Baseball at SC, Thur 4/20, 7:30 pm

I'm always honored to be number two on your chain.
Wait, that didn't come out right.
Or am I just meandering here.

 

Last weekend SC went Sanders, Mahoney, Becker. Sproat and Sanders have many similar stats like ERAs near 5, given up more homeruns, 2nd most strikeouts on their teams, and strikeouts to walks ratios near 2.8. That should make for compelling baseball on Thursday night. Notice I didn't say int....

 

This whole series shall be compelling, to say the least!

 

Its a small field weekend, only 380 or less to center and 325 in the corners. Granted the corners do have higher walls, maybe 10 to 12 feet. Hopefully we can hit as many homeruns as they do. I wonder what the SEC record for homeruns in a game between two SEC teams. Without Neely, Sully's comment comes to mind, "Its not who you play in this league, it's when you play them." Hopefully that doesn't come to bite us.

 

Hoping Neely's suspension will galvanize the team and have them hungry to do whatever it takes to win the series.

 

Since the game is on ESPNU I can't watch it on TV. I can get every game on TV except when on ESPNU. Thanks Cox cable. I just don't want to pay even more to get the ESPNU games. I pay enough as it is. And don't tell me how to pirate the game. I already know how to do that but I want to be a good example to my son.

But I have visitors arriving tomorrow from Portland, Chicago and just outside Paris so I will have to be in "host" mode. I will take quick peeks on this thread.

 

Here is my South Carolina baseball story.

When in grad school at Illinois one of my great friends was from southern Illinois and in high school was a multi-letter athlete. I know of at least baseball (1B), basketball (C) and golf (local champion). One time I had dinner at his house and we were playing a little catch before dinner and he said "You can throw some. Throw me one." He crouched down and I decided that I had better throw a high four seamer so I did. He was frozen in his crouch as the ball flew just over his head.

Much hilarity followed.

I asked him just last year if he remembered it and he said that he did.

Anyway so much for the baseball. He is a great guy that finished his PhD just before me and took a job at South Carolina. Just after I got the job offer from UF I was asked to interview at USCe. I told them that I had the UF job offer and was probably going to take it but they said that they would try to change my mind. They pulled out all the stops and used my friend's knowledge of me.

First of all USC has a really outstanding facuty club where they took me for dinner. I was a little shivied by all of the wait staff being black. Then since my friend knew that I was a whitewater enthusiast I got a trip to see the Chattooga River rapids. They were pushing all my buttons.

But I chose UF and wisely.

At the same time Michigan State interviewed me for a job and I told them "No" before they had time to offer. It was actually a great school and opportunity but driving up there in early May and the trees were just budding was a deal breaker.

 

We win if our SPs are on their A game. This is crunch time now- second half of the SEC season and starting off with three at Founders Park is a challenge but if we are who we believe we are- we'll find a way to win the series.
As top level players, these are the games that we wish for and that build character and we're ready Gators. Weather forecast is perfect for baseball- let's do it!

 

I agree 77—
If we as a pitching staff pitch in pitcher’s counts, play our normal defense and swing the bats like we are capable—it will be a good weekend for our Gators!

 

The game notes are now saying Friday's game is on SEC Network, not plus, and Saturday is on ESPN2. I believe those are changes. Right?
Pitching Matchups
Thursday | 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU) Friday | 7 p.m. ET (SECN) Saturday | 2 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Florida RHP Brandon Sproat (5-1, 4.96 ERA) RHP Hurston Waldrep (6-1, 4.15 ERA) LHP Jac Caglianone (4-1, 4.74 ERA)
South Carolina LHP Will Sanders (3-1, 5.03 ERA) RHP Jack Mahoney (3-1, 3.22 ERA) TBD

 

Watch ESPN shows Thur. and Friday on ESPNU and Sat. SEC+.

 

I'm starting to think this is misinformation because everything else I look for still shows Thursday on ESPNU and Friday/Saturday on SEC+. The UF baseball schedule has not changed for TV coverage, nor did the SC site have any changes.

 

So far for SC in the 5 SEC series they have won all 5 of the opening games. In game 2 they are 2-3. They have played series against Georgia(3-0), Missouri(3-0), Miss State(2-1), LSU(1-1). and Vanderbilt(1-2). We obviously don't want to get swept but Game 1 might be the toughest chance to win. Sproat has to step it up and make good pitches, reduce the free bases, and allow our hitters to take the SC pitchers out to the hen house. It would be the biggest win of the year so far if we win game 1.

 

Florida is 2nd in the SEC it BA at .316; South Carolina is 9th at .289.
South Carolina is 1st in the SEC in ERA at 3.25; Florida is 8th at 4.89.
Florida is 11th in the SEC in fielding at .973; South Carolina is 12th at .970
Florida is 6th in the SEC in stolen bases with 40; South Carolina is 8th with 35.
Florida is 2nd in the SEC in runs scored with 361; South Carolina is 3rd with 349.
South Carolina is 1st in the SEC with 88 home runs; Florida is 2nd with 82.
South Carolina batters lead with SEC with 360 strike outs; Florida is 8th with 284.
Florida pitchers are 2nd in the SEC with 403 K's; South Carolina is 6th with 373.

 

That young man never miss a game and he has adifferent sign each game,he also slaps hands with players and coaches on their trips back to the lockerroom