B2R Analysis - Cameron University
The Bearcats took on two southern school opponents and counter-punched them with authority. First and foremost, I like what I saw out of the team in Oklahoma. I like their grit and ability to keep plugging away at the opponent. In both double-headers against Cameron, Northwest would lose game one only to rebound and win game two.
I love the outfield trio of Austin Wulf in left, Abernathy in center, and Pomatto in right. All three outfielders have range and strong throwing arms. All three were sprinting around this past weekend making plays (line drives, flairs, deep & high fly balls). Austin Wulf is a true freshman but he plays like an upperclassman. Wulf hits with power and plays a superb left field. In one play at the plate where Wulf slid to avoid the tag, the Cameron catcher wasn't exactly getting off of Wulf very quickly. Wulf helped the catcher off of him. That's the kind of edge I like to see.
I like the potential of the Bearcat infield this season. Statistically, the 'Cats need to settle down and make the routine plays (eliminating errors) but season opening jitters, and the lack of outdoor playing time, obviously affects first week execution. I like what I see in true freshman Zack Ferreira at 3B. He takes charge of the hot corner and aggressively attacks the ball. Huske is still the man at short stop with nobody threatening to remove him from the post. Huske hits a ton and gets on base about 50% of the time. I'm glad to see Paul Johnson get a shot at the starting 2B job. It looks like he puts in a lot of work in the weight room. Paul's offensive numbers are impressive. Defensively, he has had a couple of tough days and needs to settle down and just be Paul. I was impressed with Garrett Fort over the weekend, too. Garrett played in Left Field and at 2B. He commanded both positions very well. Offensively, Garrett is not hitting with the same result as Wulf or Johnson, right now, but I felt his switch to start at 2B in game 2 against Cameron was vital in settling down the infield and helping the Cats win a very important game. Steven Garber is still the man at 1B with superior defensive skills and offensive power at the plate. Steven got dinged on a play for a foul ball so James Holler and Eric McLaughlin both earned a start at 1B in games 3 and 4 respectively. Both did well although James was charged with an error. Eric had a nifty back-handed pick on a short-hop that preserved a necessary out for the 'Cats. At catcher, Blake Hardegree has started every game. Offensively, Blake has a terrific OB% of .381, but he had a tough 4-game stretch defensively with some throwing errors and past balls. Then again, Blake was rock solid in the 8th and 9th innings blocking throws in the dirt with a runner on 3rd that preserved the win for the 'Cats. Overall, it will be compelling to watch how the infield defense performs against UNK this weekend. When the defense made the routine plays, the Bearcats won the game. Offensively, the 'Cats have a dynamic group that can continue to pressure the opposing defense and pitcher.
Pitching has been great. A lot of guys earned their first career starts this past weekend. A lot of veterans took the bull's horns and plugged away like last year. I'm thrilled with the Hondo, Schmiedt, and Pomatto rotation as your 7, 8, and 9 guys. Tanner Smith did very well in his outing to put out the fire in his game. Blane Reutter was outstanding in his outing. I was happy to see Kole get a start as he has worked very hard the past year or two. Ryker impressed me this weekend. What the statistics will not show is that Ryker was not feeling well from the previous day and still gutted out several innings for the team. Austin Warren throws hard and with movement. His presence on the mound is top notch. Overall, I am very excited about the pitching rotation and bullpen. I'm still really looking forward to see what some of the other relievers can do, but at the very least, it looks like the 'Cats bullpen depth is very good.
In conclusion, the Bearcats had a terrific start to the 2014 season and traded punches with southern schools just fine. I see the character of this team and it has me excited about the possibilities for the season. Next up, UNK and its 6-1 record with potent offense and superior pitching and defense. It will be a compelling match-up this weekend.
Go Cats!!
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