don't think that's particularly controversial. While nobody wants to go back to the slow-pitch softball era of the late 1990s, the introduction of the BBCOR bats didn't so much turn college baseball into the exciting showcase of athleticism and tactics that we all hoped dead-ball baseball would be-it just reduced scoring. The reintroduction of a livelier ball has gotten the league average to 0.50 home runs per team per game, which keeps the threat of the home run alive-along with the strategic and dramatic baggage that carries-without making it the primary mode of offense, as it is in the major league game, where the league average was 0.86 home runs per team per game in 2014.
2. Strikeouts are up 10.5 percent, which is very bad.
The higher seams on the old baseball created more friction against the air as the ball went from the pitcher's hand to home plate, and while the conventional wisdom was that the increased friction would cause breaking pitches to break more, in fact, the lack of friction means the lower-seamed baseball moves more, because less friction means less in-flight stability. Less stability means a less predictable flight path and more fastball run, which leads to more swings-and-misses.
The result: teams are striking out 7.34 batters per nine innings, up from 6.64 last year. That's no good. Home runs, strikeouts and walks involve only the batter, catcher and pitcher. There's no running, relatively little teamwork and, most importantly, no plays on the bases. Runner-fielder confrontations are the most exciting play in baseball, particularly in college, where it's far from certain that a ball gets fielded cleanly. (More on that later.)
3. Even with more home runs and more strikeouts, college baseball is still more of slap-and-run game than major league baseball.
Not everyone likes this, but I do. I'd rather see more singles than home runs, because baserunners are fun. And even with the new ball, college baseball features a higher batting average (.269 to .251) and lower slugging percentage (.377 to .386), with fewer strikeouts (7.3 K/9 to 7.7 K/9). More players are involved in every play, and not every hit goes for extra bases. On a macro-level, this game would encourage contact skill over plate discipline and speed over power.
With that said, the bat and ball rule changes over the past five years seem to be aimed at bringing college baseball in line with the pro game, from a stylistic standpoint, so I might be alone in wanting to be distinct.
4. Bunts are down, but not enough.
Through this point in the 2014 season, college teams executed 0.74 sacrifice bunts per game, a number that has dropped to 0.66 bunts per game so far in 2015, which is nice, but we still have a ways to go until coaches realize that they only get 27 outs a game, and maybe trading one of them to move a guy from first to second in the third inning, while taking the bat out of your cleanup hitter's hands, is a bad idea.
Sorry if this is annoying.
5. Fielding percentage remains more or less constant.
As you'd expect, because I can't imagine a scenario in which changing the baseball would make it substantially easier to field the ball. As a spectator, I actually like that college defense is worse, on the aggregate. The MLB average fielding percentage was .984 last year, while in college this year, it's .964. That might not sound like a big difference, but errors are more than twice as common in the college game as they are in the pro game. We've got better measures for defense in the pro game than fielding percentage, but that's about the difference, defensively, between Zack Cozart (who's got a reputation as a very good defensive shortstop) and Hanley Ramirez (whose reputation as a defensive shortstop is that he's really a left fielder).
That bouncer to third base is an automatic out in the majors, but if there's a 3.6 percent chance it isn't, as is the case in college, that's a non-trivial chance that the kid boots it or throws the ball away, and that makes you lean forward on every routine defensive chance just a little more. It's not enough to generate so many errors that the bad defense is annoying, the way it is in tee-ball, but just enough to spice up the routine. It gives the college game a sense of unpredictability, a sense of riding the lightning, that you just don't get elsewhere.
D1 - The Fives: Effects Of New Baseballs
BA - Wednesday Roundup: Vandy's Power Surge Backs Kilichowski
Top-ranked Vanderbilt got solo home runs from Rhett Wiseman, Dansby Swanson and Zander Wiel and a strong start from John Kilichowski to beat Wofford 5-3 and sweep the two-game midweek series.
The Commodores' three homers give them 24 on the season, already surpassing their total of 22 from all of last season.
Kilichowski (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K) allowed only a solo homer by Matt Ramsay and responded by retiring the next seven batters before pitching out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth with back-to-back strikeouts.
Ben Bowden struck out two in a scoreless ninth to earn his first career save.
Other Top 25 Results
Bethune-Cookman at (12) Miami: The Hurricanes scored six times in the fifth inning to cruise to a 13-3 win over Bethune-Cookman. Zack Collins, whose homer beat North Carolina on Saturday, had three hits Wednesday and David Thompson, George Iskenderian, Garrett Kennedy and Christopher Barr each drove in runs. Sophomore Danny Garcia (5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K) gave up two solo homers but got plenty of offensive support.
"It was a good win for us," head coach Jim Morris told hurricanesports.com. "Garcia got his fifth win, we played really good defense, and we're still experimenting a little bit with our lineup."
Kennedy, who entered as pinch hitter in the explosive fifth inning, chopped a two-run double that dropped in right field to help solidify Miami's lead.
"We are swinging the bat pretty well this year," Kennedy told hurricanesports.com. "Building off each other is a big thing there."
Fresno State at (15) UC Santa Barbara: Senior Peter Maris' RBI single in the eighth broke a 5-5 tie as the Gauchos nipped Fresno State 6-5 after blowing a four-run lead. Maris was 3-for-4 and redshirt sophomore Andrew Calica was 2-for-3 in the first game of a four-game series. Senior lefthander Domenic Mazza (5.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 6 K) started and Joe Record recorded the win by getting strikeouts on three of the four outs he garnered.
(22) Nebraska at Nebraska-Omaha: Freshman Scott Schreiber found the perfect time for the first home run of his career, breaking a 2-2 tie with a blast into the left field seats in the 10th inning to lead the Cornhuskers to a 3-2 win. Senior Josh Roeder struck out the side in the 10th for his ninth save of the season. Huskers freshman Zack Engelken faced only four batters and got one out, but fellow freshman Jake Meyers came on and pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed just four hits and a run to keep the game close until Nebraska tied it in the seventh.
Top 25 Upsets
Virginia Military Institute at (16) Virginia: The Cavs' five-game winning streak ended as Will Malbon's two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning gave VMI the lead for good in a 7-6 win. Senior Kenny Towns led the UVa with three hits and Daniel Pinero hit his fifth homer. Jordan Tarsovich homered for the Keydets, who got 2 1/3 shutout innings from Tyler Edens, who got his fourth save. Freshman Adam Haseley, who was a two-way star for The First Academy in Orlando last season, started in center field and made his first appearance on the mound for Virginia, hurling three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Other Notable Games
James Madison at Maryland: Freshman Brian Shaffer and two other pitchers combined on a one-hitter and Brandon Lowe hit his sixth homer of the season as the Terps beat James Madison 3-0. Junior Kevin Mooney started and threw two scoreless innings for Maryland, followed by Shaffer (6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K), who allowed James Madison's only hit-a single by Brett Johnson in the sixth. Junior Alex Robinson pitched the ninth for his second save.
Oregon at Seattle: Freshman lefthander Jacob Corn and three relievers allowed only one hit-a single by Scott Heineman in the fifth inning-and Mark Karaviotis had a two-run double as the Ducks ended a four-game losing streak in a 4-0 victory. Corn (5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 3 K) improved to 3-0 and got help from Brac Warren, Josh Graham and Garrett Cleavinger, who struck out the side in the ninth on 16 pitches for the Ducks' second shutout this season.
Iowa at Western Illinois: Western Illinois pounded out 13 hits, including homers from Colton Pogue and Adam McGinnis, to rally from a 5-0 deficit and roll to a 16-5 upset of Iowa.
"The game really crashed on us in the fifth and sixth inning," Iowa coach Rick Heller told hawkeyesports.com. "Whether it was the base on balls or the free bases it gave them a chance to get back in it and then they got hot and we couldn't stop them. Thirteen or 14 of their runs came with two outs and then in the fifth inning they got six runs with two outs."
Pogue hit a grand slam and drove in six runs while McGinnis knocked in four.
Presbyterian at Clemson: Glen Casaceli's two-out single in the ninth inning scored Brandon Martin and Guy Casaceli to break a 3-3 tie and lift Presbyterian over Clemson 5-4. Cam McRae homered for the Blue Hose to boost Hayden Deal (2-0) who earned the win with 1 1/3 hitless innings. Paul Campbell took the loss. Redshirt senior Jake Long (5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K) pitched well in a no-decision for Clemson.
Central Michigan at Michigan: Junior Travis Maezes, playing in his first game since March 13 because of a quad injury, singled home two runs in a three-run fourth inning and junior Jacob Cronenworth homered for the third time in four games as Michigan beat Central Michigan 5-3. Six-foot-5 freshman Jayce Vancena pitched three hitless innings for the Wolverines and Oliver Jaskie got the win with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
BA - Wednesday Roundup: Vandy's Power Surge
Top-ranked Vanderbilt got solo home runs from Rhett Wiseman, Dansby Swanson and Zander Wiel and a strong start from John Kilichowski to beat Wofford 5-3 and sweep the two-game midweek series.
The Commodores' three homers give them 24 on the season, already surpassing their total of 22 from all of last season.
Kilichowski (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K) allowed only a solo homer by Matt Ramsay and responded by retiring the next seven batters before pitching out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth with back-to-back strikeouts.
Ben Bowden struck out two in a scoreless ninth to earn his first career save.
Other Top 25 Results
Bethune-Cookman at (12) Miami: The Hurricanes scored six times in the fifth inning to cruise to a 13-3 win over Bethune-Cookman. Zack Collins, whose homer beat North Carolina on Saturday, had three hits Wednesday and David Thompson, George Iskenderian, Garrett Kennedy and Christopher Barr each drove in runs. Sophomore Danny Garcia (5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K) gave up two solo homers but got plenty of offensive support.
"It was a good win for us," head coach Jim Morris told hurricanesports.com. "Garcia got his fifth win, we played really good defense, and we're still experimenting a little bit with our lineup."
Kennedy, who entered as pinch hitter in the explosive fifth inning, chopped a two-run double that dropped in right field to help solidify Miami's lead.
"We are swinging the bat pretty well this year," Kennedy told hurricanesports.com. "Building off each other is a big thing there."
Fresno State at (15) UC Santa Barbara: Senior Peter Maris' RBI single in the eighth broke a 5-5 tie as the Gauchos nipped Fresno State 6-5 after blowing a four-run lead. Maris was 3-for-4 and redshirt sophomore Andrew Calica was 2-for-3 in the first game of a four-game series. Senior lefthander Domenic Mazza (5.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 6 K) started and Joe Record recorded the win by getting strikeouts on three of the four outs he garnered.
(22) Nebraska at Nebraska-Omaha: Freshman Scott Schreiber found the perfect time for the first home run of his career, breaking a 2-2 tie with a blast into the left field seats in the 10th inning to lead the Cornhuskers to a 3-2 win. Senior Josh Roeder struck out the side in the 10th for his ninth save of the season. Huskers freshman Zack Engelken faced only four batters and got one out, but fellow freshman Jake Meyers came on and pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed just four hits and a run to keep the game close until Nebraska tied it in the seventh.
Top 25 Upsets
Virginia Military Institute at (16) Virginia: The Cavs' five-game winning streak ended as Will Malbon's two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning gave VMI the lead for good in a 7-6 win. Senior Kenny Towns led the UVa with three hits and Daniel Pinero hit his fifth homer. Jordan Tarsovich homered for the Keydets, who got 2 1/3 shutout innings from Tyler Edens, who got his fourth save. Freshman Adam Haseley, who was a two-way star for The First Academy in Orlando last season, started in center field and made his first appearance on the mound for Virginia, hurling three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Other Notable Games
James Madison at Maryland: Freshman Brian Shaffer and two other pitchers combined on a one-hitter and Brandon Lowe hit his sixth homer of the season as the Terps beat James Madison 3-0. Junior Kevin Mooney started and threw two scoreless innings for Maryland, followed by Shaffer (6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K), who allowed James Madison's only hit-a single by Brett Johnson in the sixth. Junior Alex Robinson pitched the ninth for his second save.
Oregon at Seattle: Freshman lefthander Jacob Corn and three relievers allowed only one hit-a single by Scott Heineman in the fifth inning-and Mark Karaviotis had a two-run double as the Ducks ended a four-game losing streak in a 4-0 victory. Corn (5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 3 K) improved to 3-0 and got help from Brac Warren, Josh Graham and Garrett Cleavinger, who struck out the side in the ninth on 16 pitches for the Ducks' second shutout this season.
Iowa at Western Illinois: Western Illinois pounded out 13 hits, including homers from Colton Pogue and Adam McGinnis, to rally from a 5-0 deficit and roll to a 16-5 upset of Iowa.
"The game really crashed on us in the fifth and sixth inning," Iowa coach Rick Heller told hawkeyesports.com. "Whether it was the base on balls or the free bases it gave them a chance to get back in it and then they got hot and we couldn't stop them. Thirteen or 14 of their runs came with two outs and then in the fifth inning they got six runs with two outs."
Pogue hit a grand slam and drove in six runs while McGinnis knocked in four.
Presbyterian at Clemson: Glen Casaceli's two-out single in the ninth inning scored Brandon Martin and Guy Casaceli to break a 3-3 tie and lift Presbyterian over Clemson 5-4. Cam McRae homered for the Blue Hose to boost Hayden Deal (2-0) who earned the win with 1 1/3 hitless innings. Paul Campbell took the loss. Redshirt senior Jake Long (5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K) pitched well in a no-decision for Clemson.
Central Michigan at Michigan: Junior Travis Maezes, playing in his first game since March 13 because of a quad injury, singled home two runs in a three-run fourth inning and junior Jacob Cronenworth homered for the third time in four games as Michigan beat Central Michigan 5-3. Six-foot-5 freshman Jayce Vancena pitched three hitless innings for the Wolverines and Oliver Jaskie got the win with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
BA - Wednesday Roundup: Vandy's Power Surge
CBI: Around the Bases (4/1)
Malbon helps VMI win at Virginia
Vandy tops Wofford, Miami defeats B-CU, UCSB nips Fresno State
VMI 7, No. 12 Virginia 6
In Charlottesville, Va., Will Malbon had a two-run single in the top of the seventh to erase a 6-5 deficit and lift VMI over Virginia. Kyle Staats (1-1, 0.2 IP, H, BB) earned the win, while Taylor Edens (2.1 IP, 2 H, K) recorded his fourth save. Jordan Tarsovich had a two-run homer in the fifth for the Keydets (7-15). Pavin Smith had two hits and two RBI, while Daniel Pinero homered for the Cavaliers (19-9).
No. 2 Vanderbilt 5, Wofford 3
In Nashville, Tenn., Zander Wiel homered and drove in two as Vanderbilt swept a two-game series from Wofford. Wiel had a sacrifice fly in the first and went deep in the fifth. Dansby Swanson and Rhett Wiseman also had dingers for the Commodores (24-6). John Kilichowski (2-0, 6 IP, 4 H, R, 2 BB, 8 K) earned the win, while Ben Bowden (1 IP, BB, 2 K) recorded his first save. Matt Ramsay and Mack Nathanson homered for the Terriers (23-9).
No. 13 Miami (Fla.) 13, Bethune-Cookman 3
In Coral Gables, Fla., Zack Collins went 3 for 4 with two doubles, three runs and two RBI as Miami mauled Bethune-Cookman. Garrett Kennedy had a two-run single in a six-run fifth for the Hurricanes (21-9). Danny Garcia (5-1, 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, BB, 8 K) earned the victory. Jordan Robinson and Mijon Cummings both homered for the Wildcats (10-22).
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara 6, Fresno State 5
In Santa Barbara, Calif., Peter Maris had an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth as UC Santa Barbara edged Fresno State. Maris finished with three hits, while Woody Woodward had two hits and two RBI for the Gauchos (20-7). Joe Record (2-1, 1.1 IP, H, BB, 3 K) picked up the win, while Robby Nesovic (1 IP, H, BB, K) registered his second save. Austin Guibor (2 for 5) homered for the Bulldogs (16-14).
Maryland 3, James Madison 0
In College Park, Md., three pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout as Maryland blanked James Madison. Kevin Mooney (2 IP, BB, 3 K) was the starter for the Terrapins (19-7). Brian Shaffer (2-0, 6 IP, H, BB, 6 K) earned the victory, while Alex Robinson worked a perfect ninth with one strikeout to notch his second save. Brandon Lowe homered for Maryland. Brett Johnson had the lone hit for the Dukes (10-16).
Kansas 13, Wichita State 12 (11)
In Wichita, Kan., Dakota Smith drove in the game-winner with a sac bunt in the top of the 11th as Kansas outscored Wichita State. Smith had a grand slam in a five-run first for the Jayhawks (11-17). Sam Hilliard had three hits and five RBI for the Shockers (11-17), who built an 11-6 lead after four. Kansas scored two in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the eighth.
CBI: Around the Bases (4/1)
Malbon helps VMI win at Virginia
Vandy tops Wofford, Miami defeats B-CU, UCSB nips Fresno State
VMI 7, No. 12 Virginia 6
In Charlottesville, Va., Will Malbon had a two-run single in the top of the seventh to erase a 6-5 deficit and lift VMI over Virginia. Kyle Staats (1-1, 0.2 IP, H, BB) earned the win, while Taylor Edens (2.1 IP, 2 H, K) recorded his fourth save. Jordan Tarsovich had a two-run homer in the fifth for the Keydets (7-15). Pavin Smith had two hits and two RBI, while Daniel Pinero homered for the Cavaliers (19-9).
No. 2 Vanderbilt 5, Wofford 3
In Nashville, Tenn., Zander Wiel homered and drove in two as Vanderbilt swept a two-game series from Wofford. Wiel had a sacrifice fly in the first and went deep in the fifth. Dansby Swanson and Rhett Wiseman also had dingers for the Commodores (24-6). John Kilichowski (2-0, 6 IP, 4 H, R, 2 BB, 8 K) earned the win, while Ben Bowden (1 IP, BB, 2 K) recorded his first save. Matt Ramsay and Mack Nathanson homered for the Terriers (23-9).
No. 13 Miami (Fla.) 13, Bethune-Cookman 3
In Coral Gables, Fla., Zack Collins went 3 for 4 with two doubles, three runs and two RBI as Miami mauled Bethune-Cookman. Garrett Kennedy had a two-run single in a six-run fifth for the Hurricanes (21-9). Danny Garcia (5-1, 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, BB, 8 K) earned the victory. Jordan Robinson and Mijon Cummings both homered for the Wildcats (10-22).
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara 6, Fresno State 5
In Santa Barbara, Calif., Peter Maris had an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth as UC Santa Barbara edged Fresno State. Maris finished with three hits, while Woody Woodward had two hits and two RBI for the Gauchos (20-7). Joe Record (2-1, 1.1 IP, H, BB, 3 K) picked up the win, while Robby Nesovic (1 IP, H, BB, K) registered his second save. Austin Guibor (2 for 5) homered for the Bulldogs (16-14).
Maryland 3, James Madison 0
In College Park, Md., three pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout as Maryland blanked James Madison. Kevin Mooney (2 IP, BB, 3 K) was the starter for the Terrapins (19-7). Brian Shaffer (2-0, 6 IP, H, BB, 6 K) earned the victory, while Alex Robinson worked a perfect ninth with one strikeout to notch his second save. Brandon Lowe homered for Maryland. Brett Johnson had the lone hit for the Dukes (10-16).
Kansas 13, Wichita State 12 (11)
In Wichita, Kan., Dakota Smith drove in the game-winner with a sac bunt in the top of the 11th as Kansas outscored Wichita State. Smith had a grand slam in a five-run first for the Jayhawks (11-17). Sam Hilliard had three hits and five RBI for the Shockers (11-17), who built an 11-6 lead after four. Kansas scored two in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the eighth.
CBI: Around the Bases (4/1)
PG: College Baseball Field of 64
Selection Monday is a mere eight weeks from this past Monday so it's time to start our Nostradamus impersonation. There is obviously a ton of time for things to shake themselves out but here is a first attempt at Regional predictions.
The process splits into two categories: selection and seeding. Selection breaks down into 31 automatic bids followed by 33 at-large bids. Automatic bids are won on the field whereas the at large bids are awarded by the Selection Committee.
The seeding we will focus on consists of the Top 8 National Seeds followed by the "next eight" Regional hosts. The Top 8 National Seeds have earned the right to host all the way to Omaha. Home field advantage plays an enormous role in this tournament.
We will first list the 31 automatic bids by conference, and this is only because it affects who is left for at-large bids. Since a team's entire "body of work" is so critical to this process, a midseason prediction is more fun than function. But it is interesting to see where teams stand at this juncture. And we're off.
Records listed as of Monday, March 30
Automatic Bids:
Conference School
Conference School
America East Stony Brook
MEAC Delaware State
American UCF
Missouri Valley Dallas Baptist
Atlantic 10 St. Louis
Mountain West Nevada
ACC Florida State
Northeast Central Connecticut State
Atlantic Sun North Florida
Ohio Valley Southeast Missouri State
Big Ten Maryland
Pac-12 UCLA
Big 12 Texas Christian
Patriot Navy
Big East St. John's
SEC Louisiana State
Big South Coastal Carolina
Southern Wofford
Big West UC Santa Barbara
Southland Southeastern Louisiana
Colonial UNC-Wilmington
SWAC Alabama State
Conference USA Rice
Summit Oral Roberts
Horizon Wright State
Sun Belt Georgia Southern
Ivy Columbia
WCC San Diego
MAAC Canisius
WAC Sacramento State
MAC Kent State
Top 8 National Seeds:
No. School Record RPI
1 Louisiana State 23-5 22
2 Florida State 22-7 3
3 Texas Christian 21-4 5
4 Texas A&M 27-2 4
5 Vanderbilt 22-6 13
6 UCLA 21-5 5
7 Florida 23-6 10
8 Arizona State 18-7 8
The "Next Eight" Regional Hosts:
No. School Record RPI
9 Louisville 21-7 18
10 Miami 19-9 2
11 UCF 22-7 12
12 Nebraska 21-7 17
13 UC Santa Barbara 19-7 32
14 Dallas Baptist 22-3 1
15 Virginia 18-8 39
16 Oklahoma State 19-8 9
Bold indicates a team earning an at large bid as a Host school
The Top 8 National Seed decisions were fairly clear cut with the exception of choosing between Louisville and Florida State from the ACC. Louisville's RPI hurt them, it stands at 23 currently, but there is plenty of time for that to improve.
The next eight Hosts made for a very difficult exercise. The Power 5 conferences possess all of the RPI advantages once conference play starts so there will be teams from those leagues who will come on like gangbusters in the next two months. For now, it was refreshing to reward teams like Dallas Baptist, Nebraska, and UC Santa Barbara.
The 33 At-Large Bids:
This list will be 24 teams since 9 at-large bids will come from the Hosts above
School Record RPI
Bradley 17-6 15
Florida Atlantic 22-6 7
Georgia Tech 17-10 21
Iowa 16-6 11
Missouri State 17-7 14
California 20-7 36
Auburn 17-11 28
Ole Miss 14-14 19
Alabama 14-12 23
Illinois 18-6-1 29
North Carolina 16-11 25
Indiana 16-8 33
Middle Tennessee State 16-10 20
Texas 17-11 55
San Diego State 22-6 26
South Florida 20-8-1 31
Kentucky 18-10 16
Southern California 22-6 35
College of Charleston 17-7 43
Wake Forest 19-11 67
South Carolina 19-9 54
Oregon State 21-7 73
Missouri 19-9 59
Houston 19-9 30
Close but Out:
School Record RPI
Ohio State 18-7 24
Connecticut 17-9 27
Cal State Fullerton 14-13 37
West Virginia 15-10 38
Notre Dame 16-10 45
Michigan State 12-12 47
Fresno State 16-13 51
UAB 17-9 57
Louisiana 15-10 58
Cal State Northridge 20-8 60
Clemson 13-13 62
New Mexico 14-11 63
Liberty 17-10 64
Long Beach State 13-10 65
Memphis 17-6 66
Virginia Tech 15-14 68
Oregon 17-11 69
Texas Tech 18-10 71
Duke 19-9 72
Georgia 18-11 85
Tulane 18-10 88
Oklahoma 18-12 96
Arizona 22-6 95
Stanford* 10-14 50
* Teams under .500 are ineligible for at-large bid
Interesting notes from at-large bids:
• There are 10 teams from the SEC which equals last year's record of 10 teams. It's hard to imagine that 10 teams actually make it through the SEC gauntlet unscathed, but it is clearly the deepest conference in the nation.
• The list of teams on the "Out" list is strong and you can look for several of these teams to jump into the mix in short order. Many of these teams will naturally improve their RPIs through conference play but they must do that in order to avoid scaring off the Committee.
• Any time your RPI gets into the 50s or higher, it is time to get nervous. For perspective, UCF was left out of last year's field with an RPI of 48.
PG: College Baseball Field of 64
Selection Monday is a mere eight weeks from this past Monday so it's time to start our Nostradamus impersonation. There is obviously a ton of time for things to shake themselves out but here is a first attempt at Regional predictions.
The process splits into two categories: selection and seeding. Selection breaks down into 31 automatic bids followed by 33 at-large bids. Automatic bids are won on the field whereas the at large bids are awarded by the Selection Committee.
The seeding we will focus on consists of the Top 8 National Seeds followed by the "next eight" Regional hosts. The Top 8 National Seeds have earned the right to host all the way to Omaha. Home field advantage plays an enormous role in this tournament.
We will first list the 31 automatic bids by conference, and this is only because it affects who is left for at-large bids. Since a team's entire "body of work" is so critical to this process, a midseason prediction is more fun than function. But it is interesting to see where teams stand at this juncture. And we're off.
Records listed as of Monday, March 30
Automatic Bids:
Conference School
Conference School
America East Stony Brook
MEAC Delaware State
American UCF
Missouri Valley Dallas Baptist
Atlantic 10 St. Louis
Mountain West Nevada
ACC Florida State
Northeast Central Connecticut State
Atlantic Sun North Florida
Ohio Valley Southeast Missouri State
Big Ten Maryland
Pac-12 UCLA
Big 12 Texas Christian
Patriot Navy
Big East St. John's
SEC Louisiana State
Big South Coastal Carolina
Southern Wofford
Big West UC Santa Barbara
Southland Southeastern Louisiana
Colonial UNC-Wilmington
SWAC Alabama State
Conference USA Rice
Summit Oral Roberts
Horizon Wright State
Sun Belt Georgia Southern
Ivy Columbia
WCC San Diego
MAAC Canisius
WAC Sacramento State
MAC Kent State
Top 8 National Seeds:
No. School Record RPI
1 Louisiana State 23-5 22
2 Florida State 22-7 3
3 Texas Christian 21-4 5
4 Texas A&M 27-2 4
5 Vanderbilt 22-6 13
6 UCLA 21-5 5
7 Florida 23-6 10
8 Arizona State 18-7 8
The "Next Eight" Regional Hosts:
No. School Record RPI
9 Louisville 21-7 18
10 Miami 19-9 2
11 UCF 22-7 12
12 Nebraska 21-7 17
13 UC Santa Barbara 19-7 32
14 Dallas Baptist 22-3 1
15 Virginia 18-8 39
16 Oklahoma State 19-8 9
Bold indicates a team earning an at large bid as a Host school
The Top 8 National Seed decisions were fairly clear cut with the exception of choosing between Louisville and Florida State from the ACC. Louisville's RPI hurt them, it stands at 23 currently, but there is plenty of time for that to improve.
The next eight Hosts made for a very difficult exercise. The Power 5 conferences possess all of the RPI advantages once conference play starts so there will be teams from those leagues who will come on like gangbusters in the next two months. For now, it was refreshing to reward teams like Dallas Baptist, Nebraska, and UC Santa Barbara.
The 33 At-Large Bids:
This list will be 24 teams since 9 at-large bids will come from the Hosts above
School Record RPI
Bradley 17-6 15
Florida Atlantic 22-6 7
Georgia Tech 17-10 21
Iowa 16-6 11
Missouri State 17-7 14
California 20-7 36
Auburn 17-11 28
Ole Miss 14-14 19
Alabama 14-12 23
Illinois 18-6-1 29
North Carolina 16-11 25
Indiana 16-8 33
Middle Tennessee State 16-10 20
Texas 17-11 55
San Diego State 22-6 26
South Florida 20-8-1 31
Kentucky 18-10 16
Southern California 22-6 35
College of Charleston 17-7 43
Wake Forest 19-11 67
South Carolina 19-9 54
Oregon State 21-7 73
Missouri 19-9 59
Houston 19-9 30
Close but Out:
School Record RPI
Ohio State 18-7 24
Connecticut 17-9 27
Cal State Fullerton 14-13 37
West Virginia 15-10 38
Notre Dame 16-10 45
Michigan State 12-12 47
Fresno State 16-13 51
UAB 17-9 57
Louisiana 15-10 58
Cal State Northridge 20-8 60
Clemson 13-13 62
New Mexico 14-11 63
Liberty 17-10 64
Long Beach State 13-10 65
Memphis 17-6 66
Virginia Tech 15-14 68
Oregon 17-11 69
Texas Tech 18-10 71
Duke 19-9 72
Georgia 18-11 85
Tulane 18-10 88
Oklahoma 18-12 96
Arizona 22-6 95
Stanford* 10-14 50
* Teams under .500 are ineligible for at-large bid
Interesting notes from at-large bids:
• There are 10 teams from the SEC which equals last year's record of 10 teams. It's hard to imagine that 10 teams actually make it through the SEC gauntlet unscathed, but it is clearly the deepest conference in the nation.
• The list of teams on the "Out" list is strong and you can look for several of these teams to jump into the mix in short order. Many of these teams will naturally improve their RPIs through conference play but they must do that in order to avoid scaring off the Committee.
• Any time your RPI gets into the 50s or higher, it is time to get nervous. For perspective, UCF was left out of last year's field with an RPI of 48.
PG: College Baseball Field of 64
Re: PG: College Baseball Field of 64
I know it's mid-season, but PG field of 64 contains FIVE B1G teams and Nebraska as a regional host?!?!?!?!? NIIIIIICCCCCEEE!!!!!
I know it's mid-season, but PG field of 64 contains FIVE B1G teams and Nebraska as a regional host?!?!?!?!? NIIIIIICCCCCEEE!!!!!
PerfectGame field of 64 has five Big Ten teams in.
Maryland - AQ spot
Nebraska - Regional Host
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Two others listed as close but out
Ohio St
Michigan St
Oddly, they give Maryland the AQ spot but otherwise wouldn't have them in.
Maryland - AQ spot
Nebraska - Regional Host
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Two others listed as close but out
Ohio St
Michigan St
Oddly, they give Maryland the AQ spot but otherwise wouldn't have them in.
