Western Kenutcky Series

[oxfordrebel]

Next up are the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Here are some quick facts:

Conference: Sun Belt Conference

Website: Western Kentucky Athletics

Current Record: 6-4 (1-2); 1-3 Away

Current W/L Streak: L1

Current rank:
Western Kentucky is not ranked nor did they receive votes in any polls.

Current Pseudo-RPI (Boyd's World): 201 out of 293 teams.

Team Stats:
.318 Team BA; .299 Opponent Team BA
5.40 Staff ERA; 6.14 Opponent Staff ERA
.973 FLD%, 10 E

Offensive Leaders (among those who appear to be starters):
J.B. Paxson - .410 BA through 10 games; 16-39; 3-2B; 1-3B; 8 RBIs; 10 Runs scored; 0 SB; 4 BB; 3 HBP; 11K; 1 GDP; .538 SLG%; .500 OB%
Chad Cregar - .350 BA through 10 games; 14-40; 3-2B; 4 HR; 13 RBIs; 9 Runs scored; 0 SB; 5 BB; 1 HBP; 5K; 2 GDP; 1 SF; .725 SLG%; .426 OB%

Defensive Leaders (among those who appear to be starters):
J.B. Paxson - 90 POs; 0 Es
Scott Kaskie - 18 POs; 0 Es
All other regular starters have at least 1 error.

2007 Final Record: 25-30

2007 Meeting: The Rebels and Hilltoppers did not meet in 2007. The last meeting I can find came on June 4, 2004 when they defeated the Rebels 1-0 in the second game of the Oxford Regional.

All-Time Series: All-time series record was not immediately available.

Projected Starter:
No info yest on projected Hilltopper starter. As soon as I have that I'll update this.

Other notes:

First pitch is set for 6:30 tonight and Wednesday night.

[oxpatchreb]

ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S THE OFFENSE I MISS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I turned on the tracker about 15 min ago and it was 0-0 top 3rd they had a man on. So went to another forum to post, hoping to ignore myself thinking we hadn't gotten a good start on offense. I come back to the tracker and it's a 4 run inning 1 out!!!!! 8O

Ended with 6 runs on 6 hits only 1 LOB!!!!!!!!!:P

That's what I'm talkin' about REBELS!!!!!!!!!!!

HERE WE GO RE-BELS, HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oxpatchreb]

Can you hear the game Oxford?

How's Phillip doing on the mound? From gametracker stats (3H, 1HBP, 2BB and 0 K's) he doesn't look too dominating.

[oxpatchreb]

Gametracker is trying!! They added a swing count to the AB log. Now it says
Jo.Henry popped up to ss and instead of just (2-2) for the count they are adding (KBBF) which I'm assuming means Strike, Ball, Ball, Foul and the next pitch was the pop to ss.

That's a little better, now we can see if the pitching is throwing K's or having trouble getting it over the dish.

now if they could just give us updates fast enough for a pitch by pitch account!!!!?????

[Redbluedude]

What's up with our OF's dropping pop ups. We dropped one at TCU and one last inning. Not concentrating. Gave up 2 runs because of it.

Rebs up 6-3.

[oxpatchreb]

What's up with our OF's dropping pop ups. We dropped one at TCU and one last inning. Not concentrating. Gave up 2 runs because of it.

Rebs up 6-3.

I know right? You think MB had them doing outfield until their arms fell off b/c of the drop at TCU and now they can't squeeze it?

[oxpatchreb]

Middle 6, still 6-3.

COME ON REBELS!!!! LET'S OPEN IT UP!!!!!!!

[oxpatchreb]

Top 7 7-3 Rebs.

Got one run. Basham caught stealing to end the inning with Henry at the plate.

Seems like we should have let Jordan swing away.....

[oxpatchreb]

ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! CLUTCH HITTING FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Basham is having a great game!!!!!!!!

Basham at the plate, 2 outs, men on 2nd and 3rd. 1st pitch single up the middle 2 RBI!!

Way to pick up the MOB Brett!!!!!!!!!!

Cryer on to close. Top 9, 10-3 OM.

[Redbluedude]

Rebs win 10-3.

[oxpatchreb]

Man, great game in some areas, in other areas it seemed we struggled more than we should have against this team.

Our lead off 3 went a combined 3-13, with 4 K's and an E.
They did collect 4 RBI and scored 3 runs, but I think that's mostly b/c of the hitting behind them picking them up when they actually got on base.

As a comparison, WKU's top 3 went 7-13, 2 K's and no E's. They only had 2 RBI and 1 run between them, but that's about all we can allow if we expect to win the SEC and run to Omaha.

Logan, Matt Smith and Stuyverson had really bad nights at the plate. 0-8.

But Guerrero, Furguson and Basham did it for us. 7-10, 6 RBI and 6 Runs.

Pitching was decent, but I think it was b/c of who we were playing. Had we been playing SC, UK, Arky or even LSU (they are freakin' HOT right now) they would have jumped all over Irwin (8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 IP). Cryer and Morgan did a great job allowing 3 hits in 3 innings to close the game.

I don't know. It's a 7 run win, offense was very solid except for a few holes. Pitching did well, but seems we played a very similar game tonight as the ISU series games. Good offense, decent pitching, but winning simply b/c we're better than the other team, not necessarily b/c we PLAYED better than the other team. I don't know if that makes any sense, but I guess it means I'm still worried about getting into SEC play with these "holes" not quite sewn up. We haven't truly "put it all together" yet.

When we get a pitcher who's on (10-14 K's, 7 IP, 0-1 ER), Everyone hitting (2-5 or better) and 1 or fewer errors (this dropped fly thing better be over TONIGHT), then I would feel EXTREMELY comfortable with a Championship prediction. But we just haven't seen it against decent teams.

I predict that by the end of the Bama series, we'll know what this team is made of. 2 road series and a home stand against a UF team who makes ALOT of runs with some ark floaters and another battle with USM who'll be looking for payback.

PLEASE........ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LET IT BE ICE WATER AND GREAT, BIG STONES!!!!!!!!!!

Let's go Rebels!!!!!!! Get a 5-0 week baby!!!!!!!!!

[oxfordrebel]

Just got in from the game. It was good. I thought Philip Irwin struggled, but 3 DPs got him out of trouble and kept their speedy guys quiet. Basham getting the guy stealing 2nd in the first inning was HUGE. Irwin walked him but then he was thrown out. Irwin then walked the next guy. Like Bianco said in his post game, that was one of the biggest plays of the game. If Basham does get him then they're trying to bunt to move him to 3rd and it's a whole new game. As it was they got him at 2nd then a walk then a double play to end the inning. It was a huge play.

The WKU 5th was a comedy of errors. 2 outs and Guerrero drops that fly ball and it all kinda unwound from there. A few base hits and suddenly they have 2 more runs to go with the 2 out HR. Fortunately Irwin was able to bear down and get the last out finally.

Can't say enough good stuff about Tim Ferguson! First start (Miller had an injury, but not serious and resting tonight...don't remember what) and he goes 3-4 at the plate and made some great defensive plays. It's a shame that he's sitting behind Zach Miller, but he's only a Freshman and he's been playing very well so far in his limited action.

This was a game where our guys did what they didn't in Ft. Worth this past weekend. Runners in scoring position and they brought them around. WKU put up 11 hits, but they have an amazing team BA, so you expect that. It didn't seem like they put up that many hits but suddenly you look up and there it is.

Around the SEC, SELU goes to Baton Rouge and knocks off LSU and YALE goes to Columbia and hands SC their 3rd loss of the year 8O

All other SEC teams won tonight, most pretty easily.

[oxpatchreb]

Just got in from the game. It was good. I thought Philip Irwin struggled, but 3 DPs got him out of trouble and kept their speedy guys quiet. Basham getting the guy stealing 2nd in the first inning was HUGE. Irwin walked him but then he was thrown out. Irwin then walked the next guy. Like Bianco said in his post game, that was one of the biggest plays of the game. If Basham does get him then they're trying to bunt to move him to 3rd and it's a whole new game. As it was they got him at 2nd then a walk then a double play to end the inning. It was a huge play.

The WKU 5th was a comedy of errors. 2 outs and Guerrero drops that fly ball and it all kinda unwound from there. A few base hits and suddenly they have 2 more runs to go with the 2 out HR. Fortunately Irwin was able to bear down and get the last out finally.

Can't say enough good stuff about Tim Ferguson! First start (Miller had an injury, but not serious and resting tonight...don't remember what) and he goes 3-4 at the plate and made some great defensive plays. It's a shame that he's sitting behind Zach Miller, but he's only a Freshman and he's been playing very well so far in his limited action.

This was a game where our guys did what they didn't in Ft. Worth this past weekend. Runners in scoring position and they brought them around. WKU put up 11 hits, but they have an amazing team BA, so you expect that. It didn't seem like they put up that many hits but suddenly you look up and there it is.

Around the SEC, SELU goes to Baton Rouge and knocks off LSU and YALE goes to Columbia and hands SC their 3rd loss of the year 8O

All other SEC teams won tonight, most pretty easily.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ignore my previous "LSU is red hot statement" in the above post!!!!!!

[oxfordrebel]

The good news is that we won't be pitching Irwin against any SEC opponents unless it's MSU in the Mayor's Trophy or Gov's Cup or whatever it's called.

I forgot to mention one game that's still going on out West. ASU is leading Arkansas 2-0 headed to the top of the 6th in Tempe. Now, with ASU being the #1 team in the nation, I should be rooting for Arkansas to beat them, but there is NO WAY I can ever root for the piggies. Go Devils!