UConn @ Houston - 5/5 @ 7:30pET, 5/6 @7:30ET & 5/6@2pET

[dbmill]

Russell relieves Cate for the bottom of the 9th.

 

[dbmill]

Russell gets Houston 1-2-3 in the 9th inning. On to extra innings.

 

[dbmill]

Wow. What a come back. Maybe Penders should give Lefevre more at bats, you know the guy that is hitting .280 on the year and gets hits in every big situation he's put in. I'd bet he can play first just as good as Winkel.

Or DH LeFevre and move Gnesda to 1B, with Winkel to the bench. It's a thought. Winkel has power potential, but right now it is just potential that rarely seems to come through, at least in his freshman year.

 

[dbmill]

I'd go with Russell for one more inning. After that, he should come out.

 

[dbmill]

Oh well, Russell walks in the winning run in the 10th.

 

[huskymedic]

Kept it close... need tomorrow.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Play like that and get good starting performances, and we can win this series. With that said, our failure to take advantage of baserunners cost us dearly today.

 

[dbmill]

UConn's RPI sits at 48 this morning. UConn is now 2-6 against teams in the RPI 50, and 11-7 against teams from 51-100. No one said winning some of these games would be easy, but for UConn to have a chance at an NCAA tournament at large bid the Huskies need win some of these games against Houston, USF, and Rhode Island.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

WHUS is having technical difficulties at the moment.

 

[Baseballguy]

What is Penders deal. He won't play Stefanski who is the best defensive outfielder on the team and a better bat than Kruger. Then he won't bat Lefevre who is now the 4th highest average on the team. Is he trying to lose games. I don't get it.

 

[dbmill]

What is Penders deal. He won't play Stefanski who is the best defensive outfielder on the team and a better bat than Kruger. Then he won't bat Lefevre who is now the 4th highest average on the team. Is he trying to lose games. I don't get it.

One problem with Stefanski is his horrible batting average with runners in scoring position (I think it is around .125), so the argument that he is a better bat than Krueger might not hold up. Krueger also has a higher on base percentage. As for LeFevre, I'm sympathetic, but 34 official at bats is not large statistical sample for baseball purposes, and might not hold up for regular play. A good example would be Conner Buckley from last season, who various posters wanted playing when he had a high average coming off the bench. He got some regular starts, and then his average plummeted back to earth.

 

[Baseballguy]

One problem with Stefanski is his horrible batting average with runners in scoring position (I think it is around .125), so the argument that he is a better bat than Krueger might not hold up. Krueger also has a higher on base percentage. As for LeFevre, I'm sympathetic, but 34 official at bats is not large statistical sample for baseball purposes, and might not hold up for regular play. A good example would be Conner Buckley from last season, who various posters wanted playing when he had a high average coming off the bench. He got some regular starts, and then his average plummeted back to earth.

Stefanski puts the ball in play, only striking out 6% of his at bats. He hits the ball hard. On top of that for every run he may not hit in, he takes away a run on defense. As far as Lefevre's small sample size, who cares. He's got it done at the plate when no one else outside of our 1-2-3 guys can. It's just stupidity. Last year Penders left Connor on the bench so long he never got use of his hot streak. It's simple management. You can't keep trotting out the same guys that give you nothing game after game.

 

[dbmill]

WHUS, Chris Jones, and UConn baseball have rejoined the living. However, Houston just scored a run.

 

[huskymedic]

Stefanski puts the ball in play, only striking out 6% of his at bats. He hits the ball hard. On top of that for every run he may not hit in, he takes away a run on defense.

I'm curious - where do you find that stat? Like a +/- in hockey?

 

[Baseballguy]

I'm curious - where do you find that stat? Like a +/- in hockey?

Basically. It's a advanced sybermetric called defensive runs saved but I'm not sure how to calculate it. I know this just from watching the games. I've seen Kruger misread balls horribly a few times per series. Stefanski's arm is a thousand times better as well.

 

[dbmill]

4-0 Houston in the 2nd inning, as the UConn fielding is sounding shoddy.

 

[dbmill]

And Chris Jones just said that Mason Feole sprained his ankle yesterday, and is probably not 100%.

 

[huskymedic]

And Chris Jones just said that Mason Feole sprained his ankle yesterday, and is probably not 100%.

I was like - "okay, so send him out today and not give him another day of treatment?" Wills should have been able to go or did I miss something?

 

[dbmill]

2nd inning over with Houston up 6-0.

 

[Baseballguy]

And Chris Jones just said that Mason Feole sprained his ankle yesterday, and is probably not 100%.

What the hell is our pitching staff doing to have 2 of our 3 weekend guys sprain ankles.

 

[dbmill]

LeFevre is now catching in place of Susi, so Alex gets to hit for the rest of the night.

 

[dbmill]

3rd inning, Feole comes back and strikes out the side in order. Still 6-0 Houston.

 

[dbmill]

Feldstein double followed by a Gnesda single gets a run for the Huskies.