ISU @ Bradley--Game One (5/20)

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bluepower

Baseball Mod
After a rain delay of nearly four hours, game one of the final game of the series is expected to begin at about 5:40 (ET).

In the WBOW pre-game show, Coach Heller says he's tired of the rain we've seen affecting play in recent weeks. We've had to just wait around. We both want to play really bad as both starting pitchers need to be ready for day one of the conference tourney on Tuesday. Petricka will be on a pitch count of 75-85 to keep him fresh for Tuesday. Hopes he can get into the sixth or seventh with that pitch count. Hopes he pounds the zone and get mentally into the game. Maybe the rest will have done us good this week? Bradley is a scary team. Statistically, they are very good. They hit well and run the bases well. Starting pitcher Cooper hits 90 mph and has done well this season. Fianl message for the team is the same message we've had all year...have full, do things right and I hope our offense picks up and gets going tonight.
 

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In the top of the first inning...Patrick Cooper (4-4 3.68) will face Strausborger, Burnam and Ort...first pitch at 5:43 p.m. (CT) with 59 degrees...Strausborger (.355) strikes out swinging...Burnam (.335) about 20% of the fans are there to see Burnam, Burnam grounds out softly to second...Ort (.360) goes to 0-2 and strikes out swinging. No score.

Moving to the bottom of the first...Petricka (7-4, 3.74) will face Fritz, Elliott and Martin...Fritz (.353) who leads the team with six homers this season, goes to a 3-0 count and walks on four pitches...not a sharp start for Jake...Elliott (.335) singles through the right side...Fritz moves to third...no outs...ball died in the water as it rolled into the outfield...Elliott steals second, no throw...Martin (.359) flies out to deep center...Fritz scores on the sac fly and Elliott moves to third...Sullivan (.310) grounds out to Gurgrich at second, Elliott scores...Braves lead 2-0...two outs...McMillan (.362) grounds out to short. Bradley leads 2-0.
 
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Moving to the top of the second...ISU will try to halt Cooper's sharp start of last inning as he faces Fieser, Lucas (DH) and Graham (Catcher)...Fieser (.359) flies out to right along the line...Lucas (.331) goes to 3-2 and flies out to center...Graham (.278 goes to 3-2 count and walks...first ISU baserunner of game...Graham steals second, no thow as pitch was in the dirt...Ferguson (.312) goes to 3-2 count and lines a single to left...Graham scores...Ferguson steals second...Cooper doesn't look like the same pitcher in the stretch...Grgurich (.284) goes to 3-2 and walks...Ferguson advances to third on a wild pitch...the Bradley catcher has only thrown out 14 of 78 on steals...runners on the corners with two outs...Ferrell (.293) goes to 0-2 and strikes out swinging. Bradley leads 2-1.

Into the bottom of the second...Tauchman (.277) walked...Tauchman steals second...Compitello (.242) walks...Colvin (.282) bunts into fielder's choice as Tauchman is thrown out by Petricka at third, Compitello moves to second...Leblebijian (.346) strikes out swinging...Fritz fouls out to Ort. Bradley leads 2-1.
 
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Into the top of the third, Cooper takes on Straus, Burnam and Ort...Straus grounds out to pitcher... Burnam flies out to left-center...Ort grounds out to second. Bradley leads 2-1.

Going into the home-half of the third inning...Elliott, Martin and Sullivan face Petricka who'll look to throw a lot more strikes...Heller was hoping to pull him after 75-85 pitches and didn't want those to come too early in the game...Elliott gets infield hit to second on a tough play for Grgurich...lead-off batters have reached against Petricka in all three innings...Elliott steals his second of ballgame and his 14th of season...Martin singles through the middle...Elliott scores...Martin tagged out after getting into a pickle (1-3-6-1)...Sullivan hits an infield single to second...third straight hit in inning, two of them infield hits...McMillan goes to 0-2 count, then 2-2 and strikes out looking...Jake's second K of game...Tauchman goes to 0-2, then 1-2 and strikes out swinging. Bradley leads 3-1.
 
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In the top of the fourth...Cooper faces Fieser, Lucas and Graham...Fieser hits a double off left-center field wall...Lucas grounds out to second...Fieser at third with one out...Graham who has been productive this season hitting sac flies, goes to 3-1 count and walks...Cooper throws a wild pitch straight to the screen on ball four and Fieser scores...lead cut to 3-2...Ferguson grounds out to second, Graham moves to second...two outs...Grgurich lines out to Martin in center, Martin makes diving catch. Braves lead 3-2.

Into the bottom of the fourth...Petricka will take on Compitello, Colvin and Leblebijian...Compitello goes to 3-2 and strikes out swinging...three straight strikeouts...has 99 on season...Merkley warming in the pen...Brett did some shopping at the mall today during the rain delay...Colvin strikes out...Jake gets #100!...Jake has found his stuff, but unfortunate for ISU that he won't be on the mound much longer becasue of his pitch count restriction...Leblebijian grounds out to short...first three up/three down inning for Jake. Braves lead 3-2.
 
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SIU beat Missouri State today, so ISU must win to retain sole posession of third place. A loss would tie them with SIU.

In the top of the fifth...Cooper will face Ferrell, Strausborger and Burnam...Ferrell singles to center...ISU's third hit of day...Ferrell is seven for eight this year in steal attempts...Ferrell takes second on wild pitch...Straus goes to 3-0 count and walks...runners on first and second with no outs...Burnam goes to 3-0 and walks...eight straight balls thrown by Cooper...bases juiced with no outs...activity starting in Bradley pen with Justin Zeigler...Ort singles to left, scoring Ferrell and Strausborger...ISU goes up 4-3...runners at first and second...each team has four hits...Fieser grounds into doubleplay up the middle (6-1)...Burnam moves to third...two outs...Lucas goes to 3-0 count, then 3-2 and strikes out swinging. Sycamores lead 4-3.

Going to the bottom of the fifth, Fritz, Elliott and Martin will face Petricka...Petricka settled in over the past two innings as he's retired five in a row, with thrww of those K's...Fritz goes to 0-2 count and strikes out swinging...Jake is the eighth Sycamore to reach the 100 strikeout mark since that record was first kept in 1958...Elliott goes to 3-1, then walks...Jake's fourth walk of game...Martin, who has driven in runs in both of his previous at-bats today, PITCH-OUT gets Elliott trying to steal second...Martin goes to 1-2 count, then 3-2...Graham shaken up on the third ball thrown and takes a minute to compose himself...Martin fouls off two more and then lines to Ferguson, who makes a sliding catch, but drops the ball...Sullivan flies out to left. Sycamores lead 4-3 after five innings.
 
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In the top of the sixth, RHP Justin Zeigler (0-1, 6.43 in 28 innings) will face Graham, Ferguson and Grgurich...Graham goes to 1-2, then 3-2 and walks...Ferguson grounds out to third and Graham advances to second...sparse crowd at the park...Grgurich grounds out to first, Graham moves to third...two outs...Ferrell grounds out to second. ISU leads 4-3.

Jake Petricka has thrown 84 pitches, so he'll likely be pulled during this inning unless he has a really efficient inning.

Going to the home-half of the sixth...Petricka facing McMillan, Tauchman...McMillan goes to 0-2 and strikes out looking...Tauchman lines the first pitch to left for out number two ...Compitello goes to 0-2, then 3-2 and strikes out swinging...Jake's 8th K of the game. ISU leads 4-3.
 
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Going to the top of the seventh...ISU needs some insurance runs and will send Staus, Burnam and Ort to the plate to face Zeigler...Straus goes to 0-2, then 1-2 and fouls off two and gets an infield single to third...first hit for Straus today and the fifth for ISU...Straus is 38 for 40 in steal attempts this season...Straus tagged out at second trying to steal as he went in standing up!...Burnam goes to 0-2 count and grounds out to the mound...two out, no-one on...Ort reaches on an error by second baseman... Kevin Mann warming in the pen...Fieser chops one to third for the third out. ISU on top 4-3.

Into the bottom of the seventh, LHP Kevin Mann (4-1, 4.02) will take over for Petricka who has reached his maximum pitch count to keep him fresh for Tuesday's start in game one of the MVC Tournament...Kimball (.276) pinch-hitting for Colvin...Kimball goes to 3-2, Graham nicked by foul ball, then Kimball fouls for a third time and walks...pinch runner for Kimball is Segar...Leblebijian goes to 0-2 trying to bunt, then strikes out swinging...Fritz goes to 3-0 and walks...runners at first and second with one out...Harlan (3-2, 1.03 in 27 appearances) comes into the game...double-steal with tying run at third and go-ahead run at second...Elliott, who's 2 for 2 with a walk today, goes 1-2 and sac flies out to center...game tied at 4-4...Martin goes to 0-2, then 2-2 and strikes out swinging. Score tied at 4-4.
 
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Into the top of the eighth, Lucas, Graham and Ferguson will face Zeigler, who's in his third inning of work...Lucas pops out to shallow left...Graham goes to 0-2, then 1-2 and strikes out on a foul tip... Ferguson goes to 3-0 and walks...Ferguson steals second...Pearson (.238), who came in last inning for Grgurich, goes to 0-2 and gets a base hit...Ferguson scores...ISU up 5-4...Ferrell, one for three today, is hit by a pitch...Strausborger up with runners at first and second and two outs...Straus, who is one for three, and grounds out to second. Sycs lead 5-4.

Going to the home-half of the eighth, Sullivan, McMillan and Tauchman will face Harlan...Sullivan homers to tie game at 5-5 on a ball down the left field line over the 310 marker...McMillan grounds out to Pearson at second... Tauchman goes to 0-2 and lines single into right...Tauchman steals second...Browning warming in the pen for ISU...Compitello, who has a pair of strikeouts and a walk, grounds a single through left side...runners on the corners with one out...Tyler Browning (1-1, 4.78) will replace Harlan...Segar (.207) goes to 0-2 after fouling off two bunt attempts and strikes out looking...two out...Leblebijian goes to 0-2 and strikes out swinging to preserve the game at a 5-5 tie.
 
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Into the top of the ninth, ISU will be looking to get back on top as they send Burnam, Ort and Fieser to face Zeigler...Zeigler in his fourth inning of work is hopefully tiring...Burnam bunts down the third base line and is thrown out on a good play by Elliott at third...Ort singles down the left field line...Fieser, one for four, with one double, grounds to short for a 6-4-3 doubleplay. Score tied at 5-5.

Going to the bottom of the ninth, Browning will face Fritz, Elliott and Martin who are the number one, two and three batters...Fritz goes to a full count and walks...sixth time in nine innings that Bradley has put their lead-off batter on base...Elliott sac bunts to Ort...Fritz goes to second... Martin goes to 3-2 count and walks...second walk given up by Browning this inning...Sullivan, who homered to tie the score in the eighth, goes to an 0-2 count, then 2-2 then singles to drive in Fritz to win it for Bradley 6-5.
 
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Loss goes to Browning, now 1-2. Game time was 3:05.

I guess the big no-no's today were too many walks (8) and a usually tough relief effort that saw all three relievers faulter. Weather permitting, tomorrow's game will start at 2:00 p.m. (CT).
 

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One of the big differences between this year's Sycamores and last year's is the number of wins and losses decided by two runs or less. We have lost ten games this season by two runs or less and we have won 15 by two runs or less. Last season, during the regular season, we had six wins by two or fewer runs and four losses. This season, we're really living on the edge with 15 narrow wins. Last season we often had more explosive offensive outbursts earlier in the game as well.
 
In the interview posted by WestT in the above post, it was interesting how Coach Heller takes responsibility for not throwing left-handers as part of the relief mix in the eighth and ninth innings...as Bradley had several lefties coming to the dish against Harlan and Browning.
 
Choking like this has become common by our relief staff this season...versus:

Ethel's pinch blast caps U of L's rally
• May 20, 2010

Junior J.J. Ethel's pinch-hit, three-run homer with two out capped a four-run ninth inning that lifted the 10th-ranked University of Louisville baseball team to a 6-3 series-opening victory at Notre Dame on Thursday.

It was Ethel's second homer this season and the 22nd come-from-behind victory for the Cardinals (44-10, 19-6 Big East Conference).

Jeff Arnold had a two-run shot to put UofL ahead 2-1 in the fifth, but the Fighting Irish (22-30, 10-15) scored twice in the seventh to knock out starter Thomas Royse.

Tony Zych (3-2) retired all four batters he faced, and Neil Holland struck out two in the ninth in earning his 14th save.
 
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