NCAA Houston Regional Game 5 - Rice vs. Houston

[Cajun Monkee]

Made arrangements for 6am wake-up-call and had room service delivered to several rooms at the UH campus Sheraton.

[TuffGuy84]

I thought about that after I tried to go back to sleep. The game's over a little after 2:00, you have to shower, change, have a brief meeting, feed the kids, get them across town and to bed. 3:30-4:00 AM.

How much do you let them sleep, before you get them up, get them showered, feed them, have a team meeting, get to the field to dress and warm up? Coaches and players like to keep to their pre-game routines, and no sport is more superstitious than baseball. I'd be surprised if they get more than 5 hours sleep, and those hours were well outside of their normal sleeping routine.

I won't say anything to anger the gods of baseball, but I am very interested in seeing how Rice holds up. If they can compete today, they will have greatly increased my respect for them.

I too don't want to anger the baseball gods (they have very much been on our side lately), but it's hard not to think about this. That said, I expect them to actually rally around the adversity, it'll probably be their rally cry, but I just can't imagine them having enough in the tank to take us.

[HOUCajun]

I do not know anything about Rice's pitching staff. I would imagine they have a couple of arms that would be weekend starters in the Belt fresh and ready. Also I am sure a coupe of pitchers went home early last night to get rest.
Rice is a very good Baseball team and I expect them to play very well today.

[DocCajun]

I have 2 tickets in sec 209 (under the overhang on 3rd bade side) that I cannot use for today. Face value price. I can email them to first taker if anyone is interested

[CajunRed]

They might have to wake up the guys in the ESPN truck and Coach Graham when this on finishes!

I went back and started reading at the point (11th inning) where I went to bed last night. Now THAT line was funny!

[TuffGuy84]

I do not know anything about Rice's pitching staff. I would imagine they have a couple of arms that would be weekend starters in the Belt fresh and ready. Also I am sure a coupe of pitchers went home early last night to get rest.
Rice is a very good Baseball team and I expect them to play very well today.

By my math, according to their roster/statistics, I see 6 pitchers available based on whos pitched significant innings this regional. The for sure 6 I see available are

Solecitto (2.87 ERA, 15 app, 1 start, 0-1 record)
Williamson(4.50 ERA, 14 app, 0 starts, 1-2 record)
Pettite(6.16 ERA, 14 app, 0 starts, 1-1 record)
McCarthy(0.00 ERA, 5 app, 0 starts, mysteriously 0-1 record)
Myers (2.61 ERA, 7 Appearances, 1 start, 0-0 record)
Amador (9.0 ERA, 6 appearances, 2 starts, 0-0 record)

The last 3 guys (McCarthy, Myers, Amador) combine for 24.2 IP, so the other 3 are much more likely to get called on.

Stephens (2.65 ERA, 16 appearances, 10 starts, 6-4 record) is a Likely candidate to get a second start in the regional I'd guess, as he went 3.1 innings before the rain delay Saturday. Judging by the stats of the guys, It seems that Rice is big on not worrying about making a pitcher pitch deep and turning it over early. The key will be getting to the starter early, they have good pitchers left, but not enough to guys to fill out 2 games worth, but our bats have to come to life, particularly at the top of the order.

[CrappDaddy]

Let's not forget the 07 regional. If we somehow lose the. 1st game I think the odds shift in rice's favor. Gotta win tonight !

[Dad04]

I'll bet more than one Rice player didn't sleep at all.

[cajundiehard]

Let's not forget what we did the Mississippi State last year... Gotta take care of business. I do expect more runs to be scored by the Cajuns today...

[TuffGuy84]

I'll bet more than one Rice player didn't sleep at all.

Yup, it's hard to come down from the high I'm sure they had after that game. No doubt they are gonna be a very tired group of guys.

[CajunGrad]

Game started in May and ended in June. Those guys have to be tired.

[Textitan]

By my math, according to their roster/statistics, I see 6 pitchers available based on whos pitched significant innings this regional. The for sure 6 I see available are

Solecitto (2.87 ERA, 15 app, 1 start, 0-1 record)
Williamson(4.50 ERA, 14 app, 0 starts, 1-2 record)
Pettite(6.16 ERA, 14 app, 0 starts, 1-1 record)
McCarthy(0.00 ERA, 5 app, 0 starts, mysteriously 0-1 record)
Myers (2.61 ERA, 7 Appearances, 1 start, 0-0 record)
Amador (9.0 ERA, 6 appearances, 2 starts, 0-0 record)

The last 3 guys (McCarthy, Myers, Amador) combine for 24.2 IP, so the other 3 are much more likely to get called on.

Stephens (2.65 ERA, 16 appearances, 10 starts, 6-4 record) is a Likely candidate to get a second start in the regional I'd guess, as he went 3.1 innings before the rain delay Saturday. Judging by the stats of the guys, It seems that Rice is big on not worrying about making a pitcher pitch deep and turning it over early. The key will be getting to the starter early, they have good pitchers left, but not enough to guys to fill out 2 games worth, but our bats have to come to life, particularly at the top of the order.

Rice is throwing Stephens today. He is their ace, and very good. Saturday basically would function as a bullpen day. So the Cajuns will have to earn the win the hard way....again.