For just the 3rd time in 13 weekends the Dores face a series deciding game 3. The two previous times they came up short against A&M (lost 7-0) and Georgia (lost 3-1) in road games. This time it's a home game so hopefully that'll make the difference.
Despite yesterday's loss Vandy is still:
#1 in the SEC East
#1 in the SEC overall
#1 in RPI
so it wasn't a killer of a loss. Arkansas and Georgia both wrapped up their series yesterday, winning 2 and losing 1. A Vandy win today means nothing will have changed. But even a loss and Vandy still leads the East by 1 game and will be tied for 1st overall with Arkansas.
As often happens when you face the best team ERA team in the league your team batting average goes down. However, your team ERA also improves. We are hitting .254 this weekend (50 or so below normal) and our ERA is 3.0, almost a run better than normal.
The biggest problem this weekend has been hitting with RISP. We are 3-24 (.125) overall and were a lousy 1-10 yesterday. A couple of key hits and we'd have won that game methinks (particularly the bomb Infante hit to deep right that was caught up against the wall, I think we'd have scored 2 on that and it would have changed the whole complexion of the game.)
This weekend's individual hitting is as follows with RISP in ( ):
Scott 4-7 .571 (1-1 + BB)
Martyin 3-9 .333 (0-2)
Duvall 2-7 .286 (0-3 + BB)
Clarke 2-8 .250 (0-3)
Bleday 2-9 .222 (0-2)
Paul 1-6 .167 (0-1 + BB)
Ray 1-6 .167 (1-4 + BB)
Infante 1-7 .143 (1-5)
DeMarco 1-8 .125 (0-3)
With the exception of Scott these numbers are nothing to write home about.
I find it very interesting that with RISP they have walked 4 guys, more hits than they've allowed. Selective pitching to certain guys, i.e., don't give them anything good to hit even if you end up walking them?
Our pitching has been good, good enough to have won both games. Starting pitchers ERA is 2.77 with 15 K's and just 3 walks (13 innings.) Relievers ERA is 3.60 with 7 K's (5 innings.) If this pitching continues today we have a good chance to win. We also need to tighten up our defensive play.
I have no doubt that the Tigers' TBA pitcher today will be good and that they still have several more good arms in the bullpen. Raby will need to be on his best and we'll have to play our best to win. Mizzou has been razzle-dazzling us with bunts, stolen bases, hit and runs, double steals, and a lot of small ball and we may have to do some of that ourselves today. I really miss Cooper Davis' bunting and speed.
Despite yesterday's loss Vandy is still:
#1 in the SEC East
#1 in the SEC overall
#1 in RPI
so it wasn't a killer of a loss. Arkansas and Georgia both wrapped up their series yesterday, winning 2 and losing 1. A Vandy win today means nothing will have changed. But even a loss and Vandy still leads the East by 1 game and will be tied for 1st overall with Arkansas.
As often happens when you face the best team ERA team in the league your team batting average goes down. However, your team ERA also improves. We are hitting .254 this weekend (50 or so below normal) and our ERA is 3.0, almost a run better than normal.
The biggest problem this weekend has been hitting with RISP. We are 3-24 (.125) overall and were a lousy 1-10 yesterday. A couple of key hits and we'd have won that game methinks (particularly the bomb Infante hit to deep right that was caught up against the wall, I think we'd have scored 2 on that and it would have changed the whole complexion of the game.)
This weekend's individual hitting is as follows with RISP in ( ):
Scott 4-7 .571 (1-1 + BB)
Martyin 3-9 .333 (0-2)
Duvall 2-7 .286 (0-3 + BB)
Clarke 2-8 .250 (0-3)
Bleday 2-9 .222 (0-2)
Paul 1-6 .167 (0-1 + BB)
Ray 1-6 .167 (1-4 + BB)
Infante 1-7 .143 (1-5)
DeMarco 1-8 .125 (0-3)
With the exception of Scott these numbers are nothing to write home about.
I find it very interesting that with RISP they have walked 4 guys, more hits than they've allowed. Selective pitching to certain guys, i.e., don't give them anything good to hit even if you end up walking them?
Our pitching has been good, good enough to have won both games. Starting pitchers ERA is 2.77 with 15 K's and just 3 walks (13 innings.) Relievers ERA is 3.60 with 7 K's (5 innings.) If this pitching continues today we have a good chance to win. We also need to tighten up our defensive play.
I have no doubt that the Tigers' TBA pitcher today will be good and that they still have several more good arms in the bullpen. Raby will need to be on his best and we'll have to play our best to win. Mizzou has been razzle-dazzling us with bunts, stolen bases, hit and runs, double steals, and a lot of small ball and we may have to do some of that ourselves today. I really miss Cooper Davis' bunting and speed.
