Unfortunate for Duplantier (AGAIN) to give that pitch up and the resulting BOMB/no doubter.
I found it more concerning last night ( and still today), though with Stuart not being able to find the strike zone with his first two batters and giving up the walks. If not for the check swing strike with his first pitch to Neal, he would have thrown 8 straight balls. Instead it was 9 out of 10, with another ball to Nippolt (3rd in the inning) before getting him to foul a couple off and getting a K. Not exactly the result you want from a reliever in the late innings, especially with the game tied 0-0 in the 9th.
Someone has been spoiled. Dude is a true freshman out there. Same on the other corner.
There was a guy here, that the job was basically his, and because he didn't get enough playing time last year (due to the Golden Spikes POY playing in front of him) he chose to leave and get Raider rash in Lubbock. Melendez had to wait (and learn) to get better because of Zubia. Zubia made great improvement in his Jr and Sr years. Before that, he was brutal in the field. Foot work sucked and he had trouble with low or errant throws. Last night with the scoop that he missed, it was a shitty throw from delayed, extra step throw from Jalin that he missed and was not an easy pick. (My seat is right in line from the mound/3rd base to 1st base)
We have 19 new players on the roster this year, being transfers, JUCO, or freshmen. Some of those freshmen are going to play and are going to have to learn (like Zubia did) that the college game is a different level. We had a total of 4 hits last night, same as #1 LSU in a nice throw back game of college pitching. One of those hits (1-3) was by your JV first baseman.