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SERIES THREAD: #17 Rice vs #12 FAU - May 8th - 10th, 2015

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Collage madness update bracket projection has us in Gainesville regional.
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MLBBoca said

A lot will depend on the matchups. With a #2 in a Regional in FL whether Miami, Tallahassee or Gainseville, I think a Super Regional is a good possibilty. Some other Regionals could be tough - I wouldn't want Louisville or UCLA - I'd prefer to tangle with them later.

I really wanted the Super Regional in 2013. I think we would have taken South Carolina and gone to Omaha. We needed one more healthy left-handed arm for about 1 inning. If we had that to finish off UNC, and I am convinced we would have been there. I'll never forget Rock's or Levi's HRs. Keller had the greatest weekend at the plate of anyone in the regionals that I can ever recall. Hugh and Silvestri put forth some of the gutiest performances I've ever seen at any level. Though that final game didn't end the way I wanted, I don't think I've ever been more proud of the guys as I was that day. To me, that was FAU's greatest moment. But, soon, even that will be eclipsed.

Posted On: May 11th 2015, 8:39 PM #345216

Damn I remember that game. Admitedly, I don't follow FAU baseball religiously, but as an FAU alum that only roots for us in all sports, I'm always keeping tabs on all the teams. I tuned into that game on ESPN3 and I remember getting more props from my friends about being an FAU alum that night than any other time. We had that game! So many crazy moments.
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USMCOWL said

Collage madness update bracket projection has us in Gainesville regional.
Posted On: May 11th 2015, 9:23 PM #345218

I'll take those brackets in a heartbeat. With the Super Regional matchup, booking tickets to Omaha.


Bracketology | College Sports Madness
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Historically-speaking, playing UF in Gainesville has not worked out well for us.
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We took them to the final in the only regional we played there a few years ago, and beat them the last time we played there. But history doesn't matter, only the present does. The Gators have a good backend to their pen, but the starters and middle relief we can handle.

We need to get our own pitching back into shape right now, and get starters deeper into the games. In the 15 games subsequent to the FIU series a month ago, when we last saw Jackson until this past weekend, our pen has been tremendously overworked. Since that series, Miller (Rice) and Rhodes (UAB) have had the only two starts to reach 6.0 IP. Only 6 of those 15 games have we seen a starter go more than 4.0 IP, and one game exactly 4.0 IP. We've had 6 starts of less than 3.0 IP Some of those were by design, such as Labsan's 2.0 IP vs FGCU as he was being inserted into the rotation for Saturday against Souther Miss (a game which got moved up to Friday due to incoming weather, so he wasn't as well rested as hoped and only went 2.1 IP). Also, McKay's UCF start of 2.0 IP, and even Jacksons 2.0 IP versus Rice were determined prior to the game. Regardless of by design or not, though, that has put a tremendous strain on the pen. Miller and Rhodes have each gone 5.0 and 6.0 innings in their last two starts. In the ODU series, we had exactly 1.0 IP from our opening weekend rotation. Our pen needs, well, sosme relief. Subsequent to the FIU series, in every series and midweek game, other than UAB, where then pen went 11 out of 26 IP, the pen has pitched more innings than the starters. It's a wonder those guys haven't dropped from exhaustion; they've given their all. I cannot complain about the pen - they've gone above and beyond. We've been fortunate that the juggling Coach Mac and Coach Jackson have had to do has worked out as well as it has. With that, dropping only the Rice series and the game last night against Miami is pretty remarkable.

As I see it, the key is Jackson returning to health and form.

Since the FIU series, here is how our deep our starters have gone:

Miami Labsan 3.1
Rice Rhodes 5.0
Rice Jackson 2.0*
Rice Miller 6.0
UCF McKay 2.0*
UAB Rhodes 6.0
UAB Miller 5.0
UAB Labsan 4.0
ODU Rhodes 5.2
ODU Labsan 2.1
ODU Miller 1.0
Southern Miss Rhodes 2.2
Southern Miss Miller 5.2
Southern Miss Labsan 2.1
FGCU Labsan 2.0*
* = by design/limited pitch count

As for the FIU series that preceded the heavy use of the pen, Rhodes 6.1, Jackson 4.0, Miller 7.0.
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