Valpo Baseball 2021

[valpotx]

Two key wins to start our series against 25-9 SIU today!  Not to mention, being our first home games, after 25 games on the road to start the season.  To VU72's point on another thread, this is another reason that I think Baseball and Softball should be given a little bit more flexibility in results.  Both usually have around 20 games on the road to start each season, which is extremely tough for any sport to do.

Game 1 was won on a pinch hit HR in the bottom of the 9th - http://www.valpoathletics.com/baseball/boxscore/2020-21/8895/southern-illinois-vs-valpo-04-23-2021/

Game 2 included all runs being scored by both teams in the last inning - http://www.valpoathletics.com/baseball/boxscore/2020-21/8896/southern-illinois-vs-valpo-04-23-2021/

[vu72]

Why was the second game only 7 innings?

[valpotx]

I believe that it was only supposed to be a single 9 inning game on Friday, but they moved one of the Saturday games up.  If you have a DH, both are typically 7 innings, so my guess is they are keeping that 2-7 and 2-9 inning game split for each conference weekend.

[Brandon]

I believe that it was only supposed to be a single 9 inning game on Friday, but they moved one of the Saturday games up.  If you have a DH, both are typically 7 innings, so my guess is they are keeping that 2-7 and 2-9 inning game split for each conference weekend.

All of the MVC series are four games this year - three nine-inning games and one seven-inning game. The normal format will be one nine-inning game on Friday, a doubleheader on Saturday featuring a seven-inning game followed by a nine-inning game, and a nine-inning game on Sunday. There is also a run rule if a team is leading by 10+ through seven innings of a nine-inning game. There is no standard for doubleheaders across the NCAA - Valpo has played two 9s, two 7s, a 9 then a 7 and a 7 then a 9 this season.

[valpotx]

That is a very odd thing to think of in college baseball, a run-rule. 

Regardless, congrats to the team on winning today, and taking 3 of 4 against SIU!

[bb33]

So good to win a series.  We seem to play well against SIU.  Good first home opener.  Hopefully the bats will stay hot.

[vu72]

Another "almost" as we lost 8-7 to #8 Notre Dame.  We out hit them and had a couple of long ball caught up against the fence.  It sure seems like we has turned it up a BIG notch over early season play. Let's hope it keeps going entering into further Valley play.

[valpotx]

Another home win, vu72.  See how little of a change can make such a large impact?  Playing 20-25 games on the road, and finally getting to sleep in your own bed and have your normal routine, goes a long way.

[valpotx]

We lose the first game today 11-3, but are currently ahead 11-0 in the top of the third.  We are 12/16 at the plate at this point, with an additional 1 BB & 2 HBPs.  Wow...

[valpotx]

Back-to-back 3 to 1 series wins at home against SIU and ISUr!  What a difference being at home makes, as we are 6-2 at home, and 5-21 on the road/neutral.  We are now 6-10 in conference, and can play with the rest of our opponents, since we already played the top 2 teams in DBU and ISUb.

[bb33]

This was a wicked series with the win blowing out.  Great to take 3/4.

[valpotx]

This was a wicked series with the win blowing out.  Great to take 3/4.

When the score kept ballooning in that Saturday game, I had guessed it must have been windy.  I remember games at Chicago State during my time, where we had 6-7 HRs, due to the same reasoning.  If memory serves me correctly, Brian Wolotka had 4 HRs in a double-header, and around 6-7 HRs in that series.

[bb33]

This is why I get frustrated when everything becomes about stats.  It doesn't tell the story. I heard that one of the HRs yesterday was a pop up that went over the ISU bullpen and then was carried back in a fair just over the fence.  These games can kill an ERA even if the pitcher is doing well. Easton is great and gave up that 9th inning HR.

Wonder if Bradley will happen.  That really hurts us since they would have probably dropped 3/4 at IndState.

[valpotx]

This is why I get frustrated when everything becomes about stats.  It doesn't tell the story. I heard that one of the HRs yesterday was a pop up that went over the ISU bullpen and then was carried back in a fair just over the fence.  These games can kill an ERA even if the pitcher is doing well. Easton is great and gave up that 9th inning HR.

Wonder if Bradley will happen.  That really hurts us since they would have probably dropped 3/4 at IndState.

Preaching to the choir, as I was a Pitcher lol.  Nothing is more frustrating than BS wind-aided hits, or off the end of the bat singles. 

[bb33]

Hannahs with MVC player of the week.  What a weekend he had.  He is going to be something special.  This team keeps getting better and better. 

[valpotx]

Good split to start the series at Bradley, to move to 12-24 (7-11).  Let's take both on Saturday!

[valpotx]

Tough 3-2 loss in the first game today.  I will be interested to see what happened for that last out, as it looks like a failed pickoff attempt, that led to our guy getting to 3B, but then getting the final out of the game trying to steal home?

[bb33]

I had friends at the game.  Wild pitch. Controversial call at home. 

I'm just hoping  Fricke is okay. He started the 4th game with 6KS and no hits and came out.   

Great to take two again a team that a week ago couldn't play the top team bc of covid and magically had all their players available against us.  Have heard more rumors that they continued to produce all week. 

[WCValpo]

Why no pinch hitter in the 9th for Thurston either

[bbtds]

The Missouri Valley Baseball Tournament is this week at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, IL

Valpo the #8 seed (out of 8 teams) plays # 5 seed Missouri State at 7:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. Eastern) on Tuesday, May 25. The first round is single elimination. So if Valpo loses they are out. If Valpo can manage to beat the Bears they would then play #2 seed Indiana State (NOT #1 seed Dallas Baptist as indicated on the Valpo Athletics website baseball schedule) http://www.valpoathletics.com/baseball/schedule/2020-21/8942/valpo-vs-mvc-tournament-05-28-2021/   on Wednesday, May 26 at 2:30 p.m (3:30 p.m. Eastern).

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/mvc.sidearmsports.com/documents/2021/5/22/2021_MVC_Baseball_Tourney_Bracket.pdf

If Valpo beats Missouri State (got swept in 4 games at Missouri State this past weekend) and loses to #2 Indiana State they would then fall to the losers bracket and play the loser of the #1 Dallas Baptist vs winner of the #6 Illinois State/#7 Evansville first round game. The loser bracket game would be on Thursday, May 27 at 10:00 a.m. (11:00 a.m. Eastern).

[vusupporter]

From the bracket you linked:
*If the No. 8 seed wins Game 2, it will play the No. 1 seed at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and the winner of Game 1 would face the No. 2 seed.

The Missouri Valley Baseball Tournament is this week at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, IL

Valpo the #8 seed (out of 8 teams) plays # 5 seed Missouri State at 7:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. Eastern) on Tuesday, May 25. The first round is single elimination. So if Valpo loses they are out. If Valpo can manage to beat the Bears they would then play #2 seed Indiana State (NOT #1 seed Dallas Baptist as indicated on the Valpo Athletics website baseball schedule) http://www.valpoathletics.com/baseball/schedule/2020-21/8942/valpo-vs-mvc-tournament-05-28-2021/   on Wednesday, May 26 at 2:30 p.m (3:30 p.m. Eastern).

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/mvc.sidearmsports.com/documents/2021/5/22/2021_MVC_Baseball_Tourney_Bracket.pdf

If Valpo beats Missouri State (got swept in 4 games at Missouri State this past weekend) and loses to #2 Indiana State they would then fall to the losers bracket and play the loser of the #1 Dallas Baptist vs winner of the #6 Illinois State/#7 Evansville first round game. The loser bracket game would be on Thursday, May 27 at 10:00 a.m. (11:00 a.m. Eastern).

[bbtds]

From the bracket you linked:
*If the No. 8 seed wins Game 2, it will play the No. 1 seed at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and the winner of Game 1 would face the No. 2 seed.

OK, my mistake. What good is a bracket if it doesn't actually follow the lines? The whole tournament seems to be rigged for the 8th seed NOT to win. Might as well just lose to Missouri State for the fifth time in 5 days and get it over with. :-)

[valpotx]

From the bracket you linked:
*If the No. 8 seed wins Game 2, it will play the No. 1 seed at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and the winner of Game 1 would face the No. 2 seed.

OK, my mistake. What good is a bracket if it doesn't actually follow the lines? The whole tournament seems to be rigged for the 8th seed NOT to win. Might as well just lose to Missouri State for the fifth time in 5 days and get it over with. :-)

To be fair, 3 of our 4 losses to Missouri State were by 1 run.  We didn't get blown out in conference, except against DBU and Indiana State, who were both ranked at different times this season.

[bb33]

I agree.  We played MSU tough.  I don't think they want to play us again.  I think we matched up well against them.   We were one hit away in three games to win.  We just couldn't do it.  Maybe today is the day.   And I think we have been there a day earlier than MSU, so that may work for us.  Or being on the road for while will hurt us.  Regardless, let's get them boys!!   

[vu72]

We played MSU tough

To be fair, 3 of our 4 losses to Missouri State were by 1 run.

Coulda, shoulda.  We still lost.  If Matt Lottich had a record of 14-33 would you say but "8 of those were only by 2 points".  I think not.  Just win!