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Tennessee Tech @ Texas: Austin Super Regional Thread

Horny Bull

By Horny Bull
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TexArcher
TexArcher

Ignoring the trolls, there are some actual regular posters bitching that we still suck at sports and David Pierce is no Augie Garrido because we lost one Super Regional game. First of all, this t

X-Wing @Aliciousness
X-Wing @Aliciousness

The more you post, the more I think you are just scared of the team we're playing. How sad... This used to be a proud baseball program that expected to be in Omaha. Now we only hope they can keep

Zepol87
Zepol87

Daddy is coming home!!

UT Lawnghorn

UT Lawnghorn 758

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, po elvis said:

looked at stubhub for saturday's game. there are over 200 tix available just in the Upper Infield sections, which are good seats. starting at $53 plus fees. expect to get those seats under $20 right before the game.

Yeah, ticket prices dropped like crazy about 24 hours before the regional games started. I'm sure the same will happen for the Supers, especially since I doubt Tenn. Tech has a huge traveling fanbase.

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Guest Lobo

Guest Lobo

Posted
Posted

Uh, I'm not a civil engineer...but aren't those basically smack dab in the middle of the walkway---backing right up to that straight yellow line they tell you know to stand in front of?  The way those food lines get with people coming in/out, that doesn't seem like  very good idea.  

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Guest Lobo

Guest Lobo

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2:00p, 2:00p, 12:00p.  All CDT.  None of them moving, except for possibly Monday if 2 or 3 of the others slated that day end 2-0 over the weekend.  We may get slid down to primetime.  But I wouldn't hold my breath on that.  And yes, Chris Plonsky selected the games times personally due to conflict with Soccer conditioning sessions.

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TrashMaster G

TrashMaster G 17551

Posted
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51 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Uh, I'm not a civil engineer...but aren't those basically smack dab in the middle of the walkway---backing right up to that straight yellow line they tell you know to stand in front of?  The way those food lines get with people coming in/out, that doesn't seem like  very good idea.  

It's a very wide walkway.  May be cozy, but there's lots of room.

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HornStar

HornStar 17

Posted
Posted
On 6/6/2018 at 1:47 AM, po elvis said:

Disagree. Never buy early. Wait.  Buy the day of. We are talking middle of the day games against Tenn Tech.

I wasn't wrong; I just ran out of time.

OK, it appears I was 100% wrong. I hope my panic attack didn't cost anyone (other than me) any money. Rep to Po Elvis. 

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Guest Lobo

Guest Lobo

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, TXLNGHRN10 said:

Oh, they're very nice walkways. And that price includes scenery and wildlife fun

Why do you need my address?  

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Horn21

Horn21 168

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Lobo said:

Please tell us more, we haven't heard much on the topic.  Driving to Oxford, MS would have been much, much worse.  

No shit.  Yes, it's going to be hot.  Yes, it's been said 4 billion times already.  The heat discussion in this thread feels like I stepped into a discussion with my mother-in-law where it's just me listening to her complain about the same thing over and over until we finally get to leave.

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Guest Lobo

Guest Lobo

Posted
Posted

^

You'd be surprised how many people out there still think UT selected those times for shits n' giggles.  I know if does go to three games, I'll be doing my part to drink all the beer within a 2-mile radius of Disch-Falk on that Monday at high noon.  I wasn't there for that '83 game versus Mississippi State, but two of the worst I can remember was a high noon start against TCU about 8-9 years ago on one of the Super REgional weekend games, and then the absolute most brutal was that Game 7 versus Kent State back in '11.  We had lost Saturday night and had to battle back through a double-header Sunday.  I remember it was hot, but nothing compared to that Monday game.  Start time was 1:00p IIRC.  

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dcar00

dcar00 14181

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, TornACL said:

Yeah this ^. They let you go in and out the gate. Man up, run outside between innings and power down a beer if you need one so bad. 

I didn't know they let you go in and out.  that's cool.  do you just have to have your ticket or do they give you something when you go out.

 gonna have to bring some beer and water next time.

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Cairn Horn88

Cairn Horn88 8262

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, BillyGoatHill said:

Just bring your own beer, ice, and cooler and leave it out by the tailgate in LF along the fence. Nobody messes with it.

Could you describe your cooler please?  I don't want to take beer from the wrong cooler.  Thanks BGH....a new friend.

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TornACL

TornACL 7698

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, dcar00 said:

I didn't know they let you go in and out.  that's cool.  do you just have to have your ticket or do they give you something when you go out.

 gonna have to bring some beer and water next time.

They scan your ticket in and out, and in again. 

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brojangles2

brojangles2 786

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Horn21 said:

No shit.  Yes, it's going to be hot.  Yes, it's been said 4 billion times already.  The heat discussion in this thread feels like I stepped into a discussion with my mother-in-law where it's just me listening to her complain about the same thing over and over until we finally get to leave.

Truth. It's like my fucking buddies when I tell them there's a golf now hot deal at 2:30 for 30% of the normal tee time at given course. They spill their guts with complaints but always show up and we fucking have a great time. We're not gonna fucking die, let's have a good time. 

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troph

troph 24783

Posted
Posted
Truth. It's like my fucking buddies when I tell them there's a golf now hot deal at 2:30 for 30% of the normal tee time at given course. They spill their guts with complaints but always show up and we fucking have a great time. We're not gonna fucking die, let's have a good time. 

 

You know how I know you’re gay?

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Scholz

Scholz 11941

Posted
Posted

OB Super Preview:

The Disch should be rocking this weekend. If anyone makes it out there come out to Occupy left field and have a cold beer on me.

Tomorrow afternoon, The Longhorns (40-20) will host Tennessee Tech (52-10) in the Austin Super Regional. If someone would have told you this would happen three months ago – heck, maybe even three weeks ago – with a straight face, you’d probably stare bank with a look of sincere confusion. Make no mistake about it, both teams deserve to be here, and both teams enter this weekend playing at a very high level. 

SCHEDULE (ESPN2): Saturday (2:00 p.m.), Sunday (2:00 p.m.), Monday (if necessary; 12:00 p.m.)

What do you need to know about Texas, Tennessee Tech, and this weekend? We have you covered with 12 notes, quotes, thoughts, and one prediction:

[IMG] 

1) Since the Longhorns had a break in their schedule for final exams, they’ve found a new level of success on the mound. Well, perhaps the better way to phrase is it is they’re finally starting to do what they’ve intended to all season – throw strikes.

“It’s been a focus the entire year. I think it just finally clicked for us,” said Josh Sawyer. “Nolan (Kingham) went out there and gave us nine versus TCU and didn’t walk anyone. So, we were comfortable with that and continued to roll. Now, we’re going in the right way, and we have the momentum going with our pitching staff.”

Following that break, the Longhorns, in nine games beginning with the May 15th contest versus Texas State, have a staff ERA of 1.67 over 81 innings, and have issued just 27 walks. The 3.0 BB/9 is well below the season average 4.2. 

2) As Sawyer alluded to, there seems to be a bit of a “follow the leader” vibe amongst the Texas pitching staff. Kingham’s complete game effort versus TCU pushed the snowball down the mountain, and it hasn’t stopped since. The junior righthander has issued just three free passes his last 22.0 innings, or 1.23 BB/9. 

“He has no fear when it comes to that moment. He loves it. He thrives on it. So, I like getting him the ball in game one in any series, and especially right now with his confidence,” David Pierce said, who also added Kingham battled some self-doubt earlier this season and now has more confidence than he’s had all season. 

3) If the Longhorns are going to win the Super Regional, they need Kingham to set the tone in game one. That won’t be easy, though. Tennessee Tech enters the best-of-three set hitting .338/.434/.589 as a team with a NCAA-leading 134 homers. 

“They do a much better job of taking short connective swings,” a college coach that faced Tennessee Tech told D1Baseball.com’s Kendall Rogers. “They’re all old. They’re all juniors and seniors up and down the lineup… how you’re pitching them, they’ll work off that. You have to be careful getting into patterns with them. They’re just physical. They do a great job of developing approach. Makes them tough. They don’t chase pitches out of the zone.”

Senior first baseman Chase Chambers (.404/.508/.669) and junior outfielder Kevin Strohschein (.386/.441/.669) lead the way for a patient, potent, highly competitive lineup. 

“They have a strength, that’s for sure. And it’s not just hitting the longball. They do a lot of little things offensively that are very good,” the Texas head coach stated about his upcoming opponent. “For example, they’re good with two strikes. They’re patient. There is a reason why they hit so many home runs. They work to get pitches. They can create offense with the short game. It’s important for us to go do what we do and trust what we do and trust what we do. If a guy can hit the ball out the park, it has to be a solo and don’t get caught up in that.”

Pierce said after watching Tennessee Tech’s two games versus Ole Miss on Monday, he knows it can hit regardless of whatever park it plays in. 

“I’m not real sure… to me, yesterday proved it doesn’t matter what their ballpark is,” he responded when asked if he knew the dimensions of Tennessee Tech’s home park. “They can hit – 134 home runs maybe a little bit of inflation because of their ballpark or some of the pitchers they’ve seen, but at the end of the day, I think they can really hit.”

[IMG] 

4) Although the Golden Eagles played the nation’s No. 157 strength of schedule (Boyd’s World) thus far, they have an ISR (Iterative Strength Rating) of No. 9 nationally. Texas is ranked No. 18. So yes, Tennessee Tech has mashed some inferior competition, but it is a legit club. 

“That’s a major mistake,” responded Pierce when asked about some people looking at Tennessee Tech and thinking Texas caught a break. “When you have Tennessee Tech going into Ole Miss and taking a doubleheader if that doesn’t get your attention they’re a very good team then you’re not paying attention.”

The following players from Tennessee Tech were selected in this week’s MLB Draft:

Junior RHP – Ethan Roberts (4th round)
Senior RHP – Travis Moths (7th round)
Senior 3B – Trevor Putzig (17th round)
Senior 1B – Chase Chambers (18th round)
Junior CF – Alex Junior (19th round)
Junior RHP – Marcus Evey (20th round)
Junior SS – John Ham (31st round)
Senior SS – David Garza (38th round)

5) As for the eyeballs, these are the adjectives that popped into my head as I watched Tennessee Tech play Ole Miss three times: very competitive; energetic; confident; chemistry; patient; consistent; relentless; fearless. 

The thing that stood out to me the most about the Golden Eagles’ offense wasn’t the power, which is influenced somewhat by their home ballpark and schedule played. Rather, they consistently put the ball in play hard over and over and over again. And even against some big-time power arms in the backend of Ole Miss’s bullpen, Tennessee Tech often grinded out at-bats, spoiled pitches, and made pitchers work to try to get something to hit. 

I don’t foresee Tennessee Tech coming to spacious UFCU Disch-Falk Field and mashing homers, although it’ll probably hit a couple or a few. In the Ole Miss Regional, Tennessee Tech beat Missouri State 6-4, lost to Ole Miss 9-8, beat Missouri State 2-1 and then beat Ole Miss 15-5 and 3-2. But this will be the big challenge for Texas’s pitching staff: getting ahead in counts with quality pitches that aren’t get-me-over offerings, and staying mentally tough enough to continue to make quality pitches deep in bats when they are ahead because this Tennessee Tech team can frustrate pitchers very easily. 

There are no breaks in the lineup. It isn’t built up-and-down with the All-American mashers like the numbers suggest, but it did just more than hold its own against an Ole Miss pitching staff known for its power stuff and will be one of the toughest lineups Texas has seen all season.

6) You’ll probably see Tennessee Tech put some players in motion in hit-and-run situations, but it has swiped just 29 bases all season. It also has just 12 sacrifice bunts. The Golden Eagles want to drive balls into the gap, out of the yard, or swing it to advance runners. 

7) On the mound, the Golden Eagles will bring a 4.91 ERA and .260 batting average against to Austin with 8.63 K/9 and 4.14 BB/9. The pitching staff is top heavy. 

In the backend, Ethan Roberts is as good as it gets at closer. He’s punched out 96 batters in 71.0 innings with a 2.41 ERA, and will feature a plus cutter – one scout told me it was the best cutter in this year’s draft - along with a changeup capable of getting swings and misses. But beyond him in the bullpen, the picture isn’t as pretty. Tennessee Tech doesn’t have another reliver that’s thrown over 10.0 innings with an ERA under 4.00.

As for the starters, Travis Moths, a righty, leads the way with a 3.86 ERA over 95.2 innings with 104 strikeouts, 36 walks, and a .251 batting average against. Marcus Evey has stuff capable of generating some swings and misses, and held batters to a .239 batting average. Like the bullpen, though, there’s a drop-off after the initial arms. 

“Moths… It is 90-94 MPH with touching a 95… really good changeup and fastball command, and a very average breaking ball. but he’ll fight for you for it... competitive as hell,” a college coach told D1Baseball.com’s Rogers. “Them being offensive didn’t surprise me… I was surprised that they had three solid arms.”

😎 If you can’t tell by now, Texas would likely have an advantage in a potential game three, and it’s also why I wouldn’t rule out Pierce getting very aggressive to win game one, which could mean using Chase Shugart out of the bullpen for an inning or two. 

[IMG] 

9) The recipe for Texas winning the regional gets back to pitching. The Longhorns are probably going to put up some decent or better run totals, especially if they can generate a few crooked numbers early. But can they get outs consistently and effectively? 

Pierce believes his pitching staff reached a point late in the season when it began to take ownership of its performances and decided enough was enough. 

“I think you just get to a point where you have to look in the mirror and go, ‘My stuff is good. I trust myself. And if we’re going to advance, and I’m going to help this team, then I have to do my piece. And my part right there is to throw strikes.’ We have guys that throw up to 95 MPH and if they can’t throw the ball over the plate then they’re a non-factor,” he said. “They also feel like they’re going to get eliminated and we’re going to move to somebody else if they’re not competing the right way. It was not one moment. It was basically guys feeding off of each other and started with Nolan against TCU and we built from there.”

Coming out of the break in the schedule and heading into the important TCU series to end the regular season, it could have been then when Texas’s pitchers grabbed the momentum and began to pitch like they’re capable. 

“I think we got momentum in the TCU series giving up less than three runs every time out. The older guys just finally stepped up and said, ‘Alright, we’re tired of this. We’re tired of walking people. We’re tired of being the reason why we even lose games.’ So, we took it upon ourselves to focus in, to lock in even more and pound the strike zone,” said Saywer. “If we eliminate walks, we’re one of the best pitching staffs in the country. That was our goal, and over the past couple of weeks we’ve been able to do that.”

The Longhorns will have to keep the walks down this weekend, and it won’t be easy against a patient lineup that has no fear late in counts. 

10) I don’t get the impression Texas will overlook Tennessee Tech, or feel like it’s the favorite in this matchup. Why? The Longhorns are comprised of so many players that have persevered through unfavorable odds. They have players that have spent years rehabbing, or weren’t even part of the program for multiple seasons; some players had to make huge adjustments just to stay on the roster; the starting center fielder and first baseman are preferred walk-ons; freshmen have played roles as well as JUCO transfers. 

“I don’t think so, especially with this team because we’re all kind of a bunch of misfits – fifth-years, JUCO guys, freshmen, guys that have been injured their whole careers here. So, we kind of felt like we’re the underdogs all year long, so that’s how we’re going to look at it,” Sawyer said when asked if it’ll be hard to keep the chip on the shoulder. “That’s been our mindset. We don’t have the most talent in the country. But when we play together and as a team, we can beat anyone.”

Pierce wouldn’t use the same word to describe his bunch, but he didn’t disagree. 

“Yeah, I do. I don’t think misfits is the right word. It is something that they’re saying right now, and they’re cool with it. But I just think we have some ballplayers. Masen Hibbeler is a baseball player. Tate Shaw is a baseball player with a football mentality. Duke Ellis has this great body that can really run and there’s some skill in there. And you just go all the way around the horn. And you look at our late-bloomers and our guys that are kickbacks like Josh and Andy McGuire. There are just so many moving pieces that come together and make this team so unique,” he said. 

11) Is it fair to wonder if Texas has a little something special on its side, or has such a strong team chemistry right now that this season is meant to extend beyond this weekend? It sounds like Pierce himself and players have wondered the same, but are well aware of who they’re hosting this weekend. 

“I think we’re in a position right now to go to Omaha as much as any team in the country. You look at the way things have fallen into place… maybe it’s fate. Maybe that’s a piece of the puzzle. I like to think that. For us to have to sweep TCU and what happened in Oklahoma State for Texas Tech to go in there and do their thing. Maybe it’s a break we went 0-2 in the [Big 12] Tournament and we could get back to work and focused on what we’re good at,” said the Texas head coach. “Then we played really well in the regional. I don’t think there was anything that was a fluke about that. I thought we just played great baseball. 

“But I doubt if anybody in the country would have bet Tennessee Tech would have swept at Ole Miss. Doesn’t guarantee us anything. Just gives us an opportunity to play a Super at The Disch where we’re very comfortable.”

Something Texas firmly believes, though, is the late Augie Garrido’s impact at Texas is playing a positive role on this year’s club. 

“It’s there. It truly is,” he responded about Augie Garrido’s presence being around the program. “When you have the mystique of Augie and what he meant to this game and what he meant to the University of Texas, it’s just that presence is definitely there. Vinny our equipment manager does a great job of keeping that in the forefront. His jersey is with us; his sayings are with us. So, it’s just one of those pieces. We’re not 100-percent doing this for Augie. We’re not 100-percent doing this for the expectations. It’s just a piece of it. We have different pieces. Our Navy Seal, Oz, is a huge piece of our team. There are so many different pieces. But at the end of the day, it’s about our players and Augie is a piece of that.”

Clemens, when asked about Garrido, thought back to Indiana’s ground-rule double in the eighth inning of last Sunday’s Regional Championship. The ball found the shortest fence in the park, and hopped into the bullpen to keep Indiana from scoring a run. 

“What are the odds of that? Augie might have been looking down on us right there,” said Clemens. 

12) How this weekend plays out at UFCU Disch-Falk Field is to be determined. However, Pierce, in his first super regional as a head coach in his second year at Texas, knows no matter what kind of roster he has and what kinds of challenges Texas encounters, the expectation is always Omaha. And these Longhorns aren’t hiding form that. Instead, they use it. 

“The expectations at The University of Texas is always Omaha. If doesn’t matter if you think you’re a rebuilding team or you don’t quite have the pieces. The fan base and exteriors always think it’s the expectation. We try to embrace that and understand it, but we have to really be good at doing our jobs day-to-day and allowing that to come together,” he said.

So far, these Longhorns have been terrific at doing their jobs day-to-day. This weekend, they’ll again get another chance to play in front of their fans.

[IMG] 

13) Prediction: Texas beats Tennessee Tech in Monday’s third game and advances to the College World Series in what will likely be one of the most competitive and entertaining super regionals.

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texasstrong12

texasstrong12 4668

Posted
Posted (edited)

Something else to keep in mind.

Tennessee Tech is 133rd in the country in fielding percentage. The Disch isn't exactly an easy place to play either from a fielding perspective. 

Tennessee Tech is also 260th in stolen bases so they don't steal many bases. The stats say this team is built almost entirely on hitting. 

Edited by texasstrong12
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texasstrong12

texasstrong12 4668

Posted
Posted (edited)
32 minutes ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

"The stats say this team is built almost entirely on hitting. "

Isn't this how you score runs and beat other teams?

point is they aren't a very good pitching or fielding team. Most teams have a combination of pitching, hitting, and fielding. 

ERA ranks of remaining teams: Stetson 1st, Minnesota 8th, Oregon State 12th, Fullerton 17th, Arkansas 23rd, Florida 29th, UNC 31st, Washington 36th, Duke 60th, Vanderbilt 77th, Auburn 80th, Texas 84th, South Carolina 89th, Tech 102nd, Miss State 106th, Tennessee Tech 164th. 

Fielding percentage ranks : Vanderbilt 3rd, South Carolina 4th, Duke 7th, Oregon State 9th, Texas 21st, Florida 26th, Washington 43rd, Minnesota 50th, Auburn 53rd, Steson 59th, UNC 67th, Fullerton 71st, Miss State 99th, Arkansas 100th, Tech 127th, Tennessee Tech 133rd.

Tennessee Tech is ranked last in fielding percentage and team ERA out of the remaining 16 teams. They are built almost entirely on hitting. Maybe they pitch and field out of their minds this weekend but that's not what the stats indicate. For Tennessee Tech to win, I think they are going to have to score a lot of runs like they have been doing all year. 

 

Edited by texasstrong12
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