Lipscomb Series

Over 40% of the season is gone but it really hasn’t started.  16 and 1 is a pretty good start.  However, I’m willing to bet that Arkansas will put up much more of a challenge than Lipscomb or Rhode Island.  The sweeps of TCU and FIU are certainly an encouragement of the potential of this team.

Sunday afternoon against Lipscomb is one of those bittersweet wins.  You love the fact that the Rebels showed enough fight to come from behind.  The bitter is the way Sam Smith pitched.  He has done so well to this point, you have to hope it was a fluke.  He had some of those bad starts last year that were mixed in with the good ones.  With Chris Ellis failing to start the last 3 Sundays, you have to figure that Sam will have to start a Sunday sometime in the future if not against Arkansas.

There are 5 guys that I believe are carrying the Rebels.  You have to start with Stuart Turner.  We better enjoy watching him this year.  If he continues to play like this, he’ll be a one and done transfer from junior college.  Has there been another guy that could be counted on to produce more than him in recent years?  I don’t remember it.

Then you have to mention Bobby Wahl and Mike Mayers.  You just have to think you are at an advantage when those guys are on the mound. 

Tanner Mathis is a must because he’s just the spark plug and the fixture on that team. 

Finally, Tanner Bailey has been the go to guy in the bullpen.  Where would the Rebels be without his consistency.  It seems he always gets that much needed strike out and just settles everything down.

Others are important to talk about.

Brett Huber hasn’t been the shutdown closer we hoped for yet.  But I’m optimistic that he’ll get back to getting outs without putting guys on base. 

Preston Overby continues to impress.  Let’s hope he hits that way in the SEC season.  And you’ve got to love Andrew Mistone.  He’s consistently hitting the ball and driving in big runs.  The fact that the last guy I mention is Austin Bousfield shows how talented this team is.

There are 2 things concerning me at this point.  1) Our failure to get runs in at times with a man on 3^rd and less than 1 out.  Don’t get me wrong, they are producing more than they have in the past but those opportunities are going to be precious come next Friday.  2) The inexperience and inconsistency of some of our younger bull pin guys.  The pressure will only get hotter as SEC play begins.

So here we go.  Looking for a Regional and a Super in Oxford.  #omaha2013