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Louisiana Tech heads to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the top-10 ranked Razorbacks in a three-game weekend series.
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Discuss it here.
Anybody know why there isn’t a video option for Friday’s game?
I thought at first that meant only Sat/Sun would be on ESPN+Quote:
Originally Posted by rlirette
I wondered the same. When I looked earlier in the week, neither team's schedule showed a TV option for Friday.Quote:
Originally Posted by rlirette
Really surprised Ark. is not on SECN+ all three days.
I listened to Dave on the radio for the end of a game last weekend. His age is finally showing. Sounds like they slowed down the sound a few rpms.
I was wondering the same. They also have a softball game and gymnastics meet, but a school like Arkansas should have the resources to pull off a 3rd stream. Maybe some of the support staff are with Basketball team at SEC Tourney. I don't know.Quote:
Originally Posted by rlirette
When Dave is hitting on all cylinders, he is still the best I have ever listened to. Sadly, it does seem he leans more and more on Jay as the weekend wears on. Would love to hear him with a great call of all three wins this weekend!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorm Fridge
He is really struggling -Quote:
Originally Posted by techman05
He is, but after growing up my whole life listening to him call Tech and Captains games, there is something peaceful about still hearing his voice. When Keel cut their power in the evenings you couldn't get them all the way to Vivian, so my dad and I would get in the car and drive down Hwy 1 to listen to the captains game when we couldn't go to the game live.
I don't want him to stop calling games, but I think it might be time at the end of the season. Got to think though it would be hard for him to walk away from calling baseball, especially when he gets to call them with his son, so I bet he calls them until he just can't/doesn't want to anymore. He has earned that!
We have been blessed with one of the best broadcasters in the nation. When I travel, I search the dial for games. Doesn't matter the sport or the college. And having listened to many broadcasters from small schools to some of the biggies just reinforces what we all know...Dave Nitz is simply the best! Okay, he's past his prime (many of us are too!), but I still love hearing his voice calling a Tech game. And, I'll say this again, he is awesome at hoops. If you have the chance to listen to some old broadcasts of Tech basketball you will be awed. His call of the game "painted a picture" that even though it was radio, you could "see" the action.
Baseball is his favorite, but his basketball calls were great.
No Matulia in today's lineup. Neck issue, day-to-day according to Dave.
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Is this the 50th season? Or next year? That'd be a cool round number to hit if possible (and he wants to).Quote:
Originally Posted by DallasDog
0-0 after 1.
Both teams with a baserunner erased on a Hogart double play ball and pickoff by Fincher.
Dave was gone from sometime close the end of the 1982-83 basketball season (Bob Ramsey called the 1983 WBB Final Four games in Norfolk) until the end of the 1983-84 school year. Dave was back for 1984-85, so he missed all of one football and basketball season and two baseball seasons. He called 46 football seasons (1974-1982 and 1984-2020). Can't remember if he called baseball games every season, but this would be season 48 since he missed 1983 (unless he called a very early game or two) and 1984.Quote:
Originally Posted by inudesu
4-0 Arkansas in the 2nd on two 2-run HRs off Fincher. Arkansas hitters are sitting on Fincher's stuff.
5-0 Arkansas after 3 on an infield out with the bases loaded.
First hit for Tech is a double in the 5th by Karson Evans who is playing 1B today. His first college hit.
McLeod infield hit and Drost single load the bases with 1 out in the 5th.
Hogart strikes out.
Davis drives in two with a single to make it 5-2 Arkansas.
Corona infield grounder ends the rally.
Fincher's day is done after 4. Fraginals in.
Bases loaded sac fly makes it 6-2 Arkansas.
Williams releves Fraginals and limits the damage to just the one run.
6-2 Arkansas after 5.
Burchfield 2 out single and then Evans hits a 2-run bomb down the left field line to make it 6-4 Arkansas in the 6th.
Burroghs is going to have a hard time getting Evans out of the lineup. Double and HR in his first three college plate appearances.
Tech 7th starts with a Drost walk and a Hogart infield hit off the 3B's glove.
Pitching change for Arkansas.
Davis lines out to CF.
Corona flies out to RF.
Bates grounds out 1B to P.
Sparks on to pitch the 7th for Tech.
Sparks loads the bases on a single and two walks.
Arkansas 7-4 on a sac fly.
Myers single to open the Tech 8th.
Burchfield grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.
Evans strikes out.
Crabb to pitch the 8th.
7-4 Arkansas heading to the 9th. 13 LOB for the Razorbacks.
Tech up and down in the 9th.
Arkansas 7-4 final
Need to find a starter that can go more than 4 innings against decent competition, and stop giving up so many runs in the 1st three innings.
Friday guy…we just keep trying to force things. If he is our “dude” we are in trouble.
LB confirmed Friday starter concerns. We’ve heard the same talk for three years in a row.
Tech will be lucky to get one win in this series.
Maybe not. We faced their best and we were in the game even after gifting them the first two innings. Good news…we found a new offensive player today.Quote:
Originally Posted by glm47
Fincher hasn’t been solid in years. Burroughs has to go a different direction. Today Tech didn’t exactly suck, but they didn’t exactly step up to the moment either. Hopefully they got the big bad Razorbacks out of their heads today and they can play up to their potential tomorrow.
True, the Razorback pitching staff has taken some hits due to injury. But I don’t see our pitching being very effective. Hope I’m wrong, living up here is brutal when the little pigs are winning.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
We have been anemic in the first 4-5 Innings of almost every game thus far. Not sure any of our guys are ready to play at first pitch.
Tech has still scored first just twice in 13 games. Just pathetic out of the gate.Quote:
Originally Posted by techman05
Opponents have scored in the 1st inning 8 times. And if that's not bad enough, in the five other games the opponent has scored in the 2nd inning 4 times. The only game Tech got through 4 innings without allowing a run was in the Ole Miss "loss".
8-5 is a flattering record with those numbers. It could easily be 5-8 or worse.
Saturday lineup. Matulia in RF. Evans at 1B. Burchfield at DH.
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We sure have a lot of "technical difficulties" with our radio/streaming/audio.
97.7 has no issues streaming on Radioline. SEC Network+ also playing just fine on ESPN+.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
9th time in 14 games that the opponent scores in the 1st inning. 12th time the opponent has scored first.
Fly ball that Drost should have taken, but Myers called him off and couldn't make the diving play for an RBI double. 1-0 Arkansas after 1.
0-2 count turns into a full count leadoff HR. 2-0 Arkansas.
This is happening too often to be all on the pitchers. Pitching coach flat out not getting the job done.
Next pitch makes it 3-0 Arkansas.
Can't throw batting practice strikes to open an at-bat when the hitters are sitting on the first pitch.
3-0 Arkansas after 2.
This team is still pitching like the 6th ranked team in the 16th ranked conference as RPI shows.
back to back over the wall homers.
97.7 can’t (Learfield) can’t consistently get a pre or post game interview with LB at home or on the road.
As you know that was not Myers call so if he called him off he should get a butt chewing.
Why should they have to jury-rig something that doesn't work for live postgame interviews? And no excuse for not having a recorded pregame interview.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Learfield schools are the red-headed stepchildren of the Learfield-IMG merger. IMG schools have dedicated studio hosts for every sport and obviously better technical support.
Throw the "hitting" coach in with the pitching coach.
9 of the first 12 Tech outs are on popups or fly balls. Tech not making the defense work at all.
Another leadoff HR in the 4th. 4-0 Arkansas. Leadoff hitter has gotten on in every inning.
How could our starting pitching possibly be this bad? I’ve never liked this PC.
Myers 1-out bunt single and moves to second on a wild throw.
With 2 out, Evans gets an RBI single to make it 4-1 Arkansas in the 5th.
12 pop/fly outs in 15 outs for Tech.
Evans needs to be batting up the order and not 8th.
Scored E1 but should have been E3. The throw was on the mark.
Have the pitchers that were on the staff two years ago (primarily Fincher and Martinez) gotten better since Silva left for Nicholls? The answer is clearly no.Quote:
Originally Posted by glm47
Leadoff walk, runner moves to second on a wild pitch, and an RBI double makes it 5-1 Arkansas.
Burroughs pulls Hector after 4.2 innings. Harland coming in.
Arkansas 5-1 after 5.
2 strikeouts (both by Drost), 2 ground ball outs, and 14 pop/fly outs in 6 innings.
Have to be trying not to hit ground balls to get those numbers.
Guess that's what happens when you are coached to uppercut.
Finally Arkansas retired 1-2-3 by Harland. Arkansas 5-1 after 6.
I didn’t like Silva either.Quote:
Originally Posted by FriscoDawg
Was better than what we have now.Quote:
Originally Posted by glm47
May be time to go to the old UTSA strategy and not have designated starting pitchers. Roadrunners are on their way to 13-3 against a better SOS than Tech has played. UTSA isn't doing that this year though and the UTSA staff ERA was at 2.49 going into today.
Crabb on to pitch the 7th. Nice outing by Harland as he retired all 4 batters he faced.
What did I say yesterday about not being ready to play at game time? Are we watching more pitches early in the game hoping for walks or early pitching changes? I know we throw way too many first pitch fastballs and batters key on it.
Still 5-1 after Tech goes quietly in the 8th.
Martinez to pitch the 8th.
Gives up a leadoff triple off the 400 mark in center. Flat not fooling anyone.
Singles make it 6-1 Arkansas after 8.
6-1 Arkansas final
At least 17 pop/fly outs not including the Tech 8th. Live stats stuck in the top of the 7th.
Top 4 in the Tech order go 0-15 with a Drost walk in the 9th being the only time on base. The batting order needs a complete reshuffle.
I'm pretty sure we are already near our total errors for 2022 season. Our CF was at fault on two today even if neither one was actually scored an E.
I just thought I hated the blue unis until I saw that cap today. It would be nice if we'd stick with one of our official logos rather than whatever that was today.
Everyone is right. Both our pitching and hitting coaches are flat out awful and Burroughs’ guessing game at the batting order is all wrong. It was pretty obvious weeks ago that everyone was swinging for the long ball instead of trying for line drives. As for our pitching it’s all on the coaches when we get so many 2 strike counts and then throw balls until we have to serve one up down the middle. I’d much rather see us throw 3 straight strikes than trying to get batters to chase balls for strikes. It’s not working and not fooling anyone. I really do think we’ve got some talent they’re just not being coached effectively. Burroughs had better change the fundamental approach to everything before the team loses heart.
The top of our lineup has been MIA a lot this year. We are really missing McConnell in the lineup.Quote:
Originally Posted by FriscoDawg
Fielding only marginally worse so far at the quarter-pole of the regular season than it was last year.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
2023--16 E in 14 games (1.14 EPG), .969 fielding pct.
2022--65 E in 64 games (1.02 EPG), .973 fielding pct.
Today's top 4 in the order is batting a combined .258 with 30 walks and 44 strikeouts with Davis having the best average at .296.Quote:
Originally Posted by SicemDawgz
Drost and Bates have a combined OB% of .396 with 21 strikeouts in 111 PA. That OB% is down 40 points from last year's normal 1-2 of Young and Matulia.
Trying something different today. Finally.
No Drost or Corona in the lineup. Evans catching. Myers at leadoff.
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0-0 after 1.
Jr high base running error
Corona being out isn’t odd. He gets a day off every now and then. Can’t hurt to have Evans in the lineup though because he is actually hitting the ball.
Tech takes a lead in the 2nd.
Burchfield hit by a pitch, advances to second on a wild pitch, moves to third on a Matulia grounder to SS with the 3B leaving the bag, and scores on a throwing error by the 3B on an Evans grounder. Burchfield was dead at the plate with a good throw. Tech 1-0.
Bates singles to put runners at first and third with 1 out.
McLeod hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Tech 2-0 with Ince being the third batter hit by a pitch in the inning to drive in Evans.
Tech 3-0 with Bates scoring on a Myers grounder to SS.
Hogart strikes out looking to end the inning.
Corona not playing is odd this year. First game he hasn't started. Has gone hitless in his last 8 at-bats.Quote:
Originally Posted by techman05
If nothing else it’s good to see Burroughs scramble things up. Hopefully the Dawgs will play some inspired baseball today.
Arkansas answers in the 2nd with a double, advance on a fly ball, and an error on McLeod (originally scored a single). Tech 3-1 after 2.
That makes 14 of 15 games that Tech opponents have opened their scoring in the 1st inning (9 times) or in the 2nd inning after not scoring in the 1st (5 times).
Arkansas ties it 3-3 in the 3rd on a leadoff double and fly ball HR to right center.
Tomkins warming up.
Walk and another 2-run HR off Smith to make it 5-3 Arkansas.
Another failure by Tech starting pitching.
After several loud strikes followed by a triple, the hook comes out for Smith after just 2.2 innings. 5 hits allowed (2 doubles, a triple, 2 HR).
Tomkins in and he can't find the plate (7 balls before a strike). Three straight walks makes it 6-3 Arkansas. 8-3 Arkansas after the fourth and fifth walks. Way too slow a hook here.
23 pitches and 20 balls.
Harland in.
10-3 on the first single of the game for Arkansas.
10-3 Arkansas after 4.
Seeing our pitching woes makes me really appreciate Kyle and Cade. Maybe it’s my selective memory, but those 2 seemed to succeed more often than they struggled.
It’s even worse than I expected.
No fight at the plate. 10 straight batters for Tech retired after getting the 3-0 lead.
Knight in to pitch the 5tth wearing a protective mask. Wondered why he hadn't worked recently.
Embarrassing weekend performance.
Does this group just lack leadership? I find it hard to accept that this group is any less talented because when they are good, they are actually great. Our coaching hasn’t and won’t change. It has to be the lack of urgency and fire from the dugout.
10-6 Arkansas in the 6th after two errors set up an Evans 3-run bomb to left.
Have to question why Evans wasn't playing from day 1.
Matulia's stiff neck actually might be a huge plus in the long run because Evans doesn't see the field otherwise.
Nobody can replace Taylor Young on the field, and apparently that extends to the clubhouse too. Somebody has to step up and lead. And fast.Quote:
Originally Posted by techman05
Williams to pitch the 6th.
I agree about Taylor being a special talent and consistent contributor. I just didn’t see us struggling this badly with this group.
Williams retries Arkansas in order in the 6th. Still 10-6.
This stupid announcer is killing me saying Cordona. He did it all day yesterday
Nice move LB��
Crabb comes in for Williams in the 7th.
Wild pitch gets a runner in poistion to score from third on a fielder's choice. 11-6 Arkansas.
Another walk moves Bates from 3B to P. Safford in at 2B, McLeod to 3B, and Ince to SS.
12-6 Arkansas on an Evans passed ball.
14-6 on a 2-run single.
I think the answer is as obvious as everything else that’s wrong with this team’s performances, the coaches can’t evaluate their players, they can’t come to make decisive changes and trust too much in that things will change. Just put some names to that formula and you have the answers to the performances of Fincher, Drost, Corona and to a degree Matulia. Meanwhile it’s the players we hardly know who are playing the best. As for our mostly inept pitching well that’s all on a clueless pitching coach.Quote:
Originally Posted by FriscoDawg
15-6 final.
Embarrassing weekend. It was pretty much batting practice for Arkansas. We better turn things around fast or we’ll have to win the cusa tournament to make a Regional.
A regional is nowhere in sight right now. This whole team is way out of balance and losing more of their footing every time they play. Just like last year when Tech was undone by a just so-so Air Force team if Burroughs can’t get things straightened out immediately this Tuesday and Wednesday could be nightmarish. As much as anything I don’t know if there’s any player leadership within this bunch.
It's all about pitching.
Our best closer is our third baseman.
There's your sign.
I thought our pitching was supposed to be better, but it looks like we need to score 12-15 every day to be competitive.
We are mediocre at best
Anemic offense and subpar pitching
Tech RPI at 177, and that's up 16 in the last week by losing three at Arkansas.
Tech's predicted RPI is 215 with a 23-33 predicted record and an 8-22 C-USA predicted record that would be a tie for 8th with Rice for the last tournament bid.
I expect better than those records, but Tech is a long, long way from thinking about any NCAA bid right now.
By my count there are 22 guys listed as pitchers on Tech’s roster. It simply isn’t possible for Tech to have that many guys who can’t actually pitch after they’ve played baseball for roughly 13+ years each. Just take Fincher, Martinez and Tomkins as the primary examples of players who have been good to very good in the past and as of most recently are essentially totally ineffective. Our best pitchers are actually getting worse and as a whole our entire pitching staff doesn’t appear to be capable of completing. How can guy after guy after guy go in and they’re all so ineffective…? What this large sample says is that Tech’s so called pitching coach can’t coach pitching. He can’t coach pitching and he can’t call pitches. Tech is not playing good baseball because of coaching not because we don’t have capable players. In general the same can be said about Tech’s batting too. I don’t see how Burroughs is going to fix bad coaching in the midst of the season without him taking over everything himself. And to that point I have my doubts that he’s that capable of a coach. Usually ugly only gets uglier so brace yourselves. FriscoDawg’s RPI stat predictions could be dead on.Quote:
Originally Posted by techman05
We are looking awful across all sports right now.
That's on the AD. It is his job to make sure we are competitive.
I think we will be stressed to get 30 to 33 regular season wins based on the results right nowQuote:
Originally Posted by FriscoDawg
Should have a clearer picture after these next 5 games
1-4 or 2-3 and 30 wins might be tops to expect from this group
On today's update the predicted conference record stayed at 8-22, but now that's at 9th place to miss the conference tournament. 20-36 overall predicted record with a 227 predicted RPIQuote:
Originally Posted by Dwayne From Minden
Burroughs needs to go to warrennolan.com and print this page out and post it. He shouldn't have to say another word, but I'm not sure that would be enough for this group.
I told yall it was bad news when we got voted to finish firstQuote:
Originally Posted by FriscoDawg