Whew! On to game 2. TV: SEC Network Radio: WRUF 850 AM / 98.1 FM Listen Live - ESPN 98.1 FM - 850 AM WRUF Stats: StatBroadcast Live Stat Feed Game Notes: 5 5 Texas A (PDF) - Florida Gators Weather: 89 Deg at the start and 82 to finish. 10-24% chance of precip. SSE W @ 10-12 = blowing out to left/center field. Starting Gator: #12 Jr RHP Waldrep (4.74, 6-2, 62.2 IP) Starting Earl: #19 So LHP Wansing (6.69, 2-2, 35.0 IP) Go Gators!
Cags pattern has been a homerun in Game 2 every other series so I predict he hits number 27 on Saturday.
Great win last night and the Pen was terrific but I sure wish Sproat would not blow 4-run leads. Can't have your Friday night guy not give you 6+ innings, especially with a nice 4-run cushion. Hoping Waldrep can give us 7 strong innings and ease the burden on the Pen some.
I'm trying not to accept that this is just who Sproat is. Even on his good nights he has to make at least one inning difficult for himself.
I think we have our sample size at this point. All 3 weekend starters with ERA around 5, all 3 struggle to go deep in games because of high pitch counts, all can be dynamic when they are on with high K's
Tonight will be interesting to see how Waldrep adjusts his delivery to comply with the NCAA idiots. Messed him up last weekend.
We got spoiled a bit by the Singers, Kowars, Faedos, etc. Sproat, Waldrep, etc are good pitchers but perhaps not quite elite. Which is fine- elite pitching is pretty rare. We can win with good pitching, as we’ve seen… and could even win a championship with good pitching, if we play good defense, hit well, get hot, and have some breaks along the way.
Yes, agree Crescent Beach-- our SPs are not elite and that is cause for concern. But in comparing stats from 2017 and 2023, it's clear that something has changed in the game- not sure what. Juiced bats or balls, smaller strike zone or something else? In 2017 Gators team ERA was best in the SEC-- 3.45 and ten teams had ERAs under 4.00. By comparison today only two SEC teams have ERAs under 4.00: Tenn. team ERA 3.38 and USCe is 3.55. This year Gators team ERA is 5.01 (8th in SEC) -- Arkansas is 5.00 (7th) . The two worst team ERAs among the top ranked SEC teams. Gators can certainly hit (2nd in SEC), but as you note, Gators will need a combination of good defense, more timely hitting and the intangibles going our way to make a serious run. Perhaps there is something to be said about the old adage: "good pitching will always stop good hitting... and vice-versa."
Gator Line Up: #4 Kurland 2B #36 Langford LF #14 Caglianone 1B #24 Rivera SS #15 Riopelle C #28 Heyman DH #5 Halter 3B #6 Shelnut RF #11 Robertson CF #12 Waldrep SP
TAMU lineup #2 Haas SS #9 Moss 1B #28 Werner 3B #17 LaViolette LF #31 Thompson RF #16 Targac DH #12 Bost 2B #20 Wells CF #46 Kaufer C #19 Wansing SP
Vandy lost! Now 17-7. If Gators sweep the Aggies, we'll be 17-7 -- a tie at the top of SEC East with Vandy coming to town next weekend! Go Gators!
