Time for some baseball, maybe my favorite sport. Such a strange game, it seems people love it or not. I think you need to have played it to have a real appreciation for all that goes on. Our family has generational involvement in baseball and my fondest memories of youth athletics were on the ball field.

Anyway, baseball is a good program at ACU and I hope the trend continues and the WAC has a good season as well, and a lot of good teams.

Batter up!

I also like baseball, but it is a game most enjoyed in person followed by a good radio announcer and last on video. There are too many incidental things in baseball that a video camera can't catch unless it happens to be focused on the correct spot which it usually isn't because the ball is in the pitcher's hand. It's like a football game between plays except slower.

2022 WAC Baseball Preview & Coaches Poll
https://youtu.be/YUg79tKhrzY

(02-10-2022 05:27 PM)FirstandGoal Wrote:  I also like baseball, but it is a game most enjoyed in person followed by a good radio announcer and last on video. There are too many incidental things in baseball that a video camera can't catch unless it happens to be focused on the correct spot which it usually isn't because the ball is in the pitcher's hand. It's like a football game between plays except slower.

Exactly -- an impressive observation. Every pitch, we knew what was called when on defense -- and what the likely outcome might be statistically. Every pick-off play we watched the call from the corner of the eye watching the dugout. On offense, the options were drilled into everyone. It was a coordinated dance that only the players could know. Watching a game on TV it is hard to pick up anything, but in person it is intriguing to try to figure out the systems. And things change sometimes from inning to inning. The average fan likely does not attempt to pick up on the symphony of a well drilled team and all the communication going on. The game is more complex than most realize.

As much as I like the Astros, when signals were being stolen (so it is claimed) illegally, that was a huge advantage. Now, figuring out signals legally is a different story.

It's baseball time!

First game of the WAC slate is Illinois-Chicago at New Mexico State and then the rest of the schedule follows from there; probably the biggest weekend series is top 25 Nebraska (they are just hanging inside the top 25 in most polls) visiting Sam Houston for a weekend set.

ACU wins game #1 of their 4 game series with NDSU 5-3 in the top of the 9th. It was 3-3 in the bottom of the 8th when ACU scored 2 runs and then ended the game with 3 outs and good pitching. It was a good battle, so will see what the rest of the weekend has in store.

Indeed, it was a very good start to the season. ACU battled Summit League champion and 2021 NCAA Regional qualifier North Dakota State, and the game came down to the very end. ACU led early, NDSU tied it up, and the 'Cats struck twice in the eighth, coming away with a 5-3 win on Opening Day.

Looking ahead, the WAC baseball tournament on Mesa AZ should be interesting, featuring the top teams from each division who won’t have played each other during the regular season. Meanwhile, most teams from the WAC will play very challenging regular season schedules featuring OOC games against ranked teams as well as squads in the Also Receiving Votes category.

(02-18-2022 03:17 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  It's baseball time!

First game of the WAC slate is Illinois-Chicago at New Mexico State and then the rest of the schedule follows from there; probably the biggest weekend series is top 25 Nebraska (they are just hanging inside the top 25 in most polls) visiting Sam Houston for a weekend set.

Congrats on the Win. Looks like the SW division will be tough.

ACU blows the whole day and loses both games with NDSU today to go down 2-1 in the 4 game series this weekend. Hopefully we can rally tomorrow to at least come out of the series even....

(02-10-2022 09:41 PM)RCI Wrote:  

(02-10-2022 05:27 PM)FirstandGoal Wrote:  I also like baseball, but it is a game most enjoyed in person followed by a good radio announcer and last on video. There are too many incidental things in baseball that a video camera can't catch unless it happens to be focused on the correct spot which it usually isn't because the ball is in the pitcher's hand. It's like a football game between plays except slower.

Exactly -- an impressive observation. Every pitch, we knew what was called when on defense -- and what the likely outcome might be statistically. Every pick-off play we watched the call from the corner of the eye watching the dugout. On offense, the options were drilled into everyone. It was a coordinated dance that only the players could know. Watching a game on TV it is hard to pick up anything, but in person it is intriguing to try to figure out the systems. And things change sometimes from inning to inning. The average fan likely does not attempt to pick up on the symphony of a well drilled team and all the communication going on. The game is more complex than most realize.

As much as I like the Astros, when signals were being stolen (so it is claimed) illegally, that was a huge advantage. Now, figuring out signals legally is a different story.

It is not “claimed” that the Astros stole signs. There were fines, folks were suspended, people lost their jobs. And there is video evidence all over the internet. The Astros cheated and will forever be cheaters.

(02-20-2022 12:57 AM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  

(02-10-2022 09:41 PM)RCI Wrote:  

(02-10-2022 05:27 PM)FirstandGoal Wrote:  I also like baseball, but it is a game most enjoyed in person followed by a good radio announcer and last on video. There are too many incidental things in baseball that a video camera can't catch unless it happens to be focused on the correct spot which it usually isn't because the ball is in the pitcher's hand. It's like a football game between plays except slower.

Exactly -- an impressive observation. Every pitch, we knew what was called when on defense -- and what the likely outcome might be statistically. Every pick-off play we watched the call from the corner of the eye watching the dugout. On offense, the options were drilled into everyone. It was a coordinated dance that only the players could know. Watching a game on TV it is hard to pick up anything, but in person it is intriguing to try to figure out the systems. And things change sometimes from inning to inning. The average fan likely does not attempt to pick up on the symphony of a well drilled team and all the communication going on. The game is more complex than most realize.

As much as I like the Astros, when signals were being stolen (so it is claimed) illegally, that was a huge advantage. Now, figuring out signals legally is a different story.

It is not “claimed” that the Astros stole signs. There were fines, folks were suspended, people lost their jobs. And there is video evidence all over the internet. The Astros cheated and will forever be cheaters.

Flags fly forever

Sam Houston takes 3 of 4 from Big 10 favorite Nebraska.

Great job by SHSU! ACU not so good. North Dakota State played quite well. Fun to have baseball back in play.

As for the Astros, I too thought the evidence was that they cheated but I did not have first-hand knowledge of what they did -- I just agreed they deserved punishment. The recent Astros are not quite the Astros of the Drayton McClain era. My favorite games were years ago when the Braves would come to town and the Astros would battle Smoltz, Glavine, and Mattux. When not pitching, the Atlanta pitchers would often play golf and boy could they hit it, especially Smoltz.

Hornets open the season with a home sweep of Northern Illinois. Lot's of young pitching so not too sure what to expect from the Hornets this year.

Friday: 11-7 win. Hornets jump on the Huskies early and cruise to an opening day win. Iwasa had 3 RBI and Valero and Moretto hit a HR and drive in 2 runs each. FR pitcher Stewart goes 5 strong in relief for his first collegiate win.
Saturday, Game 1: 8-0 win. FR pitcher Hunter throws a 7 inning no hitter for the win in his first collegiate appearance. Bojorquez hit 2 doubles and scored 2 runs from the leadoff spot and Doyle and Valero had 2 RBI each.
Saturday, Game 2: 2-0 win. Walker hits a walk-off 2 run HR to give the Hornets the win in the pitchers duel.
Sunday: 10-9 win. Hornet rally for 5 runs in the 6th to take the lead off of a 2 run double by Vincelli-Simard and Zalasky goes 3+ innings in relief for his first win of the season.

Sam Houston's tough opening schedule continues tonight.

After defeating Big 10 favorite Nebraska in 3 of 4 games, Kats now face #3 Oklahoma State in a neutral site game in Arlington at Globe Life Field before a three-game weekend set against a Dallas Baptist team that is in the bottom five of the rankings or just outside. Next week, top ranked Texas comes to town.

Probably one of the tougher schedules in the country to open the season. A bit downhill from there as the Kats will host Texas Southern and Tarleton State on back-to-back weekends.

Sounds exciting and very opportunistic. Beat those kinds and you truly are big time.

Great night for WAC Baseball yesterday!

(02-23-2022 12:41 PM)gleadley Wrote:  Great night for WAC Baseball yesterday!

Good to see the long lost Leadley posting! We’ve missed you!

(02-23-2022 12:58 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 12:41 PM)gleadley Wrote:  Great night for WAC Baseball yesterday!

Good to see the long lost Leadley posting! We’ve missed you!