Tribe Baseball

[-Tribal-]

JMU was the preseason #1 pick after winning the CAA title last season. If we can somehow pull it off this year, we'd have won the CAA title in Football, Soccer, and Baseball since 2010. That leaves one major sport...hmm.

Which brings me to the BB article regarding the "uphill" battle W/MBB has in competing in the CAA. If we can field a competitive football, soccer and baseball team, we should be able to do the same in BB. I've said it a thousand times, our elite academics is not/not a liability. Sure, some kids can't or won't do what it takes to make the grades but there are lots of kids who want to compete at a high level while earning a prestigious degree. Anyway, I'm proud of our baseball coaches and players. Nice to see the fire Leoni crowd has died down a bit.

[Big Tribe]

The so-called "fire" on Frank Leoni past year was phony from the start...fomented by two guys who kept inventing player dissent on the team in an effort to demean Coach Leoni. Disagree with some of his tactics, fine; but don't create situations that never existed. And, as someone pointed out on this thread previously, where are the bunt critics now?

Leoni is bringing in terrific talent--see the remarkable pitching staff and the two promising, exciting young freshmen starting...Katz at first base and Smith in right field.

We already have ten recruits signed coming in next August, including three who have every chance
to play regularly next year.

And Leoni doesn't stand still...he brought in two new young coaches who are doing bang up jobs.
hitters in Katz and Smith

[WMTRIBE75]

Just caught the end of the game on the stat track. We beat JMU 5-2 to complete a 3 game sweep!!

[-Tribal-]

Just caught the end of the game on the stat track. We beat JMU 5-2 to complete a 3 game sweep!!

JMU jumped on W&M (Wainman pitching) 2-0 in the first inning then scored no run. Both squads had 10 hits.

Nutter went 3 for 4 and Smith went 2 for 3. Williams had a solo HR.

15-7 (4-2)

[Big Tribe]

Another come-from-behind win after trailing, 2-0.

Lots of hitting heroes: freshman Josh Smith 2-3 with 2 rbi, homerun from Ryan Williams, Kevin Nutter 3-4 and freshman Mike Katz 1-2 with rbi.

Four Tribe relief pitchers hurled six shutout innings, fanning four and walking just 1.

Team pitching ERA is incredible 2.09.

When was the last time we swept a 3-game series at James Madison?

[-Tribal-]

Another come-from-behind win after trailing, 2-0.

Lots of hitting heroes: freshman Josh Smith 2-3 with 2 rbi, homerun from Ryan Williams, Kevin Nutter 3-4 and freshman Mike Katz 1-2 with rbi.

Four Tribe relief pitchers hurled six shutout innings, fanning four and walking just 1.

Team pitching ERA is incredible 2.09.

When was the last time we swept a 3-game series at James Madison?

Great minds, Big Tribe!

[-Tribal-]

When was the last time we swept a 3-game series at James Madison?

You'd have to go back to the 2004 season (3-0), however, went 2-0 against them in 2009 when the 3rd game was canceled.

2012: 3-0
2011: 0-3
2010: 0-3
2009: 2-0 (1 canceled)
2008: 1-2
2007: 2-1
2006: 0-3
2005: 2-1
2004: 3-0
2003: 2-1

[TribeInTheBurg]

We're 9-0 when scoring more than 6 runs, 6-7 when scoring 5 or less. The players at the top of the lineup have a combined 13 sacrifices in 22 games, but their combined OBP is (ballpark) .440. No arguments with our record right now, but I'd love to see the hitting stats if our hitters were allowed to hit. No problem with Williams bunting, since his numbers aren't great, but why do you have Nutter and Brown at the top of the order if you're going to take the bat out of their hands? I haven't been watching the games, so it's also possible that those guys are not simply giving themselves up, but trying to bunt their way on with sacrifices being awarded if they don't make it. At least then they're not giving away the only limited commodity in the entire game. It's like giving up one minute of game time to advance the ball to half court in basketball.

We're 41-55 on stolen bases so far, which is good. As long as we can keep that number up, it seems like we're better off swiping second than giving up an out.

And honestly, if we keep winning it all doesn't matter. But not giving up outs generally will increase our odds of winning.

[Big Tribe]

Pre-season co-favorite for CAA POY, W&M pitcher Brett Koehler returned to the field yesterday after being out since an opening day one-hitter win with a broken finger on his pitching hand.

Brett looked good, winning the game with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief pitching.

Great to have him back...he's a terrific hurler and a major league prospect. Expect to see him start this coming weekend at GMU.

[-Tribal-]

Senior RHP Matt Davenport was named Colonial Athletic Association pitcher of the week on Monday, the conference office announced. The Chesapeake, Va., native garnered the distinction after tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout over James Madison on Friday, March 16. In that game, Davenport recorded eight strikeouts and retired the last 19 JMU batters en route to the 5-0, victory. The award is Davenport's first of the season and the second for a Tribe pitcher as junior RHP Brett Koehler won the honor on Feb. 21.