2018 Gopher Baseball

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pharmacygopher said:
Someone help me out. Do any of the polls mean more than others or carry weight for NCAA selection?

Like hockey, the Pairwise ranking seems to be the end all of all rankings. Does baseball do something similar?
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Hard to tell with all the polls, actually 6 of them. College baseball does use RPI fairly heavily and last I saw the Gophers were at 40. The D1 poll is the most quoted.
 


Nick Lackney picked up the win on the mound going 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 6 hits while walking 0 and striking out 7. Jeff Fasching pitched 2 innings and allowed 2 hits while striking out 2. Fred Manke pitched the 9th and walked 2 and struck out 2. At the plate the Cole McDevitt had 2 hits and drove in 3 runs while Jordan Kozicky also had 2 hits.

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Offense got going right away and Reggie Meyer shut things down after the 1st. Reggie went 8 innings allowing 1 run on 7 hits hit 2 batters and struck out 3. Jake Stevenson pitched a perfect 9th picking up a strikeout. Cole McDevitt had 2 hits including a homerun and Terrin Vavra had 2 hits including a homerun. Eli Wilson, Micah Coffey, and Jordan Kozicky all also had 2 hits and Kozicky drove in 3 runs.
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Road wins versus top 50 RPI teams. The best way to make that resume tough to ignore.
 

Regardless of how today's game turns out, I have to say I've never seen a team take as many called third strikes in a ball-game as the Gophers have today. Guy after guy (maybe six or seven) has taken a called third strike in this game. A couple of times, it's basically ended a chance to score.

Having said that, it's 1-1 in the 8th. But my goodness have these guys watched a lot of third strikes go by today.
 

Gophers continue to win series. Missed some opportunities leaving the bases loaded twice without getting a run and had a runner at 3rd twice freeze and stay at 3rd on a hard hit ball to the left side that they probably would've been able to score on although they were pretty tough reads as Ohio State fielders got a glove on them. Definitely not impressed with the umps strike zone as it seemed like Ohio State definitely got the benefit a few times late. Terrin Vavra was up with 1 out and a runner on 3rd an called out on a pitch that was on the line of the right handed batters box and hadn't been called a strike. Patrick Fredrickson threw his arms up a couple times and even walked towards home plate once asking the ump where the pitch was. Terrin Vavra started running towards the mound on a missed strike 3 call in the bottom of the 9th that was instead called ball 4 and definitely looked like he wanted to let the ump know he missed it but other guys got him to stop after a few strides and go back to his position. Patrick Fredrickson gets the win 8 innings 8 hits 1 run that came because of a missed call at 3rd base and 7 strikeouts. Max Meyer gets the save getting 3 soft ground balls and battling through being squeezed a little walking 2 guys. Gophers got the game winning run in the 9th via a Luke Pettersen single, Ben Mezzenga sac bunt, Terrin Vavra intentional walk, double steal and the ball bounced off Vavra stealing 2nd allowing Pettersen to score and Vavra to get to 3rd, Eli Wilson hit a hard grounder to 3rd that bounced off a diving 3rd baseman and to the SS who threw out Wilson, Vavra probably could've scored on it but tough read, and Toby Hanson struck out to end the inning.
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Outstanding! Find myself watching Gametracker this year.

Quick question for those who follow closer. Did Estrada get hurt or just not playing?
 



WoodburyTim said:
Outstanding! Find myself watching Gametracker this year.

Quick question for those who follow closer. Did Estrada get hurt or just not playing?
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Great series win. Don't think Estrada is hurt, just check his numbers, I think you will get your answer.
 

This team is rolling. Question....I know this is very early but will the NCAA deem Siebert to small to host a regional? Twins are home for the opening round so Target Field is not an option. The Saints are on the road but CHS has high school regionals scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Don't know if they'd be able to get bumped or not. It would be awesome if we could host.
 

WoodburyTim said:
Outstanding! Find myself watching Gametracker this year.

Quick question for those who follow closer. Did Estrada get hurt or just not playing?
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Not hurt just guys performing better right now. He pinch hit Friday.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
This team is rolling. Question....I know this is very early but will the NCAA deem Siebert to small to host a regional? Twins are home for the opening round so Target Field is not an option. The Saints are on the road but CHS has high school regionals scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Don't know if they'd be able to get bumped or not. It would be awesome if we could host.
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Pretty sure they could host at Siebert.
 




Yikes is all I'm going to say about that game.
 

Controversial loss today. Gophers led 5-3 going to the bottom of the 9th. Ohio State got a couple ground ball singles, a strikeout, fielders choice, and walk to set up bases loaded 2 outs and down 2. A grounder in the hole led to a close play at 2nd with the next batter looked out called safe 5-4. Next batter hit a high tapper in front of the plate close play at 1st runner ran inside the baseline not supposed to be able to do it and collided with Cole McDevitt at 1st base knocking the ball out of his glove and making it roll up the foul line 6-5 Ohio State. Gophers were up 5-1 in the 6th and had a situation were they just needed a productive out in the 6th to add on and a man on 2nd with nobody out in the 8th and couldn't score either. For the Gophers Sam Thoresen went 3+ innings 1 hit 1 run 3 walks 2 hit batters and 1 strikeout so command wasn't great today and Brett Schulze was rested so that is why he got the early hook. Schulze went 4 innings 4 hits 2 runs 1 hit batter and 2 strikeouts. Jackson Rose pitched a perfect 8th striking out 1. Max Meyer got the loss going 0.2 innings 4 hits(nothing hit hard) 3 runs(2 earned) 1 walk and 1 strikeout. At the plate Luke Pettersen had 2 hits including a triple and drove in 2. Toby Hanson, Jordan Kozicky, and Alex Boxwell each had 2 hits. Hanson and Kozicky had a double each. This loss definitely hurts because you felt like you had it nailed down and you feel like a few calls went against you to help allow Ohio State to win but with the way this team has been able to respond to adversity this year I'd be very surprised if they don't bounce right back.
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I'd take a 3-1 record for the week any day. Calls are going to go for or against you at times. I'm sure St. Johns fans were not happy about the balk calls against their pitchers in the bottom of the 9th this year. Things in sports always seem to even out. Before the season started, there is no way did I think we'd be 28-12 at this point of the season. I think the boys will bounce back.

I still think we have not found that elusive third starting pitcher. I think Thorensen will became a very good pitcher in his career as a Gopher, but I wonder if he's ready for that roll this year. Maybe we have tried all the options (we have tried a lot of pitchers) and we have none left. I don't know. If I were Anderson this is what I'd do. I'd start Fasching or Duffy this midweek game and have them go 3 or 4 innings. If they do well, give them a shot this coming Sunday as the starter.
 


The Gophers not only need to find a third starter they can trust but also a fourth starter before the Big Ten Tournament if they are to advance into a regional and do some damage. Two reliable starters will not win the Big Ten Tourney, let alone get past tough teams in a regional. They used Lackney in the mid-week game last week and it will be very telling if they use him again tomorrow night at Siebert I believe. They have tried Lackney, Thoresen, Stevenson, and Culliver as starters but Culliver hasn't pitched more than a couple innings in the past three weeks. Brett Schulze was the Saturday starter last season as a freshman but he has been moved to the bullpen and has usually been brought in when the starter is struggling early in games. At this time of the season, the starters are usually the pitchers that have been reliable throughout the season. Reggie Meyer and Patrick Fredrickson have been the most reliable and consistent starters, and Schulze has been solid out of the bullpen so it will be interesting to see who gets the call Sunday. There are quite a few pitchers who haven't seen much if any action the past four weeks. It would be great to be able to start a southpaw but I am not sure who has proven they can handle the pressure at this point of the season. Anderson has quite a few fresh arms to pick from but how sharp they will be after not seeing much action needs to be seen. Tomorrow night will be interesting to see how the pitchers are used and who is used.
 

I looked at last midweek game against South Dakota as looking for a fourth starter. I think Lackney has the role of fourth starter in hand if he continues to pitch well in the mid-week.

I look at tomorrow as a chance to find a potential third starter. A lot of guys haven't pitched a lot because of rain outs. You let your starter go 3 innings and see what he can do. If he pitches well give him the ball 5 days later against Indiana. Obviously Concordia is not Indiana but the game situation would give you a better idea then in practice. Anderson may have different ideas about the game. It will be interesting to see who Anderson starts.

They are not going to put Schulze or Max in for third starter. These guys are way too valuable in the bullpen. I know relief pitchers have filled those roles in the past come tourney time (Gilbreath two years ago). Both Schulze and Max could be used for spot starter in Big Ten tourney or NCAA regions.
 

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The Race for B1G Omaha

A lot to be sorted out the final 3 weekends. B1G could be headed toward a record number of NCAA bids. 6 currently in legitimate contention, but in the end I think the number will be 4, if things fall right, 5.

Bracket 1
#1 Michigan (12-2) vs. #8 Michigan State (7-7)
#4 Illinois (10-5) vs. #5 Indiana (9-5)

Bracket 2
#2 Gophers (11-3) vs. #7 Iowa (9-7)
#3 Purdue (10-4) vs. #6 Ohio State (9-6)

Friday
Michigan @ Rutgers, 2
Northwestern @ Purdue, 5
Michigan State @ Penn State, 5:30
Ohio State @ Illinois, 6
Indiana @ Minnesota, 6:30
Maryland @ Nebraska, 6:35

Saturday
Michigan @ Rutgers, 12
Michigan State @ Penn State, 1
Indiana @ Minnesota, 2 (BTN)
Maryland @ Nebraska, 2:05
Ohio State @ Illinois, 3
Northwestern @ Purdue, 5

Sunday
Michigan @ Rutgers, 12
Northwestern @ Purdue, 12
Michigan State @ Penn State, 12
Indiana @ Minnesota, 1 (BTN)
Ohio State @ Illinois, 1
Maryland @ Nebraska, 1:05

Contenders for the 8 Spots
#1 Michigan (12-2)
#2 Minnesota (11-3) -- has head to head tiebreaker over Purdue
#3 Purdue (10-4)
#4 Illinois (10-5)
#5 Indiana (9-5) -- has head to head tiebreaker over Purdue
#6 Ohio State (9-6) -- has head to head tiebreakers over Indiana & Nebraska
#7 Iowa (9-7) -- has head to head tiebreaker over Ohio State
#8 Michigan State (7-7) -- has head to head tiebreaker over Nebraska
#9 Rutgers (6-9) -- has head to head tiebreakers over Michigan State & Nebraska
#10 Maryland (5-9) -- has head to head tiebreaker over Michigan State
#11 Nebraska (4-9)
 

Here's the latest RPI for the Big Ten:
21 - Indiana
29 - Minnesota
44 - Illinois
47 - Ohio State
51 - Iowa
54 - Purdue
56 - Michigan
106 - Maryland
113 - Nebraska
151 - Rutgers
196 - Michigan State
224 - Northwestern
234 - Penn State

That bubble between Illinois and Michigan is getting awfully thin. There are 5 Big Ten teams in spots 44 through 56. It isn't listed above but Iowa has a non-conference series against Okie State this weekend. That will be a big one for their NCAA hopes.
 

Yep, huge weekend for Iowa. If they win that series I actually really like their at-large chances.
 

Gophers going with TBD for the Sunday starter again. Will be interesting to see if Thoresen gets another shot or they go with somebody else. Schulze is the guy who is pitching the best right now that could fill the roll but he has also been so valuable in his bullpen role that I don't know if I'd change anything with him.
 

If I was a betting man, I think they end up going with Lackney. He pitched a very good game against South Dakota. He also pitched two shut out innings against Concordia, and was working hard in the bullpen after his two innings of work. What scares me about this series is how good Indiana's starting pitching is, and us having to facing two starting pitchers who are lefties. This series should give us a really good idea how our team stacks up against the nations top teams.
 

Gophers get the big weekend off to a good start. Reggie Meyer was excellent on the mound going 8+ innings 4 hits 1 run 2 walks and 6 strikeouts using just 77 pitches. 14 tried to let him go for the complete game but back to back walks to start the 9th ended Reggies day. Max Meyer came in and to face the middle of Indiana's order and got a fly out for out number one and then hit a batter to load the bases up with 1 out. Max came back and got a strikeout and tapper to short that Terrin Vavra made had to make a strong throw on to finish things out. Gophers offense worked a run right away tonight with a leadoff 4 pitch walk to Luke Pettersen, fielders choice for Ben Mezzenga, Terrin Vavra drilled a ball to left that just missed being a homerun to set up 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and Eli Wilson grounded out up the middle to score the 1st run. Gophers had a couple 2 out baserunners over the next 2 innings but things stayed kinda quiet until a solo homerun from Indiana in the 4th. Gophers struck again in the 5th with a leadoff single from Alex Boxwell he advanced to 2nd on a bobble by the centerfielder, Luke Pettersen flew out, Ben Mezzenga doubled to score Boxwell, and Terrin Vavra singled to score Mezzenga. Gophers added 1 more in the 7th via a leadoff single from Alex Boxwell, sac bunt from Luke Pettersen, Ben Mezzenga flew out, Terrin Vavra was intentionally walked, and Eli Wilson lined one into right field to score Boxwell who had stole 3rd. Nice night for Terrin Vavra reaching base in all 4 plate appearances 3 hits and a walk and Alex Boxwell with 2 hits and 2 runs scored. Tomorrow afternoons game will be on BTN.
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Fun game tonight. Solid win all around. Let's hope we win the series tomorrow. Reg Meyer was fantastic tonight.
 

Michigan lost to Rutgers so the Gophers are tied for first in the B1G.
 

Gophers jump out to a 3-0 lead, after the 1st inning, over Indiana. Game's on BTN
 

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