Junior Sam Sivilotti and sophomore Greg Blohowiak, members of the UWM baseball team, will be blogging all season long on the UWM website. This is their sixth entry.
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"Light post and back is one..."
It is no question that the past couple weeks have been a struggle. A struggle to find out where we stand compared to other teams as well as amongst ourselves. Suffering several heartbreaking losses, and also some embarrassing losses, we had a very sour taste in our mouths. This does not cause us to dwell on ourselves though, we take it as a learning point and grow from there. Following the rough patch of games, this is the time of year we were all preparing for; opening weekend in conference. For our first series in the Horizon League we would be facing off against our rival, University of Illinois-Chicago. Winners of the last seven regular-season titles, UIC is like the Vikings to the Packers. The energy and anticipation that go along with playing against this team is unmeasurable.
We boarded the bus once again and began our (very relieving) short trip to Chicago. Only about an hour and a half, we put a movie in (Blind Side, great movie!!) and enjoyed the ride. We would not be stopping at our hotel before the game, therefore many of the guys were changing on the bus as we were pulling into Les Miller Field. It was a bit windy, as expected, with the sun beating down on us along with 40-degree weather as we began batting practice. We finished up the pregame routines as usual and lined up for the recorded anthem.
Like I said before, energy for this game would be unmeasurable. We were lined up on the front edge of the dugout cheering on our hitters as we laced single after single to get out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning. On the bump for us was Chad Pierce, who is pitching stellar this year, who has also been on the short end of some walk-off wins. He is reigning Horizon League Pitcher of the Week and brought his game to Chicago. Following another run in the second inning off of a walk and a laser back at the pitchers foot by Sam Sivilotti, Jon Capasso was plated on a fielders choice. After an answer by UIC the score was 3-1 after three full innings. Following a couple more runs by UIC the score was deadlocked at three when senior Dan Buchholz smashed a homerun over the left field wall to regain the lead with two innings left to play.
The first game versus UIC was one that was far too cliche. UIC is a baseball team known for playing small ball (bunting, stealing, hit and run) as well as taking advantage of their opponents mistakes. In this game Pierce surrendered three runs, with none of them being earned. Our defense played a little shaky the first game having five errors to show for it. Even though we did not play the type of baseball that was ideal in beating a well-rounded team, we had a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the 9th inning. Coming in for the save was sophomore Cameron Amsrud, a submarine guy who has a large amount of experience, and is no push over. He began the inning getting a pop out to Cole Kraft. Following a couple singles and a hit by pitch, Amsrud found himself pitching with the bases loaded. With the score still at 5-3, UIC second basemen Matt Serna took a pitch from Amsrud off the thigh, getting an RBI and closing the gap with us to one.
This seemed like a bad nightmare, with this same situation occurring at least five times in the past. With two outs and the bases loaded, Cameron got a ground ball to 3rd basemen Dan Buchholz, which seemingly was the relief we needed to get this win. However, after bobbling the ball he had to resort to diving at the running attempting to advance to 3rd. A fully outstretched Buchholz dove and tagged the UIC runner on the back, which made us hold our breath waiting for the umpire to make his call. The umpire ruled the runner safe, to much distaste from all of our players, but the most angry was Buchholz, who looked as though he was going to rip off someone’s head. On that controversial play the runner from third scored tying the game at 5 runs a piece. It was almost surreal that this was happening again, to such a competitive and talented team. Following a walk to the next batter we found ourselves wondering what had just happened, pinching ourselves to see if it really was a bad dream. After several minutes of cleaning up the dugout and boarding the bus, the upperclassmen made a decision that the kind of baseball we played was unacceptable and we would have to face some punishment. This decision was one that was almost expected following that performance, as well as following the performance earlier in the week when we let another game slip away in the latter innings versus Northern Illinois.
When we arrived to our hotel we got our room assignments and gathered in the lobby 15 minutes after with shorts and workout gear on. As a team we marched outside to an unknown baseball diamond at dusk. We had to get mentally tougher and in order to teach a lesson we began doing sprints. We chose to sprint from one light post to another with a down and back equaling one. All in all, we as a team had completed 15 of these sprints before joining together as one. With gasping for air and cramps setting in we got in close and had a talk. Led by senior Shaun Wegner and junior Sam Sivilotti, this inspirational meeting was one unlike any other. With all of our cards on the table we could not afford to go 0-2 to begin our conference play. We had to come together as one unit and compete against another unit of men in order to prevail in a game we each love to play. There is no question that wood was added to the fire that was a rivalry conference game. Saturday is a new day, with the same opponent, same game, same diamond, same players, but most importantly ... a new mindset.
We awoke Saturday morning with a chip on our shoulders and a point to prove. We arrived at the field and got our game on. After the usual pregame rituals we prepared for a long day full of baseball. You could tell our loss the day before and running gave us a sour taste. We exploded for 12 runs over the first 5 innings of the game with all nine starters recording a hit and seven of them recording multi-hit games led by Cole Kraft (3-4, 1 RBI, 2 Runs), Ben Long (3-5, 3 RBI’s) and Tim Patzman (3-4, 1 RBI, 2 Runs). Starting the game on the mound was Jeff Gordon. He was scheduled to only pitch one inning and then hand off the game to Kyle Schmidt. Gordon had a flawless first inning while only throwing one off speed pitch. Sophomore Kyle Schmidt took it from there, going the rest of the way while giving up no earned runs. There was a five-run outburst for UIC in the bottom half of the 5th inning, however the runs were scored following some errors in the field, therefore Schmidt did not give up an earned run. The final score of the game was 13-5. This game was one that was played much better than the one from the day before. Even though we had some hiccups in the field, we maintained focus throughout much of the game. It was a very positive way to come out and play the first game of a doubleheader, especially following the rough outcome Friday. Nevertheless, we have to now forget about all of the achievements we made in this game and focus on the third game of our series.
In this pivotal game of our series, it would determine if we had a successful or an unsuccessful opening weekend in league play. The second game did not see as much offensive firepower, however we did open up with three straight one-run innings, while also threatening to score more. We got out to a 3-0 lead, but then UIC had taken advantage of some errors and strung some hits together to plate five to bring the score to 5-3 UIC at the end of three innings. From there on out we seemed to be deflated by their pitching and their defense. It was a day were we couldn’t catch a break and we came up on the short end of some good plays by their defense. With the score at 6-4, Jordan Herbert (starting pitcher) saw his outing come to a close after giving up a homerun and walk. He didn’t have one of his better outings, however, to UIC’s credit their hitters stepped up and made timely hits. Junior Jayme Sukowaty came in relief of Herbert and saw much of the same. “Suko” came in and with a runner on gave up a single and then one of UIC’s leading hitters, Steve McGuiggan, homered to left field putting the score at 10-3. We managed to plate one more run off the bat of Sam Sivilotti to end the game with a score of 10-4.
This game was not a result we were looking for, and it also shows how important the first game of a three-game series is. Being able to win the Friday game enables you to have to win one of the two games on Saturday, instead of winning both. However depriving this weekend was we had to remind ourselves it is a long season and we have another opportunity to gain momentum in the next coming days. We packed up and changed into proper bus attire and continued home with the weekend on our minds and the anticipation of our first home games looming. A seven-game homestand is before us and we have alot of work to do to get at where we want to be. We are a very talented bunch and can be dangerous if we believe in ourselves. With the homestand coming, we have an opportunity to relax in the comfort of our own beds instead of those in hotels, enjoy our own meals, as well as wear our ALL WHITE JERSEYS!!! We like to wear those (we were 14-1 last year) in home games. Come out and support us this Tuesday versus UW-Parkside in a double header and this weekend we welcome Cleveland State for a Horizon League series!!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Journey: Kansas State
Junior Sam Sivilotti and sophomore Greg Blohowiak, members of the UWM baseball team, will be blogging all season long on the UWM website. This is their fifth entry.
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Toto, We’re not in Kansas anymore...
Another weekend, another 12-hour bus ride. As the reality of playing baseball every weekend is finally setting in, with many people starting to get into a routine with school and their homework, we yet again stepped foot on the Lamers bus. Taking a similar route as last weekend, we picked up the fellas at the park and ride and began our trek to Manhattan, Kansas. We were scheduled to play a series versus Kansas State (#25) with one game on Friday, two on Saturday and another one on Sunday. But due to anticipation of horrible cold and snowy weather on Saturday, we bumped up a game to Friday so we would play a doubleheader. A little different from what is normal, however we were going to approach this weekend like any other, aiming to win games while continuing to get better in the process.
The long bus ride was full of movies, with a photo slideshow from Arkansas and a couple minutes of laughs at the end to begin. With a request for the best of Will Farrell from SNL quickly on the table we popped that in and continued with the laughs. Following a couple hours of movies we were in the thick of the March Madness tournament updates. With many teams going down to the wire and some upsets (thanks Georgetown...) it was no doubt people were itching for any updates available.
Before we knew it we made a stop at a Urbandale, Iowa, Happy Joes pizza buffet to absolutely destroy the establishment, for food of course. We have enjoyed this pizza buffet in the past, however it came only a couple hours before a game versus Iowa, therefore stuffing our faces was not such a good idea. This time though was different, with four hours on a bus ahead of us we could afford to mash out the countless number of delicious pizzas without worry. While in Happy Joes Panther Baseball prize machine victor (AP #1 for winning things) Paul Hoenecke was at it once again. Taking five dollars worth of tokens straight to his favorite ticket game, Speed Demon. Before all was said and done Paul had won around 2500 tickets and redeemed them for a number of stuffed animals and other miscellaneous items.
With all the pizza in our stomachs and our bodies on the bus we continued on toward Kansas, only to arrive at our Holiday Inn hotel on campus shortly before 11 pm. We unpacked and got situated in our rooms and laid to rest, to wake up and play a couple games versus the Wildcats of Kansas State.
The morning started off rough, without a free continental breakfast, many of us went to the nearby gas station to pick up the necessary energy supplements and food for the morning. We then boarded the bus and starting on the one mile trek to the field, only to go around the block three times before we figured out where to park the bus to let us out. Thanks to the problem solving skills of our bus driver and picking up a Kansas State rep, we pulled up and continued toward the dugout.
The usual occurred, with batting practice and infield as well as the national anthem, we then proceeded toward the first pitch. Taking the rubber for us was Kyle Schmidt, usual game one starter, however we once again were at the plate to begin. A quick start, junior Cole Kraft laced a double past the diving first basemen. After a sacrifice bunt by Shaun Wegner the KSU pitcher then struck out Hoenecke and Long to end the threat. Kansas State started off strong, putting up three runs in the bottom of the 1st, getting runs on a leadoff double, a couple off end of the bat, two-strike, only-off-metal-bat kind of hits and a error fielding a bunt, that inning ended with a unconventional double play by Doug Dekoning (caught a ball and throwing behind the runner who was stealing to double him off). The next inning we were limited to only three batters, with KSU tacking on another run. The score was 4-0 after two innings and didn’t see a change the rest of the game.
With temperatures dipping and the swirling wind picking up runs on this day were very hard to come by. With the baseball “gods” not in our corner for game one, we saw many hard hit balls fielded by luck (Ben Long hit a liner in the gap, only to be snagged by the wind and caught by the right fielder below his knees, when he didn't even expect it) or because they were hit right at someone. That is baseball I suppose, many hard hits at people, and many handle-shots that fall in between people. That was the case as well as some pretty good pitching on either side of things, Schmidt had a rough first two innings before settling in and only allowing four runs. Also their pitcher did well, nibbling away at the corners while receiving some iffy strike-three calls. To note, Senior Bob Stone came in the bottom of the 8th inning working a run free frame.
We saw the first game end with a 4-0 score and some promise, promise that we play another game shortly following. After a brief meeting in right field we grabbed our in-between game food and got ready for the 2nd game, hoping to pull out a win versus a very good Kansas State team.
With game two on the horizon, the weather began to drastically change. Normally in Wisconsin we are used to 20-degree weather in March, but when we prepared to leave for Kansas we expected at least something a little warmer. As pregame sprints and throwing finished, the temperature dropped to 25 and snow flurries began to fall. Chad Pierce toed the rubber, and yet again, gave us another quality start. Pierce went eight innings and scattered three hits on top of seven strikeouts. Chad gave a great effort and put us in a position to win the game. The first run of the game came in the fifth when Tim Patzman laced a double down the left field line. Unfortunately, the double was erased when Dan Buccholz grounded into a fielder’s choice but as Patzman remained in a run down, Buchy advanced to second. Doug Dekoning then came up and hit a single that plated Buccholz giving us a 1-0 lead.
The score would remain the same as K-State kept us off balance all game, only surrendering five hits. We had a chance to extend our lead in the eighth but after a one-out single by Nino Guerrero followed by a double Sam Sivilotti, we had runners on second and third with one out. Cole Kraft then was intentionally walked, but back-to-back strikeouts ended our threat. Kansas State then plated an unearned run in the eighth to tie the game. We then went down one, two, three in the top of the ninth. The Wildcats were then able to put the go ahead run on base with one out in the bottom half of the ninth with a single through the left side. An infield single followed, and runners were on first and second with still only one down. We then got an out to bring the game right down to the wire. Two down, two runners on…Unfortunately Kansas State prevailed. A single through the left side scored the game winning run from second.
After a brief post game talk, we gathered our things and boarded the bus. We got back to the hotel and tried to get warm. As the night passed on the snow continued, and the weekend series began to look a little bleak. We went to bed unsure of the Saturday game status. 9:10 AM, next morning, all players are notified that the weekend series was cancelled and we are going home. The “pack-up” process was extremely surprising as most of us had imagined that we would at least try to preserve one game from the series. Twelve hours on the bus ride passed by with movies, funny conversations, music and sleep. We got back to Milwaukee around 10 pm. We took the rest of the weekend to get healthy and prepare to turn our play around at Northern Illinois the following Wednesday.
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Toto, We’re not in Kansas anymore...
Another weekend, another 12-hour bus ride. As the reality of playing baseball every weekend is finally setting in, with many people starting to get into a routine with school and their homework, we yet again stepped foot on the Lamers bus. Taking a similar route as last weekend, we picked up the fellas at the park and ride and began our trek to Manhattan, Kansas. We were scheduled to play a series versus Kansas State (#25) with one game on Friday, two on Saturday and another one on Sunday. But due to anticipation of horrible cold and snowy weather on Saturday, we bumped up a game to Friday so we would play a doubleheader. A little different from what is normal, however we were going to approach this weekend like any other, aiming to win games while continuing to get better in the process.
The long bus ride was full of movies, with a photo slideshow from Arkansas and a couple minutes of laughs at the end to begin. With a request for the best of Will Farrell from SNL quickly on the table we popped that in and continued with the laughs. Following a couple hours of movies we were in the thick of the March Madness tournament updates. With many teams going down to the wire and some upsets (thanks Georgetown...) it was no doubt people were itching for any updates available.
Before we knew it we made a stop at a Urbandale, Iowa, Happy Joes pizza buffet to absolutely destroy the establishment, for food of course. We have enjoyed this pizza buffet in the past, however it came only a couple hours before a game versus Iowa, therefore stuffing our faces was not such a good idea. This time though was different, with four hours on a bus ahead of us we could afford to mash out the countless number of delicious pizzas without worry. While in Happy Joes Panther Baseball prize machine victor (AP #1 for winning things) Paul Hoenecke was at it once again. Taking five dollars worth of tokens straight to his favorite ticket game, Speed Demon. Before all was said and done Paul had won around 2500 tickets and redeemed them for a number of stuffed animals and other miscellaneous items.
With all the pizza in our stomachs and our bodies on the bus we continued on toward Kansas, only to arrive at our Holiday Inn hotel on campus shortly before 11 pm. We unpacked and got situated in our rooms and laid to rest, to wake up and play a couple games versus the Wildcats of Kansas State.
The morning started off rough, without a free continental breakfast, many of us went to the nearby gas station to pick up the necessary energy supplements and food for the morning. We then boarded the bus and starting on the one mile trek to the field, only to go around the block three times before we figured out where to park the bus to let us out. Thanks to the problem solving skills of our bus driver and picking up a Kansas State rep, we pulled up and continued toward the dugout.
The usual occurred, with batting practice and infield as well as the national anthem, we then proceeded toward the first pitch. Taking the rubber for us was Kyle Schmidt, usual game one starter, however we once again were at the plate to begin. A quick start, junior Cole Kraft laced a double past the diving first basemen. After a sacrifice bunt by Shaun Wegner the KSU pitcher then struck out Hoenecke and Long to end the threat. Kansas State started off strong, putting up three runs in the bottom of the 1st, getting runs on a leadoff double, a couple off end of the bat, two-strike, only-off-metal-bat kind of hits and a error fielding a bunt, that inning ended with a unconventional double play by Doug Dekoning (caught a ball and throwing behind the runner who was stealing to double him off). The next inning we were limited to only three batters, with KSU tacking on another run. The score was 4-0 after two innings and didn’t see a change the rest of the game.
With temperatures dipping and the swirling wind picking up runs on this day were very hard to come by. With the baseball “gods” not in our corner for game one, we saw many hard hit balls fielded by luck (Ben Long hit a liner in the gap, only to be snagged by the wind and caught by the right fielder below his knees, when he didn't even expect it) or because they were hit right at someone. That is baseball I suppose, many hard hits at people, and many handle-shots that fall in between people. That was the case as well as some pretty good pitching on either side of things, Schmidt had a rough first two innings before settling in and only allowing four runs. Also their pitcher did well, nibbling away at the corners while receiving some iffy strike-three calls. To note, Senior Bob Stone came in the bottom of the 8th inning working a run free frame.
We saw the first game end with a 4-0 score and some promise, promise that we play another game shortly following. After a brief meeting in right field we grabbed our in-between game food and got ready for the 2nd game, hoping to pull out a win versus a very good Kansas State team.
With game two on the horizon, the weather began to drastically change. Normally in Wisconsin we are used to 20-degree weather in March, but when we prepared to leave for Kansas we expected at least something a little warmer. As pregame sprints and throwing finished, the temperature dropped to 25 and snow flurries began to fall. Chad Pierce toed the rubber, and yet again, gave us another quality start. Pierce went eight innings and scattered three hits on top of seven strikeouts. Chad gave a great effort and put us in a position to win the game. The first run of the game came in the fifth when Tim Patzman laced a double down the left field line. Unfortunately, the double was erased when Dan Buccholz grounded into a fielder’s choice but as Patzman remained in a run down, Buchy advanced to second. Doug Dekoning then came up and hit a single that plated Buccholz giving us a 1-0 lead.
The score would remain the same as K-State kept us off balance all game, only surrendering five hits. We had a chance to extend our lead in the eighth but after a one-out single by Nino Guerrero followed by a double Sam Sivilotti, we had runners on second and third with one out. Cole Kraft then was intentionally walked, but back-to-back strikeouts ended our threat. Kansas State then plated an unearned run in the eighth to tie the game. We then went down one, two, three in the top of the ninth. The Wildcats were then able to put the go ahead run on base with one out in the bottom half of the ninth with a single through the left side. An infield single followed, and runners were on first and second with still only one down. We then got an out to bring the game right down to the wire. Two down, two runners on…Unfortunately Kansas State prevailed. A single through the left side scored the game winning run from second.
After a brief post game talk, we gathered our things and boarded the bus. We got back to the hotel and tried to get warm. As the night passed on the snow continued, and the weekend series began to look a little bleak. We went to bed unsure of the Saturday game status. 9:10 AM, next morning, all players are notified that the weekend series was cancelled and we are going home. The “pack-up” process was extremely surprising as most of us had imagined that we would at least try to preserve one game from the series. Twelve hours on the bus ride passed by with movies, funny conversations, music and sleep. We got back to Milwaukee around 10 pm. We took the rest of the weekend to get healthy and prepare to turn our play around at Northern Illinois the following Wednesday.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Journey: University of Arkansas
Junior Sam Sivilotti and sophomore Greg Blohowiak, members of the UWM baseball team, will be blogging all season long on the UWM website. This is their fourth entry.
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Woo Pig Sooiee?
This trip to Fayetteville, Ark., was unlike all the rest. This may hold true, however there were some constants that we cannot avoid. First of all, the good ole Lamers bus we’re all accustomed to was once again awaiting the team for this 12-hour ride. Had to leave the Klotsche Center and pick up people at a park and ride. Instead of the College Ave. one we chose to take 43-South and take a new route to the northwest part of Arkansas. After getting settled in and having our bagged lunches provided by Assistant Coach Steve Sanfilippo, we put in the movie and let the long ride swallow us up.
Following some six hours on the bus, we made our first and only stop along the way. It was in Troy, Ill., at a Pizza Hut where we were fed with 18 large pizzas and breadsticks. A very delicious meal that only took a half hour to get situated. We were on the road again with some people getting testy along the way, as expected with a 12-hour bus ride for the 3rd weekend in a row. Games of cribbage, PSP, as well as our Ipods usually can take up a good chunk of the ride. Before we knew it we were approaching the final couple hours, with a large sigh of relief. We need to thank our bus driver Tracy for finding a route that cut off an hour from the whole ride. Who knows what could have happened to our sanity if he did not make such a crucial decision, thanks Tracy. After going through some patches of lights resembling cities we finally made it into Fayetteville and pulled into our hotel, The Clarion.
Our first impression was not a good one, as the outside looked outdated and used up. These comments could have been out of frustration from such a long ride, however one comment did not arise that would encapsulate this establishment, interesting. We got our room assignments and shuffled a ways through the pool and restaurant area to the door that led to our ultimate abode. Our rooms were located in the “annex” of the hotel, as stated by an Indiana All-American (which I'll touch upon shortly). This area of rooms, which was about 25, was separate from the main hotel and looked as if it was excavated strait out of the movie Joy Ride. (Candy cane anyone?). Opening the doors and welcoming us was two queen sized beds with a old woman-dress flower pattern comforter which was nothing like its name, as well as a sink that was apart from the toilet and shower, and the astounding 25 inch Zenith TV. Not to mention the wireless internet that is integral to our advancement in learning was very weak in our outcast of rooms. Living the high life of course. The housing could be a little iffy, however, we are here to play the #14 ranked team in the nation in Arkansas and the rooms were the last things on our minds. We quickly went to bed and dreamt of a successful weekend.
Waking up for breakfast at 9 a.m. was good. The breakfast was a buffet-style with the best french toast I’ve had in a while. As we were all waking up and munching on our food we noticed a trend throughout the breakfast hall. There were big-named schools from across the country being represented by what we came to learn as the National Indoor Track and Field Championships. Basically, the best of the best in the nation were on hand in Fayetteville to compete against one another at the Arkansas field house, which might I add is “Unbelievable” according to sources. Some schools to mention are TCU, Indiana, Florida State, South Carolina and Oregon. Nonetheless, these people were here for the same intentions we were, to win, either against another team, or another person. After bantering with these people, mainly the girls, we finished up eating and got dressed and ready for the departure for the field. Boarding the bus there was a very anxious and excited energy, one that can be expected when playing such a high profile team. We left and arrived at the field a short time after with some of our eyes fixed on the stadium. Baum Stadium at George Cole Field is one of the top five places to play in college baseball. This stadium has had record crowds of over 11,000 people and has a reputation for being in the top echelon. Following batting practice and infield we lined up for the national anthem with anticipation at an all-time high. Getting off to the right foot on the weekend is the most important thing. It all starts with the first pitch, and it was quickly approaching.
Getting the nod in the first game was Friday night starter Kyle Schmidt. Coming off a loss to Austin Peay, Kyle was looking to come out of the gates and start fresh. The Razorbacks started Mike Bolsinger, a pitcher who has a sub-2.00 ERA coming into this game. We would start on the offensive side of things with Cole Kraft earning a walk with a great first at bat of the game. After a stolen base and a couple outs, senior Ben Long plated Kraft with a two-out single. After a back and forth first few innings we found ourselves deadlocked at 2-2 in the 4th inning when Kraft had a big moment. With us just scoring former Razorback-turned-Panther Chad Pierce, John Capasso was on first base when Kraft took a fastball from Balsinger off the scoreboard in right field, setting the score at 4-2. A couple more runs from us and one from them the score was 6-3 going into the 6th inning. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Kyle Schmidt saw his day come to an end. A struggle for him all day to find his stuff, Schmidt battled through and made crucial pitch after crucial pitch to keep us ahead or in the game, credit to him for being such a competitor. Junior Cuyler Franzke got out of the inning after Arkansas scored a few more to tie the score at 6’s. After a scoreless top of the 7th the Arkansas Razorbacks responded with an eight-run bottom of the 7th. We found ourselves trying to find answers for this outpouring of hits, however the offense in the 8th and 9th was held scoreless to reach a final of 14-6. The final score was definitely not indicative of the playing of the game. We played very hard and with a lot of energy but in the end we just did not have our arms behind our bats on this day. This loss was one we felt was a great opportunity that we let slip away, but it also was one that opened our eyes. It opened our eyes to the type of baseball it takes to compete with a high-caliber opponent. We played ahead of them for most of the game and the confidence and belief we take from this game will go further than the final score.
After returning to the hotel we took our showers and went and got a bite to eat. After getting back we congregated in the pool area to surf the web and do our schoolwork, due to the poor internet in our rooms. The night turned long when we stimulated our brains with the never-ending sporcle competitions. With AP #1 player Tim Patzman no where to be found, the pride and dignity that comes along with dominating sporcle was up for grabs. At times it seemed to float from person to person however AP #2 player Shaun Wegner showed why he’s #2. Going to bed followed shortly with us setting our alarms and tv timers and resting our bodies from a long day of battle, to only wake up and continue versus the Hogs.
With game one behind us, we woke up refreshed for yet another opportunity. The same routine underwent for the majority of us. Wake up early, go to breakfast, come back to the room and hang out, get dressed, and board the bus. As we stepped off of the bus, our focus began to dial in. With two and a half hours until game time, we like to keep things loose. We gathered as a team down the right field foul line to highlight some of the keys of last night’s performance. After the game summary was completed and the objectives for today’s battle were expressed, we began our batting practice. With a country flavor in the air, we listened to a mix of rap, pop and country that the Razorbacks had collaborated together for their pregame warm up CD. Some unusual songs, nonetheless, provided great entertainment for all of us while shagging balls in the outfield. At the conclusion of batting practice, you could see our focus set in.
We were sending former University of Arkansas pitcher Chad Pierce to the mound. Pierce had been waiting a long time for this moment. For weeks we have been hearing from him about how he was going to go back to Arkansas and pitch a gem. Well…that’s exactly what happened. After both teams going scoreless in the first, Arkansas struck in the bottom half of the second. With two outs, and a runner on second, the Razorbacks roped a double to plate the first run of the game. No fear in mind, Pierce closed the inning by putting up a one spot and diffusing any more possible damage. Once again, going quietly in the third, we could not muster any offensive production through three innings. Unfortunately, it looked as if Arkansas may have been hitting their stride as Wisconsin native and current Razorback, Collin Kuhn, hit a solo homerun to put the home Razorbacks up two. Unwilling to lay down, we gathered ourselves and were ready to counter the first two punches. In the fifth inning, with the score still 2-0, a leadoff single by Tim Patzman followed by a walk by Dan Buccholz gave us our first real offensive opportunity of the game. Doug Dekoning moved both runners up a base as he laid down a sacrifice bunt. Following a strikeout, we had runners on second and third with two outs. Big moment play of the game. With a 1-0 count Junior Sam Sivilotti hit a hard ground ball up the middle. As he was running down the line he recalls that he thought the ball was going to get through the middle and potentially knot the game up at two. Unfortunately, the second baseman made a diving play only to gather himself and throw Sivilotti out at first. The momentum had remained in the Razorback dugout. As the game continued, Pierce made big pitch after big pitch to keep within striking distance. Pierce’s day concluded when he came out of the game after 6 and 2/3 of quality baseball. Once again, we could not get any closer. As Arkansas began to pull away and extend their lead to 6-0 after seven. The game eventually ended at 7-0 but for a second straight day did not come close to reflecting the quality of game we played.
After post game reflections, and an inspirational talk from head coach Scott Doffek, we showered and boarded the bus again to eat a post game team meal at the Golden Corral. By now, we have become experts at buffets and now which courses at which places. Indulging in steak, mac and cheese, butterfly shrimp, and a tasty selection of fruits and vegetables we concluded our meal and headed back to the Clarion. With our last day in Fayetteville quickly approaching, we got back to the grind and prepared ourselves for departure. Packing suitcases, gathering toiletries, and getting a good night’s rest we put our heads to rest in hopes of a different result tomorrow (although we did lose an hour of sleep from daylight savings…we love sleep come on now).
Game three, a new day, hopefully a better result. Jordan Herbert toed the rubber for us as he was coming off of an impressive start against Dayton last weekend. The Razorbacks countered with Josh Eibner. Eibner was drafted out of high school in the fourth round is projected to be a top-75 pick by most scouts in this year's upcoming draft. Eibner is said to have an electric fastball that sits around 91-92 and can get as high as 95. Fear? I think not. We have had great success in the past when facing pitchers that have been highly recognized because the majority of us take it as a smack in our face. Our hitters live for moments like this. We play with a chip on our shoulder because we know that at the end of the day we have something to prove. A great opportunity and challenge lay before us. After a scoreless first three innings from both teams (we had no luck early…barreled seven consecutive balls off of Eibner and could not squeeze one hit) we struck in the fourth. After Paul Hoenecke’s single, Ben Long reached on an error. Following the first two runners reaching, Eibner got the next two outs. Dekoning then roped a single up the middle to plate Hoenecke. The inning continued with a single by Sivilotti through the right side to load the bases. Unfortunately, a fly out concluded the scoring in the fourth and we could not rally anything else. At this point, Herbert had the Razorbacks off-balance. Anyone watching could see Jordan getting stronger and stronger as the game went on. He was making pitch after pitch with no real threat from Arkansas. As the game moved into the sixth, we still had the lead until Tim Patzman had a laser opposite-field homerun to left center. Putting us up two, we felt confident going into the last leg of the game. Herbert continued his performance and was looking to silence the 3,000 fans that were at Baum Stadium. Here we were…2-0 bottom of the ninth, so close in the previous two games, and yet another chance to put away the 14th best team in the country.
Leadoff single and advance to second on a wild pitch (thought process: no big deal, run means nothing at this point). Next batter ground ball to short, Kraft backhands it and throws to second…gets the lead runner out as he was too far off the bag (perfect). Following that a single was hit to centerfield putting runners on first and second. A wild pitch made things more interesting as runners were now on second and third. Herbert made a great pitch to get another ground out to short. Two outs, runner on third and we have a one run lead. A hit batter put another runner on. He immediately was pinch ran for. The pinch runner stole second as we were not throwing through to second base. Herbert does a great job to get ahead in the count and put the hitter in an uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, another wild pitch led to the runner from third to score the game-tying run. Herbert then did a magnificent job to get a ground out to close the inning and give us a chance to still win the game.
Tied at two a piece, we went down quietly in the top of the tenth. In entered Cameron Amsurd for us. Amsrud got the first two outs of the inning with ease. It was not until the third hitter that the dramatics came into play. With a 2-2 count and nobody on base, Cameron made a great pitch on the inside part of the plate but Matt Vinson was able to squeeze his hands inside the baseball and lift it up into the jet stream. As we looked up we held our breath. The 3,000 Razorback faithful rose to their feet and began to cheer. We could not bear to watch as we saw centerfielder Doug Dekoning going back to the wall. As Dekoning reached the wall he stopped and began his jump in an attempt to bring the ball back. The inevitable had happened. Doug could not bring the ball back and Vinson had just hit a walk off homerun. As we watched the Arkansas crowd the plate and wait for Vinson to touch home, we could not believe the game unfolded like this in front of our very own eyes. Devastated to say the least. We gathered as a team in the outfield and Coach Doffek communicated how special he thought our team can be. Words can not explain what type of game Jordan Herbert pitched. He gave us everything he had and then some. In the end, we came up a little short.
Not much for the bus ride home. With the majority of us worn down from the weekend, both physically and emotionally, the ride home was pretty low-key. A few movies, two stops for food and munchies, and picking up a new bus driver was about it. The twelve hour ride seemed like an eternity. We did not reach Milwaukee until about 4:30 a.m. and could not wait to get home. Another week, a few heartbreaking losses, but more work to be done. We will not crumble but rather rise above. We await another opportunity to get back on the field this weekend against Kansas State.
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Woo Pig Sooiee?
This trip to Fayetteville, Ark., was unlike all the rest. This may hold true, however there were some constants that we cannot avoid. First of all, the good ole Lamers bus we’re all accustomed to was once again awaiting the team for this 12-hour ride. Had to leave the Klotsche Center and pick up people at a park and ride. Instead of the College Ave. one we chose to take 43-South and take a new route to the northwest part of Arkansas. After getting settled in and having our bagged lunches provided by Assistant Coach Steve Sanfilippo, we put in the movie and let the long ride swallow us up.
Following some six hours on the bus, we made our first and only stop along the way. It was in Troy, Ill., at a Pizza Hut where we were fed with 18 large pizzas and breadsticks. A very delicious meal that only took a half hour to get situated. We were on the road again with some people getting testy along the way, as expected with a 12-hour bus ride for the 3rd weekend in a row. Games of cribbage, PSP, as well as our Ipods usually can take up a good chunk of the ride. Before we knew it we were approaching the final couple hours, with a large sigh of relief. We need to thank our bus driver Tracy for finding a route that cut off an hour from the whole ride. Who knows what could have happened to our sanity if he did not make such a crucial decision, thanks Tracy. After going through some patches of lights resembling cities we finally made it into Fayetteville and pulled into our hotel, The Clarion.
Our first impression was not a good one, as the outside looked outdated and used up. These comments could have been out of frustration from such a long ride, however one comment did not arise that would encapsulate this establishment, interesting. We got our room assignments and shuffled a ways through the pool and restaurant area to the door that led to our ultimate abode. Our rooms were located in the “annex” of the hotel, as stated by an Indiana All-American (which I'll touch upon shortly). This area of rooms, which was about 25, was separate from the main hotel and looked as if it was excavated strait out of the movie Joy Ride. (Candy cane anyone?). Opening the doors and welcoming us was two queen sized beds with a old woman-dress flower pattern comforter which was nothing like its name, as well as a sink that was apart from the toilet and shower, and the astounding 25 inch Zenith TV. Not to mention the wireless internet that is integral to our advancement in learning was very weak in our outcast of rooms. Living the high life of course. The housing could be a little iffy, however, we are here to play the #14 ranked team in the nation in Arkansas and the rooms were the last things on our minds. We quickly went to bed and dreamt of a successful weekend.
Waking up for breakfast at 9 a.m. was good. The breakfast was a buffet-style with the best french toast I’ve had in a while. As we were all waking up and munching on our food we noticed a trend throughout the breakfast hall. There were big-named schools from across the country being represented by what we came to learn as the National Indoor Track and Field Championships. Basically, the best of the best in the nation were on hand in Fayetteville to compete against one another at the Arkansas field house, which might I add is “Unbelievable” according to sources. Some schools to mention are TCU, Indiana, Florida State, South Carolina and Oregon. Nonetheless, these people were here for the same intentions we were, to win, either against another team, or another person. After bantering with these people, mainly the girls, we finished up eating and got dressed and ready for the departure for the field. Boarding the bus there was a very anxious and excited energy, one that can be expected when playing such a high profile team. We left and arrived at the field a short time after with some of our eyes fixed on the stadium. Baum Stadium at George Cole Field is one of the top five places to play in college baseball. This stadium has had record crowds of over 11,000 people and has a reputation for being in the top echelon. Following batting practice and infield we lined up for the national anthem with anticipation at an all-time high. Getting off to the right foot on the weekend is the most important thing. It all starts with the first pitch, and it was quickly approaching.
Getting the nod in the first game was Friday night starter Kyle Schmidt. Coming off a loss to Austin Peay, Kyle was looking to come out of the gates and start fresh. The Razorbacks started Mike Bolsinger, a pitcher who has a sub-2.00 ERA coming into this game. We would start on the offensive side of things with Cole Kraft earning a walk with a great first at bat of the game. After a stolen base and a couple outs, senior Ben Long plated Kraft with a two-out single. After a back and forth first few innings we found ourselves deadlocked at 2-2 in the 4th inning when Kraft had a big moment. With us just scoring former Razorback-turned-Panther Chad Pierce, John Capasso was on first base when Kraft took a fastball from Balsinger off the scoreboard in right field, setting the score at 4-2. A couple more runs from us and one from them the score was 6-3 going into the 6th inning. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Kyle Schmidt saw his day come to an end. A struggle for him all day to find his stuff, Schmidt battled through and made crucial pitch after crucial pitch to keep us ahead or in the game, credit to him for being such a competitor. Junior Cuyler Franzke got out of the inning after Arkansas scored a few more to tie the score at 6’s. After a scoreless top of the 7th the Arkansas Razorbacks responded with an eight-run bottom of the 7th. We found ourselves trying to find answers for this outpouring of hits, however the offense in the 8th and 9th was held scoreless to reach a final of 14-6. The final score was definitely not indicative of the playing of the game. We played very hard and with a lot of energy but in the end we just did not have our arms behind our bats on this day. This loss was one we felt was a great opportunity that we let slip away, but it also was one that opened our eyes. It opened our eyes to the type of baseball it takes to compete with a high-caliber opponent. We played ahead of them for most of the game and the confidence and belief we take from this game will go further than the final score.
After returning to the hotel we took our showers and went and got a bite to eat. After getting back we congregated in the pool area to surf the web and do our schoolwork, due to the poor internet in our rooms. The night turned long when we stimulated our brains with the never-ending sporcle competitions. With AP #1 player Tim Patzman no where to be found, the pride and dignity that comes along with dominating sporcle was up for grabs. At times it seemed to float from person to person however AP #2 player Shaun Wegner showed why he’s #2. Going to bed followed shortly with us setting our alarms and tv timers and resting our bodies from a long day of battle, to only wake up and continue versus the Hogs.
With game one behind us, we woke up refreshed for yet another opportunity. The same routine underwent for the majority of us. Wake up early, go to breakfast, come back to the room and hang out, get dressed, and board the bus. As we stepped off of the bus, our focus began to dial in. With two and a half hours until game time, we like to keep things loose. We gathered as a team down the right field foul line to highlight some of the keys of last night’s performance. After the game summary was completed and the objectives for today’s battle were expressed, we began our batting practice. With a country flavor in the air, we listened to a mix of rap, pop and country that the Razorbacks had collaborated together for their pregame warm up CD. Some unusual songs, nonetheless, provided great entertainment for all of us while shagging balls in the outfield. At the conclusion of batting practice, you could see our focus set in.
We were sending former University of Arkansas pitcher Chad Pierce to the mound. Pierce had been waiting a long time for this moment. For weeks we have been hearing from him about how he was going to go back to Arkansas and pitch a gem. Well…that’s exactly what happened. After both teams going scoreless in the first, Arkansas struck in the bottom half of the second. With two outs, and a runner on second, the Razorbacks roped a double to plate the first run of the game. No fear in mind, Pierce closed the inning by putting up a one spot and diffusing any more possible damage. Once again, going quietly in the third, we could not muster any offensive production through three innings. Unfortunately, it looked as if Arkansas may have been hitting their stride as Wisconsin native and current Razorback, Collin Kuhn, hit a solo homerun to put the home Razorbacks up two. Unwilling to lay down, we gathered ourselves and were ready to counter the first two punches. In the fifth inning, with the score still 2-0, a leadoff single by Tim Patzman followed by a walk by Dan Buccholz gave us our first real offensive opportunity of the game. Doug Dekoning moved both runners up a base as he laid down a sacrifice bunt. Following a strikeout, we had runners on second and third with two outs. Big moment play of the game. With a 1-0 count Junior Sam Sivilotti hit a hard ground ball up the middle. As he was running down the line he recalls that he thought the ball was going to get through the middle and potentially knot the game up at two. Unfortunately, the second baseman made a diving play only to gather himself and throw Sivilotti out at first. The momentum had remained in the Razorback dugout. As the game continued, Pierce made big pitch after big pitch to keep within striking distance. Pierce’s day concluded when he came out of the game after 6 and 2/3 of quality baseball. Once again, we could not get any closer. As Arkansas began to pull away and extend their lead to 6-0 after seven. The game eventually ended at 7-0 but for a second straight day did not come close to reflecting the quality of game we played.
After post game reflections, and an inspirational talk from head coach Scott Doffek, we showered and boarded the bus again to eat a post game team meal at the Golden Corral. By now, we have become experts at buffets and now which courses at which places. Indulging in steak, mac and cheese, butterfly shrimp, and a tasty selection of fruits and vegetables we concluded our meal and headed back to the Clarion. With our last day in Fayetteville quickly approaching, we got back to the grind and prepared ourselves for departure. Packing suitcases, gathering toiletries, and getting a good night’s rest we put our heads to rest in hopes of a different result tomorrow (although we did lose an hour of sleep from daylight savings…we love sleep come on now).
Game three, a new day, hopefully a better result. Jordan Herbert toed the rubber for us as he was coming off of an impressive start against Dayton last weekend. The Razorbacks countered with Josh Eibner. Eibner was drafted out of high school in the fourth round is projected to be a top-75 pick by most scouts in this year's upcoming draft. Eibner is said to have an electric fastball that sits around 91-92 and can get as high as 95. Fear? I think not. We have had great success in the past when facing pitchers that have been highly recognized because the majority of us take it as a smack in our face. Our hitters live for moments like this. We play with a chip on our shoulder because we know that at the end of the day we have something to prove. A great opportunity and challenge lay before us. After a scoreless first three innings from both teams (we had no luck early…barreled seven consecutive balls off of Eibner and could not squeeze one hit) we struck in the fourth. After Paul Hoenecke’s single, Ben Long reached on an error. Following the first two runners reaching, Eibner got the next two outs. Dekoning then roped a single up the middle to plate Hoenecke. The inning continued with a single by Sivilotti through the right side to load the bases. Unfortunately, a fly out concluded the scoring in the fourth and we could not rally anything else. At this point, Herbert had the Razorbacks off-balance. Anyone watching could see Jordan getting stronger and stronger as the game went on. He was making pitch after pitch with no real threat from Arkansas. As the game moved into the sixth, we still had the lead until Tim Patzman had a laser opposite-field homerun to left center. Putting us up two, we felt confident going into the last leg of the game. Herbert continued his performance and was looking to silence the 3,000 fans that were at Baum Stadium. Here we were…2-0 bottom of the ninth, so close in the previous two games, and yet another chance to put away the 14th best team in the country.
Leadoff single and advance to second on a wild pitch (thought process: no big deal, run means nothing at this point). Next batter ground ball to short, Kraft backhands it and throws to second…gets the lead runner out as he was too far off the bag (perfect). Following that a single was hit to centerfield putting runners on first and second. A wild pitch made things more interesting as runners were now on second and third. Herbert made a great pitch to get another ground out to short. Two outs, runner on third and we have a one run lead. A hit batter put another runner on. He immediately was pinch ran for. The pinch runner stole second as we were not throwing through to second base. Herbert does a great job to get ahead in the count and put the hitter in an uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, another wild pitch led to the runner from third to score the game-tying run. Herbert then did a magnificent job to get a ground out to close the inning and give us a chance to still win the game.
Tied at two a piece, we went down quietly in the top of the tenth. In entered Cameron Amsurd for us. Amsrud got the first two outs of the inning with ease. It was not until the third hitter that the dramatics came into play. With a 2-2 count and nobody on base, Cameron made a great pitch on the inside part of the plate but Matt Vinson was able to squeeze his hands inside the baseball and lift it up into the jet stream. As we looked up we held our breath. The 3,000 Razorback faithful rose to their feet and began to cheer. We could not bear to watch as we saw centerfielder Doug Dekoning going back to the wall. As Dekoning reached the wall he stopped and began his jump in an attempt to bring the ball back. The inevitable had happened. Doug could not bring the ball back and Vinson had just hit a walk off homerun. As we watched the Arkansas crowd the plate and wait for Vinson to touch home, we could not believe the game unfolded like this in front of our very own eyes. Devastated to say the least. We gathered as a team in the outfield and Coach Doffek communicated how special he thought our team can be. Words can not explain what type of game Jordan Herbert pitched. He gave us everything he had and then some. In the end, we came up a little short.
Not much for the bus ride home. With the majority of us worn down from the weekend, both physically and emotionally, the ride home was pretty low-key. A few movies, two stops for food and munchies, and picking up a new bus driver was about it. The twelve hour ride seemed like an eternity. We did not reach Milwaukee until about 4:30 a.m. and could not wait to get home. Another week, a few heartbreaking losses, but more work to be done. We will not crumble but rather rise above. We await another opportunity to get back on the field this weekend against Kansas State.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Journey: Austin Peay Invitational
Junior Sam Sivilotti and sophomore Greg Blohowiak, members of the UWM baseball team, will be blogging all season long on the UWM website. This is their third entry.
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It seemed like only a few hours after we stepped foot off the puddle jumpers that we were back and boarding the Lamers bus. To be truthful, it was about only 12 hours later that we were on the road. A pretty quick turnover, considering we just spent a full day of energy toward one game, however thats how baseball is.
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It seemed like only a few hours after we stepped foot off the puddle jumpers that we were back and boarding the Lamers bus. To be truthful, it was about only 12 hours later that we were on the road. A pretty quick turnover, considering we just spent a full day of energy toward one game, however thats how baseball is.
This time our destination was Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Tenn. This was about a nine to 10 hour bus ride depending on the stops. The luxury of flying planes was all but a memory with us aboard the humble bowling alley carpet-covered Lamers bus. After a couple of movies (40 Year Old Virgin and The Girl Next Door), we made our routine stop at the Marion, Ill., Ryans Buffet. After indulging in fried chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and of course ice cream, we continued down the final stretch towards warmer weather. We finally arrived in Clarksville, Tenn., and checked into the Riverview Inn. This has been the humble abode for us for the last couple years while we played Austin Peay. Situated on top of a large hill, this hotel provided us with 70’s style rooms, 26 inch Zenith rounded screen TV’s, and belly button reaching shower heads. However old-school this hotel may be, it was located in a prime spot for eating options. With Hooters, O’Charleys, Wendy's, Subway and a Chinese buffet within walking distance, we were assured to be reaching our caloric needs each day. Tonight we arrived a little too late for us to grab a bite, so we just got our room assignments and got prepared for the Austin Peay Invitational.
The Austin Peay Invitational included four teams. Ourselves, Austin Peay, Dayton, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Our first game was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. versus the host Austin Peay. The pregame routine was a bit skewed with a game occurring before us. We had to take batting practice off to the side in cages and stretch in that same confined area. After batting practice we had about an hour and a half of downtime due to the geriatrics of the previous game. Dayton and SIU Edwardsville battled with a combined 25 runs and several big innings, extending our waiting time. After the game was completed, we took the field and got ready for our turn. After infield and the longest rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, the game was underway.
Getting the start for us was sophomore Kyle Schmidt. He pitched pretty well while only making one mistake, a three-run homerun. This game overall was a sloppy one for our side, with five errors in the field and no energy, physically or mentally. Anytime we come out and play like that we cannot expect to win. To make things short we ended up losing the game 9-1 and were completely embarrassed. Post game discussion consisted of understanding that the baseball we played would not warrant us a win all year. Coach Scott Doffek made it quite clear that he will not put up with sloppy baseball. After apologizing to our parents for the horrible show we put on we headed back to the hotel.
With the memory of losing on everyone’s minds, we showered and went to eat. Coming back to the hotel on a full stomach, a good chunk of us cleared our minds with a life changing game of trivia located on sporcle.com. Senior Tim Patzman showcased his knowledge of the world around him basically winning every category we chose. Some speculate that he was screen cheating, however to his credit he is quite the nerd deep down. When this game ended the group that was in his room returned to our own and passed out, understanding that the next game is the most important for us.
Waking up and delighting ourselves with the continental breakfast we hopped on the bus at a gut-wrenching time of 8:30 a.m. To some players dismay we were scheduled for two 7-inning games against SIU Edwardsville. These games would prove to be our first home-away-from-home games of the season, with us wearing our white jerseys and batting in the bottom half of the innings. The routine was once again broken with us not partaking in batting practice before the game. This may or may not have been a good idea, but after the result of the following game I suppose it was phenomenal. The game began with freshman Eric Semmelhack on the mound. However, after working two innings of scoreless baseball, he was pulled from the game with injury concern, thus giving way to junior Cuyler Franzke.
While this was going on the offense of the Panthers was shattering records, so to speak. Senior’s Ben Long and Dan Buchholz both hit homeruns, as well as junior Doug Dekoning joining in the fun with one of his own. Long had three RBI’s in this game with three solo homeruns. Buchholz had four RBI's on his homerun, as it was a grand slam. Other notable offensive weapons were the whole lineup, top to bottom. Sophomore Paul Hoenecke provided doubles of his own, as well as junior Jim Lundstrum. Seniors Shaun Wegner, Nino Guerrero and Tim Patzman also joined the hit brigade en route to a 20-2 victory.
Cuyler Franzke, junior Jayme Sukowaty, seniors Bob Stone and Jeff Gordon got the nods on the mound and shut down the dangerous SIU offense.
This was the type of game we were looking for. All three aspects of the game were on the same page, with very few mistakes, clutch hitting and pitching, as well as flawless defense. We got a feel for what it takes to set a tone for the day and we were not looking to get tentative for the next 7-inning game.After a brief gathering with family and friends along with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we resumed our baseball focus in an attempt to sweep SIU Edwardsville. For the third straight game we were facing an opposing left-handed pitcher. With no discontent in mind, we took the field with the same energy as the first game. Chad Pierce got the nod for us on the mound looking for his first victory of the year. After a scoreless first from both sides, Edwardsville took a 2-0 advantage in the top half of the second with a solo homerun and an infield single that plated another from a throwing error. With a little concern from our dugout about a lack of focus, we bounced back and tied the game in the bottom half. Pierce then went out and threw two scoreless innings, as we added three in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth. With a 6-2 advantage going into the fifth, Edwardsville was unwilling to lay down and fold. They added two in the top half of the inning putting pressure on our defense to hold the lead. After two hits in the top of the sixth, Pierce managed to get Edwardsville’s nine hitter to roll over to second base closing the threat. We were again blanketed in the bottom of the sixth going down in one-two-three fashion.
Chad Pierce’s day was done and in entered sophomore Cameron Amsrud. He made it interesting by giving up a leadoff homerun to push the Cougars to within one. Cam regathered himself and got a groundout from the two hitter. Unfortunately, with one out and no one on, a triple was laced to right center field making the final inning uneasy. With Amsrud’s “no-fear, I’ve been here before” attitude in mind, he made a quality pitch to get a ground out to third base holding the runner and pulling himself closer to a save. Pierce, nearly having an anxiety attack in the dugout could barely stand to watch. The stage was set. Runner on third, two outs, and a chance to tie the game for Edwardsville. Fortunately, for us, Amsrud prevailed. Cam got a hard hit ground ball to Ben Long at first base that Long scooped up, ending the threat and closing the game. Panthers won 6-5 and took the sweep on the day. As we cleaned up the dugout and changed out of spikes and into turfs we met briefly with the coaching staff preceding the two victories. Coach Doffek mentioned that in general he thought we played pretty well. He also highlighted that we now had the opportunity to turn what looked like a bleak weekend into a really positive result. The possibility of going 3-1 on the weekend lay in front of us tomorrow with a tough opponent in the University of Dayton.
Rising early, the majority of us got up and took advantage of the continental breakfast for the last time. Seniors reminisced about leaving Clarksville, with many proclaiming that they will never come back. Cleaning up rooms, packing suitcases and recharging ipods and computers is usually how Sunday mornings play out. Following all the meticulous clean up, we left for the field at 9:30 in the morning. After a short bus ride, we arrived at Raymond C. Hand Park. With the opportunity to close the weekend on a positive note, the energy and focus was high as we took care of pregame duties. Although unusual, once again, we took just batting practice and no infield outfield. This did not seem to have any effect on the outcome of the game. Senior Jordan Herbert pitched five scoreless innings while only giving up two hits. Luke Annen, fellow senior, took care of the rest. Annen close the game with four scoreless innings in a bounce-back performance from last weekend. The offense provided six runs on 13 hits giving the team all we needed. With a 6-0 victory the team and coaching staff was more than excited with the way the weekend turned out. Assistant/pitching coach, Cory Bigler, gave the final words in the post game huddle. He highlighted the majority of the positives from the weekend and reinforced the importance of coming out and playing with energy and passion. The team dispersed and gathered their equipment. Saying good-bye to family and friends that came to support, we hit the showers and prepared to depart back to Milwaukee.
Following showers, we ate in town at Clarksville’s local Chinese Buffet right on the river. After shoving our faces with General Tso’s Chicken, Crab Rangoon and sushi we boarded the bus and did not stop for another five hours. With the majority of us either sleeping or catching up on homework for the first half of the trip, the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. About two hours in, the anxiousness of getting home reignited. It did not help that the Lamer’s bus was nearly 105 degrees (not really, but hot enough). Ben Long was topless and others were stripping of fleece pants and other garments that were containing heat. The trip lasted another seven hours, with much restlessness. Another episode of “Panther Life” was filmed and another stop at yet another McDonald’s was made. We reached Milwaukee at approximately 1:00 a.m and we were delighted to see the majority of the snow melted. Home sweet home. Another trip, another 12 hours, another opponent starting on Thursday as we head to the University of Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks in a three game set on starting Friday afternoon.
The Journey: Minnesota
Junior Sam Sivilotti and sophomore Greg Blohowiak, members of the UWM baseball team, will be blogging all season long on the UWM website. This is their second entry.
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Oh Minnesota. Along with your 10,000 plus lakes, supposedly, some noticeable accent (Minnesot-ah), and your lackluster love for hockey, you brought about a very interesting trip. Midweek games are never as simple and efficient as this one seemed to be. We boarded the Lamers bus and departed to Waukesha, as we would be flying out of Cripes Field. Oh yea, forgot to mention that we would be flying charter for this trip. The 20-minute bus ride was full of anxiety due to the fear or inexperience of flying, in small 9-seat planes nonetheless. We arrived at the airfield and pulled right up onto the tarmac. We unloaded our bags and observed the situation.
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Oh Minnesota. Along with your 10,000 plus lakes, supposedly, some noticeable accent (Minnesot-ah), and your lackluster love for hockey, you brought about a very interesting trip. Midweek games are never as simple and efficient as this one seemed to be. We boarded the Lamers bus and departed to Waukesha, as we would be flying out of Cripes Field. Oh yea, forgot to mention that we would be flying charter for this trip. The 20-minute bus ride was full of anxiety due to the fear or inexperience of flying, in small 9-seat planes nonetheless. We arrived at the airfield and pulled right up onto the tarmac. We unloaded our bags and observed the situation.
There were five possible planes that we speculated about. One had dual propellers, three of them had one propeller and the final one was a jet-looking one, the only one a handful of us really wanted. The pilots came out and boarded the dual propeller plane. Our coaches, trainer Chad Henneberry, SID Chris Zills and senior Ben Long all packed up and walked on. After we cheered their take off, the other three boarded soon thereafter. As the propeller fired up and gained speed, which might I add is quite impressive, junior Sam Sivilotti was more than ready stating “there's no turning back”. In our plane, which seated nine, were seniors Tim Patzman, Zach Hoch, Jordan Herbert and Jeff Gordon; juniors Doug Dekoning, Cole Kraft, Sam Sivilotti and Chad Pierce; and me, sophomore Greg Blohowiak. As we made the final turn into our approach of the strip Sam was intent on holding hands as if we were on a rollercoaster. Opposed to popular belief, we did so, and before we knew it we were 2000 feet in the air and ascending.
The hour-long ride was surprisingly smooth, with only a patch of turbulence at takeoff and for a minute right before landing. As all four planes landed in different time intervals in St. Paul, Minn., we congregated in the shack of a private passenger area and waited for the bus. Our bus picked us up and we continued on, only in anticipation of playing Big Ten foe Minnesota. Our first destination on this trip was for food, as we were all hungry. We stopped at a local Old Country Buffet, typically, and went at it like the Ryans a few days before. The food was never ending and filling, as expected, and we definitely needed some time to digest this.
We did a great job of planning this out, as suspect as that sounds, but we found an hour and 15 minute period to go and walk about the mammoth Mall of America. We arrived at the mall with full bellies and with full energy ready to tackle any store or rollercoaster we could. We all split up and made our ways to different areas of this large mall. A couple of us went on the rollercoasters in Camp Snoopy, some of us, well actually one of us, spent 20 dollars in singles attempting to win an iPod touch from a string cutting, 3% odds of winning, money-sucking machine, at which he definitely did not prevail. After the hour was up we boarded the bus with new video games, hats, fresh pants and some sweet or sour candy and headed for the glory, or despair, of the Metrodome.
The Metrodome is a beast of a stadium, both fielding the Minnesota Twins, until this year, and the Vikings, who we loathe, but we weren’t impressed. Most of us have either been there or have played there before and aside from the conditions of the field, which can range from firm to spongy, the place is quite nicely, a dump. We walked in and got our bags tagged and continued toward our locker room. The same locker room that have housed such greats as Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr., and Nolan Ryan. We got dressed in the echo of music and prepared for batting practice. Finishing our pregame routines as well as batting practice comes as second nature now after the first four games of the year. With everything set and ready to go for gametime, we lined up for a beautiful rendition of the star spangled banner, and put the helmets on for the first pitch.
First Inning: With emotions running high, and the memory of last year's loss looming (final score: 12-2), we were excited to engage in rivalry battle with Minnesota. The Gophers gave the nod to a freshman pitcher, Kevin Kray, who is expected to make an immediate impact within their program. Nonetheless, we were not intimidated. Cole Kraft, leadoff hitter and starting shortstop, stepped into the box and immediately got down two strikes. As percentages would dictate, hopes of getting a hot start turned into a battle immediately. Cole battled his way back to an even count at 2-2 before lacing an opposite field double down the left field line. Doug Dekoning followed with a walk and set the table for a big inning. After making a few quality pitches, we were only able to squeeze one run out of the top half of the first.
Following that half, Lucas Annen toed the rubber for us, and preceded to take the Gophers down in 1-2-3 fashion.
Second Inning: After a strikeout and pop out, Jon Capasso continued his hot hitting with a single through the left side. With two outs, Kray threw a wild pitch with Shaun Wegner at the plate, advancing Capasso to second. Wegner then proceeded to hit a single past the third baseman, advancing Capasso to third. Cole Kraft then came back to the dish with runners on first and third. Making it easy on the Panthers, Kray balked advancing Wegner to second and scoring Capasso. Kraft then struck out to close out the inning.
Looking a two-run deficit in the eye, the Gophers - who were heavy favorites - came to bat looking to cut into it. Annen got the first hitter as he fouled out down the right field line. Kyle Knudson, returning from double hip labrum surgergy, then walked for Minnesota. A single through the right side followed, advancing Knudson to third. After a sharp ground ball hit down the first baseline and a diving stop by first baseman Ben Long, the Gophers were able to escape a double play and plate their first run of the game advancing the runner to second.
Annen then gave up a hard hit ball to third base, where Dan Buccholz sacrificed his body and wore the one-hopper to his chest. Although just a single, this spectacular defensive play kept runners on first and second allowing Annen to get out of the inning after getting a force out at second base.
As the game continued, the Panthers battled back and forth with the Gophers until the fifth. UWM proceeded to score two in the third and fourth while Minnesota put up one in the third and four in the fourth.
Going into the fifth inning the game looked as if it was going to come down to the wire. Head coach Scott Doffek rallied his troops before the top half of the fifth, calling a brief team gathering in the dugout, reinforcing logical intent and aggressiveness in the box. This seemed to spark both sides of the baseball. Offensively the Panthers erupted for three runs in both the fifth and the sixth while adding one in the eighth. Supported by Dekonning’s three run bomb in the fifth that resembled a big league shot, the Panthers never turned back. Cuyler Franzke and Greg Blohowiak then stifled the Gophers offense only allowing two hits the rest of the way. Frustrated and flustered, the Gophers began to unravel, unlike the Panthers. UWM continued to play stellar defense behind Franzke and Blohowiak while closing out the game.
For the first time since 1998, UWM beat the Gophers. Not only was it the first win of the year for the Panthers, it was a win that means more to both programs. Typically, both teams recruit the same players and whenever a team can leverage themselves against the other it is crucial in attracting players to their respective universities. The Panthers, glowing with excitement, were now able to meet parents, friends and relatives that were in the stands. Following the hugs and kisses the Panthers headed back up to the locker room where we showered and took our seats in the locker room as Coach Doffek gave his post game analysis. We basked in the glory of the victory as we received our post game meal, Jimmy Johns - always tastes better after a victory.
Walking through the loading dock, where memorable videos of Brett Favre and other greats have been taken walking into the Metrodome, we boarded our bus back to the airport feeling as if we were big leaguers leaving town for another city. We headed back to the airport preparing for our departure back to Waukesha. Boarding the planes once again, the uneasiness of flying set back in. We boarded our nine-seaters and took our seats hoping for a smooth flight. Upon take off, the uneasiness settled. With a collective group of guys that like to have a good time, we filmed the third episode of “The Panther Life” that provided much excitement and the best episode yet.
Almost an hour later, around 11:30 we landed safely in Waukesha. Continuing to recap both the game and the flight, we waited for our teammates to land. As they landed the rest of the team ran onto the bus as the frigid Wisconsin air was almost unbearable. Our Lamers bus then took us back to the East Side of Milwaukee where our campus is located. Ready to get home and sleep in our own beds, players departed the bus and headed home preparing to leave for the Austin Peay Invitational at 2:00 p.m. Thursday.
The Journey: Arkansas State
Junior Sam Sivilotti and sophomore Greg Blohowiak, members of the UWM baseball team, will be blogging all season long on the UWM website. This is their first entry.
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With all offseason workouts, early soul-shattering running, Klotsche Center bad hops and simulated games in the cage all but a memory, this is the day we have all been waiting for. Walking out of my house with my two duffel bags and my backpack, the sun seemed warmer than ever. The idea of going south and leaving this bitter cold weather was enough motivation for me. Arriving at the Klotsche Center and seeing the infamous Lamers bus awaiting 36 people for a 10-hour circus of a bus ride was a far too-familiar sight. Gearing yourself up for one of these trips is a task of its own. Making sure you have enough snacks, candy and fluids is almost as important as packing your cleats. As we were leaving to go to the park and ride, at 11:59, which might I add has to be a record for leaving on time, the usual conversations of where people were sitting and what movie will be first were had. Usually those who decide to park at the park and ride get a little mad at us if we start a movie early, so with them in mind we chose to wait to put in our first movie. After picking up the coaches and some other players at the park and ride we started our 10 hours of anticipation.
The air was sucked from our dugout as we looked at our lead down to nothing in the 8th inning. Eventhough we were stunned we were all too confident to think it was over. Following another pitching change for us, sophomore Cameron Amsrud came in a picked up where he left off. Getting us out of crucial jams and important spots. Going into the 9th inning the score remained tied at 5. The Red Wolves had a freshman pitcher who came in the 6th inning in relief. To his credit he had a very efficient stint versus the Panther hitting. Facing 12 batters he struck out eight. He had a very good curveball which made it hard for our hitters to get comfortable in the box. Getting the Red Wolves into the bottom of the ninth inning with the score still tied was crucial for him.
I think that will be one continuing storyline for this years team. We believe in ourselves and want ourselves to do well of course, however the team is above all, wanted to hit, throw a strike, and win for the guy to your left or right is mostly important. The make-up of the 2010 UWM Baseball team is one of young/old, goofy/serious, experienced/inexperienced, but one thing remains constant, COMPETITIVE. We will not lay down for anyone and I hope that teams come through expecting us to, because thats when we’re most dangerous. Heres to a great year, with many wins, personal accomplishments, and satisfaction, and most important of all limited Panther U-Turns….funny baseball joke.
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With all offseason workouts, early soul-shattering running, Klotsche Center bad hops and simulated games in the cage all but a memory, this is the day we have all been waiting for. Walking out of my house with my two duffel bags and my backpack, the sun seemed warmer than ever. The idea of going south and leaving this bitter cold weather was enough motivation for me. Arriving at the Klotsche Center and seeing the infamous Lamers bus awaiting 36 people for a 10-hour circus of a bus ride was a far too-familiar sight. Gearing yourself up for one of these trips is a task of its own. Making sure you have enough snacks, candy and fluids is almost as important as packing your cleats. As we were leaving to go to the park and ride, at 11:59, which might I add has to be a record for leaving on time, the usual conversations of where people were sitting and what movie will be first were had. Usually those who decide to park at the park and ride get a little mad at us if we start a movie early, so with them in mind we chose to wait to put in our first movie. After picking up the coaches and some other players at the park and ride we started our 10 hours of anticipation.
The eating situation is a little bit different this year, as we are looking toward a more “team” atmosphere. Making less stops with more choices and stopping once for one team meal. With that in mind we planned to drive about six hours before our team meal. As we could hear our own hungry stomachs growling Steve “Flip” Sanfilippo bailed us out and provided individual bags of sandwiches, chips, and apples to satisfy us. Following a brief munch period the upperclassmen picked their goat and hand-chose freshman pitcher Jordan Guth for movie duty, one duty that will probably stick with him the rest of this season. We put in “The Hangover”, all time CLASSIC, and let the laughs roll. For an hour thereafter there was a mysterious aura about our bus. People were receiving calls that weren’t actually happening. For example, Junior Shortstop Cole Kraft was being peppered by calls from Myself, Junior Doug Dekoning, and Junior Sam Sivilotti with all of our phones either being off or out of our reach. Investigative studies haven’t caught the perpetrator however we are proactively awaiting his capture. After the phantom phone calls, three movies, the two word game (these stories are rated PG-13, parental advisory is recommended), and several games of either cribbage, or this PSP phenomena called “skittles” the team dinner seemed to come out of nowhere. Stopping in Marion, IL at the local Ryans “amazing, fattening” Buffet you could only imagine what 36 or so men can do.
After some weird looks from the locals and putting a dent into the food we were back on the road, to our ultimate destination. We were told 196 miles to go after the dinner, but when you drive through the flatland of southern Illinois, and Missouri in the pitch black the trip seems to be another six hours. However, once we got the 14-mile countdown to Jonesboro we let loose. The state of Arkansas greeted us with a tender smell of skunk and over 25 car dealerships specializing in brand new 1983 Ford Rangers within a 14-mile stretch, closely resembling Pulaski, WI. After clowning on the decisive naming of their gas stations and the scare of the Fairview INN (amenities including Wi-Fi and a meeting room for 49.99) we drove another minute to our hotel.
Stepping off the bus never felt so good, for that one second, until the cold Arkansas air gave us Wisconsin folk a brunt back hand. You would think 30 degrees would feel a little warmer however when you’re expecting mid 40's the cool air is not welcomed. The Comfort Suites was very inviting following our 10-hour chicken coup of a bus. Getting situated in our rooms and preparing our jerseys for the next following days a couple of us decided to make the long walk to the nearest gas station.
Waking up to an alarm at 8 a.m. can sometimes be a challenge. However, with the opening day of the 2010 season upon us the excitement was building. Getting continental breakfast, Comfort Suites got it right, and relaxing for a couple hours before a short “walk-through” practice at 11:30 is all you can ask for on the road. We got our cleats and workout clothes and headed to the field. Taking in the 45 degree sunny weather and smell of fresh grass and dirt as an inspirational tool we had no lack of energy for this 35 minutes. After the fly balls and ground balls we trekked back and dove into Dominos Pizza, a little iffy before a game but our empty stomachs didnt care. Once 3:30 rolled around we boarded the bus for the real beginning to our season. All geared up and ready to go we got off the bus to the Arkansas State Red Wolves taking their batting practice and the music at max volume. Once batting practice and infield was finished for both teams we lined up for the national anthem and got the goosebumps rising.
The lineup for our team went as follows, SS Cole Kraft CF Doug Dekoning 1st Ben Long, 2nd Paul Heonecke, LF Tim Patzman, 3rd Dan Buchholz, DH Chad Pierce, RF John Capasso, C Shaun Wegner. Our starting pitcher sophomore Kyle Schmidt had no trouble getting warmed up in the 39-degree weather. Wearing no sleeves being his usual goofy self, but focused nonetheless. Our first inning was a progressive start for our team, a couple hard hit balls by Kraft and Dekoning were right at fielders and they were out. With two outs senior Ben Long struck out however the ball got passed the catcher and he reached first with great hustle. Following another passed ball Ben Long was hit in to score by a double supplied by sophomore Paul Hoenecke. Pitcher Kyle Schmidt then took the mound and had a very efficient start to the game getting 0’s in the first three innings.
Once we got into the fourth inning we still had the energy and momentum we began the game with. The fourth inning we managed to tack two more runs on the board to extend the lead to 3-0. Arkansas State had an answer in the bottom half of the inning with one run. The 5th inning brought about a sac hit for senior Ben Long to score Doug Dekoning following a double. (There were four extra-base hits, including a triple by Dan Buchholz) With the score at 4-1 entering the bottom half of the 5th, it looked at though we had a grip on the momentum and game.
Momentum is the most important thing, arguably, in a baseball game. When you have it you don't wanna lose it, when you don't have it you battle the other team for it. This was one of those innings that the Red Wolves fought hard to get it. They had a couple of breaks in that inning with an error and a balk. To their credit, they did hit the ball in places we weren’t, including a couple doubles in route to a three-run inning. The score was tied at 4-4 going into the 6th. With one out in the top of the 6th Senior Dan “The bat taping aficionado” Buchholz took an inside fastball to the center field wall, watching him rounding second and coach Scott Doffek putting the hold up sign on there was no choice for him but to keep going. He mustered up enough speed to beat the throw to third by three feet.
Following another strikeout freshman John “Jasper” Capasso (who was 2-4 with 2 RBI’s) capitalized on a fastball and took it to right field, scoring Buchholz and putting us ahead 5-4 in the 6th. Following a two-out walk in the 7th inning, head coach Scott Doffek made the stroll out to the mound and called upon senior Lucas Annen, thus ending Kyle Schmidt's phenomenal start (6.2 innings/6 hits/4 runs and earned runs along with 5 strikeouts). After getting himself out of a two-out jam, Annen kept the score at 5-4.
Following two scoreless innings for us the game hung in the balance. Even though we were up one, we still had the feeling of being on our heels. Playing passively is a bad combination in this sport, or any sport for that matter. Their leadoff batter had a great at bat versus Annen. He made some quality pitches during this at-bat, getting the batter down to two strikes. The next pitch seemed to be the game changer. After the delivery and a seemingly good spot their 2nd basemen G. Garcia hit a deep fly ball to left field, finding itself a landing spot only four feet past the wall. Game tied 5-5.The air was sucked from our dugout as we looked at our lead down to nothing in the 8th inning. Eventhough we were stunned we were all too confident to think it was over. Following another pitching change for us, sophomore Cameron Amsrud came in a picked up where he left off. Getting us out of crucial jams and important spots. Going into the 9th inning the score remained tied at 5. The Red Wolves had a freshman pitcher who came in the 6th inning in relief. To his credit he had a very efficient stint versus the Panther hitting. Facing 12 batters he struck out eight. He had a very good curveball which made it hard for our hitters to get comfortable in the box. Getting the Red Wolves into the bottom of the ninth inning with the score still tied was crucial for him.
The ninth inning started with an “only in baseball” kind of hit. Their best player arguably, Todd Baumgartner, swung at a two-strike fastball and had a base hit swinging bunt. Nothing we could have done about it. After that another stud for them (preseason all Sun Belt 1st basemen) Murray Watts came up to the plate and executed a perfect play where Baumgartner steals, causing Cole Kraft to be on the move toward second. The ball was placed, by Watts, right out of reach for Kraft, landing both Red Wolves on base. Following a couple iffy calls by the opposing coach we had runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs. The same man who hit a homerun to tie it up had a chance to win the game. With the count at 2-2, Amsrud threw the pitch and Garcia hit it through the right side, winning the game, in walk-off fashion. A clear disappointment and draining game we were kicking ourselves. It was a hard fought game with both teams never giving up. The best thing about this game, is it gave us a gauge somewhat of how we can play. Being inside for the past five months we have no clue how leaving the friendly confines of the “Kdome” will treat us. We have three more games against this team, who we believe is beatable, as for every team. It a matter of perseverance and trust in one another. On to the next one.
Waking up Saturday morning for breakfast everyone was feeling the effects of the first game of the year. A quote from Dan Buchholz sums it up the best. In his words he stated that it felt as though “I was hit by a train, then ran over several times by four Milwaukee county buses”. Whether you were playing or not the game took a toll, being bitterly cold and doing our pregame procedures for the first time.
The first game of the double header was scheduled for 1 p.m. Making his first collegiate start, freshman pitcher Eric Semmelhack was as loose as someone can be before a nerve-wracking start. To his credit, he pitched a gem of a ballgame, going seven innings and only allowing two runs. Needless to say his performance was that of a seasoned veteran.
Before all was said and done we found ourselves on the short end of another walk-off win. With runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning junior Cuyler Franzke delivered a pitch and an Arkansas State hitter put the ball in play. Hit to shortstop Cole Kraft, Kraft got to the ball and he attempted to field it. The ball kicked in between his legs and Cole lost his footing. While this was happening an ASU player was rounding 3rd. Before he knew it Kraft was on his butt with his legs in full hurdler stretch without a realistic chance of getting the guy at home. Game over 4-3. Very back-breaking loss for us because it was two chances we had to get a win, not only to find ourselves 0-2, both coming from walk-off hits. In both games we never really trailed, which is the most disappointing thing about the outcome. We let them get back in those games, without a knockout punch. However, losing this game was now in the past, with the 2nd game of the double header coming a little before dusk.
Getting the start on the mound was senior pitcher Jordan Herbert. A savvy veteran of his own coming off a redshirt year due to arm problems. He was beginning the game on a pitch count in order for him to build his arm up for later in the year. Our team started the game off with the same mentality of winning we came to Arkansas with. ASU got off to a four run lead and did not look back, putting us away 11-4 and giving us our 3rd loss on the year. It was just one of those kind of games where too many opportunities were lost and none were taken. On our way back to the hotel we were certainly disappointed with ourselves for not playing the kind of baseball we wanted to. This would not effect our focus for the final game however. One thing we are taught, or lectured about, is living in the moment. You cannot do anything about the previous game, the previous pitch, previous at bat, or anything for that matter. The only thing you can control is the present, this pitch, this at bat, this out or this swing. One of the several great insights our coaching staff offers is this very point. So naturally we are already gearing up for the next days action. Going to sleep and forgetting about this rough day on the field, and focusing on Sunday.
Sunday treated us a little better physically. Bumps and bruises were something we are getting used to as well as what a full speed baseball game feels like afterward. Yeah, arms will be sore and legs will feel stiff but we still have a game to play, and we have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. It was a beautiful 50 degrees by the time the game started. Weather we in Wisconsin only see maybe 1/3 of the time.
Getting the start in the 4th game was junior pitcher/utility Chad Pierce. Pierce got off to a rough start, with ASU tagging six runs on us. The second inning showed us a glimpse of power senior Dan Buchholz has. Buchholz provided us with our first homerun of the year, smashing a fastball over the left field wall, probably landing 390 feet later. By the 7th inning it was 6-3 with Arkansas State having the advantage (another homerun by Dan Buchholz gave us the 3rd run). By the end of the game we were given another loss, 8-3. We had several opportunities to get that extra 2 out hit, or extra 2 inches on a pitches however today just was not our day on the diamond. Going to the showers and on the way home one would probably think how can you see any positive in this weekend. Here's how we see it...
Being able to identify the positives in a baseball game, and weekend, is an art. Most of the time people are too caught up with the negatives of anything. Sure, we had negative aspects about our team’s play this whole weekend, and those were addressed. We like to look at the positive aspects so we can focus on getting those to mesh. Believe it or not there were alot of positives within this weekend series. One of which that is a huge factor for any collegiate or professional team is that the first-year players (freshman) are stepping in and contributing. Drew Pearson and John Capasso had very good at bats and each had a pair of RBI’s on the weekend. Pitchers Jordan Guth and Eric Semmelhack (referenced above) had good outings for us. Having young players filling in the holes from last year is a promising thing to see. Having older guys who have been around and proven themselves with young players just reaching their potential makes for an exciting year. Other things to note are the great hustle and burning desire to win. One thing head coach Scott Doffek said to us Saturday before the game was “when I was walking back to the dugout after last nights loss (one which we lost 6-5 on a walk off hit), I could sense that you guys were disappointed, truly disappointed, which is great, means you care more about your teammates than yourself”.I think that will be one continuing storyline for this years team. We believe in ourselves and want ourselves to do well of course, however the team is above all, wanted to hit, throw a strike, and win for the guy to your left or right is mostly important. The make-up of the 2010 UWM Baseball team is one of young/old, goofy/serious, experienced/inexperienced, but one thing remains constant, COMPETITIVE. We will not lay down for anyone and I hope that teams come through expecting us to, because thats when we’re most dangerous. Heres to a great year, with many wins, personal accomplishments, and satisfaction, and most important of all limited Panther U-Turns….funny baseball joke.
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