#18 UConn Mid-Week Matchups - 5/8/18 @ 3p vs. Sacred Heart @ J.O.C. & 5/9/18 @1p @ Northeastern

[Baseballguy]

W

 

[CL82]

Alright. Big road win against a good team. RPI boost.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Ballgame! #PapayaSurge #LiterallyNeverADoubt

 

[UConn4ever]

How much does this help our RPI?

 

[UConNick]

Been very busy traveling to DC for job interviews (if any lawyers in the area are looking for a Legal Assistant, PM me ) but so psyched to see this team hold on to pick up that quality road win! CMo showed glimpses of being a solid hitter last year, which is why I was surprised he was so poor early in this season. He's more like a .260-.270 hitter imo than a Mendoza line guy. Would be quite the boon for the team if Cate is really back this weeekend. Another series win against Houston can solidify our hosting resume. Hope to be back in CT and at the game Saturday!

 

[huskymedic]

How much does this help our RPI?

Rating Percentage Index (RPI) Live 2018 College Baseball - WarrenNolan.com

 

[UConn4ever]

Rating Percentage Index (RPI) Live 2018 College Baseball - WarrenNolan.com

Saw that but according to it we dropped 2 spots

 

[Baseballguy]

Saw that but according to it we dropped 2 spots

It takes some time to update. The 2 spot drop is from beating Sacred Heart

 

[CL82]

I was reading that as we dropped two spots. No?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Baseballguy]

Warren Nolan has updated. UConn is now 15 in the RPI

 

[huskymedic]

Saw that but according to it we dropped 2 spots

We started week @16, went to 19 after beating Sacred Heart and are now @ 15.

 

[dbmill]

Saw that but according to it we dropped 2 spots

The RPI sometimes takes a few hours to batch, so to speak. And even after it is adjusted, it will still go up and down as results come in.

 

[businesslawyer]

At the moment, I'd be focused less on the RPI and more on winning (or at least sharing) the American title. My guess is that is the players' focus. Two out of three twice more, both at home, and we tie Houston and at worst tie ECU. Only USF could top that, and they would have to win 5 of 6 against WSU and Cincy to do so. That should be the focus.

 

[dbmill]

Been very busy traveling to DC for job interviews (if any lawyers in the area are looking for a Legal Assistant, PM me ) but so psyched to see this team hold on to pick up that quality road win! CMo showed glimpses of being a solid hitter last year, which is why I was surprised he was so poor early in this season. He's more like a .260-.270 hitter imo than a Mendoza line guy. Would be quite the boon for the team if Cate is really back this weeekend. Another series win against Houston can solidify our hosting resume. Hope to be back in CT and at the game Saturday!

I was at work so I was only listen to small bits of the game. However, my wife is also an avid fan, so she listened and gave me a few updates. From what it sounds like, Cate will not be back for the Houston series. If things go well with Cate throwing this weekend, then look for him during the East Carolina series. From what my wife was relating from what Chris Jones said, he was speculating that it might be more in a relief role, not necessarily a starting role. After missing so many weeks in the season, it is doubtful that he will be able to eat up lots of innings like he has in the past. Still, he is definitely someone who can get batters out, so he is an extra body who will definitely help.

Losing Rossomando for the season is also disappointing, as he has had some good moments this season and has shown when everything is right he can get some guys out.

With only a couple starting pitchers who at this point can get beyond the 5th inning (Gardner could be a third if he is able to heal up), I'm a bit surprised that UConn has continued to win as much as they have. This shortness in starters innings produces a strain on the bullpen, but getting Cate back would certainly help in that regard. And hopefully Dunlop and Simeone will get to the point where they can start a game and go 5 decent innings. UConn is going to need that in the post season tournaments.

 

[dbmill]

At the moment, I'd be focused less on the RPI and more on winning (or at least sharing) the American title. My guess is that is the players' focus. Two out of three twice more, both at home, and we tie Houston and at worst tie ECU. Only USF could top that, and they would have to win 5 of 6 against WSU and Cincy to do so. That should be the focus.

RPI matters, but I'm thinking that if UConn can finish first or second in the AAC, than the Huskies very well might find themselves being an NCAA host. That would require a goodly number of wins over Houston and East Carolina, and that would certainly help their RPI.

 

[huskypantz]

Once again, nice win. Gritty comeback against a solid club who is the #2 team in New England.

 

[dbmill]

Big props for Conor Moriarty, who had a very nice day at the bat against a real good ball club in Northeastern. Moriarty is now one hit shy of .200 for his batting average, and has shown some extra base power when he does get a hit. He is now over .300 for his on base percentage, a very encouraging sign. Considering his batting average at one point was around .122, that is a nice climb.

 

[BigJim84]

I was at work so I was only listen to small bits of the game. However, my wife is also an avid fan, so she listened and gave me a few updates. From what it sounds like, Cate will not be back for the Houston series. If things go well with Cate throwing this weekend, then look for him during the East Carolina series. From what my wife was relating from what Chris Jones said, he was speculating that it might be more in a relief role, not necessarily a starting role. After missing so many weeks in the season, it is doubtful that he will be able to eat up lots of innings like he has in the past. Still, he is definitely someone who can get batters out, so he is an extra body who will definitely help.

Losing Rossomando for the season is also disappointing, as he has had some good moments this season and has shown when everything is right he can get some guys out.

With only a couple starting pitchers who at this point can get beyond the 5th inning (Gardner could be a third if he is able to heal up), I'm a bit surprised that UConn has continued to win as much as they have. This shortness in starters innings produces a strain on the bullpen, but getting Cate back would certainly help in that regard. And hopefully Dunlop and Simeone will get to the point where they can start a game and go 5 decent innings. UConn is going to need that in the post season tournaments.

I agree, Penders has done a great job getting the most out of this team, I think the chemistry is really good on this team.

 

[dbmill]

I agree, Penders has done a great job getting the most out of this team, I think the chemistry is really good on this team.

Considering Tim Cate has pitched in one AAC series (the one UConn lost to USF), and at times it has been difficult to get UConn starters to go five innings, I would most definitely agree with you on Penders. I might disagree with him on strategy (stealing third, pinch running, pitching changes), but the proof is in the pudding with all those wins. He is doing something right this season.

 

[HawkHusky]

Had to miss the second half of the game due to Finals. Damn it!!! CMo has really done work these past few weeks. Great team chemistry and a helluva coaching job with all the injuries.

 

[huskymedic]

Five-Run Eighth Propels No. 18 UConn to Win at Northeastern

Notes:

• Wednesday's comeback was the third time this season that the Huskies came from behind to win when they trailed entering the eighth inning.

• P.J. Poulin has thrown 8.1 consecutive scoreless innings after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings on Wednesday to lock down his 13th save of the year.

• Poulin is tied for second in single- season history with 13 saves. John Russell set the record with 14 saves in 2017.

• The Huskies have won the last two games in Brookline when trailing going into the eighth inning. The Huskies trailed 8-3 heading into the eighth inning in 2016 and came back to win 9-8. UConn hasn't lost to Northeastern in Brookline since 1996 (9-0).

 

[Baseballguy]

(Not sure if this is best in this chat or another)

 

[dbmill]

(Not sure if this is best in this chat or another)

Off hand I would say a 10-5 record (an easy 2:1 ratio) against the RPI top 50 would be very good for a team from anywhere, and not just from the North. I did a very quick look off the Warren Nolan website, and found that there are about 7 teams that have such a 2:1 ratio, and not all of them have 10 wins. I could be wrong by a team or two, but UConn is in excellent shape in this metric.

 

[UConn4ever]

Cincinnati's RPI is now 100 so that'll help the resume if they stay there