[bigsmooth]

The Flames (12-9, 3-0 Big south) entertain the Hokies (12-10, 0-6 ACC) at Worthington in a rematch of a game earlier in the season that the Hokies won 9-1. First pitch at 3pm. The game is being streamed live for a fee at bigsouthsports.com and can also be heard live on the radio on 90.9 WWMC, http://www.thelightonline.com or at http://www.libertyflames.com with the great Nick Pierce and Doug Wallace with the call. Anyone heard who is on the bump?? GO FLAMES!

[Sly Fox]

We should have plenty of fresh arm after this past weekend's CG-fest. As a result, I would suspect that whoever pitches will be on a relatively short leash.

[bigsmooth]

word is baker is on the bump according to a very reliable source.

[Del Flame]

word is baker is on the bump according to a very reliable source.

Nice work! Can't wait for game time!

[Cider Jim]

I'll be there!

[SumItUp]

LU up 5-1 in the bottom of the 2nd.

[BJWilliams]

and last I checked...still going...

[Del Flame]

7th inning stretch - it's 6-2. Baker is so calm out there. He doesn't get rattled at all. The home run didn't phase him, and last inning he pitched around an error (scored as a hit). He just puts the ball in there (0 walks through 7).

[Del Flame]

8th inning: two outs, then two infield hits, then a visit from the trainer and two warmup pitches, then a three-run homer. Now it's 6-5. Pitching change.

[Del Flame]

Beakler: Walk, single, single = tie game
McLeod: 1 pitch = out of the inning
6-6 after 7 1/2
Time for some runs!!

[BJWilliams]

Liberty falls 9-6...you almost wonder what the complexion would have been like if Baker doesnt get that ball off his bare hand in the 8th...

[jenkins]

same ol story, either the bullpen blows it or we leave the starter in too long. It's hard to fault toman for stretching the starters, every time we go to the pen this happens. I still think Doug doesn't have enough range or arm for LF. Also tyler is just a dead weight right now, he hasn't gotten on track all season. He can't have more than 3 extra base hits and he got picked off again today

[SuperJon]

The bullpen isn't reliable because no one is fresh. I guarantee you that Beakler warmed up in every game over the weekend. So did other guys.

[Del Flame]

Ironically:
Visit from trainer in the 8th: one or two pitches later, 3 run homer.
Visit from manager in the 10th, with bases loaded, 0-2 on the hitter: two pitches later a 3 run double.

Frustratingly (if that is a word):
In the top of the 10th (in McLeod's third inning of work), the first two guys got on base and THEN we sent some pitchers from the dugout to the bullpen. In a tie game, in extra innings, with a pitcher on the hill who hadn't worked 4 TOTAL innings all year, we had no one even IN the bullpen.

[SuperJon]

Ironically:
Visit from trainer in the 8th: one or two pitches later, 3 run homer.
Visit from manager in the 10th, with bases loaded, 0-2 on the hitter: two pitches later a 3 run homer.

I bet if you paid attention to this the entire year, you'd see this isn't that uncommon.

[Del Flame]

Ironically:
Visit from trainer in the 8th: one or two pitches later, 3 run homer.
Visit from manager in the 10th, with bases loaded, 0-2 on the hitter: two pitches later a 3 run double.

I bet if you paid attention to this the entire year, you'd see this isn't that uncommon.

Funny thing is: you had mentioned that exact thing earlier in the season. So when it happened today, I thought you would "appreciate" hearing about it.

[BJWilliams]

Actually it was a bases clearing double in the tenth Del

[Del Flame]

Actually it was a bases clearing double in the tenth Del

That's right, BJ; it was off the fence, not over it! (I just corrected it above - thanks!)

[bigsmooth]

baker pitched very well other than two pitches. we had every chance to add on to the lead and we could not do it. i do think we have found our midweek starter though. it would have been nice to get the win, but more importantly is the weekend series with winthrop. im hoping tyler can get his game back too. the signs are there that he could break out of it, so maybe this will be the weekend.

[Cider Jim]

Granted, I haven't played the game since Babe Ruth league in '76, but we were always taught "never let a ball get over your head." Was Bream playing too shallow? Our fences aren't that tall, so it sounds like he could have caught it, if were playing deep enough, or was it hit in the gap, and that's why he couldn't reach it? (I was at the game, but left early).

[Chris Lang]

Granted, I haven't played the game since Babe Ruth league in '76, but we were always taught "never let a ball get over your head." Was Bream playing too shallow? Our fences aren't that tall, so it sounds like he could have caught it, if were playing deep enough, or was it hit in the gap, and that's why he couldn't reach it? (I was at the game, but left early).

Your question is answered at the end of my story:

http://www2.newsadvance.com/sports/2011 ... ar-921660/

[Cider Jim]

Toman had Bream play closer in toward the infield for that at-bat, an understandable ploy considering Morales’ averages.

Said Toman: "We just felt like if they were going to beat us, they were going to have to hit one over our heads rather than bloop. Especially with these bats. That’s how it’s been all year. He got a hold of one, and we didn’t quite get back far enough to catch it."

That strategy only works if you have Paul Blair playing in the outfield.

[BJWilliams]

Well the man said that they have been doing that all year and this just happened to be a rare time when they got burned for it. The kid for VT said he basically threw his hands at it so Im sure they werent anticipating the ball to have the kind of carry that it did.