Middle 1 -- scoreless
posted by David Cloninger, 6/01/2009 05:56:00 PM
He's a lefty and the Gamecocks have seen him before, with a great deal of success against him. Somers did throw against North Carolina and did well in the regular season, but that was then and not two nights ago, when USC pounded him for four runs in one inning.
First pitch, wheels, deals, fires -- ball one, outside.
Merrifield down 1-2 and fouls one off himself. He's taking a minute -- I think it might have hit him in the shin and coaches Ray Tanner and Chad Holbrook are out looking at him. Merrifield walking around trying to loosen it up but re-takes his place in the box. That'd be a great start -- losing your leadoff man on the first at-bat.
Merrifield swings and flies high and deep to right. It's close, but Devin Harris has no trouble tracking it down just shy of the track. One down.
Jackie Bradley Jr. up, elevated to the two-hole. He takes two balls, then an inside strike which will be a killer if it's allowed all day. Somers fools Bradley Jr. on a slow curve but then throws ball three for a full count.
Payoff comes in and Bradley Jr. pokes it right over short for a single. Nice piece of hitting there.
One on, one out for DeAngelo Mack. Somers throws two balls low, then tries to get Bradley Jr. at first. No dice.
2-0 to Mack, pitch comes in and Mack hits it off the end of the bat. High but not deep and caught in left, two down.
Nick Ebert up. He's 2-of-13 this weekend (.154). I think I know a way to make people forget it ...
Somers goes 3-0 on Ebert. He keeps it outside and walks him on four straight, bringing up the hot-hitting Justin Dalles. Bradley Jr. goes to second base.
Two on, two outs for the catcher, who has blasted three homers in the past two games. Catcher Jared Avchen out for a word with Somers -- probably "careful."
Changeup in and Dalles swings for the fences, killing a few gnats. Strike one.
2-1 count on Dalles after Somers issues outside. Next pitch is grounded sharply to third but Drew Schieber was playing the line. He has it, steps on third for the force, inning over. Gamecocks leave two.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Patrick Somers toes the rubber and prepares to fire to Whit Merrifield. The Gamecocks' mission is simple -- whoever the Pirates put out there, hit him and hit him hard and often. Got to give Jay Brown enough to work with so he doesn't have to be perfect.
He's a lefty and the Gamecocks have seen him before, with a great deal of success against him. Somers did throw against North Carolina and did well in the regular season, but that was then and not two nights ago, when USC pounded him for four runs in one inning.
First pitch, wheels, deals, fires -- ball one, outside.
Merrifield down 1-2 and fouls one off himself. He's taking a minute -- I think it might have hit him in the shin and coaches Ray Tanner and Chad Holbrook are out looking at him. Merrifield walking around trying to loosen it up but re-takes his place in the box. That'd be a great start -- losing your leadoff man on the first at-bat.
Merrifield swings and flies high and deep to right. It's close, but Devin Harris has no trouble tracking it down just shy of the track. One down.
Jackie Bradley Jr. up, elevated to the two-hole. He takes two balls, then an inside strike which will be a killer if it's allowed all day. Somers fools Bradley Jr. on a slow curve but then throws ball three for a full count.
Payoff comes in and Bradley Jr. pokes it right over short for a single. Nice piece of hitting there.
One on, one out for DeAngelo Mack. Somers throws two balls low, then tries to get Bradley Jr. at first. No dice.
2-0 to Mack, pitch comes in and Mack hits it off the end of the bat. High but not deep and caught in left, two down.
Nick Ebert up. He's 2-of-13 this weekend (.154). I think I know a way to make people forget it ...
Somers goes 3-0 on Ebert. He keeps it outside and walks him on four straight, bringing up the hot-hitting Justin Dalles. Bradley Jr. goes to second base.
Two on, two outs for the catcher, who has blasted three homers in the past two games. Catcher Jared Avchen out for a word with Somers -- probably "careful."
Changeup in and Dalles swings for the fences, killing a few gnats. Strike one.
2-1 count on Dalles after Somers issues outside. Next pitch is grounded sharply to third but Drew Schieber was playing the line. He has it, steps on third for the force, inning over. Gamecocks leave two.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Previous Blog Entries
