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The start of the regular season is approaching in less than two weeks. As final preparations continue, winter weather has presented additional challenges this week, with today’s temperature at the freezing point, including wind chill. By game time, it reached 42 degrees with strong gusts of wind. For a team not accustomed to colder conditions, the players took longer to warm up during the warm-up, and at times it seemed the game was sizzling in the fifth inning. JD made a strategic change to the play format starting in the fourth inning by placing players at first and second base to begin the inning. This adjustment threw off the pitchers and sped up the game, making it more challenging to keep pace. One key lesson is that the team should be prepared for colder environments when traveling away from the tropical warmth of Mark Light.
With Sebastian Santos-Olson and TJ Coats throwing the first 4 innings, I am assuming JD is seriously considering them for midweek starters. Both had good showings last week, earning opening-game honors. Sebastian cruised through the first 5 batters, earning a trio of strikeouts. Derek Williams broke the cycle with a walk, followed by Alex Sosa’s RBI double for the first score. He rebounded nicely in the 3rd with a trio of strikeouts, opening by striking out Jackson Hugus and finishing with Torres and Sheahan making the long walk back to the toasty dugout. Donavan Jeffrey was the sole baserunner for the inning with a single. The 4th, with pre-positioned runners in place for the remainder of the game, changed the entire course of the game. By this time, the bats had thawed, and the hitters put on an exhibition in their turn at bat.
Fabio opened by laying down a bunt single despite two strikes. Alvarez walked, loading the bases. Then the bats went nuclear with back-to-back doubles by Cian Copeland and Bennett Gary for 4 runs. Just like that, Sebastian’s game went from being on the mark to having an arrow driven through his heart. The best was just waiting in the 5th to destroy the progress the pitchers have made this preseason.
TJ, a Nebraska native, felt comfortable enough to wear only short sleeves without protection from the elements. Like Sebastian, he also felt the cold by the fourth inning, but not as severely. He had some help when RF dropped the ball with the bases loaded. TJ completed the first inning after ending on a 4-6 double play off Dylan Dubovik’s bat. Alonzo Alvarez caught everyone off guard with a two-strike bunt that turned into a base hit. This was followed by back-to-back singles from Copeland and Gary, driving in runs. The third inning proved challenging as Watkins beat out a slow grounder to third, partly due to Cuvet’s slow response in fielding. Jailen advanced to second on a balk, and Sheahan’s error at shortstop scored Watkins. The bottom of the fourth began with runners on first and second. Michael Torres started the inning with a single to load the bases. An error in right field allowed a run, and Dubovik’s sacrifice fly to center brought in another. Hugus singled to bring in an RBI. With runners on the corners, Jeffrey safely reached first, scoring a run on a catcher’s error. For both pitchers, it was a frustrating way to end their rotation.
In the 5th inning, the bats exploded for what I think were 8 runs, between Brixton Lofgren and Jake Lodgek. On my scorecard, with the same last initial, I have one listed as Lo and the other as L. As to who is who, my brain is a bit fried. I apologized to both if I assigned the wrong discussion to the wrong pitcher. I am hoping someone at the game will clarify, because I don’t want to label the two HRs to the wrong L. I assume Jake started on the 5th, so I will go from there. Gabiel Milano led off the inning as expected with a SAC, advancing the runners to 2nd and 3rd. Jailen Watkins did the unexpected, and I don’t know if he had help from the wind, which hadn’t been conducive to the batters all day, and sent the ball flying onto the track in left. At 5’7″, I had no idea he had such hidden power. A great fielder with plenty of speed, but power? Who would ever guess? Max Galvin followed with a double, and then it was back to the fences with Derek Williams checking out the right center field fence for the second round tripper of the inning. As demoralizing as this must have been to him, I am guessing, Jake, he responded and ended on a positive note, striking out Sosa and DeGoti.
Brixton’s inning began with a SAC bunt by Jake Odgen, advancing the two pre-position runners. Fabio then followed with a double, driving in both runners. Cuvet walked. Alverez hit a grounder to second that should have ended the inning with a 4-6-3 double play, but Fabio scored from second when Jeffrey, playing first, was caught daydreaming and held onto the ball during the failed double play. Both pitchers struggled through a messy inning.
The concluding two-some of the second week of preseason featured Lonzo Drummond and Packy Bradley-Cooney. For Lonzo, the pre-position players were not heavily involved, except to advance one base on Torres’s fielder’s choice to center. He retired Sheahan to start the inning and West with a strikeout to end it. Packy also pitched efficiently, with Watkins reaching on a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Milano struck out, and Galvin made the final out by flying out to left field. This sequence exemplifies how it is expected to function.
Hitting increased, totaling 14 hits, with 9 coming in the final three innings. Leading performers with multiple hits were Cian Copeland and Bennett Gary, each recording a double and a single. Copeland drove in two runs, while Gary contributed three RBIs. Jailen Watkins also had multiple hits and stood out with three RBIs, achieved through a home run and a single. Doubles were hit by Fabio (who also had an RBI), Max Galvin, and Alex Sosa (RBI). Derek Williams joined Watkins with a home run. Of the 12 hits, seven were for extra bases, six of which occurred in the latter part of the scrimmage. With 14 strikeouts, this remains an ongoing concern.
Defense remains a persistent concern. We’ve struggled with mental mistakes and ball-handling issues. Last year, we were near the top of the leaderboard—an achievement we’re not proud of. This problem has persisted for as long as I can remember, so I’m hoping for a better season. Let another school claim this dubious honor.
The preseason is quickly coming to an end. Fan Fest is scheduled for next Saturday, with the season beginning the following Friday. The specific times and dates for next week’s schedule have not yet been finalized. I will inform you once they are set.
