Men UConn Baseball @ 2023 NCAA Tournament’s Gainesville Regional (6/2>6/5). Elimination Sunday 6/4/23 v. Florida Gators @Noon on SEC Network

[businesslawyer]

Why even have Morton tag to third if you aren't going to send him there. Oh well. Let's get it here!

You had a lefty, moving in and to his left, with a short throw. Doms got to come through. And with one out and the tying run on third, Tammaro has to do better. Three hits aren't going to cut it. Great job by the pitchers, but the bats haven't been themselves for a month now.

Given that we're UConn, I don't play to get by Florida A&M tomorrow and then run out of pitchers. I throw Ellison and Sully for the bulk of the innings so that I at least have Coe to get me to the finals. And if the bats stay quiet and we lose to Florida A&M, after our last few years I'm not losing sleep over risking finishing 4th in the regional instead of 3rd. Playing to win means holding Coe back for Sunday now and hope you're still playing then.

 

[businesslawyer]

How about bunting Tammaro…. Right fielder had a strong arm during batting practice..

Tammaro has bunted for a number of base hits. With Morton's speed, that absolutely might have been the smart play.

 

[DGB]

If Fla A&M wins start Sullivan tomorrow against them. Save Coe and Ellison for higher leverage on Sunday. Sully is going to have to go at some point anyways. Staff and prayers if they can get to Monday.

I'd also shake up the lineup a bit tomorrow. Go with the below. If there's a way to get Delana in for Studley from a position standpoint I'd do that too.

1. Daniels
2. Freeberger
3. Smith
4. Huber
5. Broadhurst
6. Studley
7. Morton
8. Garbowski
9. Tammaro

 

[MarkyMark]

Quick game thoughts while fresh in mind:
1) tough loss were fortunate to be in the game with 3 hits. Z-Fog and Willis gave them a shot to win.
2) offense Is struggling - Broadhurst I believe is sub .315 now. He was .370+ back in late April-ish. Molina handcuffed that offense with location throwing 87-89. Was a master at locating inside and has to be with that velo.
3) thought they would squeeze Tammaro with Morton on third. I moved to near Uconn dugout and they had an issue with tech pitcher re: squeeze. Won’t get into details. Still surprised they didn’t do it tammaro is an excellent bunter and bats were scuffling.
4) I didn’t mind him not sending Morton on the fly ball. Wasn’t deep enough even with Morton and you have another shot with Dom coming up. Don’t want to force it and the throw, while up the line a bit, I think was good enough. 2 out hits just didn’t happen today as they have all year. offense picked a bad day to have a bad day.
5) I’m old school but 2-0 on Huber leading off the 9th I make him throw a strike as he just came in. But I get it’s 2023 and that’s how it’s played.
6) Squigs was Squigs scattering hits and being effective. Stunk that Z-Fog gave up the 2 run single after striking out Kash. Tech took control there. But Z-Fog did a great job and saved the pen. Was hitting 94 consistently and was great sans that one hit.
7) thought Kron was safe at second. Why it wasn’t reversed zero clue.
8) Doms play at 3rd was phenomenal. At any level, great play.
9) Sears and Brini were in the dugout but wearing blue shirts.
10) daniels gutted out an AB with that RBI groundout and Dalena came through. Dividends paid there for these guys getting PT as frosh during year.
11)focus is tomorrow and tomorrow only. Get a win and get back in this regional. Baby steps and no looking ahead.

 

[navery12]

Channel for Saturday's noon game?

Hasn't been announced but it will almost certainly be ESPN+ unless we're somehow playing Florida. Can't see UConn/Florida A&M garnering one of the few TV slots

 

[Bomber36]

Me neither. I'm not about to second guess a guy who has gotten UConn to 5 straight NCAA Tourneys and 9 out of the last 13. Coach Penders has really put UConn baseball on the map with his accomplishments.

Well said.

 

[Bomber36]

Hasn't been announced but it will almost certainly be ESPN+ unless we're somehow playing Florida. Can't see UConn/Florida A&M garnering one of the few TV slots

If it’s on plus, I’m sure I can find a stream. Stay tuned. Usually a half hour or so before game time.

 

[TMB4405]

Well said.

In no way am I second guessing anyone especially a coach I love for more reasons than the results on the field. Just saying in that spot with flow of game as it was I would have tried it. Penders probably wished he tried it at this point but he made the decision he made in a split second. If he got thrown out it would not have changed my opinion that he should have tried it but I am sure a lot of people would have second guessed that result.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Frustrating, but I believe!!

 

[Bomber36]

Quick game thoughts while fresh in mind:
1) tough loss were fortunate to be in the game with 3 hits. Z-Fog and Willis gave them a shot to win.
2) offense Is struggling - Broadhurst I believe is sub .315 now. He was .370+ back in late April-ish. Molina handcuffed that offense with location throwing 87-89. Was a master at locating inside and has to be with that velo.
3) thought they would squeeze Tammaro with Morton on third. I moved to near Uconn dugout and they had an issue with tech pitcher re: squeeze. Won’t get into details. Still surprised they didn’t do it tammaro is an excellent bunter and bats were scuffling.
4) I didn’t mind him not sending Morton on the fly ball. Wasn’t deep enough even with Morton and you have another shot with Dom coming up. Don’t want to force it and the throw, while up the line a bit, I think was good enough. 2 out hits just didn’t happen today as they have all year. offense picked a bad day to have a bad day.
5) I’m old school but 2-0 on Huber leading off the 9th I make him throw a strike as he just came in. But I get it’s 2023 and that’s how it’s played.
6) Squigs was Squigs scattering hits and being effective. Stunk that Z-Fog gave up the 2 run single after striking out Kash. Tech took control there. But Z-Fog did a great job and saved the pen. Was hitting 94 consistently and was great sans that one hit.
7) thought Kron was safe at second. Why it wasn’t reversed zero clue.
8) Doms play at 3rd was phenomenal. At any level, great play.
9) Sears and Brini were in the dugout but wearing blue shirts.
10) daniels gutted out an AB with that RBI groundout and Dalena came through. Dividends paid there for these guys getting PT as frosh during year.
11)focus is tomorrow and tomorrow only. Get a win and get back in this regional. Baby steps and no looking ahead.

Nice synopsis. Good to hear from someone who had live eyes on the game.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Horrible plate discipline all game afainst the starter. Constantly swinging at high and outside pitches well outside strike zone.

Tammaro with an awful at bat in the 8th. Let two lazy sliders aboce the belt go which were easy pitches to drive for a sac fly.

Fogell did great keeong the game within reach.

Freeberger's play at 3rd was great at any level.

 

[MarkyMark]

In no way am I second guessing anyone especially a coach I love for more reasons than the results on the field. Just saying in that spot with flow of game as it was I would have tried it. Penders probably wished he tried it at this point but he made the decision he made in a split second. If he got thrown out it would not have changed my opinion that he should have tried it but I am sure a lot of people would have second guessed

the “flow of the game” is a legit pushback here for sending Morton. I think with Dom being on deck that influenced the decision. Perhaps if it was another hitter on deck he might have sent him. I don’t hate the no-tag there but as viet vet said we‘ll never know if he would have made it. Tough one with legit reasons on both sides.

 

[MarkyMark]

Few non-game observations on the facilities (which opened in 2021 I believe):
1) first time here very impressed. There’s a club section in the second deck for highest level donors. Concourse is better than some older major league parks. Also for donors they‘ll give you a ride on the golf cart to the entrance gate instead of having to walk.
2) seating - seats have ample room you’re not having to sit on top of your neighbor. Very comfortable
3) free parking located outside the stadium. Not sure if that’s the norm.
4) practice facilities - have one where it’s just an infield with no real outfield just for infielders only. very specialized practice facilities.
5) at first glance it’s obviously a huge recruiting tool. To have your college baseball career played here would really be something.
6) Pre-Elliott its literally a miracle what Penders did at UConn with what he had.
7) let’s get a W tomorow.

 

[huskymedic]

Alternate access <<


-> “Just a frustrating day,” UConn coach Jim Penders said, by phone from Gainesville.

Korey Morton, exceptionally fast, singled to start the eighth inning, stole second and moved to third on a fly ball. Paul Tammaro lofted fly to medium-depth right field, and Penders, in the third-base coaching box, chose not to test Gage Harrelson’s arm.

“I was yelling, ‘only if he falls down,'” Penders said. “I was the one who held him, I didn’t think it was worth the risk. If the throw was on line, he’d be out.” <-

-> “We pitched it well and deserved better from our bats,” Penders said. “We made a couple of mistake pitches and they made us pay for them.” <-

-> Penders plans to start Thomas Ellison (5-1, 4.88 ERA) Saturday if UConn plays No. 4 seed Florida A&M, Garret Coe (6-2, 4.01) if the opponent is Florida. <-

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm not going to criticize keeping Morton at third as if he tagged and was thrown out there would have been equal complaints about sending him. It was a little curious as normally we are aggressive to a fault running bases but, if one play determines the outcome of the game, you can look at any of a number of individual plays that could be viewed as the one.

 

[Viet Vet]

I want to clarify. I was not second guessing Jim when I posted earlier that I was "shocked" that he didn't send Morton. Given that UConn had only three base hits (one off the pitcher's glove) all game, it game as a big surprise to me that he would gamble on the next hitter getting a hit, passed ball, wild pitch or error.

I thought, without hesitation, that he'd send him. He didn't. Not my choice, but I'll go to my grave supporting him. His record speaks volumes.

 

[Husker Husky]

ESPN didn't show the throw from the RF. At least I didn't see it. I wonder if it was on line. It was extremely short.

 

[Punkbo]

Enjoyable game. Well played by both teams. Our bats were silent. Not gonna win a lot of games with three hits. I’m not mad, upset, slightly annoyed or second-guessing anything. We lost because we didn’t hit. End of story. On to the next one.

 

[MarkyMark]

ESPN didn't show the throw from the RF. At least I didn't see it. I wonder if it was on line. It was extremely short.

It was slightly up the first base line. My first thought was he would have still been out. Just my initial reaction to the live play. Could Morton have hooked and faded it? don’t know. Dom Amore said the fly ball was medium depth…..I think it was shortish-medium. I haven’t seen the play on tv yet but sounds like it wasn’t shown in full. If there were no outs this isn’t a discussion. With one out…makes for good convo.

 

[dbmill]

9) Sears and Brini were in the dugout but wearing blue shirts.

Chris Jones said Sears won't play this weekend. Guessing that players wearing those blue shirts are not on the active roster for playing this weekend, but ended up traveling with the team for this series. Wondering if this is an indication that with Brini traveling with the team but not playing, that he is more likely to be back with UConn baseball next fall, even though he did not get much playing time this season. That is something to wonder about considering all the players these days who end up in the Transfer Portal.

 

[greenday61892]

You had a lefty, moving in and to his left, with a short throw. Doms got to come through. And with one out and the tying run on third, Tammaro has to do better. Three hits aren't going to cut it. Great job by the pitchers, but the bats haven't been themselves for a month now.

Given that we're UConn, I don't play to get by Florida A&M tomorrow and then run out of pitchers. I throw Ellison and Sully for the bulk of the innings so that I at least have Coe to get me to the finals. And if the bats stay quiet and we lose to Florida A&M, after our last few years I'm not losing sleep over risking finishing 4th in the regional instead of 3rd. Playing to win means holding Coe back for Sunday now and hope you're still playing then.

Yeah tbh I'm pretty sure we've never finished 4th in a regional during this stretch of 9 in 13, even as a 4 seed once or twice. So if it finally happens the once, when national seeds have often gone 0-2 (and I believe at least one time it was the overall #1!), yeah it's disappointing but we've had a lot of luck in this often-fluky game

 

[Woof 101]

6) Pre-Elliott its literally a miracle what Penders did at UConn with what he had.

Kudos for Penders and respect for this comment.

 

[dbmill]

Yeah tbh I'm pretty sure we've never finished 4th in a regional during this stretch of 9 in 13, even as a 4 seed once or twice. So if it finally happens the once, when national seeds have often gone 0-2 (and I believe at least one time it was the overall #1!), yeah it's disappointing but we've had a lot of luck in this often-fluky game

I just checked, and that is the case. UConn in that stretch of 9 Tourneys in 13 seasons has always won at least 1 game in the Regional round.

 

[gtcam]

Last years club had a certain IT. This years side just seems to be lacking IT. It’s been a nice season but a bit disappointing to be honest. It’s not over but Uncle Mo seems to be sleeping right now.

 

[huskymedic]