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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 6, 2024 11:17:26 GMT -5
Some notes going into the Miami game:
Miami holds the all-time series record 48-44, but Wright State has been creeping closer to the title, taking 12 of their last 15 matchups. The two teams last met in March of 2023, where the Raiders defeated the RedHawks 9-7 in Oxford. The last victory Miami saw over the Raiders was in March of 2022, taking the win 15-12.
At Memphis Wright State hit .355 over the weekend, with 32 runs on 40 hits, with 19 walks, eight doubles, and five home runs. That series could have been a sweep for the Raiders.
The RedHawks, under first-year head coach Brian Smiley, have begun their 2024 season with a 5-5 record. Previously at Indiana State for 14 seasons, the program went 442-292 in Smiley's time there. Based on their currently record, Miami sits third in MAC rankings. The RedHawks went 3-0 over the weekend, as they hosted Oakland University, 21-7, 8-6, 17-9.
It is hard to get info about the Raiders. Some of the best info comes from the opposing team's TV/radio announcers. From what I can tell RaiderGang has six players out, including three for the season. The team's best hitter Andrew Patrick has been out of the line up since the first series. I am told he has a thumb injury. No word when he will be back. Even when several key players hurt Wright State is still pounding the ball pretty well.
RPI
Miami 87 Raidergang 215 This is the worst RPI I have ever seen for Wright State. Losing 2 of 3 to a crappy Memphis really hurt.
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 6, 2024 16:44:32 GMT -5
Raiders down 4-1 in the top of the 5th.
Update ...back to back HRs by Greenwell and Sass Raiders up 5-4. Top of the 7th.
Update....Raiders win 6-5 on a walkoff single by Boston Smith in the bottom of the 9th.
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 6, 2024 20:09:16 GMT -5
It was good to get this win. The Raiders just out-slugged Miami. The pitching is still shaky. Raider pitchers gave up 12 hits. If they can get to down to giving just a hit an inning, that would tell me the pitching is somewhat decent. RaiderGang really needs a few games where they hold teams to five to seven hits in a game.
With the relatively weak schedule they play the rest of the season if the excellent Raider coaches can work their magic, that is possible. The toughest games this year left to play are Xavier, Ohio State, Pitt and UK. So, there are not a lot of high reward games to get the RPI into Quad2. It would be tough to get the RPI down into Quad1.
After today's win the RPI stands at 192.
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Post by hokieraider on Mar 6, 2024 22:15:32 GMT -5
Was a nice "not warm" day at Nisch for the opener today. Very overcast (stadium lights on from outset for a 3 pm game), blustery wind, and in the high 40s. Raider bats seemed just as cold early. Luikart in bottom of 2 hit a fly ball down the right field line that cleared the 330 mark by maybe 5 feet, with a strong wind behind it, but Miami kept a 4-1 lead. Bats came alive in bottom of 6. Greenwell drilled a 2 run shot to left center that was a no doubter, clearing the wall by probably 50 feet. Sass took the very next pitch over the same spot, almost the identical drive, just not quite as far and Raiders led 5-4. Miami tied in top of 8th. Finally strung together several hits in bottom of 9 to walk off.
Pitching was shaky the first several innings, but after that looked pretty good, especially Hartzell and Gallagher.
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Post by hokieraider on Mar 6, 2024 22:41:02 GMT -5
The number of hits for each team is a little misleading. Each team had at least one pop fly that normally would be an out, but in the swirling wind it found the turf, and since no one touched it, was scored a hit. Miami's run in the 8th had one solid single, a walk, and two very weak dribblers in the infield. The first of those the 3rd baseman had no play so it was scored a hit. The second the only play was to first (no chance at the plate or to turn 2), so the run scored. Miami also had 2 bloop singles and one seeing eye grounder earlier in the game. They did have several solid hits, but not as many as the box score would imply. Yes, they all count, but overall the pitching was better than the hits would indicate.
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 6, 2024 23:38:48 GMT -5
Well Hokie......these things tend to even out over a season. There are plenty of solid hits that are snagged by a fielder and the ones you mentioned that find a hole.
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Post by hokieraider on Mar 7, 2024 15:57:43 GMT -5
For sure. Point I was trying to make was the pitching I saw yesterday was consistently better than the "adventure every inning" I was expecting. Not many rocket shots, and not many walks, which have killed us in past teams.
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 8, 2024 0:27:24 GMT -5
๐ Eastern Kentucky ๐ Richmond, KY ๐บ ESPN+ (Friday & Saturday) ๐
Friday | 2pm ๐
Saturday | 4pm ๐
Sunday | 1pm
RPI EKU 265 2-11 WSU 185 4-7
Eastern Kentucky is not a very good team. This would be a good weekend for a sweep against a team that cannot help WSU's RPI very much.
Wright State holds the all-time series record of Eastern Kentucky, 20-14, with their last matchup being nearly 20 years ago, in April of 2005, where the Raiders came out victorious, 14-5. In their history, both teams do better when they are the host team, as the Raiders hold a 14-6 at home record against the Colonels, but are 6-8 when playing at EKU.
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Post by hokieraider on Mar 8, 2024 1:20:14 GMT -5
Let's not wait till "getaway day" to start hitting and winning, like we did the first 2 weekends.
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Post by madnesswsu on Mar 8, 2024 6:49:14 GMT -5
๐ Eastern Kentucky ๐ Richmond, KY ๐บ ESPN+ (Friday & Saturday) ๐
Friday | 2pm ๐
Saturday | 4pm ๐
Sunday | 1pm RPI EKU 265 2-11 WSU 185 4-7 Eastern Kentucky is not a very good team. This would be a good weekend for a sweep against a team that cannot help WSU's RPI very much. Wright State holds the all-time series record of Eastern Kentucky, 20-14, with their last matchup being nearly 20 years ago, in April of 2005, where the Raiders came out victorious, 14-5. In their history, both teams do better when they are the host team, as the Raiders hold a 14-6 at home record against the Colonels, but are 6-8 when playing at EKU. If pitching is on this weekend we shouldnโt have a problem sweeping them ๐งน
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 8, 2024 11:34:21 GMT -5
Just to remind everyone, our RaiderGang started 2022 1-8 against mostly ranked teams. So, 4-7 against a much weaker early schedule to me seems similar.
Madness--our pitching hasn't really been on this year. So, the question how long will it take this coaching to get the pitching settled down. After the first three games, the hitting seems to be reaching expectations.
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Post by madnesswsu on Mar 8, 2024 12:13:44 GMT -5
Just to remind everyone, our RaiderGang started 2022 1-8 against mostly ranked teams. So, 4-7 against a much weaker early schedule to me seems similar. Madness--our pitching hasn't really been on this year. So, the question how long will it take this coaching to get the pitching settled down. After the first three games, the hitting seems to be reaching expectations. Hitting will never be the problem with this team . Even with the player of the year out. Need to see solid pitching from all three starters this weekend.
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Post by madnesswsu on Mar 8, 2024 12:55:25 GMT -5
Jake Shirk will start for Wright State on Friday. The senior right-hander is 0-2 with a 7.31 ERA this season. Ty Roder, a redshirt sophomore righty, will start game two of the series. He is 0-1 with a 15.95 ERA. The game three starter, junior right-hander Josh Laisure, is 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA.
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 8, 2024 21:23:43 GMT -5
RaiderGang 5 EKU 3 They have a nice stadium and only had 105 people at the game. This was an efficient win that took only 2:06 for nine innings. The Raiders only gave up 10 hits in nine innings which was an improvement, but they only got seven total hits. But, it's a win! The Raiders ERA going into this game was 7.71. wsuraiders.com/sports/baseball/stats/2024/eastern-kentucky/boxscore/9735
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Post by hokieraider on Mar 9, 2024 0:28:56 GMT -5
Good pitching from Shirk. 7 innings, and 2 runs allowed.
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