Weak pitching still hurting 'Necks
Jon Oakley
Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: Sports
The Leathernecks baseball team jumps back into Summit League play this weekend, hosting a four- game series against South Dakota State this weekend.
"This weekend is do or die, there is no sugarcoating it," said head coach Stan Hyman. "I believe it's going to be a series like the one at Southern Utah in which runs are going to be scored. "
The 'Necks (8-22, 4-7 Summit League) enter the second-to-last conference home series of the year with a shaky pitching staff, allowing 10 or more runs in five of its last seven games.
The weekend is set to begin on Friday with a game at 3 p.m. and continue Saturday with a double header starting at noon and will wrap up with the series finale on Sunday at noon.
The Jackrabbits (10-25, 3-8 Summit) have an offense that could make for another long weekend for the 'Necks pitching, knocking out 25 home runs and driving in 146 runs on the year.
Western's above-average offense posts 23 homers and 157 runs batted in, but pitching really has been the issue.
"They've got a very potent offense," Hyman said. "Realistically, we aren't going to stop their offense, we are going to try to slow down their offense."
Hyman said that he is very sure of the staff's problem: throwing strikes.
"It's a very simple formula," Hyman said. "We have to be able to work ahead in the count and throw our fastballs for strikes and keep hitting our spots. It's not like we don't have people who are capable of doing it. They have to be able to repeat what they've done successfully."
The 'Necks have issued 142 free passes so far this year, 25 more than its opponents. As far as finding a solution to the problems at the mound, Hyman said he and the other coaches are trying to pinpoint the root of the problem.
"We'll be working on those things in practice in bullpens and in flat grounds," Hyman said. "Trying to identify, mechanically, why the majority of our pitchers have had difficulty making the correction and the adjustment."
"This weekend is do or die, there is no sugarcoating it," said head coach Stan Hyman. "I believe it's going to be a series like the one at Southern Utah in which runs are going to be scored. "
The 'Necks (8-22, 4-7 Summit League) enter the second-to-last conference home series of the year with a shaky pitching staff, allowing 10 or more runs in five of its last seven games.
The weekend is set to begin on Friday with a game at 3 p.m. and continue Saturday with a double header starting at noon and will wrap up with the series finale on Sunday at noon.
The Jackrabbits (10-25, 3-8 Summit) have an offense that could make for another long weekend for the 'Necks pitching, knocking out 25 home runs and driving in 146 runs on the year.
Western's above-average offense posts 23 homers and 157 runs batted in, but pitching really has been the issue.
"They've got a very potent offense," Hyman said. "Realistically, we aren't going to stop their offense, we are going to try to slow down their offense."
Hyman said that he is very sure of the staff's problem: throwing strikes.
"It's a very simple formula," Hyman said. "We have to be able to work ahead in the count and throw our fastballs for strikes and keep hitting our spots. It's not like we don't have people who are capable of doing it. They have to be able to repeat what they've done successfully."
The 'Necks have issued 142 free passes so far this year, 25 more than its opponents. As far as finding a solution to the problems at the mound, Hyman said he and the other coaches are trying to pinpoint the root of the problem.
"We'll be working on those things in practice in bullpens and in flat grounds," Hyman said. "Trying to identify, mechanically, why the majority of our pitchers have had difficulty making the correction and the adjustment."
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