ORU @ OSU

[Bogus Smith]

Yes, it is 11:25 and this is the first written words on the OSU beatdown of ORU by a score of 9-0.  We contributed two hits on the night and, although we attempted to make it a game by taking advantage of a flurry of walks, we were unwilling to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat.  The game was 3-0 until the 7th.

In the post-game interview, you can hear the frustration in the voice of Coach Folmar.  Hopefully a dose of Northern Colorado will help the team to get a kick-start of confidence and motivation to meet Missouri State at home next Tuesday.

It's time to turn the ship around.

[Old Titan]

19 minutes ago, Bogus Smith said:

Yes, it is 11:25 and this is the first written words on the OSU beatdown of ORU by a score of 9-0.  We contributed two hits on the night and, although we attempted to make it a game by taking advantage of a flurry of walks, we were unwilling to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat.  The game was 3-0 until the 7th.

In the post-game interview, you can hear the frustration in the voice of Coach Folmar.  Hopefully a dose of Northern Colorado will help the team to get a kick-start of confidence and motivation to meet Missouri State at home next Tuesday.

It's time to turn the ship around.

I'm too tired and too depressed to look up the last time ORU was shut out in consecutive games, and in three-of-five contests.

Offensive slumps in baseball are sometimes referred to as "power outages".

In terms of wattage, this is more akin to The Dark Ages.  

[theeagleman5]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! But Bryce Harper had 3 HRs last night....at least somebody can hit....

[Bogus Smith]

9 hours ago, Old Titan said:

I'm too tired and too depressed to look up the last time ORU was shut out in consecutive games, and in three-of-five contests.

Offensive slumps in baseball are sometimes referred to as "power outages".

In terms of wattage, this is more akin to The Dark Ages.  

This is an offense problem more than it is a pitching problem.  We have no real power threats (14 HRs in 28 games) and batting an overall .265 is not going to prove to be enough to win ballgames on a consistent basis.  Pitching is still a lofty 6.75 ERA, so they shouldn't feel so good about their performance just because the offense isn't doing much.   I guess this is a team sport after all.

[Old Titan]

5 minutes ago, Bogus Smith said:

This is an offense problem more than it is a pitching problem.  We have no real power threats (14 HRs in 28 games) and batting an overall .265 is not going to prove to be enough to win ballgames on a consistent basis.  Pitching is still a lofty 6.75 ERA, so they shouldn't feel so good about their performance just because the offense isn't doing much.   I guess this is a team sport after all.

Add to that anemic 1-2 punch the drop off in defense at literally every position from last season, and the bewildering number of hit batters, wild pitches, and passed balls, amd you have the perfect recipe for the disaster currently at hand.

[Otis 83]

You two have summarized the issues well.  There isn't just "one thing" that needs to be corrected.  I keep hoping to see some progress on any of them but haven't seen that yet.  Keep in mind that we did lose every position player but one and moved our DH for first base.  That's pretty significant lineup turnover in the lineup.  Pitching I was more optimistic about since we were returning two weekend starters, our midweek starter and 2 bullpen arms that saw a lot of meaningful action last year but alas that hasn't amounted to much so far.

I'm sure this is somewhere on this forum, what is St Thomas' status for the conference tournament and the NCAA postseason?

[Bogus Smith]

20 minutes ago, Otis 83 said:

I'm sure this is somewhere on this forum, what is St Thomas' status for the conference tournament and the NCAA postseason?

St. Thomas is in the same spot as they were for basketball, I believe (ineligible).  I am sure there are others on here smarter that will know this answer.

[Otis 83]

3 minutes ago, Bogus Smith said:

St. Thomas is in the same spot as they were for basketball, I believe (ineligible).  I am sure there are others on here smarter that will know this answer.

They were ineligible for the NCAA MBB tournament but played in the SL tournament.  I'm wondering if that's the case for baseball too.  Don't only 4 teams make the SL baseball tournament.  Sadly, hoping we don't have to compete with them for spot potentially.

[Old Titan]

7 minutes ago, Bogus Smith said:

St. Thomas is in the same spot as they were for basketball, I believe (ineligible).  I am sure there are others on here smarter that will know this answer.

I’m not smarter, but I do know the answer:  

• if St. Thomas wins the Summit League tournament as a No. 2, 3, or 4 Seed, the No. 1 Seed goes to the regionals instead (regardless of how that No. 1 Seed performs in the tournament).
   
• If St. Thomas is the No. 1 Seed AND they win the tournament as well, the No. 2 Seed gets the NCAA berth (regardless of how that No. 2 Seed performs in the tournament). 

[tmh8286]

50 minutes ago, Otis 83 said:

There isn't just "one thing" that needs to be corrected.  I keep hoping to see some progress on any of them but haven't seen that yet.  Keep in mind that we did lose every position player but one and moved our DH for first base.  That's pretty significant lineup turnover in the lineup.  Pitching I was more optimistic about since we were returning two weekend starters, our midweek starter and 2 bullpen arms that saw a lot of meaningful action last year but alas that hasn't amounted to much so far.

 

It's amazing, but this is the same discussion we were having about basketball three months ago.

[Otis 83]

2 hours ago, Old Titan said:

I’m not smarter, but I do know the answer:  

• if St. Thomas wins the Summit League tournament as a No. 2, 3, or 4 Seed, the No. 1 Seed goes to the regionals instead (regardless of how that No. 1 Seed performs in the tournament).
   
• If St. Thomas is the No. 1 Seed AND they win the tournament as well, the No. 2 Seed gets the NCAA berth (regardless of how that No. 2 Seed performs in the tournament). 

So I can imply from your answer that, like basketball, they are eligible for the SL tournament.

[Old Titan]

1 minute ago, Otis 83 said:

So I can imply from your answer that, like basketball, they are eligible for the SL tournament.

Honestly, I just assumed they are, since all their teams in other sports have been allowed this academic year to participate in conference championship competitions.

[Old Titan]

2 hours ago, tmh8286 said:

It's amazing, but this is the same discussion we were having about basketball three months ago.

I'm reminded how last summer/fall, some posters on this very forum were breathlessly proclaiming the previous men's basketball and baseball campaigns as THE GREATEST YEAR IN ORU ATHLETICS HISTORY.

Which I stated was arguable, but that I would grant was ORU's most memorable and decorated athletic year ever.

Fast forward to this academic year, and barring a Lazarus-esque recovery by ORU Baseball, we will have another hot topic to debate this summer:  Worst Year In ORU Athletics History?

Or, simply The Most Disappointing?

[theeagleman5]

Let's face it, boys.....WE STINK right now!!.....but better days are surely ahead....right????.....

[oruvoice]

18 hours ago, Old Titan said:

I'm reminded how last summer/fall, some posters on this very forum were breathlessly proclaiming the previous men's basketball and baseball campaigns as THE GREATEST YEAR IN ORU ATHLETICS HISTORY.

Which I stated was arguable, but that I would grant was ORU's most memorable and decorated athletic year ever.

Fast forward to this academic year, and barring a Lazarus-esque recovery by ORU Baseball, we will have another hot topic to debate this summer:  Worst Year In ORU Athletics History?

Or, simply The Most Disappointing?

Since I'm already the most despised person on this board and have nothing to lose, I'll see your "worst year in ORU sports" and raise you a decade. 

Take out the Miracle Max run in men's hoops and last years amazing baseball team, and the pickings for athletic success at ORU over the past 10-12 years are slim.

Men's & Women's Golf haven't done anything significant. Men's & Women's Tennis have been awful. Track & Cross Country has had a couple of indivdual successes. Volleyball has been abysmal. Women's basketball hasn't done much, although it appears to be the bright spot at the moment. And, Men's & Women's Soccer have had a couple of moments. 

I realize that the author of this post will automatically be met with derision. But, pretend this post was written by someone else and objectively look at the records & results. 

Lastly, for the record, I think Coach Folmar will get things headed back in the right direction and he's the guy for the job! Most of the others (and athletic department staff) need a complete overhaul.

[ORUJason]

I think 90-91 and 91-92 (the 2 NAIA years I believe) might be the 2 worst years based upon the level of competition.

[Idig32]

7 hours ago, oruvoice said:

Take out the Miracle Max run in men's hoops and last years amazing baseball team, and the pickings for athletic success at ORU over the past 10-12 years are slim.

I can agree with this. The last couple years of Coach Sutton and first few years of Coach Mills were pretty rough. Women’s basketball was pretty bad for most of Coach Cussen’s tenure, and Coach Folmar had to find his footing as a head coach in the aftermath of the misguided Southland years. If you take away the really good years, then yeah, the past decade won’t look so good. I could argue that is the case for a lot of teams. On the other hand, at least we’ve had some good years, we could be like TU, where the past decade has been terrible! 
 

However, I don’t think it was as much of a miracle that the sweet sixteen team made their run as people think. I understand that the odds weren’t great for them to make a run, but they were a really good team that found their stride at the right time. I think them and the coaches deserve credit for the effort they put in to making that run. I guess, to me, saying it’s a miracle run takes away from some of the greatness of Abmas and Obanor.

[oruvoice]

15 hours ago, Idig32 said:

I can agree with this. The last couple years of Coach Sutton and first few years of Coach Mills were pretty rough. Women’s basketball was pretty bad for most of Coach Cussen’s tenure, and Coach Folmar had to find his footing as a head coach in the aftermath of the misguided Southland years. If you take away the really good years, then yeah, the past decade won’t look so good. I could argue that is the case for a lot of teams. On the other hand, at least we’ve had some good years, we could be like TU, where the past decade has been terrible! 
 

However, I don’t think it was as much of a miracle that the sweet sixteen team made their run as people think. I understand that the odds weren’t great for them to make a run, but they were a really good team that found their stride at the right time. I think them and the coaches deserve credit for the effort they put in to making that run. I guess, to me, saying it’s a miracle run takes away from some of the greatness of Abmas and Obanor.

Fair points. And, thankful for the Max years and last years baseball run. 

But in general, outside of those two things, the conference titles and winning programs at ORU have been sorely lacking over the past 10-15 years. That's all.