Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Opposition Research - Missouri Western

Opposition Research - Missouri Western Griffons

Maryville, Mo. - Your Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat baseball team will play Missouri Western on Wednesday in a single nine-inning mid-week game between two rival schools. Only 45 minutes separate the physical campuses between the two schools which facilitates a fierce rivalry between the respective institutions' fan base. The rivalry doesn't end with football. It bleeds to every varsity sport and every student-athlete and every alumni of the two schools. Now, while most Missouri Western fans will wear their Mizzou black and gold when they attend Missouri Western sporting events, the Griffons love-love-love to beat Northwest. Nothing makes college baseball better than putting two rivals on the same field so expect some exciting baseball when the Griffons travel to Maryville to play Northwest on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University. First pitch is set for 2pm.

MWSU Head Coach Buzz Verduzco enters his 17th season at the helm of the Missouri Western baseball program. During Buzz's tenure, the Griffons have had their greatest success. Western finally won their first MIAA baseball championship in 2013 under Buzz. Buzz has had plus-.500 conference winning percentages in each of the past 5 seasons and in 12 of the past 14 seasons. Buzz's teams usually hit the ball really good but play exceptional defense with dominant pitching.

Last season in 2015, Western finished 5th in the MIAA with a 29-21, 22-14 MIAA record, and lost in the 1st round of the MIAA post-season tournament. This season, the Griffons return 3rd team All-MIAA pitcher Richard Peoples, Cosimo Cannella (Honorable Mention All-MIAA), infielder David Glaude (Honorable Mention All-MIAA), and utility Orencio Fisher (Honorable Mention All-MIAA).

So far in this 2016 NCAA baseball season, Western is 24-11, 16-8 MIAA, which is good for 3rd place in the Conference standings. Western has a remarkable 17-3 road record this season. The Griffons are hitting .337, slugging .544, on-base .434, fielding .966, and pitching ERA of 6.29 as a team. The Griffons have two starters batting over .400 at this point in the season.

Western's pitching rotation has been beat around pretty good so far in 2016. The Griffons have had to use several pitchers and have not had a regular Friday starter, Saturday starter, or Sunday starter. The last mid-week starter for the Griffons pitched 7.0 innings on Sunday versus UCO so its doubtful he will pitch on Wednesday. There is really no telling who will pitch for the Griffons against the Bearcats as recent history has shown the pitchers allow a lot of runs and do not last very long in the game. 

MWSU 2016 statistics

##Playeravggp-gsabrh2b3bhrrbitbslg%bbhbpsogdpob%sfshsbsbapoaefld%
3Mason, Landon.43330-3012730556001461.480150122.493025543737.943
5Alvarado, Jeremy.40035-3413536541201249102.756148261.478230033636.941
11Glaude, David.37735-35130434911673693.715307241.5092171275917.960
25Cannella, Cosimo.35535-35138374910095186.623244180.4486001278151.997
7Matthews, Kody.33825-197716264152047.610104110.435102210701.000
27Downs, Brandon.33329-269026303072654.600201292.44730003152.947
4Gawley, Nick.32035-3512835418143363.492268222.4553312158233.966
8Fisher, Orencio.31635-3515243486253073.480182280.39124212385273.974
9Rodriguez, Ozzie.29024-206913202011125.36213081.4020201132171.993
1Ramirez, Andrew.27820-145410154001019.3526472.39100012311.960
44Heuring, Alex.23530-218115192231234.42081211.311030067134.952
----------
30Mertz, Parker.31810-6223720019.4090120.3480100702.778
40Rieth, Andy.2508-041100001.2501020.40000008101.000
6Heggie, D'andre.1825-3111220024.3640030.1671000000.000
34Brown, Marcus.14313-1145200115.3570050.14300005001.000
10Babbitt, Michael.09115-1114100011.0912170.28600016001.000
32Frye, Cade.0001-010000000.0000000.0000000000.000
15Ward, Ricky.0002-010000000.0001010.50000001001.000
Picked off: Gawley, Nick (2), Mason, Landon (2), Fisher, Orencio (1), Glaude, David (1) 

##Playereraw-lapp-gscgshosviphrerbbso2b3bhrabb/avgwphbpbksfasha
22Bailey, Preston3.893-017-100-1239.13018171547321145.20727111
33Clavet, Alex4.023-110-500-0031.13226142219904122.26255011
28Caindec, Weston4.883-116-400-0148.058292622381115191.30433011
24Jones, Evan5.404-111-910-1035.03322212113705127.26046131
21Peoples, Richard6.666-313-810-0052.265473926411562209.31136133
31Lloyd, Jared6.884-010-200-1017.017131315820360.28325012
39Anderson, David8.030-08-000-0012.11213119820244.27325111
29Schwienebart, Conner9.081-514-600-0138.25842392528922164.35441224
----------
42Richards, Kellan0.000-02-000-001.0100110003.33310110
41Werth, Blaine5.400-04-000-005.04333210117.23500000
13Calimeño, Mike8.310-08-000-004.18544220021.38120110
17Tuepker, Tyler9.000-02-000-002.0322101018.37520000
16Estrada, Chris12.710-08-000-005.2121487130326.46220021
18Tieman, Joe14.730-06-000-003.210863220122.45503000
12Cross, Zach27.000-04-000-001.27752220112.58300010
Pickoffs: Caindec, Weston (3), Peoples, Richard (3), Anderson, David (2), Clavet, Alex (1), Estrada, Chris (1) 


NWMSU

Northwest is presently 18-16, 13-11 MIAA which is good for a tie for 6th place in the MIAA Conference baseball standings. Northwest just finished a weekend series at Missouri Southern where the Cats lost 2 of 3 games. Offensively, Northwest is batting .280, .377, on-base .382, fielding .956, and pitching ERA is 5.12. The Bearcats are led offensively by 3B/1B Kevin Handzlik with his .386 average, .518 slugging, and .453 on-base percentage. Close behind Handzlik is 3B/1B James Holler and his .325 average, .588 slugging, .372 on-base percentage.

2016 Statistics

Player  avg gp-gs ab 2b 3b hr rbi tb slg% bb hbp so gdp ob% sf sh sb-att po fld% 
Handzlik,Kevin  .386 27-24 83 17 32 16 43 .518 14 .453 3-5 34 30 .889 
Holler,James  .325 30-18 80 13 26 20 47 .588 20 .372 0-1 132 12 .986 
Fort, Garrett  .309 34-34 123 30 38 18 44 .358 21 25 .437 13-15 69 .946 
Adams,Ozzie  .297 34-34 138 33 41 21 49 .355 15 12 .384 4-5 74 92 .960 
Meyer,Derek  .295 27-23 78 23 12 31 .397 10 15 .382 0-1 124 18 .986 
Greenslade,Kolby  .295 34-34 129 29 38 11 45 .349 19 .345 13-19 46 .941 
Gotta,Nick  .276 34-34 123 17 34 29 48 .390 37 10 .439 9-13 48 94 12 .922 
Lewis,Jake  .270 32-31 100 23 27 20 42 .420 18 12 .398 3-7 153 14 .988 
Barratt,Aaron  .256 28-22 82 19 21 12 28 .341 18 .300 7-7 41 .977 
Hrdlicka,Jay  .228 30-27 101 16 23 16 32 .317 20 17 .350 2-2 42 .979 
Appel,Dane  .200 6-1 .200 .500 0-0 1.000 
Wulff,Austin  .192 22-10 52 10 15 .288 15 .295 0-0 32 1.000 
Howard,Nick  .174 23-10 46 10 .217 16 .298 0-0 11 15 .963 
Douglas,Zachary  .083 14-3 12 .083 .389 0-0 38 .957 
Wilkinson,Luke  .000 1-1 .000 .000 0-0 1.000 
Pablo,Nikko  .000 5-0 .000 .500 0-0 .857 
Totals  .280 34-34 1155 221 323 57 14 189 436 .377 165 34 201 23 .382 13 19 54-75 864 337 55 .956 
Opponents  .276 34-34 1129 207 312 45 29 182 454 .402 118 31 235 12 .357 12 27 42-54 879 409 70 .948 
LOB - Team (286), Opp (246). DPs turned - Team (18), Opp (27). IBB - Team (5), Gotta,Nick 3, Hrdlicka,Jay 1, Douglas,Zach 1, Opp (2). Picked off - Fort,Garrett 2, Lewis,Jake 2, Barratt,Aaro 1, Handzlik,Kev 1, Gotta,Nick 1, Hrdlicka,Jay 1.

Player  era w-l app-gs cg sho sv ip er bb so 2b 3b hr ab b/avg wp hbp bk sfa sha 
Smith,Carson  2.82 3-3 17-0 0/1 22.1 23 14 17 90 .256 
Caenepeel,Anthony  3.62 4-5 11-11 0/0 69.2 72 35 28 14 61 274 .263 
Pearcy,Hondo  3.94 0-0 8-2 0/0 16.0 11 10 57 .193 
Hietpas,Joseph  3.95 4-2 10-10 0/0 57.0 54 36 25 28 48 11 216 .250 11 
McElwain,Jimmy  4.15 0-0 3-0 0/0 4.1 17 .294 
Pablo,Nikko  5.70 1-2 16-0 0/1 30.0 32 26 19 17 30 111 .288 
Shea,Bryce  6.75 3-0 15-0 0/0 22.2 21 18 17 15 21 84 .250 
Wagner,Jacob  6.75 0-0 7-0 0/0 4.0 13 .231 
Roberts,Brad  7.08 2-2 10-10 0/1 48.1 71 40 38 19 32 16 206 .345 
Battaglia,Austin  10.03 1-2 9-1 0/0 11.2 15 18 13 51 .294 
Osborne,John  22.50 0-0 4-0 0/0 2.0 10 .500 
Totals  5.12 18-16 34-34 1/1 288.0 312 207 164 118 235 45 29 1129 .276 27 31 12 27 
Opponents  5.07 16-18 34-34 2/2 293.0 323 221 165 165 201 57 14 1155 .280 29 34 13 19 
PB - Team (6), Meyer,Derek 3, Lewis,Jake 2, Hrdlicka,Jay 1, Opp (11). Pickoffs - Team (8), Roberts,Brad 2, Pablo,Nikko 2, Caenepeel,An 1, Hietpas,Jose 1, Battaglia,Au 1, Meyer,Derek 1, Opp (8). SBA/ATT - Meyer,Derek (22-26), Hietpas,Jose (10-13), Douglas,Zach (8-11), Lewis,Jake (7-11), Caenepeel,An (6-9), Shea,Bryce (5-7), Pablo,Nikko (6-6), Hrdlicka,Jay (5-6), Roberts,Brad (4-6), Smith,Carson (4-5), Battaglia,Au (3-3), Pearcy,Hondo (3-3), Wagner,Jacob (0-1), Osborne,John (1-1).

Team by Team Analysis

Based on Northwest's recent conference opponents, the Bearcat defense is going to be the difference in this game. Can the Bearcats execute to catch the ball, throw the ball, and stop the opposing runners from taking the extra base? In the Southern series, there were misplays by the Bearcat defense that did not count as an error on the score sheet but should have been made. Will the Bearcat defense lock in and make the plays? I like the move of putting James Holler at third and Handzlik at first. I think both are terrific first baseman with their ability to catch a baseball. Holler's throws to first have all been on-point and laser beam straight. Handzlik has shown a keen ability to scoop the throws in the dirt with ease. Gotta and Ozzie have the middle locked down and have been playing very well all season. The Bearcat outfield had a tough series defensively at Southern between battling sun balls. Getting good reads and good jumps in the outfield is important for the Bearcat defense's success. Should the Bearcat pitching keep the ball in the park, the Northwest defense will decide who wins or loses this game. In the B2R's thoughts, the Bearcats should approach this rivalry game with the attitude to blitz every play and want the baseball more than they want their next breath. The Bearcats need this game to make the post-season baseball tournament. The Griffons are only 4 games back from first place UCM. A lot riding for both teams. 

Here is a statistical summary of the two squads as they sit on April 12, 2016:

                                   MWSU                 NWMSU
AVG/SLG/OB%       .337/.544/.434       .280/.377/.382
Defense                     .966                       .956
ERA                          6.29                       5.12

It is going to be a fun one at the Bearcat baseball field on Wednesday. Bring your outdoor voices, get your home work done early, grab a buddy, and head on down to the ballpark for a terrific college baseball game with play-off implications for both teams. 

Go Cats!!
###

No comments:

Post a Comment