BB G3 Final: Louisiana 14, Troy 13

[Big Buds]

How does the ballpark in Statesboro play?

[cajundiehard]

Anyone know what we can expect from GA Southern on the mound? Anyone particularly dominant? Deep staff?

Hopefully the bats can take this Sunday game and keep it going vs JSU Tuesday and into the weekend.

Need to win the 2 remaining series. I'm thinking Troy will drop one at Texas State.... so that (4-2 the last 2 weekends) should be adequate.

[zeppelincajun]

How does the ballpark in Statesboro play?

Don't know how it plays but going off their website, down the lines it's 335 in left and 329 in right. Center is 390. Similar wall to Troy in right but 20 feet further back.

[Cajunsmike]

As did I, which proves that in the moment meltdowns are a normal response for fans. Somebody said earlier in the season that fan reactions were like broadcasters and should be taken for what they are in the moment thoughts. It doesn't mean they stick even with the person going off.

The meltdowns are normal when weird things happen amongst ALL fan bases. It is one reason I rarely look at game threads. Too much emotion and not enough focus. Fortunately athletes don’t have that mindset. They try to keep competing until the final pitch.

[GoneGolfin]

Brian,

We can agree to disagree. Again, I understand how that parks plays. But, I saw pitchers getting behind in counts all weekend, hitting batters, walking batters and critical errors behind them at times. That my friend has nothing to do with the ballpark and everything to do with execution. That was the worst display of Cajun pitching I have witnessed in a few years. Tip your hat to some of the pitches they were able to drive this weekend, but a number of those runs were self-inflicted.

Then maybe you are not understanding at least some of my point ... because I agree that the Cajun staff did not perform to expectations this weekend. My point is simply that the park does make a difference. If you do not believe that ... then yes ... we are on other sides of the earth. In some cases, it can make a significant difference. I think the Troy pitchers are much better than their ERAs because of the park they play in, for example. That is my point.

Brian

[CajunVic]

Their pitchers are better than their ERA”#. The park allows their hitters to do,the same to our pitchers and the penalties for pitchers not being quite on are magnified because of the park.

[GoneGolfin]

Yes. Some lazy fly balls close to the track at the Tigue are not playable at Troy.

The Troy starter Grayson has decent stats, Ks, BB, WHIP .246 Batting avg against. His ERA was 6.75 before the game. That kid hits his spots. 1st team All Sun Belt 2023. Hits his spots and got lit up this year for a lot of runs and actually pitched well.

To further that point ... Noah Manning and Clete Hartzog are very good relievers for Troy. They are the best relief arms the Trojans have. They got lit up today ... a combined 1.0 inning, 6 hits, 5 runs, 5 ER, 2 doubles, and 2 bombs. It happens in this park ... especially if the weather further cooperates.

Brian

[moorecajun]

... Hit by the preseason player of the year (Shane Lewis) that had been on the bench for several weeks until pinch-hitting today in the 8th (he doubled to RCF in the 10th). While hitting those 27 HRs last year (you guessed it, a left-handed hitter intentionally scouted for Troy's ballpark), he also struck out an amazing 82 times (I recall him being feast or famine) ... about 38% of his ABs.

Lewis has really struggled this season, hitting .172 with 4 HRs, playing in only 29 games (25 starts).

I listened to the Locked on Sun Belt preview of the series tonight (after the fact) with voice of the Trojans Barry McKnight. He talked at length about Troy as a hitter's park and especially the short porch in RF (with the high wall) along with doubles alley in RCF ... and how Troy specifically scouts hitters to play in this park ... specifically left-handed hitters. For a while, Troy was loading their lineup with eight left-handed hitters. It is also not nearly all about the long ball. It is about extra base hits ... which are considerably easier in RF.

This is a prime example of how a team utilizes their home field and makes it an advantage. Shane Lewis does not hit 27 bombs playing for Louisiana.

Brian

I made the comment yesterday (after the game) that I'm glad that is not our field; I couldn't take those type games on a regular basis!

[moorecajun]

I understand the point you are trying to make. But I do not agree with the above part. You may hit just as many spots in that ballpark as you do when you are at home (also make the equivalent # of mistakes). So from a command standpoint, you are the same. But it is the penalty that is paid when you are just off of that spot. That penalty may simply be a routine fly out at home (or some other ball park). But you may pay the price in a ball park such as Troy's (a normal out to RF is off of the wall ... or over the fence). This also forces the pitchers to be finer than what they normally would be (including more pressure) ... resulting in more walks.

Brian

I'm glad you posted this.

I consider walks and hbps an error on the pitcher; there were a lot of these this weekend. I'll give our staff the benefit as they were probably trying to guide some pitches instead of throwing them. I certainly didn't give them the benefit yesterday!

I also am pretty sure the tournament park is more of a true field which I think will benefit us! You know, so that a popup to right field ends with "caught" instead of "out of here".

GEAUX CAJUNS

[CajunVic]

I'm glad you posted this.

I consider walks and hbps an error on the pitcher; there were a lot of these this weekend. I'll give our staff the benefit as they were probably trying to guide some pitches instead of throwing them. I certainly didn't give them the benefit yesterday!

I also am pretty sure the tournament park is more of a true field which I think will benefit us! You know, so that a popup to right field ends with "caught" instead of "out of here".

GEAUX CAJUNS

Or “off the wall”